A while ago I posted an in memoriam tweet and it hit me-- everyone’s on Twitter, why did I wait to say those things? #TweetYourHeroes, everybody. So here’s an open letter to @TheMickyDolenz1 and Michael Nesmith of @TheMonkees. 1/10

Hi @TheMickyDolenz1 and Michael ( @Videoranch3D ?), you don’t know me, I’m a comedy writer with a couple Emmys from The Colbert Report, and I just wanted to thank you for having such an impact on me and my comedic voice. 2/10

I watched The Monkees in reruns after school and loved it.
First off, Micky, kudos for cracking me up with a Jimmy Cagney impression when I had NO IDEA who that was. Mike – Papa Gene’s Blues is my favorite Monkees song by a mile. 3/10

But what had the biggest impact on me, what I want to thank you and your writers for, is the sense that anything could happen. That the world had no limits. My favorite example was in “Dance, Monkee, Dance.” The band is in a bind, and 4/10

Micky breaks the fourth wall and walks to the writers’ room to see if they have any ideas how to solve their problem. Solid “meta” bit. BUT THEN. Micky walks into the writers’ room… 5/10

and THE WRITERS ARE ALL OLD CHINESE MEN. Mind. Blown. Never explained, not even acknowledged. Just when you think you know the bit, there’s a next level surprise. I wanted to live in this world where reality could shift in an instant. 6/10

(Side note: I won’t pretend to know the cultural context of this bit from 1966. For all I know it was devastating satire. As a kid in the 80’s, it was a glorious random surprise. And it remains a great example of heightening, even if it doesn’t hold up culturally.) 7/10

What I love is, each individual step follows logically from the one before it, but at the end you’re like “how the hell did we get here?” The best part, The Monkees themselves--never surprised. Wigs appear, clothes change, they turn into superheroes—it’s all logical to them. 8/10

Here is your influence in action: A bit where Colbert forgets the words to “Stay” by Lisa Loeb, so he asks Lisa Loeb for help, who is (presumably always) standing just off-camera for no reason. 9/10 http://www.cc.com/video-clips/p1n8k4/the-colbert-report-avian-flu

So Micky and Mike (and Peter and Davy) you’re awesome and hilarious. Your show was really important to me, and thank you for all the joy. Have a great day and don’t forget to wash your hands! Sincerely, Peter Gwinn
10/end #TweetYourHeroes