Ben Schwartz And Friends Deliver Hilarious Improv Skit With Wild Face Swap Twist

Instagram/@rejectedjokes

Ben Schwartz and the group of his fellow improvisers have offered one more evidence of why they remain among the funniest people in comedy during these times. The video was discharged on Schwartz’s popular Rejected Jokes Instagram handle and portrays a hilariously absurd scene of Schwartz attempting to coerce his friend into literally switching faces to avoid an awkward meeting with an ex.

Advertisement

The setup is relatively straightforward-Schwartz basically begs his buddy to help him avoid an ex-girlfriend inside a building. Then, abruptly, it degenerates into utter chaos as Schwartz proposes physically ripping each other’s faces off to swap with each other. “Face off. Face off. Face off,” Schwartz chants maniacally as Tarver, his scene partner, looks on appropriately horrified.

Upon escalation, the entire bit ends up crossing the improv boundaries of lending body parts, working in a “big dick factory,” and full-fledged absurdity that brought the house down. It also really highlighted how fast-talking Schwartz is, along with such partners all too willing to follow suit, including Lauren Lapkus and Eugene Cordero.

The chemistry amongst the group garnered praise in the comments right away. One person noted how Tarver was initially acting as the sane voice but drifted into embracing the madness, stating, “Drew just took the game and ran with it.” Another praised Schwartz for genuinely laughing within character at his scene partners’ contributions and called him “a team player.”

Clearly, the absurd premise really resonated with some, as several commenters began to make references to the `90s action flick Face/Off being parodied here. “I will not rest until they remake the 90s hit movie Face Off starring Ben Schwartz,” one follower joked. Others were curious about where to watch the complete shows, asking if they are on Patreon like almost every other improv group.

If catching the comedy live is what you want to do, Schwartz is bringing Rejected Jokes on tour to Florida, LA, and Oakland. A couple of commenters from Florida expressed their excitement for the shows, with one scrambling to find out who the special guests are for the Fort Lauderdale date.

The clip also gives a little bit of a taste for what fans may expect from Schwartz’s live shows-wild, off-the-cuff improv that embraces spiraling way off course with almost no hesitation. From the face-swapping bit to sudden detours to some sort of body horror to the return of probably the weirdest inside joke ever-“big dick factory,” it’s the kind of comic experience that has you laughing while wondering just what these guys and gals put in their evening drinks.

The success of the bit lies in it being committed to by every member of the cast in this utterly ridiculous premise. They never wink at the audience or half-ass the bit; through all the insanity, they give it their all to see how far they can go before the whole thing characteristically hits the wall. Judging by the reactions of the crowd in the clip and everyone commenting, really, they just hit it at the perfect moment.

Advertisement

For those who are into smart, ridiculous improv that gives itself wholeheartedly to being weird, this clip is the answer to their prayers. If you get lucky enough to catch one of Schwartz’s tour stops, you just might be witnessing the birth of the next viral comedy moment.