…and this is a 
Bet you didn't know I'm the guy who talked the deity into using the horrifically inefficient and cruel process of evolution to create life on earth, didja?
The trick to maneuvering him into doing anything? Appeal to his vanity. The guy is definitely omninarcissistic.
(Psst. Notice that the deity's science advisor is wearing an "A" pin, and one of Lynn Fellman's sciency ties. Bad acting is no barrier to sneaky product placement!)
Oh, and don't forget to subscribe and donate. How else will they ever be able to stop scraping the bottom of the barrel for guest appearances?
Comments
Posted by: Glen Davidson
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October 12, 2009 2:47 PM
Well you screwed us out of the crocoduck and werewolves there, PZ.
Good going!
Got the banana, 'K, but we had to do that.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p
Posted by: abz
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October 12, 2009 2:51 PM
Is it too late to apply for an Oscar?
Posted by: Tulse
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October 12, 2009 2:53 PM
Excellent, PZ -- despite your protestations that was very well acted.
Posted by: One Eyed Jack
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October 12, 2009 2:54 PM
The banana! Love it!
Posted by: aratina cage
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October 12, 2009 2:56 PM
Squeee! OK, gotta finish watching. Not a bad performance so far. Definitely picked up around the blind spot discussion.Posted by: Owlmirror
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October 12, 2009 2:57 PM
Bananananananana!!!!!
("Some sign" should have been "Some sign to give them a ray of hope; something to comfort them". /Monday-morning screenwriting)
Posted by: SciencePundit
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October 12, 2009 2:57 PM
My favorite parts were "P-Zed" and the banana at the end.
Posted by: SC OM
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October 12, 2009 3:00 PM
Aw! I didn't think the acting was bad at all. Seemed pretty natural.
Posted by: JackC
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October 12, 2009 3:00 PM
Pure Genius.
"I am particularly excited about the squid..."
but.... at the credits, PZ "Zed" Myers???
Well.... Ok ...... Zed.
JC
Posted by: forthesakeofscience.wordpress.com
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October 12, 2009 3:01 PM
Haha, I love the squid part. But where was your Sheryl Westleigh necklace from Bates? Shame.
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
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October 12, 2009 3:03 PM
I was amused that the science adviser was so excited about squid. Where could that have come from?
Posted by: Celtic_Evolution
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October 12, 2009 3:04 PM
"You know how some people name their little dogs Goliath?"
Heh.
Posted by: Bobber
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October 12, 2009 3:04 PM
Speaking as an Italian, I have to say that the innate ability for creative design has somehow not applied to me. Mr. Deity, I demand justice. Or a banana.
Oh, and P.Z.? Speaking of the banana, loved that heavy "Hmmmmm..." You're a natural!
Posted by: Owlmirror
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October 12, 2009 3:05 PM
And of course, Lucy is in the details. Indeed.
Posted by: Mike Wagner
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October 12, 2009 3:06 PM
I have a feeling Ray Comfort would not be amused, if he took time out from rolling around naked in money to watch it.
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
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October 12, 2009 3:07 PM
Zed is dead, babe. Zed is dead.
Posted by: $ Thelonious 386sx
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October 12, 2009 3:07 PM
I was gonna say it was good but he should have went crazy and gone all "De Niro" on them, but then I saw this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxCUBU0n_XU
Nevermind!
Posted by: Bobber
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October 12, 2009 3:07 PM
Forget the banana. For some reason I feel nauseous.
Posted by: Carlie
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October 12, 2009 3:09 PM
I think I just died and went to nerd heaven.
Posted by: Uncephalized
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October 12, 2009 3:14 PM
Hahahahaha I loved the banana. Timing on that was perfect.
Nice job PZ. "I'm particularly excited about the squid" LOL.
Posted by: Sanction
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October 12, 2009 3:15 PM
I like PZ's moist, supple lips.
Posted by: MosesZD
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October 12, 2009 3:16 PM
You were great! I loved the tie. It was so nerdly.
Posted by: Chuck
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October 12, 2009 3:20 PM
I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Deity, but this one was pretty good. I had no idea design sense was limited to gays, women, and Italians.
Chuck
http://www.irreligiosophy.com
Posted by: TechSkeptic
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October 12, 2009 3:23 PM
PZ,
Well done! The banana at the end really brought that home.
Posted by: jimspice.myopenid.com
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October 12, 2009 3:25 PM
RingRing. James Lipton calling.
Posted by: Jtriplett
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October 12, 2009 3:25 PM
I thought you did a great job, this was a great Deity episode.
Posted by: Satcomguy
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October 12, 2009 3:26 PM
That was great! It had everything: squid, bananas, "Ontogeny recapitulates Phylosophy," two mentions of Lucy!
Well done, P-Zed and Mr. D!
Posted by: NewEnglandBob
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October 12, 2009 3:36 PM
"Are they self aware?"
"More like self absorbed."
Priceless!
Posted by: toomanytribbles
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October 12, 2009 3:37 PM
this is the cutest episode i've seen :D
Posted by: Sastra
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October 12, 2009 3:47 PM
You're a natural in front of the camera. Or, perhaps, your normal manner is rehearsed. Either way, you sounded just like PZ Myers trying to coax someone into being reasonable.
They always knew we wanted to control God.
Posted by: Romeo Vitelli
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October 12, 2009 3:48 PM
Did Mr. Deity heal you of the need to wear glasses? It's a miracle!
Posted by: Lynna
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October 12, 2009 3:50 PM
Ha! Much better than you had predicted, PZ (Zed). So Mr. Deity just wants solutions that do not require him to do anything, but that still reflect his greatness and glory -- and only Lucy cares about the details! Laugh-per-minute ratio was very high on that one.
So now PZ has launched his career playing a science nerd ... which he does surprisingly well.
Posted by: shonny
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October 12, 2009 3:53 PM
Guess it sounds like . . . well, never mind, but this was back to the good early ones with a wry humour.
And nobody will suggest an Oscar, because this was REALLY good, not Hollywood good, a.k.a. crap.
Posted by: Hoiho
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October 12, 2009 3:55 PM
Very funny episode, and from a professional point of view, not a bad show of acting either! I've seen people with far more experience do worse.
What I love is how Mr Deity just keeps a banana around. It's like his 'thinking banana'.
Posted by: Diane G.
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October 12, 2009 3:55 PM
LOL, I didn't catch that at first. Man, I love the writing of these episodes!
Super job, PZ.
Posted by: Jadehawk, OM
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October 12, 2009 4:03 PM
haha, that was awesome. so many puns, i didn't catch the "lucy is in the details" at first either :-D
Posted by: recovering catholic
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October 12, 2009 4:08 PM
Well done, PZ! And it's obvious from your hair that you are a heterosexual...
Posted by: Sven DiMilo
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October 12, 2009 4:09 PM
Jadehawk: Commiserations on the loss of your shift key.
Posted by: Susan
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October 12, 2009 4:13 PM
Your worries were for naught; you were actually quite good in this, and didn't seem nervous at all. Those pancakes did the trick! I thought the writing was clever, as well. I still can't believe Mr. Deity was a Mormon, though.
Posted by: Grant N
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October 12, 2009 4:20 PM
Science adviser in a pin stripe suit? (Shirt, tie and pin fine tho') Still, I guess anything's better than this guy...
Posted by: vanharris
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October 12, 2009 4:21 PM
Chuck # 23, "I had no idea design sense was limited to gays, women, and Italians."
After much careful searching, we just bought a new dining table, made by an Italian firm out of 100% glass & Italian design flair. And what about Italian bikes? I ride a Scott, but the Italian machines look sooooo much better. And so on.
Posted by: Michael X
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October 12, 2009 4:24 PM
PZ, I know you posted a million disclaimers about your lack of acting ability, so as someone in the industry, let me reassure you, your delivery was sharp and you were a fantastic straight man.
Posted by: Krystalline Apostate
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October 12, 2009 4:24 PM
"Will they be self-aware?"
"No, more like self-absorbed."
Epic multiple win.
"I'm particularly excited about the squid..."
No surprise there. ;)
Posted by: Neorice
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October 12, 2009 4:30 PM
The banana really had me laughing hard, that was the best reference ever.
Posted by: AJ Milne
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October 12, 2009 4:36 PM
Hee heeee... It explains so much.
It's actually kinda nicely in character for this deity, too... 'Kay... so lots of offspring are gonna die in every generation 'cos there's no enough for everyone... But am I even gonna *ask* what he means by 'inefficient'?
As if. It's easy, I don't even have to be involved.. Hey, make it so, guy. Got a golf game I'm late for.
Posted by: Kel
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October 12, 2009 4:39 PM
That was excellent! A great way to start the morning after a shit night's sleep.
And it is definitely P Zed ;)
Posted by: toth
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October 12, 2009 4:49 PM
You, sir, have raised the trough.
Posted by: Insightful Ape
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October 12, 2009 4:51 PM
Great episode.
...more like "self absorbed". Very true.
Now you can add acting to your CV, professor.
Posted by: Phoenix
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October 12, 2009 5:00 PM
Lewl. Logged into Youtube, saw the new Mr. Diety video, decided I'd watch it after checking my favourite blogs, then came over to Pharyngula and saw this blog post. Obviously the internets wanted me to watch it right now.
Posted by: aineolach
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October 12, 2009 5:01 PM
That was absolutely hilarious.
Posted by: kalox
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October 12, 2009 5:03 PM
PZ, you were great! Really good episode
Posted by: Cycle Ninja
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October 12, 2009 5:16 PM
When I click on the link to the sciency ties, I get "Error 509, Bandwidth Limit Exceeded."
Nice going, PZ...you broke the Internet!
Posted by: SciencePundit
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October 12, 2009 5:19 PM
Let me add my name to the list of those that didn't catch the "lucy in the details" quip at first. That's better than either the banana or him calling you "P-Zed".
Posted by: Peter G.
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October 12, 2009 5:29 PM
I laughed so hard at that I sprayed bits of calamari out my nose and onto my keyboard. Note to myself: Eat then surf.
Posted by: Kazzaqld
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October 12, 2009 5:31 PM
That was awesome - you are really good PZed!
Now see I didn't catch that at first because I've always read it that way and have to make myself change it to peezee!
Really enjoyed it!
Posted by: stptrck75
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October 12, 2009 5:32 PM
Move over Jude Law. Meet PZ Myers.
Posted by: Ol'Greg
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October 12, 2009 5:36 PM
Bravo! Seriously that was one of the funniest episodes I've seen of that show.
Posted by: Tom S. Fox
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October 12, 2009 5:41 PM
Geez, no wonder you deny knowing this guy!
Posted by: CatBallou
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October 12, 2009 5:48 PM
Marvelous, Prof. Myers! You're a natural at acting, especially with that soothing, mellifluous voice. I can see this as a recurring role.
Posted by: Tom S. Fox
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October 12, 2009 5:50 PM
With diamonds?Seriously, I don't get that joke.
Posted by: Jack
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October 12, 2009 5:53 PM
Ha! You're too hard in yourself, PZ. That wasn't bad at all.
Loved the banana jibe at the end.
Posted by: Tom S. Fox
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October 12, 2009 5:56 PM
Ooh, ooh! I just got it!
Posted by: roddg
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October 12, 2009 6:04 PM
Hahahahahha!
Posted by: firemancarl
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October 12, 2009 6:06 PM
Excellent! That gay joke would make Mel Brooks proud! And the banana gag was made of 100% awesome!
Posted by: Carl
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October 12, 2009 6:08 PM
Great acting PZ funny and hilarious!
Posted by: AtlantaHeathen
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October 12, 2009 6:32 PM
Great Job! Another great episode as well!
Posted by: semiprometheus
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October 12, 2009 6:36 PM
Kudos on your acting debut.
I liked the script as well, although I kept waiting for a line noting humans had a blind spot but cephalopods didn't. Ah well, maybe in a sequel.
Posted by: mothwentbad
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October 12, 2009 6:43 PM
That wasn't too bad. It's a pretty dry show, so mostly you just have to not overdo anything.
You look exhausted, though, like you've been teaching three classes and doing research while writing a book and blogging, or something. Or like you've been trying to talk sense into Mr. Deity all day.
Posted by: PZ Myers
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October 12, 2009 6:47 PM
I just got back from Maine, flew to LA, and then was up late with those wild and crazy atheists all night. Yes, I was very tired!
Posted by: rwtwm
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October 12, 2009 6:56 PM
As is rare for the use of this statement, I very genuinely LOLed when I saw the banana. Legend!
Posted by: KiwiInOz
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October 12, 2009 7:00 PM
Tom S. Fox - Lucy, Lucifer, the devil ... is in the details.
Posted by: normalityrelief
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October 12, 2009 7:24 PM
LUVS IT!!
Stroke of genius throwing in that banana at the end. I do think it would've been a bit more clever to have used a banana in the raw, but sadly I think that'd be too clever ... clearly most people aren't aware they come that way.
Congrats on the cameo!
Posted by: foxfire
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October 12, 2009 7:30 PM
Excellent episode and your were great PZ! As with several others, it took a while for Lucy-is-in-the-details to sink in, although I thought "self-absorbed" and "banana" stole the show (plus the tie you were wearing).
Good timing for the new Mr.D episode as I canceled my donation last month (a personal beef with paypal, not Mr.D) and had forgotten to set up a new one (yay, paypal got it right this time...sneaky bastards)
Posted by: Newfie
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October 12, 2009 7:33 PM
So out out respect for the "American" language, I stopped calling you PZed, but Mr. Deity gets away with it??
/ great episode, your acting was just fine, Paul. ;)
Posted by: Gregory Greenwood
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October 12, 2009 7:38 PM
Nice job, PZ. If you can convince the Deity of the benefits of evolution, you have a future in sales.
I thought your acting was rather good. A semi-regular slot beckons in the future perhaps?
The segment with the banana at the end was priceless. Ray 'Con-fort' will be spinning in his grave.
Oh right, he isn't dead. I should be glad of that I suppose.
Trying . . . so hard . . . to be . . . glad.
Posted by: Alyson Miers
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October 12, 2009 7:44 PM
What's this I hear about bad acting, PZ? You did just fine.
Posted by: Bill
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October 12, 2009 7:49 PM
Bravo! Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!
Do give up your day job, PZ, Hollywood needs you.
Srsly.
(p.s. This makes up for all those awful photos of you with Dawkins. )
Posted by: Roger
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October 12, 2009 7:55 PM
This is a science blog! I demand that you all talk about science, and not some utterly hilarious guest appearance on a web comedy that was replete with double entendres and subtle humor! ;-)
Posted by: Betadiversity
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October 12, 2009 7:57 PM
Brilliant
Posted by: SciencePundit
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October 12, 2009 8:35 PM
Ooh! That would have been good, and so easy to slip in when telling Mr. Deity about the squid. Too bad.
Posted by: Demonhype
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October 12, 2009 8:44 PM
I know I'd hire him! As an acting scientist PZ is far more interesting and appealing and funny than Ben Stein as an actor playing a scientist. Or anything for that matter. Though that's not saying much. I might as well compare Kirk Cameron to Johnny Depp.
I'm not in the industry (yet), but I have to say that I am a connoisseur of really bad cinema (total mistie) and that not once did your acting ever come even close to bad. I actually take a perverse delight in bad acting, though it does distract from the best story, and in watching you act I was not once perversely delighted.
What gives? The way you were talking, I was looking forward to seeing some really bad acting. I feel so cheated! Talk about your bait and switch.... :D
Posted by: Steven Dunlap
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October 12, 2009 8:56 PM
Seriously, they give out Emmy awards now for web television. But you have to do is apply to be nominated, unlike commercial TV.
See : I won an Emmy
She won for this video: 2012: the End of the World
The person who won was nominated for two of her YouTube videos and the only other nominee for one video. Not a lot of competition.
PZ, Why don't you suggest to Mr. Dalton and co. that they apply? You might win for best guest performance in a series (do they have that category for web based video? I don't know).
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
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October 12, 2009 8:56 PM
I can see PZ holding out for star billing in the new sit-com, two and a half squid...
Posted by: Nebula99
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October 12, 2009 8:56 PM
I only got the Lucy reference reading the comments. I kept thinking he was talking about anthropological Lucy, the ancestor of humans and descendant of Ardipithecus.
Posted by: Steven Dunlap
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October 12, 2009 9:05 PM
I just watched it again. I LOL until it provoked a coughing fit. These things should come with warning labels.
Oh, and I'm very embarrassed about the bad proof-reading in the previous post. Shameful. "But all you have to do is apply."
Yikes.
Posted by: Kris
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October 12, 2009 9:11 PM
PZ, that was great! Much better than Michael Shermer, and (I know this might be heresy) even better than Brian and Jimbo most of the time.
Posted by: learnhexadecimal.wordpress.com
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October 12, 2009 9:17 PM
The video was definitely worth a giggle or two (Lucy's in the details, indeed), but something about the crack on gays just didn't sit right with me. What's up with that?
Posted by: R. Schauer
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October 12, 2009 9:24 PM
I loved it! Very well acted, PZ. You are a natural.
Posted by: John Twilley
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October 12, 2009 9:30 PM
I went to Lynn's fancy Online Store...and still cannot find the Ties!? Am I going blind?
She has a fantastic opportunity to sell ALOT of ties to us...but we cannot locate the product.
-Sigh-
Posted by: Kel
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October 12, 2009 9:33 PM
I think it was a reference to an earlier episode where Mr. Deity was upset that his holy book went to print condemning homosexuality.Posted by: sasqwatch
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October 12, 2009 9:33 PM
I'm sorry to disappoint, PZ, but I loved it.
Posted by: CalGeorge
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October 12, 2009 9:37 PM
Best sabbatical ever!
Posted by: SEF
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October 12, 2009 9:42 PM
@ John Twilley #89:
I couldn't find the ties either - nor could I the previous time, when someone suggested on an earlier thread that that might be the place PZ got his tie. I think the website design there is rather rubbish all round (I can't stand flash stuff and animations; I'm an old-fashioned, in computer terms, content-led person.) but the lack of tie promotion is exceptionally poor show.
Posted by: LostMarbles
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October 12, 2009 9:46 PM
Reference or not, it's not cool to play to stereotypes about gay men and wacky ideas of masculinity.
Posted by: Aaron Baker
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October 12, 2009 9:51 PM
"Omninarcissistic." I knew there had to be a word for it.
Posted by: aratina cage
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October 12, 2009 10:33 PM
LearnHexadecimal and LostMarbles, I think the gay joke is supposed to be satire. It made me giggle because PZ said it with a straight face at Mr. Deity who is sitting there looking as well groomed as possible. (God is gay.) Here is the joke in full:
If you were upset by the gay joke, then you should have been similarly upset by the whack at women and Italians IMO.Posted by: recovering catholic
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October 12, 2009 10:54 PM
LostMarbles--
I can understand why you feel that way, but I sort of took it as friends poking fun at each other in a loving sort of way...
Posted by: Robert MacDonald
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October 12, 2009 11:36 PM
-Mr. Deity calls Myers P-Zed.
-He says it with a flat accent.
-Q.E.D. Mr. Deity is Canadian. Just like William Shatner, Michael J. Fox, and the Canadarm.
Hope this doesn't bum you all out.
Posted by: cmflyer
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October 12, 2009 11:42 PM
PZ you were great! Excellent episode.
Posted by: Steven Dunlap
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October 12, 2009 11:44 PM
@ Robert MacDonald #98
That God is Canadian is old news. Haven't you seen Dogma?
Posted by: Janine, Vile Bitch, OM
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October 12, 2009 11:56 PM
Steven Dunlap, my fake god is way cooler then your fake god. Hell, my fake Satan is also way cooler.
Posted by: GAZZA
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October 13, 2009 12:42 AM
That was at least 27.4 types of awesome PZ! You rock, if possible, even harder than you previously did.
Posted by: GAZZA
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October 13, 2009 12:44 AM
Hmm...
It occurs to me here that, unlike Michael Shermer, PZ's appearance here is that of "one of the staff". Does this mean that the option is open for a return appearance of our squidly master in a future episode?
Posted by: PZ Myers
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October 13, 2009 12:57 AM
Yes -- Bryan has invited me to do it again if ever I'm in LA. So nothing imminent, but it might happen again.
Posted by: $ Thelonious 386sx
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October 13, 2009 1:41 AM
Okay but lay down the De Niro on em next time! Let's see some crazy stuff!!
Posted by: MaxH
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October 13, 2009 2:47 AM
Hahaha, the gay joke was amazing. I love that Mr. Deity's so excited that gays are still in the plan, lol.
And yeah, the banana thing was totally cool. :D
Posted by: devnull73.myopenid.com
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October 13, 2009 4:08 AM
Actually, I think PZ did pretty well :)
Italians and bananas!
Posted by: Richard Eis
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October 13, 2009 4:26 AM
The gay joke was to my mind complementary and it's nice to see him referencing the previous episodes. I certainly wasn't offended.
No my favourite bit was the fact that humans aren't the end goal for the creator, he just wants something to fill up space for a bit. That and the small dog named goliath. That cracked me up.
Posted by: Kraid
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October 13, 2009 9:55 AM
Loved it.
Posted by: Benjamin Franklin
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October 13, 2009 10:27 AM
Funny episode, very good acting.
After months, I can now sign in with typepad. I now submit to my registration overlords.
Posted by: Isherwood
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October 13, 2009 11:31 AM
That was actually fantastic. The banana had me snorting in my cubicle.
PZ, the review I read above had my expectations lowered to absurd levels. You did very well. For a nerd.
Posted by: Brownian, OM
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October 13, 2009 2:44 PM
I loved that! Completely loved it!
P-Zed (Ha! We Canucks, Brits, Kiwis, Aussies, and assorted other Commonwealthers had it all along!), you sounded downright exasperated with Mr. Deity, as somehow I expected you would be, were He to exist.
That was one of the funniest episodes ever! Brilliant!
Posted by: dahduh
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October 13, 2009 3:49 PM
Excellent! Mr. Deity has managed to climb back to the inspirational heights of season 1; obviously they need more frumpy collage professors with psychedelic ties.
Posted by: Sili
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October 13, 2009 5:00 PM
You really have a very nice voice.
Posted by: Greg Laden
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October 13, 2009 5:48 PM
Better take down this post. Isis is going after you, PZ.
Posted by: TurboFool
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October 13, 2009 6:55 PM
I know I'm a bit late to the party to comment, but great work PZ. I'm not kidding. Michael Shermer's awkward performance was funny, but you played it straight and smooth, and sounded like a genuine science adviser. A+ performance. You are going to be a tough act to follow. I hope not to be completely overshadowed by you.
Posted by: Joshua Zelinsky
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October 13, 2009 8:12 PM
So wait, does this mean that PZ supports front loading! PZ is a secret supporter of ID or theistic evolution! The horror!
Acting was well done. I'm not that much of a Mr. Deity fan. The overall quality seems highly variable. But apparently adding PZ in makes it really good. I know that because 100% of the sample of observed Mr. Deity episodes with PZ Myers in them rocked. What? There's a problem with the sample size? Hmm, what can we do about that? Maybe persuade PZ and Mr. Deity to work together some more?
Posted by: PZ Myers
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October 13, 2009 10:31 PM
Wait...Isis is going after me about gender stereotypes that involve humor about fashion sense? Seriously?
Are you sure it's not because we stole her joke?
Posted by: Sili
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October 14, 2009 12:08 PM
Perhaps it was the jab at Italians?
Not that I have any clue what goes on in Isisia. She may have a point, but the cluebat seems to be swung at bit too generously.
Posted by: windy
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October 15, 2009 3:32 PM
I have to say that I never understood the "God is outside of time" business before watching Mr. Deity.
Posted by: Slugsie
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October 16, 2009 10:50 AM
Whoah there... PZ, you were starting to sound like an accomodationist. ;)
Funny though, love the banananananana.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade»
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October 17, 2009 6:59 AM
FWIW, Comfort has recently re-defended his banana argument -- after previously making light of it (due to all the well-deserved mockery):
http://raycomfortfood.blogspot.com/2009/10/archeology-and-banana.html
'Twas a great spot on Mr. Deity, btw.