A History of Chuck E. Cheese: Last Squeak Tonight with John Oliver (Web Exclusive)

Last season, we made a hard-hitting piece on homeowners associations. And then, we made this. For those of you who are under 35 and will never own a home. Season 11 starts February 18th!
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[@KedgeDragon]

I'm 72. I'm watching it because I hate to miss anything from this English Toucan. I LOVE you Olivar.

[@luvmibratt]

It's Oliver,John Oliver.

[@KedgeDragon]

@@luvmibrattTotally [rather, marginally] irrelevant note. Danger Man "Drake, John Drake" was the intro line of a British TV series that Ian Fleming helped develop. Released two years before Dr Nose, 'Bond, James Bond." Drake was in secret service for the UN. "Danger Man" was "Secret Agent" in the US

[@Jerepasaurus]

But as enthusiastic for John as a millennial. lol

[@shaneturner500]

“English toucan” 😂😂😂😂😂

[@AnoNymous-gn6tl]

I'm almost 39, and I too, will never own a home.

[@diamondedge83]

I used to work in an arcade. People would come in and ask "how to you put up with all these kids all day every day?" I would answer "Are you kidding? The kids are great, it's the adults that make this job stressful."

[@TheSmileMile]

Kids go to arcades to have fun, so all you ever have to do to fix a problem is to gently redirect kids back towards the fun. The adults have no d**n clue why they are there, and are angry about it, possibly from alcohol.

[@Pamrkoehler]

I am a retired children's librarian and I totally agree. I loved working with the kids. They were fun to be with. It was the parents who caused all the problems.

[@pukitaki]

As a teacher I have to agree, it's adults that create the issues, not the kids.

[@dequavisjones4869]

I'm 37 and what the fuck is a chicky cheese?

[@juanmanuelpenaloza9264]

This is something I discussed with my mom about becoming a bus driver. I would prefer being a school bus driver than a public bus driver, because I can understand kids. Adults are worse. And then she mentioned that I had to deal with parents, and they are the worst. Which says a lot considering she is one.

[@knkrussell]

Did I want to know this much about Chuck E. Cheese? Never. Did I watch the whole thing? Completely enthralled.

[@connorhughson7572]

As an autistic person who grew up during the peak of five nights at Freddy's hearing the statement Gen. Z is not interested in animatronics has to be the funniest part of this episode

[@nelsonhill4625]

I don't understand how you being autistic is relevant here

[@JimBobJoeB0b]

Indeed!

[@Dickiesmall]

but not entirely untrue! I'm almost 30 and (as a kid) I always thought they were cheap and boring, but since FNAF came out, there's definitely been a nostalgic love for those washboard playing robots!

[@marknelson55]

As a member of gen Z from Canada, I didn’t learn if the existence of Chuck E Cheese until some time after FNAF came out. I remember hearing that FNAF was the sole reason for eliminating the anamatronics, with the bit about kids not being interested as a cheap excuse.

[@beebait1464]

Clowns make good characters for horror movies like IT, but millennials don't like clowns. 30 year olds aren't out there hiring clowns for their birthday parties.

[@shelbyherring92]

The fact y'all even named the webisode "Last Squeak Tonight" is the level of dad joke humor I come for.

[@weirdunclebob]

@@rickowens5310 That's a shame as it's terrible. P.S. stop spamming your stuff on completely unrelated channels. You won't get so much hate then.

[@sxrahem]

The intern finally got one joke across the line.

[@OmiGundam777]

​@@weirdunclebobit's a bot, just report it.

[@benoitwaffle5439]

In a previous life, John Oliver claimed to not respect the pun. SMH.

[@dajosh42069]

Oh fuck, I hadn't even noticed that!!

[@Kiyosuki]

“I need a cop, I need an ambulance, I need everything” Incredible

[@ecosta]

Poetic, even

[@armageddonready4071]

“Fk it, send the fire department also”

[@user-dm7qc1cs7d]

I need a cop, I need an ambulance, I need everything

[@h0tel1]

Gary Oldman: "Bring me everyone" - Cop: What do you mean everyone? - Gary Oldman: "EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!"

[@Kiyosuki]

@@h0tel1 EEEEEEE-VVERYOOOOOOOONEEE

[@mattbarton5002]

I was Chuck E Cheese in high school. I danced in front of the mechanical band. I always picked Walkin' on Sunshine or What I like About You for the songs. I liked Jasper the Dog's costume better, more comfortable. Everything I've gotten in my life since then has been because I include it on my resume. One time one of the "cooks" dropped a bag of weed out in the restaurant and I picked it up with my big floppy Chuck E. gloves. Then a mom stopped me for a pic with their kid, a polaroid. They gave it me. I still have the pic of chuck e cheese holding a bag of weed. A friend I met as an adult also worked at a different Chuck E Cheese where an old man died up in the plastic tube playground. Amazing!!!

[@LexanPanda]

That picture sounds amazing and cursed.

[@doctoroctos]

You should start a video series on crazy chucky stories. Would like to hear more.

[@realzachfluke1]

That was a _weird way to end your comment,_ but everything else? Fantastic!!!

[@MindsEyeVisualGuitarMethods]

Got a picture of Chuck E chugging a beer at a local St Patrics parade.

[@kevinhendrix8786]

My ex wife worked there while in high school...yeah the stories she told of employee shenanigans were hilarious and disturbing😂

[@proximalxenoms]

I didn't realize this was the unhinged journalism that I was missing in my life. I can't tell you how much I loved this episode.

[@Ozzymandius1]

“Kids these days aren't interested in the animatronics.” Five Nights at Freddie: *exists*

[@RamblinBob]

if they rebranded the bankrupt Chuck E. Cheeses as withered/retro FNaFs there would be zoomers lined up around the block to get in there

[@mobiusflammel9372]

@@RamblinBob I don’t disagree, but at the same time it feels like that’s just inviting disaster to happen because you know some psychopath is going to try to re-create the games. Which if I recall correctly is the exact reason Scott gave for not wanting to open a franchise, despite being approached about the idea before.

[@Cruisey420]

Video games are different than a robot playing crappy music for you lmao

[@Miss_Kisa94]

​@@RamblinBob Zoomers aren't kids though they're teens and in their early twenties. Adults and teens actually can't go to Chucky cheese alone. You have to have a child with you.

[@Lacerated1DJ3]

Robots playing instruments on a stage could only be confused with a Video Game on a monitor by someone who has no life outside of the basement VR headset.

[@RickJW-OSM]

Reminds me of an old stand-up joke, "My fiancee and I asked married friends of ours what the best birth control was. They told us, 'Try spending an hour inside a Chuck E. Cheese's. After that, if you still want to have kids, no birth control is gonna stop you!'"

[@sonja4164]

😂

[@clqudy4750]

Best contraception in the world: Wedding cake!

[@lifesbutastumble]

No sooner had we finished our wedding cake, me and my now ex wife were filing divorce papers 😂@@clqudy4750

[@architeuthis3476]

The last time I went to Chuck E Cheese was when I was 22 and a friend from Norway wanted to have and "American birthday party" when she turned 34. At one point, one of the people we went with who was, I'm gonna say, 45 at the time, and brought his kid, grabbed mee by the sleeve and said _"ALWAYS_ use condoms!"

[@dianapevtsov]

Vasectomy.

[@katarh]

This actually answered a burning question from my childhood. I never understood why my beloved Showbiz Pizza turned into a Chuck E Cheez. Now I finally understand.

[@athede99]

Exactly! I've been wondering the same for YEARS!

[@michaeldurrett8388]

Same here. I felt betrayed. I thought Chuckee was the rip off!

[@matthewgeissinger2856]

Same here. Showbiz Pizza was awesome. My parents probably still have some of the tokens. It is a Chuck E. Cheese 🧀 now that is still surprisingly busy.

[@lfc578]

“Illegally Italian” had me rolling 😭

[@skillethead15]

Ceelo Green and his “sexual harassment” had me crying

[@DalesDubs]

_"THAT'S A _*_SPICY_*_ HATE-A CRIME!"_ 🤌🤌

[@soulforsale2834]

Could I just mention that this was longer than the main story about HOAs? I absolutely love this show.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

HOAs being evil is old news at this point. I'm just surprised that he didn't find a way of working in some rat erotica when the founder was talking about the weird stuff that folks do in the costumes.

[@B_Bodziak]

Also. More views on this at 11 hours (1.1million)

[@elyneburns2224]

While I worked there as teen in the '80's for a couple o' months, we actually had a bomb threat called in (but at least I only had to wear the suit once - that was more than enough) - it was also wicked easy to steal pizzas from the place - ah, memories 😂

[@kultur-vultur]

​@@SmallSpoonBrigade this Chuck E Cheese video is old news too. Its a web exclusive they deleted and re-uploaded instead of making new content to promote the new season, its lazy and tbh they should be better than that.

[@mry82]

Rereleasing a hilarious video (that I do not recall them posting before) before starting the new season is lazy? The new season will promote itself... it's fucking John Oliver, mate; HE NEEDS NO PROMOTION! Cheers.@@kultur-vultur

[@melissarey2973]

Chuck E. Cheese is like a little slice of Florida scattered all over the country.

[@cameronjadewallace]

This is the most true thing that has been said this year.

[@geargeekpdx3566]

Florida Mouse

[@mho...]

not sure if that picture is a happy or terrifying one, tbh!

[@cameronjadewallace]

@@mho... It certainly requires some popcorn... And maybe a fourloko

[@jaysnizzle9189]

We had them in Canada in the 80”s as well. Rocky n Bullwinkle were the headliner animatronic ‘band’ was that just a Canadian thing?

[@hillside127]

During the pandemic, I noticed our local Chuck E. Cheese has a sign in the window saying 'Medium pizzas $5'. I just had to try it after having gone to that same location when I was a kid. The pizza tasted the exact same as it had 20 years ago except this time I immediately started feeling ill. God I miss Chuck E. Cheese.

[@leonessity]

Did you think for half a minute that it was why the pizzas were on sale so cheap?? Maybe they tasted just like they did when you were a child, because they were old inventory from around that time... Oh yeah! They don't recycle pizzas, right? lol

[@darter9000]

26:52 HBO lawyers: *sighs and pulls out a box marked “Litigious Entity Combat Equipment”

[@sonorasgirl]

As a DND player this made me laugh more than it should’ve

[@roastbeefrevolution1017]

When he yelled “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!!” I got so happy

[@deepthoughtswithjessica]

Same. 🤭

[@drinkmorecocacola]

YOUNG JEEZY AS A PUPPET

[@richardsmith2825]

Whenever you get down about things in the USA, just remember Chuck E. Cheese, and feel proud again!

[@dorkknight42]

SOY

[@caseygecko]

"we thought we could talk about this for 5 minutes but then it got out of hand" ah yes, The Hbomberguy Effect

[@gregoryvn3]

I have been binging Hbomb's channel and this is so true I cackled.

[@Shinmsl]

Both HBOs have so much in common 😅

[@turquoisesnowflake4613]

British people: I read the wiki article for rope. We're going to be here a while folks

[@eastdragon42]

I had no idea what "The Hbomberguy Effect" was, so I Googled it. Ended up going down a weird (but very informative & entertaining!) rabbit hole where I watched hbomberguy's almost 4-hour video on "Plagiarism and You(Tube)" (kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3XTZJZ4ast7jrM)! :-O :-D

[@emmettbrown3463]

@@Shinmsl HBOmberguy

[@BB-ww3od]

I must have asked myself "what the fuck am I watching?!" at least 25 times. Thank you for this amazing piece of hard-hitting investigative journalism😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dominiqueearly2262]

"I've been talking about Chucky Cheese for longer than anyone thought possible" Allow me to introduce you to my Autistic kiddo. It's been 3 months of Chucky Cheese talk and random requests to go to Chucky Cheese or anywhere with animatronics. He even made protest signs to demand they return the animatronics.

[@Underpants678]

As an autistic adult I love your child. Please tell him to look up the history of marionettes. He’ll be busy for hours.

[@dominiqueearly2262]

@@Underpants678 I will! Thanks 😊

[@stereo-soulsoundsystem5070]

dear god has he discovered the Five Nights?

[@doctorcis3510]

I did not realize just how much Five Nights At Freddies lore was just the History of Chuck E. Cheese.

[@Little1Cave]

Real life makes for great source material. Lol

[@nuance9000]

More like FNAF doesn't even come close to the horror and insanity that comes from working at a day shift for Chuck E. Cheese in 1993.

[@MidnightSonnet]

If you read up on the inspirational behind the games, you'll see that the creator pulled from his childhood at Chuck E Cheese.

[@ianj8505]

The movies coming soon iirc

[@florete2310]

I can see now, why all those puppets have such very specific backgrounds, what with them having been created in the same age as Fritz The Cat, LOL😂

[@cameronthomas7632]

This is my late father's legacy. David Thomas, you can look him up. He worked for Aaron Fechter at CEI and did a lot of the design and technical work for the Rockafire Explosion, then was paid after the acquisition and rebranding to do the retrofit of the animatronics at some of the stores. I grew up with the empty skins of these characters strewn across the back bedroom of my house, and often saw their naked metal skeletons when I went with my dad to his workshop. Probably why FNAF has never been scary at all to me, I already lived that nightmare as a kid.

[@princesspeach743]

Jesus Devante Christ, I'd have a whole different level of ptsd

[@MeloniousThunk]

Dude. You know, then. They missed the real weird side story that is mad scientist / Florida man Aaron Fechter. Whoever commented that ChuckECheez is a little slice of Florida is spot-on. Google “Fechter Orlando” for funzies. Rockafire wasn’t his only explosion. 💥

[@railfandepotproductions]

I'm somewhat of a FNAF fan who also likes CEC, showbiz pizza and anything related and they somewhat didn't scare me as much but it's actually sad to see pieces of history get destroyed all in the name of a dancefloor/tv screen

[@Imanfly]

💀

[@ichiro5384]

This, sadly, is a great plot for a good FNAF game

[@forshizzlemywizzle]

Can confirm - as a child going to Chuck E Cheese in the 90s when they still had the animatronic band, we could SENSE the darkness, or even the ghost of it, and it did make us like it more.

[@azmax623]

The Napoleon ice cream scene in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure was filmed at a Showbiz Pizza in Phoenix that is now a Chuck-E-Cheese.

[@quentinkaasa47]

Okay, so what was with the Ziggy Piggy gimmick?

[@azmax623]

Zyggie's Ice Cream Parlor is an ice cream parlor and arcade located in San Dimas, California. There, if you finish their ice cream, the employees say "Zyggie Piggie! Zyggie Piggie!"

[@Yetr]

I can’t believe I just spent 20 minutes getting a history lesson on Chuck E. Cheese. What a time to be alive.

[@nomanejane5766]

It's charles entertainment cheese sir

[@sukottotsukeshi.]

That’s a pretty crazy story tbh especially coming from the founder of atari

[@rennstreetpodcast]

And definitely worth every second of it!!

[@ununderstood]

When at 5 min he said there was another 25 minutes I paused, made popcorn and buckled up

[@gregoryjclark81]

It was better to be alive during the original Showbiz Pizza incarnation.

[@robinbickel4594]

One of my son's friend's mom was a manager at the Chuck. She informed us not only was this all true, it was actually even worse. She refused to elaborate.

[@tikitiki484]

There was some sick shit that happened there you could tell.

[@MzShonuff123]

She has PTSD 😂

[@HungerGamesFan88]

Understandable

[@ryanpearce7085]

This is my favorite comment ever to a KZbin video

[@philpalmer4877]

It was always a minimum wage job for all employees, what's the shock?

[@akiinai771]

This is perhaps one of the greatest last week tonight episodes of all time

[@honeybadger2531]

I worked at a Chuck E Cheese for less than a week, and they made us share the Chuck E. costume and only sprayed it down with Fabreeze between uses. So bashing that Chuck E. head must have been cathartic xD

[@daviddavid5880]

And "That's a-spicy hate-a crime!" gets a smattering of confused and uncomfortable applause. Perfection.

[@nedisahonkey]

Weirdly enough thats also the title of my favorite book on Italian colonialism in Libya and the horn of Africa.

[@Edwrd9294]

The hypocrisy of this man

[@daviddavid5880]

@@nedisahonkey Ah. No doubt why it's called Ethiopi-ah.

[@daviddavid5880]

@@Edwrd9294 Yes. We all saw how Mr. Oliver went back in time and personally invaded Africa. The shame of it...

[@porkibtique9333]

"You're part of the most violent empire, your silence is complicity" Clap...clap...heu cla?

[@mobywv]

The Chuck E Cheese band playing Thriller in the 80s for my birthday party was and still ranks as my best birthday party ever!

[@cleopas01]

“That is canon” lmaooo

[@bluethelucario6194]

I am absolutely convinced they finally put this on KZbin now ONLY because of the ending joke, and I’m here for it.

[@DigitalWolverine]

Is this not a reupload? I swear I saw this ages ago

[@LateNightwithStudBuyers]

​​@@DigitalWolverineit definitely is (EDIT: was uploaded April 8, 2023). guessing the original was taken down for some reason, as I can't find record of it anywhere. I'm not crazy; I watched this on yt when they originally uploaded it, like a year ago, maybe?

[@bluethelucario6194]

@@DigitalWolverine I saw this on the Last Week Tonight website, so I didn’t know it was on KZbin as well lol

[@cassidyfranklin8085]

​@@DigitalWolverine This was my first thought I felt crazy for a sec

[@SavorySmegma]

​@DigitalWolverine Yeah, it was put up as a replacement story for younger people to watch the same night as a story about HOAs or something, since most Millenials and Zoomers won't ever own the type of properties that would cause them to have to deal with them. It was definitely still online as of like a month or two ago, though, because I posted it on someone's timeline who hadn't seen it.

[@LaurenHB_ZA]

I'm from and live in South Africa. I've never been to the US. Inexplicably, I'm sitting through this half hour piece on the history of a weird American franchise I've never been to and likely never will.

[@haphazardlark1502]

It’s better that way. I’m watching this and trying in vain not to estimate how much time I spent inside these at parties as a kid. Nostalgia but nightmare version. Don’t come here it’s bad

[@sherrykloster7489]

You have not missed out on a thing 😂

[@Sniperboy5551]

You guys still have loadshedding?

[@chrismanuel9768]

If you think this is weird, you won't believe half the shit we got. Buckees exists.

[@Elizabeth-rq1vi]

@@chrismanuel9768at least Buccees looks clean, CEC was so dark you couldn’t see if it was clean or not.

[@MrFluffytheTurtle]

2:36 leadint up to "that is the face of a deep sea explorer" JOHN STOPPP 😂😂😂😂

[@mr.impatient4850]

Never thought that I would make it to the end, here we are! The passion John has regarding describing about the Chuck E is absolutely priceless!

[@beeking1792]

John Oliver is like that one uncle at Thanksgiving who always has something very interesting to say about topics that most people would ordinarly not think about too often.

[@thomasakagi7545]

He's the good version of the weird uncle.

[@claytonfs]

@@thomasakagi7545 chaotic good uncle

[@sportivitythrills183]

he's the pedo uncle you avoid

[@slaphappybullet]

That….. is not a common experience lol. I don’t know anyone with an uncle like that.

[@drinkmorecocacola]

John Oliver is like that British uncle down talking America as if they didn't invent imperialism. the sun NEVER sets on the British empire.

[@likestoospooge]

I recently had my kid’s 10th birthday party at Chuck e Cheese. It’s where he wanted to go. I was expecting a run down craphole with terrible food. The place was nice and clean. There were plenty of games for the kids to play, the pizza was surprisingly good and the service was great. The host of my kid’s party really went above and beyond. I felt I got way more than my money’s worth.

[@Klos1neMN]

I have always loved Chuck E. Cheese pizza, that's a hill I will die on.

[@wheressteve]

Thank the management and staff not the chain, Corporate may not care but a good manager and staff will !

[@ALCRAN2010]

Its always a good place to end up for a couple hours. They don't do coins or tickets anymore vut the plastic cards work all the same.

[@megan893]

Make sure you leave them a good review

[@kiana3822]

@@Klos1neMNyou mean Pasqually’s pizza? 🤣

[@sb-b3071]

11:58 "Dollar store Kung Fu Panda..." Had me fkn rolling!!

[@Lucashoshino]

11:49

[@finalfreak56]

As someone who watch Chuck E Cheese in the Galaxy 5000 live with Saberspark at a con last year, I am OVERJOYED you brought it up. I still get the songs stuck in my head, not gonna lie.

[@markturner8439]

I remember going to Chuck E Cheese in the '80s and all the video games had ashtrays built into them for all us smoking teenagers. It was heaven.

[@hotshot-te9xw]

bassed

[@Celexanomnom]

I remember the flags waving and the confederate flag 😂😂 like wtf Chuck?!? 😂

[@jeddgangman4502]

Is this serious?

[@Underpants678]

That is so 80s. Just fundamentally 80s.

[@leonessity]

@@Celexanomnom The General E. Lee from the ORIGINAL Dukes of Hazard also sported the con flag, painted on it's roof... As a Canadian kid through the 80s, my innocent ignorance of it's connotations allowed me to just LOVE the look of that flag. Makes me so sad that it turned out to represent one of the most abhorrent eras of America's history...

[@Bunnydoesstufff]

As someone who is much younger than 35, I really appreciated this web exclusive. It made me feel so seen. Thank you Mr. Oliver.

[@LadyDoomsinger]

If only I'd been born 3 months earlier - I'd be watching the HOA episode instead of this... 🤣

[@lunasophia9002]

I was older than 35 when this came out and I still feel seen; it'd still be accurate for anyone under 45 or even 55 the way things are right now.

[@BrandonAyong]

John olivier is the youth Savor. He should replace an episode about marriage with KFC next as let's face it we're not getting married either 😂

[@swampy6194]

'I Have A Cream'...

[@tylerhackner9731]

I’m 21, about to turn 22, and yeah same lol

[@merissaj4518]

I love a story that makes John's genuine glee emerge.

[@juniquefolks9293]

this was so perfect, why did I audibly gasp when he told me to YOUR SILENCE IS COMPLICITY

[@TimeBucks]

Chuck E Cheese is a husk of its former glory.

[@shihabuddin6020]

Good❤

[@rico76]

Agreed. Too sanitized. Too boring now

[@mayerduyamobilecenter1387]

So Nice

[@dag3014]

John Oliver didnt need to make this, yet him an his team still produced this extra content. To me it not only shows the commitment to journalism he has, but just how much him and his team enjoy exploring rabbit holes.

[@Mibbitmaker]

...Or, in this case, rat holes.

[@allisonwade4840]

I cannot explain how much I F***ING LOVE this segment. I rewatch at least once a week and have shared it all of my friends. It's perfect!

[@roguem5]

A funny coincidence for you: I was using this video to test the sound on my computer b/c after a Windows update my speakers went away entirely. This is what we heard after having asked the computer for over an hour, "Please will the speakers work again?" : "Never. Absolutely never, it will not happen."

[@BlameItOnYourFriend]

I worked at Chuck E. Cheese and you would be shocked how many drunk parents would get into fights all the time. This is no joke. I was 16 at the time and had to break up at least 7 fights in 2 years (the cops were called at least 5 out of the 7 times). To put that in perspective I worked at Arby's for 6 years and did not have to break up a single fight the whole time I worked there. Most fights had to do with kids who were being bullied (supposedly) by other kids so the parent/parents would go talk to the other parent/parents and an argument would ensue (90% of the time both parties were drunk). Thankfully they got rid of alcohol which helped the situation immensely.

[@jamesgillen2339]

If this is your first night at Chuck E. Cheese... you have to fight.

[@lundworks9901]

Totally rooting for the bullied kids parents to have successfully taught the other parents the lesson.

[@davidbeppler3032]

90% of the time it was women that caused the fights. If Chuck E Cheese had banned women, who were not working there, it would have been fine.

[@poindextertunes]

But Cannabis is still federally Schedule I 😒

[@explorinjenkins349]

I'm actually pretty mad that I didn't get to experience drunken pizza parties. Sounds like a helluva time. Rip, Charles Entertainment Cheese.

[@ChainReactionsProductions]

I’ve been waiting for this to get uploaded to KZbin for months, by far one of the best web exclusives John and the writing team have ever come up with!

[@makeitrainnaren]

wasn't the video uploaded on the website he told to check out? I swear I saw both.

[@DakotaBee]

yep i watched it on the website ​@@makeitrainnaren

[@thebeebz9511]

is this a repost?

[@moralfuxery]

I saw this when it was first made and I watched here. Wtf is happening.

[@ChainReactionsProductions]

@@thebeebz9511there was a special website they made for it yeah, but it’s the first time they uploaded it here

[@user-ce7yo2vn2b]

We took my son there years ago for his birthday. Between the screaming children and bad food it’s still memorable. My ears felt the same after seeing Zeppelin in concert.

[@4sineweaver2]

I worked at the factory in Orlando that made the Show Biz characters. It was such a fun place to work. The characters were built in batches. When the batches were finished, they were QC'd by running the whole batch simultaneously in parallel. It was hilarious to watch. Too bad it was before everybody had video cameras.

[@PeiPeisMom]

DUDE, my first legal (not under the table) job was at Chuck E's in Chico, CA when I was 15 1/2 in the summer of '82. I had to dress up like Jasper and Chuck and get tackled by tiny, snotty children while their moms sucked down box wine and it was HELL. I finally got fired and was that ever a relief

[@brianjones6500]

I worked in a highly sensitive facility and sat behind a navy intelligence associate who I befriended. As you get to know people I asked about his past. Apparently he dressed as the Rat in the restaurant. I decided to distance myself from him once I learned that after retirement; he would go back to being the rat.

[@raidermaxx2324]

hahaha i used to live in Chico... i worked at a restaurant called The HAtchcover on Esplanade.. Man i miss that college party town.. I miss floating down the sacramento river in a tire tube attatched to a keg and getting out at wash out,and faling over on the beach lol .. going up to Paradise.. this was back in the 90's... I want to move back one day..

[@ripn929707]

Bro... same... how many times did you get punched in the nuts by those little bastards??? I HATED that damned suit. I worked at Showbiz in 86, but it's the same thing. The only thing that kept me going was free pizza, free video games, and being able to sneak the occasional beer. 😂 When they showed that lady smashing the Chuck E Cheese head on the side walk, I was like, YES!!! SMASH IT! DO IT FOR ALL OF US!!! 😂😂😂😂😂 (Edit: just noticed you're probably a woman... still, the suit sucked a$$ 😅🤣 )

[@aklamo]

While I was working there, the management ended up removing Chuck E's tail because the kids kept trying to rip it off. Those little bastards were unreal!

[@christopherfanelli8821]

@@raidermaxx2324When you lived in Chico did you ever go to the DeJa Vu Mining Company restaurant?

[@FantasKanal]

As a German who never has been within a 10Km radius of a Chuck E. Cheese, i appreciate getting 2 videos I cant relate to. Thx Jholiver!

[@nickkurzy2246]

As an American who has been to the place... Stay Away. Stay faaaaaaaaaaar away.

[@timothysmith6647]

How about we talk about something you are probably sick of, it's about when Austrians and Germans colluded in the most disgusting act of the 20th century which had world wide implications. When the West Germans and Austrians rigged a game of Football so they could both go ahead in the world cup ousting the much better African team.

[@oughtssought1198]

@@timothysmith6647 fooled me. I thought you meant starting WWI gotta adjust my sense of proportion to wade in the brave(?) new(?) world(?) of perpetually infinite irony

[@lydianoack4552]

As another German, I just felt instantly reminded of Five Nights at Freddy's 😱

[@fourk_]

what's the second one?

[@snc99]

This man has the best timing when he speaks. Everything he says amuses me no matter how boring I think the topic will be.

[@AzureWingly]

I did not expect a documentary about my guy Charles Entertainment Cheese today. Thank you from a 33 yr old. 😂

[@Montesama314]

That Usher song animatronic performance is perfection and I will not debate it.

[@seededsoul]

Should have had that at the Super Bowl

[@rachaelb9164]

OMG I was thinking the same thing. They need to create an animatronic show for grown ups with better music.

[@kelammo]

Absolutely!

[@zubetp]

rebuttal: i agree actually

[@davidnotonstinnett]

The “In this Club” segment honestly made me understand the appeal of these kinds of things…like if they updated the style and music then these could be a hit with adults…it’s kind of magical.

[@arianaink100]

Ya I think Dave and busters is the adult equivalent besides just going to a casino lmao altho all arcades are pretty much made for adult to take children too - a lot of the games are for adults as well, there’s a few adult arcades kinda everywhere in the United States mostly for date nights. I know that like AMC movie theaters sometimes work in conjunction with Arcades in major cities (depends on the city size/amc size but there’s options) but it makes for fun dates go to the movies go to a lil arcade and sometimes even indoor bowling/indoor mini golf - some places have a lot of large areas or multiple floors so there’s different thing in different cities or buildings. (The ones I’m specifically thinking of are in Chicago but ik in New York there’s other ones too) Of course some other countries have specifically found and made adult arcades (Japan for example has a ton of arcades and various games all of which are for teens to adults- of course it’s more of the major city districts that will have game options/nightlife/leisure activities) Bonus is you usually can get drinks outside of the arcades take a 2 second-2 minute walk and get to an arcade and have some fun, get some prizes etc (more modern ones usually have a plastic looking credit card which you put money on and can swipe for games etc - instead of needing to transfer cash to coins you just keep the card and any balances and can take multiple trips to an arcade without needing to bring like a bag of arcade coins or loosing tickets etc.) some arcades allow for drinks inside but usually it’s not done because of state laws etc or property managers wanting to avoid spills onto the electronics)

[@refinedsugar]

1. Pretty sure we didn't have these in Canada. 2. The Simpsons did a good parody of it. 3. I think the concept has the possibility of actually scaring children.

[@railfandepotproductions]

​@@refinedsugarchuck E Cheese has some locations in Canada but back in the 79s to 90s they had more

[@refinedsugar]

@@railfandepotproductions Oh ok. There's none in Halifax or Montreal. So you must be talking about Ontario or out west.

[@railfandepotproductions]

@@refinedsugar yeah

[@yourlocalnerd7788]

We made a friend have her 18th b-day at chuck e cheese. The staff really liked us because we didn't touch the alcohol (we were all college students but I think most of us have more dignity than to get day drunk as chuck e cheese), weren't overstimulated little kids, and we weren't stressed out adults trying to make sure are the little kids were in line.

[@chanuppuluri8726]

The amount of times he had to stifle his inner laughter is marvelous.

[@PilotPiotrowski]

I used to work at a Chuck E Cheese as a teenager, and there were indeed lots of fights. But the real reason for this is because of the frequent interactions between divorcees (and their new partners) at their child’s birthday. Often there were two “sides” of the family, which is why fights turned into full-on royal rumbles.

[@5PYZ3R]

I'm pretty sure this exact thing happened in My Name is Earl

[@joejazwinski8873]

I was left at a Chuck E. Cheese on my 8th Birthday. I almost lost my life. Boy what I time to be alive, thank you 90's

[@Finny869]

Dude, you had me rolling. Thanks I needed that. The fucking memories of that place. 90's were fucking nuts now that you're older.

[@chucke.cheese2212]

Sorry to hear that… 😢

[@sheldonmarcotte8392]

How did you get found? I'm glad you are live

[@MidnightSonnet]

​@@sheldonmarcotte8392employees probably helped him. His folks would've had to have come back after realizing their mistake.

[@LoopHoleLeeRoy]

Was it the trampling in the ball pit or the food?

[@NermalDiva]

I was in a series of commercials for them when the merger happened. My mom and I survived on those residuals for a while.

[@judyhowe2082]

We had Showbiz first here in Topeka KS, then later Chuckee Cheese. At my daughter's 3rd Birthday party, I have video of Chuckee coming out for her and scared her right off her chair.😂😂😂

[@headindacloudz567]

John: "You're never going to afford a house, so here's a special episode we made for you!" Me, a 26 year old eating McDonald's in my mother's basement because not even renting is affordable in my area: *laughs, followed by a sigh of dispair*

[@syruscoy1244]

Aren't you a good momma's boy who votes democrat? Yes you are!

[@alexbalayants8490]

@@syruscoy1244ah yes, it’s definitely only the Democrats that are responsible for the housing crisis. I also have a bridge for sale, cheap for you.

[@kingovmyself]

@@syruscoy1244wtf does that have to do with anything?

[@mattbowerman]

​​@@syruscoy1244says the fake profile

[@headindacloudz567]

@@syruscoy1244 Matey... I don't even vote. Even if I did, I live in a red state.

[@walterfristoe4643]

Whoever came up with the name Munch for that purple guy was a cunning linguist! 🤣

[@michaelmiller9107]

PURPLE GUY!?!?!!

[@peter_lucien1832]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@u1freakshow]

Likely a master debater as well.

[@TwitchHappens]

this is too clever.

[@article10]

@michaelmiller9107 send this theory to Matpat

[@TheAndkaren]

As a theater maker for kids (and a former kid who sought out the abandoned areas of Las Vegas hotels while there for dance competitions), I can attest to the fact that kids crave darkness contained within safe spaces. Youse totally right, John

[@tabaxikhajit4541]

Children are curious about the unknown. It's a natural instinct to want to explore, but children don't want to discover monsters. Don't be a monster. Don't be a pedophile. Children DO NOT crave darkness. Seek help if you are confused about that. Seek help now, or be in prison soon.

[@tabaxikhajit4541]

@@WiseAcres-iz1mu FNAF was completely based on that macabre world. The kids didn't want that. But when you have run-down animatronics on run-down figures you get something macabre. The disturbing distortion is the person who thinks the kids wanted it that way. No. The kids were told this was something they would enjoy. They were expected to like it. But it was frightening for some. FNAF gave kids the ability to deal with the fear in a game they could turn off.

[@tabaxikhajit4541]

You didn't make it one step into speaking for children. Many children crave the light.

[@viperq]

This has to be the best segment Oliver has ever done. 😅🤣😂

[@khaliah7754]

The last 10 min were truly a fever dream that even Nolan Bushnell couldn't have imagined. I loved it

[@lolly1898]

This video documentary? Great. But as a 29 year old late-stage millenial man with no hope of home owning in sight, you made me cry 30 seconds in. Thanks John.

[@dana3881]

maybe you laughed a bit?

[@hfaouzi4332]

Don't worry, I'm older and will never have a house neither. We need to eat the rich.

[@godlygamer911]

I mean, I came out of the hood of Chicago and had to work my ass off and get through grad school and law school and even I am struggling to find a house that isn't in some rural hell hole of a red state. I feel this.

[@fieldthrasher]

Real estate is cyclical. There are always deals and downturns, you just have to be ready.

[@godlygamer911]

@@fieldthrasher I can't tell if you're dumb or a boomer...

[@daiakunin]

This web exclusive was too good to be lost to the annals of time. So glad they put it on KZbin.

[@jackl8025]

Pretty sure it was on here like six months ago

[@erycalexander7315]

Nah he set up a whole website to show this😂 😅 I remember that episode because I literally didn’t believe it was a real link with a whole different episode 😂but he’s a mad lad so we definitely got a 2 for 1 that week

[@Raiderman227]

@@jackl8025okay so I’m not trippin

[@darrenmims]

​@jackl8025 Oh it was months ago, I don't know why they reuploaded.

[@tommyvercetti5112]

I knew I couldn't have been the only one who noticed, I checked the Rock afire explosion video and there are comments from nine months ago about the same video

[@TAaronV]

We had a Show Biz Pizza, in Flint, Michigan, ran by Show Biz Bear, the lead guitarist in the band. They merged the characters, on stage, when I was younger. They had Pasquely, the cheerleader mouse, and Chunk E.. The characters were also recycled into the Country Bear Jamboree in Disney World…

[@leonessity]

I only ever saw an 'anamonic' type of band portrayed on The Goofy Movie, and I haaaated the idea of ever walking into a place somewhere and having to stomach such fake weirdness. Flint's sounds like it could have been rather fun to watch, tho...

[@ltgenrob]

I actually worked at Showbiz (eventually bought by Chuck), and I can tell you it was FANtasttic!

[@user-nj7tm3mw1z]

I remember going to Chuck E. Cheese as a young adult in Seattle with co-workers who wanted to go there for some reason (it was probably the video games). The only reason I was invited was because I had a car. I was surprised that they served beer at this location and because it was at night, very few children were present. Of my two co-workers, one turned out to be a serial bank robber and the other was arrested for using company funds to buy cocaine. They were both "born again Christians." That's my only experience with the place. It was 1983, need I say more? EDIT: After watching the video I now understand.

[@sarahferrell5458]

Wow

[@sukottotsukeshi.]

How did you even become friends with them in the first place?

[@viniciusdeoliveiraroman]

It wasn't the video games, it was the hippo. Admit it.

[@patw3611]

Years ago, dozens of people in my town protested a new gentlemen's club that opened nearby. 6-months later it closed and reopened as Chuck E. Cheese.

[@smears6039]

Who tf was protesting a strip club?!? What’s wrong with them?! Was it conjoined with a church or something?? That’s insane!

[@poindextertunes]

damn 😂

[@slamdunk406]

To do a 30 minute report on Chuck E. Cheese takes a lot of skill and what's even more incredible is there's a lot to break down. The Usher animatronics was my favorite part of this. Amazing!

[@williamkerr8307]

No other team could make this as brilliantly entertaining and I had never heard of Chuck E. Cheese

[@coalblooded]

7:38 -- It reminds me of Mitch Hedberg's joke about Pringles' original intention being to make tennis balls, but on the day the rubber was supposed to arrive, they just got a truckload of potatoes. "Pringles is a laidback company; they just said, 'Fuck it, cut 'em up!'" 😂

[@delilahdelatorre8034]

I watched this when the HOA video first came out 😭

[@blackheartzerotheundergrou3225]

I rewatched that three times purely out of spite before coming here when I remembered why this segment was made.

[@Cabrera1027]

Yeah, am I crazy? I thought this official channel already uploaded this

[@LindaC616]

​@@Cabrera1027they did

[@chidorisnake22]

Same, and I won't lie: I appreciate John thinking of us under 30. 😂

[@ShadowTeller]

OH good I thought I was having some crazy Deja vu

[@jessaminemanchester]

This is genuinely one of my favorite pieces this show has ever done, I watched this probably eight times the first week it was online

[@gabriellebagdis3827]

I grew up in San Jose, and my first job was working at the Century 21 theater on Winchester Boulevard. Yes, that Winchester Boulevard-the one with the mystery house. I was 16 in 1982 and had to take the 60 bus to work but the buses were never on time, so I always took an early one, and of course what was there next to the Winchester Mystery House, and the Century movie theaters all in a row?.…Chuck E. Cheese… I probably spent a good portion of my paycheck, playing Tempest and Joust and Millipede. Twas a far cry from having to go work at the theater in the little polyester mini dress they gave you to wear and taking your breaks in the theater, watching the same 10 minutes of the movie (“Easy Money”, “Brainstorm”, and “The Right Stuff” in the time I was there) every time while drinking soda and eating popcorn drenched in butter flavor. The only things we could have for free. I’m sure that is why I have intestinal problems to this day. Good times…

[@Slowplaymae]

Original Chuck E. was always one line of dialogue away from whispering “pssst, hey kid, wanna see some cool toys that may, or may not, have fallen off the back of a truck?”

[@jansen4282]

😭

[@AGuyThatMightExist]

Technically every character is one line of dialogue away from saying that.

[@railfandepotproductions]

Is this spam?

[@jansen4282]

@@railfandepotproductions with eggs of course

[@Lilz667]

My mom took my brother and I to ChuckECheese in 1995 to make us happy before bringing us home and telling us about my parents' divorce haha. So, fond memories!

[@jetzzfan]

Did you at least get something fun with your tickets?

[@oughtssought1198]

devious breeds divorce then divorce breeds devious

[@Elwaves2925]

The divorce being the fond memory of course, it certainly can't have been ChuckUpCheese.

[@noreenconstantine4612]

OMG I guess she was trying

[@16jan1986]

My parents gave me my graduation present before my 9 grade graduation (Denmark) and then told me it before the ceremony...... Everything fell apart from there

[@chsbob9]

"I've been talking about Chuck E. Cheese for anyone thought was humanly possible." Matpat "Hold my Diet Coke."

[@davidarmstrong1617]

I still remember my very first Pizza Party Birthday, about age 11 I think... it was at Showbiz Pizza, and the "band" sang She's a Beauty, by the Tubes. I really loved it and still think of that party every time I hear that song.

[@katemorgan8850]

"I believe there is a rot at the heart of Chuck E Cheese" I had an eloquent line about the comparison from this restaurant to Five Nights at Freddy's but I'm playing the "it's 4am and I'm currently deliriously watching a British man do a news report on an animatronic mouse" card lol

[@katemorgan8850]

It's 11am now, I don't remember watching this (but yeah, that sounds like me)

[@AndreRyan00]

I started this thinking ‘I’ll give it 5 mins just to see where he’s going’ and 16 mins in I’m so hooked on this bizarre story that I gotta finish 😂

[@sukottotsukeshi.]

Along with the memories I’ve had

[@bluejosem]

Just like the employees inside the suits

[@VivekDwivediDXTHSM]

Stood by your sentiments. Never thought would stay by the end of it but I also knew that if John Oliver had done something with it, he must have thought about it.

[@ModernDayRenaissanceMan]

I was born in 1980 & had 2 separate experiences with Chuck E Cheese. Once when I was a kid. I did all the things you'd expect. Then later in my Senior year of High school. As an AFJROTC Group Commander I was tasked with taking kids that couldn't afford Xmas presents & making sure we all bought one for them & taking them to Chuck E Cheese for a celebration. Me... hating kids had to supervise one the entire time & was filled with existential dread that I would be having to speak to a child. Luckily the kid was shy & spent most of his time running off & playing games & ignored me. I was boring & tried to be. This skit, with the thought of fear, hate, anger, & kids altogether in one brought that back in me. Only it completely forgot one major reason why some people experience it.

[@JimBobJoeB0b]

From an ever-so avid fan of animatronic entertainment history, *especially* CEC and Showbiz, from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU!!! I’m thankful they’ve kept at least 1 stage so far at Northridge, but come on CEC, you can’t expect *that* to be the happy middle ground! #saveourstages #savepineville3stage #supportpinevillestage

[@themotherbrassica]

Rockafire fandom is wild. Before COVID, I visited an existing Rockafire show at a small regional amusement park in Korea. To this day I still get comments and messages about the footage I took there, which if the fan communities are to be believed is the "only known footage" of that unit😂

[@xacottage]

I have a pin I found in a used shop in the Seattle, it had a dog in a showmans hat, I forget the text. Could it be related?

[@Kate-n2310]

“Last Squeak Tonight” fucking phenomenal 😭

[@MalBeats]

Chuck E cheese was my first job. Yes i had to wear the suit, it was sweaty and i got ring worm. My lowest point was going to meet a kid for his Birthday, i absent mindedly said "wassup" and was taken in the back to get scolded. There were bats and mice in the upstairs office

[@tanikwish]

My childhood. I'm in tears from laughter. Thank you so much.

[@xzonia1]

I'm 53 and never been inside a Chuck E. Cheese. Until watching this video, I didn't know just how fortunate I've been all my life. 😂

[@boffo63]

Oh, you missed out. 🤣🤣

[@BosleyBeats]

It’s a breeding pool for all viruses known to man. It’s really just a covert CDC sleeper cell. 🤫

[@stephaniebrizard8657]

Most are run down and always overcrowded. Great for kids parties if you find a nice location, otherwise I'd avoid.

[@HighTide_808]

You actually need kids to enter. They don’t let people in without them

[@Roger-fs5yo]

They wasn't like that back in the 80's💁‍♂️

[@tyrannosaurusburke]

That Rock-Afire Explosion singing "Love In This Club" was hilarious and brilliant. I wish they had performed more songs, and in higher definition.

[@JB-pc6fc]

Seeing that kind of has me wanting to look on Craig's List for a set of retired of mechanical rats. 😂

[@JayRBXX]

David Ferguson has a show and programs a lot of the newer songs. You can search up his place "Goofy Gas Fillin Station"

[@leecalmdown]

They did a great version of Electric Feel, too! It’s worth looking up

[@zainabemdadian2411]

Who gives 2 shits about chucky cheese right now, considering what's going on in the world. He could be using his platform for something far more important

[@JayRBXX]

@@zainabemdadian2411 like what?

[@JackReacts]

The problem is that 1. People don’t go to Arcades’s anymore, they’ve gotten far more expensive, and with home media most of the games out there can be played at home for little to no money. 2. They re-branded so many times, just how much of it came off as throwing whatever at the wall to see what sticks. I’ll be amazed if we see Chuck E. Cheese into the next generation

[@kelammo]

This is a masterpiece! I grew up with Showbiz Pizza & the RockaFire band. Ty John Oliver ❤️❤️❤️

[@vibangigan5336]

I love that John basically just used his show to do a 25 minute video essay on KZbin. Bro pulled a defunctland😂😂😂😂

[@marblemunkey]

I'm sitting here processing that at least one clip here showed was from an lluminaughti video complete with Blair's voice. And I saw no attribution. 😂 Karma.

[@txrracxtta]

@@marblemunkeygod don't say that, now I'm gonna keep watching the whole thing listening for her voice

[@dragonsword7370]

​@@marblemunkey I'm still watching this through and now are looking for it! 😂

[@DebraBakerls]

@@marblemunkey WHAT

[@djwurm2009]

Bright Sun Films also did a Bankrupt episode

[@cjschaff317]

Okay but the "Are you not entertained?" as upfront as the question is, made me laugh considering we're discussing the Gladiator Breads and Circus next to the ball pit

[@loschwahn723]

those puppets had a film too: MEET THE FEEBLES and the main term of it was _" theatre on drugs "_ 🤣

[@charliej766]

The largest fight I’ve ever witnessed occurred at a Chuck E Cheese in FL about 15 years ago. A woman was celebrating her baby’s 1st birthday with her friends and family when the baby’s father walked in with the mother of his other daughter who was also there to celebrate her 1st birthday 😳 As soon as their group walked in, words were exchanged . There were about 30 adults fighting in front of 100 kids.

[@ImNotaRussianBot]

A classy place for classy people.

[@xxGravyBabyxx]

Florida is one hell of a drug

[@landshass2849]

Wow 😮. He impregnated both women on the same night.

[@cannibalamoebas]

That's what happened at alot of ours here... and then shootings in the parking lot ... multiple times... almost closed the chuck e cheeses down here over it

[@fhbaynes]

wish i coulda been there