1960s Claymation Rankin/Bass Holiday Special "The Christmas Crab" (FROM THE VAULT)
Cast & Characters (4)
Bits & Timeline (14)
The Christmas Crab Reunion Roll-Call
The hosts introduce a special reunion panel for the 1973 Rankin/Bass claymation classic 'The Christmas Crab', featuring the voice of the crab, the lead animator, and a disgruntled audio engineer.
"My name is Betty DeBoop and I played Dotty the Christmas Crab."
Paul's Cinnamon Stick Addiction
Audio engineer Paul Tafer reveals he hasn't stopped 'smoking' a cinnamon stick since the 1970s, while the creators discuss the 'fateful day' a real crab in a sweatshirt inspired the film.
"Ever since the 70s I can't stop with the cinnamon stick."
The Disparity of Production Timelines
The panel compares their workloads: Betty recorded all her lines in three hours, while Heins spent 15 years on the claymation, and Paul spent six hours 'looping' audio.
George's Dubious POW Backstory
George claims his time as a POW in the Korean War was the only thing that kept him motivated to finish the film, but Betty calls him out for 'stealing valor' due to inconsistent architectural descriptions.
"I'd rather you didn't bring up your bogus POW story."
The Rancid Goat ADR Session
Paul describes the nightmare of recording ADR for a live goat in the studio, which became so 'rancid' and 'stinky' that they had to finish the session in the parking lot.
"At some point it got too rancid to see."
Heins Klein's Sexy Encounter with Burl Ives
Heins Klein reveals that he and his wife had a sexual encounter with Burl Ives in 2021, leading to a debate about whether it was an impostor since Burl Ives has been dead for years.
"Me and my wife actually did some you know sexy stuff with him one time."
"I think you were having relations with an impostor Burl."
"Burl had freckles at the tip of his dick."
Betty DeBoop's Bank and Game Show Career
Betty DeBoop describes her confusing interactions at the 'Bill Burr of Banks' in Burbank and her prolific career as a contestant on over 100 game shows to support her 16 children.
"It's the Bill Burr of Banks because the tellers are always yelling."
The War on Computers and Claymation Passion
Heins Klein expresses his deep hatred for computers in animation, advocating for the 'passion' of a man building things in a garage, while Paul Tafer struggles to explain technical audio changes.
"I hate the computer. Everybody's just always on the computer."
"The passion lies not in the computer, not behind the glass screen, but in the man building the crap."
George Filvel's 45-Year Stop-Motion Snack Epic
George Filvel pitches his autobiographical stop-motion film about his vintage snack collection, which he has been working on for 45 years and has completed 15 minutes of footage.
"It's a stop-motion film about my whole life and my extensive snack collection."
"I've been working on it about 45 years and it's about 15 minutes in."
Paul Tafer's Dinner Theater Hostess Management
Paul Tafer reveals he runs a dinner theater that only performs 'Mamma Mia!' and spends most of his time arguing with hostesses to push tables back so the audience can see the stage.
"I tell my hostesses every time: put those tables back!"
Christmas Traditions: Smoking Marlbros and Child Isolation
The panel shares their holiday traditions, ranging from Heins smoking a full pack of Marlboros in 15 minutes to Betty isolating her 16 children in soundproof rooms to watch The Christmas Crab.
"I challenge myself to smoke a whole pack of cigarettes before the movie ends. It's 15 minutes."
"I send each of my 16 children into a room alone to watch a private screening."
The Military Hoax Conspiracy
Betty DeBoop insists that the United States military is a vast hoax and that her son only 'claims' to have joined it, much to the confusion of the other panelists.
"There is a hoax going on that there is a vast number of troops ready at arms."
"Betty, the military's proven. It's been proven that it's real."
George's Six-Month Marriage and Clay Obsession
George Filvel discusses his recent marriage to a woman he met six months ago and his lifelong obsession with clay over human connection.
"When you are my age, you fall in love fast. There's no more games."
"I was all clay. I was focusing on the clay and the ideas."
The Christmas Crab Finale and Cameo Parade
The group performs the final scene of the film, featuring a rapid-fire succession of bizarre Rankin/Bass style cameos including Crispy the Elf, a talking Snowman, and sentient Clam Chowder.
"Oh Santa Claus, I'm a cantankerous crabby crab."
"Did somebody say clam chowder?"