It’s been ten years since Wet Hot American Summer went to camp, then to town, then back to camp, then to an Alan Shemper-hosted talent show, then back home. At the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the film at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday night, David Wain, and the Michaels Ian Black and Showalter (also known as comedy group trio Stella) gathered the campers and counselors to reminiscence about their time at summer camp.
There were many last minute changes to the skits (it was telling that the event was rescheduled from its original date a week earlier), but that just added to the vibe of the night. No one was sure what exactly a tenth anniversary of a cult camp film would entail. There would of course be comedy, but would they show the film? Was there a band?
Guests “reprised” their roles: Janeane Garofalo as Beth, and Ken Marino and Marissa Ryan as Victor and Abby, and, most notably, the Can of Vegetables as, you guessed it, the Can of Vegetables (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin). Clips, extra footage, and specially recorded bits were screened, and bands played songs from the film. The audience sang and recited every single line (the celebration was sold out). While it felt like it could’ve went on for longer and had more guests (where art thou, Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler?), it was nice revisiting Camp Firewood.
