Paul Simon
This iconic video was actually the second version filmed for this song. Paul Simon hated the original music video for "You Can Call Me Al," which was a generic performance clip of him performing with a band on the Saturday Night Live stage. He felt it was boring and didn't capture the song's quirky energy. So, he called his close friend and SNL legend Chevy Chase. They flew to London and shot this new version in a small pink room. The humor comes from the height difference. Chevy Chase is 6'4" and Paul Simon is 5'3". By having Chase sing the lyrics, the video plays on the public's perception of Simon as the "short guy" who gets overshadowed by his taller partner, a nod to his complicated history with Art Garfunkel. Chevy Chase memorized the lyrics so well that he nailed the lip-syncing almost immediately, though he admitted the fast-paced "bone-digger" verse was difficult. The song went on to become one of Paul Simon's biggest solo hits, largely thanks to heavy rotation on MTV. The instruments Paul Simon brings into the frame (the penny whistle, the conga drum) appear exactly when they are heard in the track, making this a masterclass in comedic timing.