Father John Misty Provides “Total Entertainment Forever” in His Absurd New Video

“Total Entertainment Forever” ranks as perhaps the most immediately exciting track on Father John Misty’s recent epic, Pure Comedy, so it only feels fitting that it should have a music video to match. Luckily, that’s what he’s given us in spades.

This one’s a trip.

Following the lead of the song’s Oculus Rift-citing screed against the numbing nature of entertainment, the video features George Washington donning some VR goggles for a colorful, papier-mâché-filled romp through the flagellation and crucifixion of Kurt Cobain (labeled “King of the Cucks” and played by none other than McCauley Culkin) by “corporate fascists” led by Misty—aka Feather Jam Ministry—who’s dressed as some combination of Ronald McDonald and Captain Hook. Also Bill Clinton’s there, up on another cross, blowing away on his saxophone.

Despite all the apparent absurdity, the video never abandons the song’s central chilling conceit. It is, both ironically and deliberately, entertaining as hell, and is already a contender for video of the year.

Watch the “Total Entertainment Forever” video above, read our Paste Quarterly cover story on Misty here, enjoy a few FJM cuts from the Paste Cloud below, and find his tour dates further down.

Father John Misty Tour Dates:

May
05 – Toronto, Canada @ Royal Alexandra Theatre [Sold Out] %
06 – Toronto, Canada @ Royal Alexandra Theatre [Sold Out] %
10 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Kings Theatre [Sold Out] %
11 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ BrooklynSteel !
13 – Mayer, Ariz. @ FORM Arcosanti Festival
15 – Chicago, Ill. @ Chicago Theatre [Sold Out] %
24 – Seattle, Wash. @ Paramount Theatre @
26 – Burnaby, Canada @ Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park

June
07 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Teatro Metropolitan +
22-24 – Oslo, Norway @ Piknik I Parken Festival
21-25 – Somerset, U.K. – Glastonbury Festival
23-25 – Ewijk, Netherlands @ Down the Rabbit Hole Festival
27 – Lund, Sweden @ Merejet !!
28 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Cirkus !!
30 – Roskilde, Denmark @ Roskilde Festival

July
15 – Columbia, Md. @ Merriweather Post Pavillion &
21 – Wooyung, Australia @ Splendour in The Grass Festival
23 — Sydney, Australia @ The Metro Theatre [Sold Out]
24 — Melbourne, Australia @ Melbourne Recital Centre [Sold Out]
28-30 – Niigata, Japan @ Fuji Rock Festival

August
04-06 – Montreal, Canada 2 Osheaga Festival
18 – Winnipeg, Canada @ Interstellar Rodeo – The Forks
19 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ Surly Brewing Festival Field *
25 – Morrison, Colo. @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre ~
26 – Portland, Ore. @ Project Pabst
31-Sept. 03 – Dorset, U.K. @ End of the Road Festival

September
01-03 – Stradbally, Ireland @ Electric Picnic
13 – Boston, Mass. @ Blue Hills Pavilion $
14 – Port Chester, N.Y. @ Capitol Theatre $
15 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Skyline Stage at the Mann $
18 – Toronto, Canada @ Massey Hall ^
19 – Royal Oak, Mich. @ Royal Oak Music Theatre ^
20 – Chicago, Ill. @ Auditorium Theatre ^
22 – St. Louis, Mo. @ Peabody Opera House ^
23 – Columbus, Ohio @ Palace Theatre ^
25 – Asheville, N.C. @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium ^
26 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Ryman Auditorium ^
27 – Atlanta, Ga. @ The Tabernacle ^
29 – Austin, Texas @ Bass Concert Hall ^
30 – Dallas, Texas 2 Bomb Factory ^

October
01 – Houston, Texas @ White Oak Music Hall ^
04 – Phoenix, Ariz. @ Orpheum Theatre ^
05 – San Diego, Calif. @ The Observatory North Park ^
06 – San Diego, Calif. @ The Observatory North Park ^
07 – Berkeley, Calif. @ Greek Theatre $
11 – Santa Barbara, Calif. @ Arlington Theatre ^
12 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ Brooklyn Bowl ^
13 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Greek Theatre ^
14 – Pomona, Calif. @ Fox Theater Pomona ^

November
01 – Edinburgh, U.K. @ Usher Hall
02 – Manchester, U.K. @ O2 Apollo
07 – London, U.K. @ Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
11 – Paris, France @ Le Trianon ^
12 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique ^
14 – Berlin, Germany @ Huxley’s ^
16 – Milan, Italy @ Fabrique
18 – Barcelona, Spain @ Razzmatazz ^
19 – Madrid, Spain @ La Riviera ^
20 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Coliseu dos Recreios ^

(% – w/ Dams of the West)
(@ – w/ Entrance)
(^ – w/ Weyes Blood)
(! – w/ Adam Green)
(!! – w/ Hamilton Leithauser)
($ – w/ Phosphorescent)
(* – w/ Tennis)
(~ – w/ Jenny Lewis)
(+ – w/ Adanowsky)
(& – w/ Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne)