Have you heard that comedy routine by the Frantics called Ti Kwan Leep (Boot to the Head)? Keep it in mind as you gaze at the two Democratic presidential candidates below.

On December 16th, Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire hosted a forum for unknown political candidates. Vermin Supreme (left) of Rockport, Massachusetts entertained the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and Political Library crowd, while Randall Terry (right) of Purgitsville, West Virginia tried to keep his cool.

For some reason Vermin reminds me of that old comedy routine Ti Kwan Leep:

Ti Kwan Leep is a sketch comedy recording by the Canadian comedy troupe The Frantics. It appears on their 1987 album Boot to the Head.

In the skit, an Eastern martial arts master starts off his class by explaining the basic philosophy of a fictional martial art called “Ti Kwan Leep” (take one leap). An impatient student in the class named Ed Gruberman interrupts the master, wanting to skip the philosophy and learn how to “beat people up”. After several interruptions the master agrees to show Gruberman some moves, and gives him a “Boot to the Head” (a catch phrase of the troupe that started in their 1984 sketch Last Will and Temperament).

The situation rapidly escalates until the entire class is left beaten and broken; their moans and groans then become the “Ommmmm” of meditation.

This skit is followed on the album (and often when played on the radio) with the song Boot to the Head.

The two were combined into a single track for disc 2 of the Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection, with a line from “Ti Kwan Leep” containing a mild expletive edited out.

Is Ed Gruberman also known as Vermin Supreme?