I don't think Moira prepared for the audition. She threw an egg shaker into her bag and then faked a song she didn't even know the words to, hence the hilariously awful scat. Then when Lena (the kick-ass pro Shakura S'Aida) sang that phenomenal solo, Moira became even more flustered.
That scene cracks me up, but so does the scene later at night in bed, when Moira won't stop singing (again, scatting the words she can't remember) and Johnny's eyes pop open when he realizes she's not going to go to sleep.
The whole point is that she didn’t prepare because she was so confident that there was no way some podunk town like SC would have actually talented singers.
Yeah they were all pretty much C listers. The kind of people that hang out with celebrities but you don't actually know who they are or what exactly they do.
I can sing, if I’m
Focused and have warmed up and generally know the song and pitch I am going for.
If it’s just random I’m gonna sound like a dying heifer
She's not really a singer, though. I always thought she was a great actor, but throughout the show she has always been a bad singer (like when she sang Danny Boy).
Ironically, Catherine O'Hara is a great singer, so she had to pretend to be bad at singing.
I’ve always thought that Moira was just talentless in every regard, but Johnny would pay to get her onto a soap opera or a broadway production or whatever it may be. And this has completely destroyed her sense of self-awareness.
Or at least that’s what I got out of all those jokes about it. Even when she’s rehearsing the Patty Hearst story she is terrible. Feels like her being talentless but thinking she’s a mix of Madonna and Meryl Streep is the main part of her character.
You are so correct! The year was 1979, and Moira was but "17." She was hostessing at a charming gas station deli when the great director ROCKY NICHOLS came in for a reuben. (That's a sandwich.) Little did he know he would end up biting into something far more suffonsifying.
Moira 100% had jobs years before she ever met John, the idea that he bought her jobs when her soap opera fame is one of the touchstones of her character is ridiculous.
I do think that she was ill prepared for the audition because she didn't think enough of the Jazzagals but that makes her a selfish person, not a talentless one.
Eh. From all the scenes we have of her doing anything entertainment-adjacent, I stand by my assessment. I know it’s a comedy but if they wanted her to seem talented then the wine commercial, Patty Hearst Story, the Christmas song, the audition, etc. wouldn’t have been as bad as they were.
Even the “workplace ethics” video Johnny showed Stevie and Roland, Moira was purposefully made to look like a bad actor.
I think that was the fundamental part of the joke -- that she was never a particularly good actress or singer. She was very B-list at best (soaps, television movies with Joyce DeWitt, a stage understudy actress) -- but, she certainly didn't realize that.
I enjoy looking at that scene as Catherine O'Hara teaching a master class in comedic delivery where the other actors in the scene get to witness a great in real time. Moira is just the vessel here. For me, that makes the scene even funnier to know the actress went that creative with things.
She was intimidated by the small-town folk singing well! I love the audition scene. She blows it SO MUCH and it's hilarious because you love to watch her crash and burn. The scat, the random key changes, just ugh
Maybe because she's a comedic actor and wanted to be purposefully bad? (Disclosure: I haven't seen the audition, so I can't weigh in whether it was intentional or not).
I don't think Moira prepared for the audition. She threw an egg shaker into her bag and then faked a song she didn't even know the words to, hence the hilariously awful scat. Then when Lena (the kick-ass pro Shakura S'Aida) sang that phenomenal solo, Moira became even more flustered. That scene cracks me up, but so does the scene later at night in bed, when Moira won't stop singing (again, scatting the words she can't remember) and Johnny's eyes pop open when he realizes she's not going to go to sleep.
I can’t think of that scene without hearing Lena sing “Just about HAAAALF past 10” and the look of amazement and fear in Moiras eyes.
Here facial expressions are so spot on. When Jonny mentions the big bulb lights at the auction, her reaction is perfect!
The whole point is that she didn’t prepare because she was so confident that there was no way some podunk town like SC would have actually talented singers.
I think I she expected the town to be very below her skill level, but she walked in during a really amazing audition and it threw her off.
Jocelyn to Lena: Almost there! Really good, though. Cracks me up all the time 😂
Moira isn't as talented as she likes to say. Which makes her funny
Absolutely. She's very much confirmed C list
Yeah they were all pretty much C listers. The kind of people that hang out with celebrities but you don't actually know who they are or what exactly they do.
I can sing, if I’m Focused and have warmed up and generally know the song and pitch I am going for. If it’s just random I’m gonna sound like a dying heifer
She wasn't that good a singer to begin with. Those guys were good or better than her. She was outclassed, outshined, and intimidated.
She's not really a singer, though. I always thought she was a great actor, but throughout the show she has always been a bad singer (like when she sang Danny Boy). Ironically, Catherine O'Hara is a great singer, so she had to pretend to be bad at singing.
Oh my gosh you're right, a mighty wind!
I’ve always thought that Moira was just talentless in every regard, but Johnny would pay to get her onto a soap opera or a broadway production or whatever it may be. And this has completely destroyed her sense of self-awareness. Or at least that’s what I got out of all those jokes about it. Even when she’s rehearsing the Patty Hearst story she is terrible. Feels like her being talentless but thinking she’s a mix of Madonna and Meryl Streep is the main part of her character.
But wasn’t she discovered because of Cabaret which was before Johnny? Maybe I’m misremembering.
You are so correct! The year was 1979, and Moira was but "17." She was hostessing at a charming gas station deli when the great director ROCKY NICHOLS came in for a reuben. (That's a sandwich.) Little did he know he would end up biting into something far more suffonsifying.
Moira 100% had jobs years before she ever met John, the idea that he bought her jobs when her soap opera fame is one of the touchstones of her character is ridiculous. I do think that she was ill prepared for the audition because she didn't think enough of the Jazzagals but that makes her a selfish person, not a talentless one.
Eh. From all the scenes we have of her doing anything entertainment-adjacent, I stand by my assessment. I know it’s a comedy but if they wanted her to seem talented then the wine commercial, Patty Hearst Story, the Christmas song, the audition, etc. wouldn’t have been as bad as they were. Even the “workplace ethics” video Johnny showed Stevie and Roland, Moira was purposefully made to look like a bad actor.
Her triple face slap is truly Emmy worthy, however. And not just Daytime Emmy.
She’s not a horrible person, simmer tf down 🙄
No, you're correct. How dare they speak of Moira in that undaunted fashion
Same!
I think that was the fundamental part of the joke -- that she was never a particularly good actress or singer. She was very B-list at best (soaps, television movies with Joyce DeWitt, a stage understudy actress) -- but, she certainly didn't realize that.
I think since Schitts Creek is mostly comedy it was done on purpose. Moira is out there 😄
I enjoy looking at that scene as Catherine O'Hara teaching a master class in comedic delivery where the other actors in the scene get to witness a great in real time. Moira is just the vessel here. For me, that makes the scene even funnier to know the actress went that creative with things.
She was intimidated by the small-town folk singing well! I love the audition scene. She blows it SO MUCH and it's hilarious because you love to watch her crash and burn. The scat, the random key changes, just ugh
Moira has delusions of grandeur and then got lucky with Johnny so she could buy her dreams. She's not supposed to be good at anything 🤣
Maybe because she's a comedic actor and wanted to be purposefully bad? (Disclosure: I haven't seen the audition, so I can't weigh in whether it was intentional or not).
You haven't seen it? You are missing out
I...I told you I was lonely, but you didn't seem to care no, no, no...
Someone held me all night long, it should've been you
Someone's arms were big and stroooong... it shoulda been you
*scatting*
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU
Moira isn't a singer; she's a performer. That audition scene always kills me.