TV On The Radio singer Tunde Adebimpe had an idea for a music video, where “Pee-Wee's Playhouse” actor and icon Paul Reubens would play a race car driver losing his mind. He took the idea to Funny Or Die.
Apparently, those kind of pitches work.
Rope in “Doctor Who” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Karen Gillan, throw the formerly indie band in some smashing white suits, and you've got yourself this Danny Jelinek-directed video insanity, for song “Happy Idiot.”
“I got to speak with [Reubens] over the phone about doing it and, in between being blindingly nervous that I was actually talking to an actor who had shaped a LOT of my world view and trying not to freak him out by saying so, he mentioned that he's been a fan of the band for awhile,” Adebimpe explained in a press release. “He liked the idea, and, somehow, here we are with Paul as a race car driver losing his mind.”
Gillan shows up in a cheerleader uniform, and in bed reading a book, and happily gardening, many manner of fantastical imaginings any Gillan fan would have. But they're memories, for Racecar Steven. Poor Racecar Steven. Like in the song, he's just trying keep his mind off her. It turned into a “full on geek fest in the desert.”
“Happy Idiot” is the first single from TV On The Radio's “Seeds” album, out on Nov. 18 via Harvest Records. It was recorded in L.A. with longtime producer Dave Sitek.
The band has a limited number of tour dates currently lined up, with more TBA.
Here are TV On The Radio's tour dates:
Fri-Oct-17: Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl (Supporting Massive Attack)
Sat-Oct-18: Big Sur, CA @ Henry Miller Library
Sun-Oct-19: San Francisco, CA @ Treasure Island Music Festival
Wed-Oct-22: Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent
Thu-Oct-23: Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent
Fri-Oct-24: Joshua Tree, CA @ Pappy & Harriets
Sat-Oct-25: Las Vegas, NV @ Life is Beautiful Festival
Wed-Nov-12: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix
Thu-Nov-13: Montreal, QC @ Corona
Fri-Nov-14: Boston, MA @ Paradise
Sun-Nov-16: Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
Mon-Nov-17: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Tue-Nov-18: New York, NY @ Apollo
Fri-Nov-21: Brooklyn, NY @ MHOW
Sat-Nov-22: Brooklyn, NY @ MHOW