The Cheatar

This article is about the short. For the DVD feature showing its construction, see The Cheatar (making of). For other uses of the word "guitar", see Guitar (disambiguation).

"The Cheat! You turned into, like, a giant guitar!"

The Cheat turns into a guitar! Or maybe not...

Cast (in order of appearance): Strong Bad, The Cheat, Gary Palaroncini (Easter egg)

Date: Monday, May 24, 2004

Running Time: 0:54

Page Title: Witness the Cheatar!

DVD:Everything Else, Volume 1

Transcript

{The scene opens to a wall with a purple door and a giant live action The Cheat guitar. Strong Bad, silhouetted, enters the scene.}

STRONG BAD: The Cheat! I need you to help me open up this can of peas! Wdj-haaaah?! The Cheat! You turned into, like, a giant guitar! You never told me you could do that! Wait a minute... What good is a giant guitar if you're not a giant...guitar...-ist? Why couldn't you transform into, like...a Semi? Or at least a tape player. You know, like: Ke-ka-ko-ko-ko-ko-ko-kokah! I don't think I like you like this. You're way taller than me. And way...guitarer than me.

{The Cheat enters, also silhouetted}

THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}

STRONG BAD: What the—The Cheat! You mean you can't turn into a giant guitar after all? Then what good are you?

THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises. A popping noise is heard.}

STRONG BAD: Hey! You opened my can of peas! Thanks, The Cheat! Now let's go pour these on that ant-hill I found.

THE CHEAT: {Makes stance like guitar, makes The Cheat noises and walks away.}

Easter Eggs

• Move your mouse over the guitar to see a message.

>The Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame was
>nice enough to ask us to paint a
>giant fiberglass guitar for an
>exhibition they're doing. 'The
>Cheatar' will be on display in
>Cleveland for a while, then
>auctioned off for charity with the
>other giant guitars.

• At the end of the toon, click on the door to see a picture of Gary from Limozeen chillin' with 'The Cheatar'. Keep clicking to see other pictures and finally a clip of Gary playing a few chords on this big guitar and singing a song about running away:

GARY PALARONCINI: {Singing while playing The Cheatar} Can't you run away? But can't you run away? Won't you run away? My dog ran away... Oh-oh, I can't... I told him to stay, but he still run away, rugh! You know I told him...I thought I told him to stay. I say. {Riffs The Cheatar one last time; the Limozeen logo comes up}

Fun Facts

Explanations

• The 10-foot-tall fiberglass Fender Stratocaster from this short was created for a program called GuitarMania. Through this program, hundreds of these guitars are creatively transformed into works of art. The sculptures are then sold at a live auction at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Proceeds benefit The United Way and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's Educational Fund.

Trivia

• The final bid on the Cheatar was $5000.
• Gary's chord progression during the video goes like this: GGDCGDCDG.

Remarks

• The Cheatar doesn't have any strings, a bridge, or any inlays.

Inside References

• This is another mention of peas.

Real-World References

• When Strong Bad mentions the Semi and the tape player, he is referring to Optimus Prime, and possibly Blaster or Soundwave of the Transformers. He also imitates the "transformation" sound.
• The font of the "Comin' up..." loading screen is reminiscent of the logo of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

Fast Forward

• The strongbad email.exe Disc Three Sketchbook video reveals drawings of alternate guitar designs, including Trogdor, Homestar Runner, and an armless version of The Cheat.

DVD Version

• The Guitar message Easter egg is visible at the end of the cartoon.
• The pictures of Gary with the Cheatar are visible at the end and are accompanied by a new Limozeen song:

LIMOZEEN: Squeedle, squeedle, giant guitar
How I wonder just how squeedly you are
Up on stage playing notes so high
You make all the young ladies cry {song ends}
{spoken} No, don't eat me, giant guitar!

• The video of Gary playing the Cheatar was released on strongbad email.exe Disc Two as an Easter egg.

External Links

• watch "The Cheatar"
• watch "The Cheatar" on the old Flash site
• view the Flash file for "The Cheatar"
• forum thread re: "The Cheatar"
• view the Flash file for the Limozeen clip
• GuitarMania 2004 official site (archive)
  • The Cheatar page on GuitarMania (archive)