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It’s all fun and games until you play an Olympian. After it was announced that the 2020 Olympics were postponed to next year, comedians Kim and Penn Holderness — the couple behind some of Facebook and YouTube’s most watched musical parodies — decided to challenge real-life Olympians to a slew of silly competitions. Throughout the …
It’s all fun and games until you play an Olympian.
After it was announced that the 2020 Olympics were postponed to next year, comedians Kim and Penn Holderness — the couple behind some of Facebook and YouTube’s most watched musical parodies — decided to challenge real-life Olympians to a slew of silly competitions.
Throughout the five new videos — aptly dubbed the 2020 “Fauxlympics” — the dynamic duo, along with their two kids, challenge the world-class athletes to tournaments such as a Fruit by the Foot-eating contest and a penny-blowing race.
“We didn’t win a single one,” Penn told The Post. “We could never be Olympians.”
But despite the crippling losses, the married couple were in awe of each incredible competitor they spoke to.
“They were the nicest people we have ever met in our entire lives,” said Penn. “And ridiculously good-looking,” Kim said. “Like, we are so ugly compared to them.”
Each clip is preceded by a mock “opening ceremony” where Penn plays two toy flutes with his nostrils.
In the first video, the family takes on three-time Olympian canoeist Casey Eichfeld in a Fruit by the Foot-eating contest. But before they got the game going, they took some time to ask him a few questions.
“We had been talking to him for three minutes and he started crying, not because he didn’t make the Olympics, but because if the Olympics had gone on he would have had to leave his dog who has really serious cancer,” Penn said.
“He was like, ‘It’s just a blessing I get to be with my dog during his final days,’ and we were like, ‘Oh, my God what a punch in the heart.’ Plus, he was also really nice and good-looking,” said Kim.
Next up, the funny family challenged Sandi Morris, 2016 pole vaulting silver medalist, and her hubby Tyrone Smith, a three-time Olympic long jumper to a penny blowing contest.
“I was sweating so hard afterwards even though it was only seven seconds long because I was working extremely hard to blow that penny,” Penn said.
During their interview, each Olympian admits they had mixed reactions to the world games being postponed.
“I was actually dealing with a little bit of knee pain that popped up in February during a competition. And so for me, it was a blessing in disguise,” says Morris in the video.
But for her husband, it was a different story.
“I’ve been to a few Olympics, this was gonna be my last. So this was putting all of my eggs in one basket, trying to make a push to get to one more Olympics games. It was really devastating for a couple of days,” says Smith.
Despite the athlete’s kind temperaments, all bets were off when it came to winning.
“They were all very competitive — it was hilarious,” said Kim. “They were really sweet and then when it was time to go, they were not going to lose to these middle-aged people.”
“Once the competition started, they were a - - holes,” said Penn. “They were smiling and stuff, but they would not lose.”
The pair also challenged gold and silver javelin throw medalist, Kara Winger, to see who could get an Oreo from their forehead to their mouth the fastest; three-time indoor long jumping bronze medalist Norris Frederick to a candy necklace-making race; and future softball Olympian Kelsey Stewart to a watermelon card darts game — where playing cards are used as darts against an open watermelon.
After the 2020 Summer Olympic Games were postponed earlier this year due to the coronavirus, the Holderness’ knew they wanted to do something in lieu of one of their favorite events.
“We were super bummed that the Olympics weren’t happening; we love the Olympics as a family,” said Kim, who’s been cranking out viral sensations like “Wash Your Hands” with her husband all through quarantine. “So honestly, we just reached out to the Olympic Committee and these are the people who wrote us back.”
All fun aside, the twosome were inspired by the athletes’ “shameless optimism,” Penn said.
“Even when your whole life’s dream has been crushed, they came into my virtual kitchen to play a stupid game, gave me some of their time and showed what the Olympic spirit is all about. It was awesome.”
And while they won’t be competing in the real Olympics themselves anytime soon, “I’m super good at napping,” Kim said.
