Relationships Between Elon Musk and Rick and Morty
Elon Musk gained a lot of attention recently when he appeared on Comedy Central’s Rick and Morty on May 16, 2021. Not only did Musk have a voice cameo, but also he made a physical appearance as a “Space X Alien”.
Co-creator of Rick and Morty, Dan Harmon, stated in an interview with The Wrap that Musk initially reached out to the show after feeling like some of the characters were similar to him. Harmon says that Musk was “sardonic and self-aware” and that he was a fan of Rick and Morty.
In the episode, Musk helps Rick and Morty open a portal between dimensions. Despite saving the beloved characters, Musk’s self-interested and ego-driven personality still shine through. While the co-creator Dan Harmon said that he wanted to make sure the cameo was “organic” and was not an advertisement for Tesla and SpaceX, Musk’s dreamy voice and many uses of the word “amazing” in the episode contributed to Musk’s public persona.
Leading up to the episode, Musk had been featured and discussed in Rick and Morty, for example on a Rick and Morty Meme which said ‘Elon Musk walks into a bar, the bartender says ‘What will you have?’, Elon says ‘Tesla at $420’. Musk even validated the meme by writing that he had “previously mentioned wanting to take Tesla private at $420”. This ultimately led to an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Musk having to pay a $20 million settlement back in 2018.
However, pre-existing relationships between Elon Musk and Rick and Morty are not limited to this. Two years prior to the episode featuring Musk, a Space X launch was actually included in an episode of Rick and Morty that had launched a SpaceX rocket in December 2018. Since then, the SpaceX launch has had some iconic moments, such as its successful unmanned mission to the International Space Station, brought SpaceX to its highest where the public was highly interested in its launch missions. During this time, fans started to informally name the capsule-like spacecraft “Rick and Morty”, clearly showing the pop culture impact that SpaceX had at the time. The appearance only helped to solidify this relationship.
Additionally, within the same episode featuring Musk, Rick attempts to use Elon Musk’s car to demonstrate the capabilities of the portal that was opening up among the different dimensions. However, when Rick asks for the keys to the car, Musk does not hand them over. Through this revealing moment, the audience gets to see another message that Musk portrays: he’s always working on new projects and isn’t afraid to take risks.
Elon Musk’s Comedic Screen Time
It was not only in Rick and Morty that Elon Musk made a presence as a comedic presence. He debuted his comedic screen time in a new “Twilight Zone”-style sketch by NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” in 2021. In this sketch, he was the host of “NASA’s Mars 2020 mission” and became an astronaut who leaves Earth and never comes back. Following the sketch, US astronauts Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley and Chris CassidY boarded SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft for a launch to the International Space Station in November 2020. The episodes “Rick and Morty” and “Saturday Night Live” both demonstrated Musk’s willingness to put himself out there and his love of comedy.
Musk’s comedy style tightly aligns with the “Rick and Morty” and “Saturday Night Live” demographic. His comedic style is somewhat dark, and sometimes absurd or off-the-cuff. He usually tries to shock the audience while staying true to his eccentric self. On “Saturday Night Live”, his joke was met with some backlash. He frequently uses science, technology and other “nerd-like” references in his stand-up comedy, appearing intelligent and sometimes wise. Consequently, his comedy act isn’t only humorous, but it’s educational too.
Ultimately, Musk’s presence on “Rick and Morty” can be seen as an ode to his love of science fiction and his admiration for the popular show. It was a way of showing his appreciation for the show and for its impact in popular culture and trends. While Musk does not have a steady acting career, his comedic abilities were undeniable when he guest starred on “Saturday Night Live”. Musk’s comedic style is unique and he brings something different from the most well known comedians. His appearance on “Rick and Morty” did not elicit laughter from the show’s viewers, but rather admiration for his wit and high IQ. All in all, Musk’s relationship with Rick and Morty demonstrate his commitment to his work in the industrial sciences and to the aerospace industry, while also showcasing his acting and comedic talent.
Viewership Impact
The viewership of Rick and Morty was at an all-time high in 2021, peaking by its season four finale with 4.2 million viewers. Furthermore, ratings for the show spiked to 11.3 million viewers following Musk’s guest performance. It is widely anticipated that the recent season will be bigger than ever before due to Musk’s involvement.
Musk’s presence in the sci-fi cartoon has crossed boundaries, becoming popular to viewers of all ages. Musk’s multi-generational appeal allows viewers of different ages to equally enjoy and appreciate him. Furthermore, his appearance has also made him appear more relatable while simultaneously piquing viewers’ interest in the show. Musk’s character allowed the show to take its viewers on an intergalactic journey while also demonstrating Musk’s humorous side.
Musk’s relationship with Rick and Morty has launched the show into overdrive. Adding a real world figure to the beloved cartoon about two mad scientists went over well with fans. Ultimately, the public loved seeing Musk step out of the boundaries of being a technology and science magnate and get creative by having fun with a comedic character. His unique appearance added flavor to the show.
Reception by Critics
Overall, the critics’ reception of Musk’s role in Rick and Morty was positive. Professional critics from The Guardian and The AV Club both praised the unique and creative cameo, claiming that his guest spot further highlighted the show’s genre-defying nature and its ability to keep viewers on their toes.
The New York Times’ review of the episode went along the same lines. The reviewer argued that the episode showed a different side to Musk, portraying him “at his most likable”. The review claimed that his appearance showed that despite being a billionaire tech mogul, he still was capable of being “energetic and funny”, just like any other person.
Other critics praised the episode and Musk’s performance for being a perfect mix of comedy and sci-fi. As the show often blends these two genres, critics claimed that Musk’s performance was “perfectly suited” and added another layer of fun to Rick and Morty.
Though, Musk’s performance was not completely free from criticism. The Guardian’s reviewer argued that Musk’s performance “detracted from the episode” and that it was not memorable. The Guardian and The AV Club both agreed that the episode was more focused on the joke rather than on Musk’s character.
Overall, the reception by critics was positive, though some reservations were raised by some. Critics noted that though the episode certainly provided a fresh take to the show, they felt that Musk’s role was a tad too exaggerated and that it didn’t really have a point.
Effect on Elon Musk’s Brand
Elon Musk’s appearance on “Rick and Morty” certainly had an effect on his brand. His cameo on the show further solidified his reputation as a multidimensional person. His witty, eccentric character helped viewers to see him as a real person rather than just as a tech mogul.
Musk’s relationship with the show serves to show that he is open to being creative and branching out from his normal work endeavors. Conversely, it has also opened up other avenues for him to build relationships with different people and brands. For example, he has been able to collaborate with other popular TV shows and movies to further his public profile.
Musk’s cameo has also allowed him to reach younger generations. Millennials and Generation Z’s in particular have become very invested in Tesla due to its cinematic quality, in particular due to Musk’s connection to the show. Musk’s link to Rick and Morty has also had a direct effect on its stock prices. The Tesla stock has increased by over 50% since the episode featuring Musk aired on Comedy Central.
Though Musk’s relationship with the show has had some wider implications, his performance was primarily meant to be a fun and light hearted way to show the public another side to him. His eagerness to have fun and to be included in the show demonstrates his commitment to stretching his boundaries and his wish to remain true to himself.
Impact on the Creative Delevopment Industry
Musk’s involvement in Rick and Morty not only had an effect on his personal brand, but it also had an effect on the creative development industry. His guest spot opened up doors for other entrepreneurs and inventors to gain exposure and to venture into other areas of the entertainment arena.
This in turn encourages more people to branch out and to explore their passions beyond business. Elon Musk helps to be a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs and creatives, demonstrating that it is possible to achieve success in both business and the arts. This can potentially create a new breed of creative entrepreneurs, developers and innovators with Musk at the helm.
The crossover between entrepreneurship and pop culture has been in development for some time now. We’ve seen similar collaborations between Hollywood and the tech world, such as when Mark Zuckerberg guest starred on an episode of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ back in 2015. However, Elon Musk has set a remarkable example for how entrepreneurs can make appearances on TV without compromising their role in their industry.
Ultimately, Musk’s appearance set a trend for other entrepreneurs to venture into the creative development industry. We see now a new wave of entrepreneurs who are successfully balancing their day job and their love of art and entertainment. This encourages collaboration and unity between the business and creative worlds, blurring the lines between success in the two realms.
Legacy of Elon Musk’s Involvement
It is clear that Elon Musk’s involvement in Rick and Morty had a positive impact, both in terms of his own brand and in the creative development industry. The collaboration between the two entities was a huge success, with the public adoring Musk’s comedic performance and critics praising the episode for its genre-defying qualities.
The relationship between Rick and Morty and Elon Musk are now intertwined, with viewers worldwide tuning in to the show to spot a rare glimpse of the tech mogul. His guest spot elevated the show, with audiences becoming more and more invested in the show since his cameo.
Ultimately, Musk’s performance could be seen as a milestone, demonstrating the capabilities of successful entrepreneurs in a variety of industries. His performance set the tone for a new wave of entrepreneurs to make their presence known in the creative development industry, further blurring the lines between entertainment and business.
