I made this video for the Iowa Film cell-phone challenge (has to be shot entirely on a phone, and can only use cast and crew members who live at home with you). So of course, I went the 80s parody route. I hope Billy Joel won't be too mad at me for this. (Note: The original "We Didn't Start The Fire" is obviously the copyright of Billy Joel.)

This time I got Megan Merritt to appear on camera. Plus Max. Also, HUGE thanks to Timothy James King Jr. for mixing and mastering the song! I assure you, the raw recording I sent him didn't sound nearly this good. He works miracles.

Hope this makes you chuckle. This whole year has been so bizarre that laughing at the madness of it all is the only thing you can do. 
(Well, that, and keep sheltering in place, you heathens!)

LYRICS: "This Year Is A Dumpster Fire"
Written by Rob Merritt
Parody of "We Didn't Start The Fire," written by Billy Joel

VERSE 1
Fire in Australia,
White House Twitter mania
J-Lo, Super Bowl,
trouble in Iran
Weinstein, quarantine,
Here comes COVID-19,
Big banks, Tom Hanks,
Travel / now banned
Megan and Prince Harry
Leave the Royal Family
Kobe Bryant / Chuck Schumer,
Fox News / OK Boomer
Cruise ships / border mess,
No coronavirus test
Africa and locusts
It comes into focus

REFRAIN
This year is a dumpster fire
From Australia burning, to the Plague returning
The year is a dumpster fire
And to think, oh no, we’ve got nine months to go

VERSE 2
Democratic primary,
Caucus vote catastrophe,
Bernie / Biden,
Guess it’s two white dudes again 
Stocks hit an all-time low
NBA’s a no-go 
Tornadoes / Earthquakes
Bloomberg / Deep Fakes
Shitposting and sharing memes
Houston has a cheating team
Strike is on / Amazon
Tom Brady playing on
Sheltering in place
Trying not to touch our face 
COVID-19 on our shores
I can’t take it any more

REFRAIN
This year is a dumpster fire
From Australia burning, to the Plague returning
The year is a dumpster fire
And to think, oh no, we’ve got nine months to go

BRIDGE 
Work from home, virtually,
‘Cats’ movie on TV
Facebook / getting hacked
Baby Yoda getting whacked
Trump impeachment goes to crap
Sarah Palin / tries to rap,
But no one told us why
Mister Peanut had to die

Uh-Uh-oh

VERSE 3
Now we’ve got a quarantine
China and then Italy
Pillow Guy pleads for calm
Doctor Fauci face-palm

College going virtual
Broadway / cancels shows
Parents going psycho
All the kids are back home

REFRAIN
This year is a dumpster fire
From Australia burning, to the Plague returning
The year is a dumpster fire
And to think, oh no, we’ve got nine months to go

VERSE 4
Hobby Lobby, Rand Paul,
Cancelling of baseball,
Stay-at-home / hardline
No more Fast and Furious 9

Now we’re social distancing
Face masks / hand-rinsing
Can’t get any shopping done
All the toilet paper’s gone

Unemployed, school closings
People streaming “Tiger King”
Month of May, a month away
What else do I have to say? 

This year is a dumpster fire
From Australia burning, to the Plague returning
The year is a dumpster fire
And it won’t be done ‘till 2021, ee-one, ee-one, ee-one