America’s favorite Gunny Sergeant, R. Lee Ermey was famous for his portrayal of Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. Ermey also went on to host a History Channel show called Mail Call, where he answered viewer questions about weapons, equipment, and military culture.
Lucky for us, the bloopers from Mail Call are available to watch — and they’re amazing. In Ermey’s own words,
“Now a SNAFU [Situation Normal: All F***ed Up] can come at any time at any size and at any shape and when things get screwed up, well, the Gunny just can’t hold his tongue… and that’s why you’re never gonna see this stuff during prime time!”
Check out this video to catch some incredible bloopers in which Ermey somehow manages to make the f-bomb as wholesome as it is hilarious:
One of my favorite moments is at 2:20 when Ermey says, “Well, John, the answer to your damn, stupid-ass f***in’ question here…” before he dissolves into laughter.
The best thing about blooper reels is how they show the real personality of the actor — in this case, we get to see that Ermey had a great sense of humor, abundant intelligence, and good nature. The video feels like hanging out with an old friend. Every time Ermey cracks up, I crack up.
At 17:35, he tackles a malfunctioning Browning Automatic Rifle and it’s glorious — he’s not even phased. “A little malfunction. Pull. Push. Aim.” The gun goes off and he cackles victoriously.
The man knew what he was talking about, and he had fun doing it.
Watching the video, I had fun, too. It’s a must-see, so raise a toast to Ermey and enjoy.
“Almost overwhelming, the urge to say jack s***, you know? Isn’t it?”
Every day, Gunny. Every damn day.