True camp comes from the heart. It’s this basic principle that guides our assessments of Lip Sync Battle week in and week out. This is especially true this Friday morning, which puts Watch What Happens: Live host Andy Cohen up against Today show host Willie Geist — an unremarkable match-up, perhaps, but illuminating for how the pair both succeed and fail for the same reason.
Battle 1: Andy Cohen’s “I Found Someone†vs. Willie Geist’s “9 to 5â€
For the first round it was diva versus diva. Geist does a serviceable job with the Dolly Parton number, but he lays it on thick with one arm akimbo and some ass-wiggling and finger-wagging. It all reads as too much. Cohen, meanwhile, seems understated performing — of all people — Cher, but that’s precisely what makes it work. “There was very little preparation necessary,†Cohen tells LL Cool J afterward. “I really do know every word to that song. I love that song.†Andy, we can see it in your eyes. We know this was the song that helped you out of that lull after your breakup, and it’s that core of sincerity that really makes this sing.
Winner: Andy Cohen, by a text from Cher.
Battle 2: Andy Cohen’s “Working for the Weekend†vs. Willie Geist’s “I Need Loveâ€
Like Geist in the previous round, Andy Cohen does a good job. All the components are there: He knows the words, he has the choreography down, and there are a bunch of prop women. Everything is right, and yet it all feels a bit hollow. On the other hand, Geist does the masterfully smooth LL Cool J song “I Need Love.†It’s sexy and suave, and even that weird little move he does seems entirely appropriate. And that speaking part. Oh man, we need a glass of water. We’re parched.
Winner: Willie Geist, by a Kangol hat.
Overall: This is a tough one. Ultimately, it comes down to their best work: Andy Cohen’s “I Found Someone†versus Willie Geist’s “I Need Love.†We’re going to go with the one we’ll remember: Willie Geist for the win.