Do you remember? That the best day on the internet is the 21st of September? As has been tradition dating back lo these six years, comedian Demi Adejuyigbe will lead us in the annual pagan tradition of greeting the autumn equinox … through song! Every year, the Amber Ruffin Show writer releases a video set to an increasingly abstract version of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September†in which he celebrates the fact that, well, “that’s today.†These videos are a long game, growing more elaborate and impressive every year, with Adejuyigbe mastering more and more instruments to shoot confetti from and pulling off stunts involving a children’s choir, a mariachi band, and sky writing.
Last year, Adejuyigbe used his platform to give fans an ultimatum: If he could raise $50,000 for select social-justice and community-aid organizations, he would keep making September 21 videos. Fans donated over $300,000. So last night, on September 21’s Eve, Adejuyigbe released a teaser in which he plays the chorus on violin and reveals that the actual video will be out September 21 at 9:21 a.m. PST.
It was a couple minutes late because upload times, and because the video is eight minutes long, but it’s here! And not only is it here, but we’re wondering if we can get it a limited theatrical run in Los Angeles so it can qualify for a Live-Action Short Film Oscar. We’re gonna need a Criterion Blu-ray release and a making-of featurette. La La Land is fucking shaking. The video was shot on location at Willis Wonderland, the kitschtastic home of the late Allee Willis, who wrote “September.†Appearing in the credits are members of Earth, Wind & Fire, who congratulate Adejuyigbe on another September remembered. The credits end with a meta cameo from Amber Ruffin at Sunday night’s Emmys talking about how she loves these videos: “Is this one?†she asks.
As he did last year, Adejuyigbe uses the back half of the video to raise money for a cause, and this time, he’s doing so for Hurricane Ida relief in New Orleans, abortion access in West Texas, and climate-change advocacy. If you enter the $10 raffle and win, Adejuyigbe will hand-deliver a painting he made straight to you, anywhere in the world. He casually claims that this will be his last of the September videos, and the flying-off-in-a-Grease-car certainly implies finality, but Demi is nothing if not constantly surprising.