Bob Cesca dissects the Sarah Palin ALS ice bucket challenge. Actually makes it a little funnier.

Cesca's a little late as most of us have already stopped chuckling over this most recent Palin fail, but he does a pretty good job of mining the episode for some hitherto unnoticed gems.

Here are some observations from his Daily Banter piece:

Like all of her Sarah Palin Channel videos, she’s obviously in her house somewhere, but the “set” looks like she’s either running a booth at an Etsy trade convention, or she’s selling tchotchkes at a rummage sale. In the frame we see Palin surrounded by the following items: a conch shell; a bottle of soda; an empty glass; handwritten notes; a check book; a small silver deer-head ice bucket; a random red cup with what appears to be the Philadelphia Phillies “P” logo; a bucket of pine cones; a framed ceremonial flag; an American flag hanging from the wall; a potted plant; a repro antique lamp; and a make-up mirror. Why are these things here? Who the fuck knows. It reminds me of Steve Martin’s random “all I need is this thermos” scene at the end of The Jerk: “All I need is this conch shell. And this box of pine cones. And this deer bucket. And this…” 

(I LOVED that scene in "The Jerk.")  

Watching Sarah Palin adding two ice cubes to a glass, then half-filling it (she never finishes anything all the way) with Diet Dr. Pepper, then replacing the cap on the bottle is like a Sisyphean endeavor that goes on for what seems like nine hours. But she really puts in a noteworthy effort with the ice tongs in spite of the fact that she’s probably thinking about a donkey napping under a tree*. 

As Brian Cox advised in the Charlie Kaufman film Adaptation, “Wow them in the end.” No matter what happens throughout a film, if it ends spectacularly, you’ll win over your audience. So, just as Palin tips her glass of soda and offers up a “cheers,” someone appears from off-camera and dumps ice water on her head. It appears to happen completely by surprise because her reaction is one of genuine shock. Palin’s glasses fly off and she leaps from her chair screaming bloody murder and chattering in utter horror followed by another off-camera scream. Now that’s comedy, and it’s just about her depth, too. If she wants to win over Americans again, she needs to stick at the Jackass level — straight-up stunt gags. I’d totally watch that show. Palin and Bam Margera waking up Bam’s parents with fireworks. Palin and Johnny Knoxville getting Tazered. Palin and Wee-Man rolling down a hill inside giant truck tires while barfing. Finally, her “zone.” 

Probably the best part of Cesca's piece is the slow motion replay of Palin getting iced, iced baby that he adds at the end of his post.

Oh yeah, I could watch THAT all day.

P.S. BY the way there's more good stuff over at the Daily Banter that I left out.