Back in July of 1804, when Vice PresÂiÂdent Aaron Burr fired a fatal round into the abdomen of forÂmer SecÂreÂtary of the TreaÂsury AlexanÂder HamilÂton, I wonÂder which sceÂnario would have seemed more implauÂsiÂble: that these politÂiÂcal rivals would one day be resÂurÂrectÂed in the form of a black guy and a NuyÂorÂiÂcan, or as two young women in revealÂingÂly snug breechÂes, above.
Time moves on. These days, your averÂage HamilÂton-obsessed pre-teen may have trouÂble acceptÂing that there was a time—JanÂuÂary 2015, to be exact—when most AmerÂiÂcans couldÂn’t say what the guy on the ten dolÂlar bill was famous for.
I conÂfess, until quite recentÂly, I was far more conÂfiÂdent in ArrestÂed DevelÂopÂment’s ficÂtionÂal Bluth famÂiÂly’s exploits than any involvÂing HamilÂton and Burr. This explains, in part, why I’m so drawn to the castÂing instincts of Derek Waters’, creÂator of Drunk HisÂtoÂry.
The most recent episode feaÂtures Alia Shawkat, one of my favorite ArrestÂed DevelÂopÂment playÂers as a sarÂdonÂic, potÂty mouthed HamilÂton.
No worÂries that Drunk HisÂtoÂry, which bills itself as a “liquored-up narÂraÂtion of our nation’s hisÂtoÂry,” is the latÂest in a long line of JohnÂny-Come-Latelys, eagerÂly belÂlyÂing up to the HamilÂton trough.
Before Shawkat imbued him with her tradeÂmark edge, Drunk History’s HamilÂton exudÂed the befudÂdled sweetÂness of Shawkat’s besotÂted ArrestÂed DevelÂopÂment cousin, Michael Cera, who origÂiÂnatÂed the part in a video that gave rise to the series, below.
That one’s far slopÂpiÂer, and not just in terms of proÂducÂtion valÂues. The inauÂgurÂal narÂraÂtor, Mark GagliarÂdi, was renÂdered a good deal more than three sheets to the wind by the botÂtle of scotch he downed on a sagÂging brown velour couch.
AmerÂiÂca would not want to see its curÂrent sweetÂheart, Hamilton’s playÂwright and origÂiÂnal leadÂing man, Lin-Manuel MiranÂda in such a conÂdiÂtion.
WhereÂas GagliarÂdi seemed danÂgerÂousÂly close to needÂing the buckÂet Waters thoughtÂfulÂly posiÂtioned nearÂby, a whiskey-fuelled MiranÂda seems mereÂly the tiniÂest bit buzzed, sitÂting cross legged in his parent’s livÂing room, fleshÂing out Hamilton’s stoÂry with bits he didn’t manÂage to cram into his Pulitzer Prize-winÂning musiÂcal, such as a bewigged Tony Hale (aka Buster Bluth) as James MonÂroe.
On the othÂer hand, he does describe the Reynolds PamÂphlet as “Dick 101” (and failed to recall FaceÂTimÂing varÂiÂous friends post-recordÂing) so…
You’ll need a ComÂeÂdy CenÂtral subÂscripÂtion to view the comÂplete episode online, but Shawkat’s earÂliÂer Drunk HisÂtoÂry turn as Grover Cleveland’s “It Girl” wife, Frances, is free for all, here.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
“AlexanÂder HamilÂton” PerÂformed with AmerÂiÂcan Sign LanÂguage
AlexanÂder HamilÂton: Hip-Hop Hero at the White House PoetÂry Evening
Ayun HalÂlÂiÂday is an author, illusÂtraÂtor, theÂater makÂer and Chief PriÂmaÂtolÂoÂgist of the East VilÂlage Inky zine. Her play ZamÂboni Godot is openÂing in New York City in March 2017. FolÂlow her @AyunHalliday.

