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The Severance / Zoolander crossover you didn't know you wanted has arrived, and we have Mr. Milchick to thank for it

At a Hollywood Forever Cemetery showing of the Ben Stiller classic, fans were treated to Tramell Tillman doing what he does best - leading a marching band

To turn a phrase - "If I had a nickel for every time Ben Stiller helped craft a classic mind-control story, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice." 

I'm talking, of course, about the classic 2001 modeling comedy Zoolander, and modern water-cooler scifi mystery Severance, both of which have Stiller's fingerprints all over them. And at a packed showing of the former, the latter made a special appearance courtesy of one of the series's breakout stars, Tramell Tillman. Let us explain.

The story comes from a Variety article published August 17, which detailed a recent outdoor showing of the Stiller and Owen Wilson starring Zoolander. Taking place at the landmark Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the showing of Zoolander featured an intro from Ben Stiller himself in character as the titular model, and then, much to everyone's surprise, a full marching band performance.

Leading the band was Tillman, whose villainous Mr. Milchick famously led a marching band's performance in the series finale of Severance season 2. The moment has become a much-memed piece of the show's latest season, and we'd be willing to bet there wasn't a single person in the audience the night of August 16 that didn't understand why the USC Marching Band was introducing a Ben Stiller project.

But if there were a few people that didn't get it, well, all the better for their experience revisiting Zoolander. After all, I'd say any movie that features both David Bowie and Stiller deserves a marching band intro, context be damned. 

Severance is streaming on Apple TV+; Zoolander is on Paramount+. 


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Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.

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