"Defenders of Marriage" by Roy Zimmerman - ASL Version

[MortTheJoat]

Excellent word-smithing and (what appears to be) excellent 'terping (ASL interpreting). Dave is one of the two best I have seen. Thanks Roy, NERFA, & Dave!

[OhNoYouCant]

The song is actually much better if you are deaf.

[falconwind00]

I don't know any ASL, but I'm surprised he can keep up with the lyrics so well.

[Zeldarulah]

I never knew Santa was a liberal. I guess it makes sense, he seems really left now that I think about it. God damn socialist always sharing his toys >:|

[deafcats4]

HO HO Santa Clause LOL 

[deafcats4]

HO HO Santa Clause LOL

[qwertyTRiG]

I know a little Irish Sign Language, but no ASL. How did the interpreter deal with the pun on the word /lie/? Could someone who knows ASL explain what he did?

Just curious.

Thanks.

TRiG.

[sethsmommy2007]

@qwertyTRiG (Your comment is from a while ago, so if someone else already responded I apologize, but I don't see any responses to your question). The interpreter went with the conceptual meaning, so he signed that a man should not have sex with a person who is a guy, a man should lie to his wife, the bible is clear. If you're bilingual I'm sure you're aware of how impossible it is to keep puns and idioms the same from one language to another... :) How did you learn Irish Sign Language?

[PT109Boat]

SANTA!!!!

[canislupusfool]

Well done Sign man!

Awesome song Roy, as usual

[DanielCriticalMX]

the first 2 seconds i thought it was roy with a santa mask!

[Amayy444]

I love this interpreter!!! :D he's so cute

awesome song :D

[Cuythulu]

So whenever is not christmas Santa supports the gay rights? Cool!

[goneutt]

Santa does ASL!

Uber cool!

[FreePrometheus]

Your the shiznit Roy Zimmerman.

So is the guy doing sign language. He's cool too!

[Arkanix]

You're my hero

[preventionofgayabuse]

hahahahaha

[art101tv]

Thanks and kudos to Dave McCloskey. Further, ever further.

[sethsmommy2007]

I am so happy I found an asl interpretation of this song!!

[mrl86]

Good, he took out the Dick Armey joke.

Although I do wonder how Kris Kringle would have signed it.....

[GaryAnyanka]

I didn't think it was possible ... but there is something even more fantastic than the actual song ... watching Santa in his off-season clothes signing it.

[iAstrophysics]

Santa Signs.

That guy is fucking awesome.

[allishman61]

Funny enough thats what his sign name is! He's a real cool guy and my clubs overseer so I get to work with him a lot.

[iAstrophysics]

Really?

:d

Well, the guy sure knows how to portray his awesomeness.

[blossom420]

WOW! Ive never seen a song signed! That was incredible!!

[adamradford1989]

Karl Marx speaks sign!

Genius

[Jusseppe]

I never knew Santa was so funny!

[aluisious]

I wonder if it makes the jump to ASL well...

[niakitten]

And his facial expressions are fantastic! I love how he occasionally gives Roy these sidelong glances...great connection. Good stuff. :)

[mollificent]

Unbelievable! Did he get to listen to this in advance? That's quite an accomplishment. And he was funny! and yes, the slight Santa resemblance did make it more surreal. :D

[CountFruFru]

Kudos! That's got to be stresfull!

[gnomeuser]

Amazing the song gets even funnier when Santa signs it.

[NOCThrasher]

This guy did the Sign Language at the NY State Fair while The Royal Crown Revue played, and during the guitar solo he played air guitar. It was pretty funny to watch.

[hatzinwondering]

that is awsome that its in sign language.

[KingCrimson776]

Santa!

[BillyBobNeck]

My goodness...y'all can't leave no one untainted by that sinful song!

[Hypatia350]

CAn't sign, but I was hooked by his performance!!

[NancythePatriot]

Thanks to Dave and NERFA and Roy for this wonderful, life filled interpretation of Defenders of Marriage!

[psidrum]

Marriage is Enslavement.

[spongebobnik]

this is what I like about Roy-he's controversial

[corynmcbride]

Cool! Thanks for posting this! I study ASL so I always love to see songs interpreted, especially when they're songs I like. I'm going to share this now!

[anmoose]

Any man who can sign along with you as you sing that is a genius. Dave certainly is. Next trick is to be able to read that fast. LOL

But it's fantastic to see this being done; to know that people who can't HEAR you work have the chance to see it and enjoy it regardless.

Moosie

[pumo101]

Very awesome. Thanks for this version of 'Defenders of Marriage'.

[sarahsbooks]

i've been thinking of this song a lot lately regarding prop 8. it's really clever.

[Truthiness231]

Now I know the ASL word for sex. ^.^

This should come in handy... *goes to make a failed attempt to pick up a deaf women*

[petitoeuf8]

hey, its santa!

[ZachValkyrie]

That is so raunchy! Thanks!

[hoodyman216]

Why'd you leave out the part with Dick Armey?

[Toocold]

It's kind of a dated reference. If he wanted to play this song to a younger crowd, less than half would get the reference.

[Callica4ever]

awesome. I've recently started self study on asl.

Also, it's totally strange to watch Santa Clause using sign language, let alone Santa signing 'sex'

XD

[trageek]

OMG SANTA!!!

[hyrcan]

Awesome! It's pretty cool you put up the ASL version! That rocks!

[kaburto1966]

Yeah!

[matt5413]

go santa go!

[filorps]

Santa? I don't see it.

[crassenti]

wow it makes you realize how much you'd have to study to be able to do that- huzzah anyone who speaks ASL

[jimmyisikura]

nice

[MagnusIan]

Interesting

[baehj2915]

wow, that lovely beardy man is throwing a lot of inflection in there. awesome!

[dackjaniels555]

SANTA!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!! ^____^

[MoronDude]

I didn't realize that the guy looked like Santa Claus until five people made that observation. There's some real eagle-eyed people here on the youtubes.

[timestarvedcd]

What's the sign language for Ho Ho Ho?

[itreeye]

timestarvedcd:

Well, I figured you were either short of fat. (Just a little deduction from how mean-spirited and nasty you are to people on youtube) Since here you are expressing your nasty, unpleasant nature by making fun of this guy's weight, I guess its the 'short man syndrome' thing. (Or short-something, thing? haha :)

[ANDR3W1848]

Wow, Santa Claus knows sign language.

i wonder if he speaks Spanish too?

[Mahoivlich]

awesome

[StridentLobster]

This guy looks tremendously charming; I love the enthusiasm he brings to the interpretation.

[WizardJoni]

Nice.

[MountOlivet]

Dave is hilarious.

[keithrockerboblewis]

Please tell Dave I've been a good boy all year and I want a Collings 12 fret mahogany dreadnought. 1.75" nut width please!

Thanks!

[king7wood]

Awesome!

[AngryPirateProd]

He looks a LOT like Santa Claus. And yes: Go gay marriage!

[lehman]

Santa Claus isn't human :(

[tinanevala]

I love the guy translating. He seems to really enjoy it. :)

[saxmanmax]

cool