(I Wanna) Channing All Over Your Tatum

"(I Wanna) Channing All Over Your Tatum" is a novelty song by actors Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum featuring television host Jimmy Kimmel performed on a Jimmy Kimmel show special using Channing Tatum's name as an adult innuendo. Based on the success of the comedy, a later music video of the same was also made.

The original

The original version of the song appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! special show broadcast on the night of February 24-25, 2013 immediately after the 85th Academy Awards (2013). Kimmel's comedy writers wrote the original lyrics on occasion of Kimmel inviting both stars to his show, with Jamie Foxx going along with the plan to surprise Channing during the special by presenting verses on a catch phrase invented by Kimmel. Upon the latter's invitation, Foxx went on performing the verses on the piano.

As an opener, Guillermo, Kimmel's side-kick served the drinks, with Channing opting to grab the whole bottle. Foxx went on to play the agreed verses, three in number with Kimmel trying his hand with another two verses. In between each verse, Channing would make funny, and at times, disparaging comments as a reaction trying to stop them from uttering profanities based on his name. Kimmel in a self-deprecating manner responded by saying "I guess I didn't understand" what channing all over your tatum actually means", adding "It just makes no sense". At the end, Foxx says "I think we need to finish it the right way" upon which Channing in a self-deprecating finale and a reminder of his own past as a male stripper goes on to "[channing]" all over the piano.^[1]

Foxx says about the skit: "We all pitched in [for the skit]. It's funny, that stuff. He's [Channing's] cool, too. He embraces it. A lot of times you don't see celebrities embracing silliness. It was a good time".

Music video

After the immense response to the performance, Channing, Fox and Kimmel decided to spend the week-end at Jamie Foxx's place to work on the song and record it and prepare a music video to accompany the song. Channing said he was so thrilled to do the music video.

The music video was shot by Will Burke and it was released on Jackhole Records, with official credits as "Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum featuring Jimmy Kimmel". Channing says he was so thrilled to do the video in which he repeats several times the catch phrase reminiscent of his role in Magic Mike and word play on the film's title:

She knows I'm causing havoc
Our love's so dramatic
She likes to sing into my mic
Because my mic is magic

The video commences with various women drooling over their favorite sex symbol Channing Tatum and chanting 'Channing, Channing, Channing'. Foxx and Tatum sing their verses on a beach. Clips of Foxx and Tatum rescuing women from bizarre situations and dancing are interspersed throughout the video. Various objects explode as an allusion to male sexual climax.

The song delivers a word of caution and advice:

Channing Tatum on the mic, I know you’re kind of confused
We be singing out my name, making sexual moves
But if you gonna go Channing then you better be warned
Going Channing on the Tatum makes the babies be born
Respect the name my momma gave me and don’t be no fool
You be smart before you Channing and also stay in school

Miley Cyrus, Olivia Munn and Gabourey Sidibe agreed to appear in the official music video and pitched in with additional materials. The music video opens with Olivia Munn chanting Channing's name in her bedroom. She is soon supplanted by Precious star Gabourey Sidibe, who is also incanting the actor's name in her own bedroom. Jimmy Kimmel then goes on to rescue Miley Cyrus from under a vending machine so that she can sing her verse wearing a T-shirt saying Channing and holding a bag of candy bearing the actor's name. She also thanks Kimmel for saving her saying: "Thanks man, you just Channinged all over my Tatum".^[2] Matt Damon also made a cameo appearance "giving the middle finger" which is blurred by the FCC "censor", alluding to the Kimmel's regular "Unnecessary Censorship" feature on his regular show.

The video also claims Channing Tatum "can do anything", including launching like a rocket. The music video ends with Tatum skywriting his name as Foxx exclaims: "Channing is the best!"^[3]

Reaction

The release of the music video on the official Jimmy Kimmel Live YouTube channel garnered big viewership exceeding 25.2 million views and prompted many tribute and lampoon videos by various fans online.

Also on a follow-up show on Kimmel, Channing commented: "Everyone is talking about it. (On the Today Show), Hoda [Kotb] was like, 'Would you Hoda all over my Kotb?' I'm going to let y'all play with that one or I'll get in trouble".

References