Category: Macro Clips

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – Holding Out for Management

In this scene from Christmas Vacation, Clark is surprised to learn that Cousin Eddie hasn’t bought any Christmas presents. When he asks about Eddie’s job situation, Ellen shares that he heard Eddie has been out of work for a while. Not because jobs aren’t available, but because he’s waiting for a management position to open up.

This clip offers a great example of frictional unemployment, the kind of unemployment that arises when individuals are between jobs or selectively searching for a new position that better matches their preferences or skills. Eddie’s decision to wait for a specific type of job, despite other jobs being available, shows how personal expectations and job search behavior affect labor market outcomes.

Thanks to Brian O’Roark for the recommendation!

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Saturday Night Live – Check to Check Business News

In this Saturday Night Live sketch, Jon Hamm and Ego Nwodim play anchors on a business news channel that shifts its focus to “regular folks” living paycheck to paycheck. As they report on economic trends, the news ticker at the bottom highlights relatable, everyday financial decisions—like switching to store-brand cereal or cutting back on name-brand toothpaste.

This sketch is a humorous way to introduce the concept of inferior goods—products whose demand increases when income falls. It’s a great clip for helping students connect abstract economic terms to real-world behavior, especially when discussing how different income groups respond to economic downturns.

Thanks to Brian Lynch for the submission!

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Talladega Nights – No One Lives Forever

This funny scene involves Ricky Bobby (played by Will Ferrell) discussing his prospects for longevity with his pit coach. When warned about the dangers of reckless driving, Ricky confidently cites advances in modern science and his substantial income as reasons he might live exceptionally long—perhaps to 245 or even 300 years old. Though exaggerated, Ricky’s statement underscores a real economic observation: higher income levels are correlated with better health outcomes, largely due to better access to healthcare and medical advancements.

Thanks to Scott Cunningham for the clip suggestion!

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DirecTV – Don’t Get Body Slammed by a Lowland Gorilla

In this DIRECTV commercial, a series of misfortunes unfolds, starting with the simple decision to have cable TV. Feeling down, you don’t get out of bed, leading to your job at the zoo being taken over by an unqualified replacement. This replacement leaves the door to the gorilla cage open, allowing the gorilla to escape and eventually find and attack you at home.

The commercial gives you a funny way of watching an “if this, then this” situation. A seemingly simple change in monetary policy can have far-reaching and unexpected consequences. Indirect and sometimes delayed effects of policy decisions can have a much broader impact on the economy than what we might first expect.

Thanks to Brian O’Roark for the clip suggestion!

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The Simpsons – A Trillion Dollar Bill

Earlier in the episode, Homer is arrested for tax evasion, but trikes a deal with the FBI to work undercover in exchange for immunity. His goal? Gain access to a trillion-dollar bill held by Mr. Burns. Instead of turning him in, Homer helps Mr. Burns escape to Cuba, where they attempt to purchase the island from Fidel Castro using the bill. However, Castro tricks them and refuses to return the bill, leaving Homer, Burns, and Smithers stranded on a raft.

The trillion-dollar bill exemplifies a massive fiscal stimulus potential, but its misuse by Mr. Burns and Castro highlights corruption, inefficiency, and redistribution issues. Castro was close to calling off Communism because it was underfunded, but the trillion-dollar bill brought Cuba back from the brink of defeat.

Thanks to Brian O’Roark for the clip recommendation!

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Jospeh and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Pharoh’s Dreams Explained

In this scene, Joseph is called upon to interpret the troubling dreams of the Egyptian Pharaoh. The song dramatically narrates Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams, which he understands as a divine forewarning of seven years of agricultural abundance in Egypt, to be followed by seven years of devastating famine. He explains that the dreams are a cautionary message, urging immediate action to prepare for the forthcoming extremes of plenty and scarcity.

Joseph’s interpretation leads to a strategic fiscal policy, which he himself is charged with implementing. The policy involves the collection and storage of a portion of the grain during the years of abundance. This grain tax, meticulously gathered and managed, is designed to create a reserve that would sustain the Egyptian population during the seven years of famine.

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Jaws – It’s an Eating Machine.

Who wants to swim at a beach with multiple recent shark attacks? In Jaws (1975), Mayor Vaughn knows that if word of the attacks gets out and the beaches shut down, it will cripple the local tourist economy of Amity Island. Tourists will choose other safer places to stay, and businesses will not want to invest in the area if it has become an undesirable vacation spot. If there is a shark terrorizing the local beaches, there is likely to be a decline in consumer and business confidence in the town causing the aggregate demand curve to decline.

Thanks to Amanda Mandzik for the clip submission & summary.

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Adventureland – You’re Hired!

It’s the summer of 1987, and recent college grad James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) can’t wait to begin his long-anticipated dream trip to Europe. Unfortunately, James’ plans come to a screeching halt when his parents announce that they are unable to subsidize his trip and he’ll need to get a job. He is turned down for a restaurant job and an asphalt mixer driver before taking a job at an amusement park.

Amusement parks serve as useful illustrations of simplified economies. Within the park borders, they create a range of goods and services such as rides, games, food, and entertainment. We can track the prices and total sales of these goods and services to determine the overall productivity of the park.

Thanks to Amanda Mandzik for the clip submission & summary!

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Good Burger – Going Into the Grinder

Dexter needs a summer job after wrecking his car, but he is unable to keep his first job at Mondo Burger because of his incompatibility with his boss. In an all-hands meeting, Dexter makes multiple wisecracks that cause his boss to fire him and have him physically removed from the premises. Fortunately for Dexter, he will find an employment opportunity with the local competition, Good Burger. Frictional unemployment may also occur if there is a mismatch between employer and employee.

Thanks to Amanda Mandzik for the clip and summary.

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Adventureland – Summer Jobs

It’s the summer of 1987, and recent college grad James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) can’t wait to begin his long-anticipated dream trip to Europe. Unfortunately, James’ plans come to a screeching halt when his parents announce that they are unable to subsidize his trip and he’ll need to get a job.

When an individual is actively looking for work, unemployment can be categorized as frictional, structural, or cyclical. James is thrown into the job market early, but finding a job does not happen immediately for James. He is turned down for a restaurant job and an asphalt mixer driver because he lacks the skills necessary to do the work. For classification purposes, James is finding that he is structurally unemployed. If there were jobs available in other areas that needed his skills in comparative literature, economists would consider him frictionally unemployed.

Thanks to Amanda Mandzik for the clip suggestion!

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