3-Way (The Golden Rule) (feat. Justin Timberlake & Lady Gaga) - 3-Way (The Golden Rule) (feat. Justin Timberlake & Lady Gaga)

What this video is

Premiered May 21, 2011, as an SNL Digital Short during the Season 36 finale — a broadcast event already supercharged by public anticipation of a third Samberg-Timberlake collaboration following 'Dick in a Box' (2006) and 'Motherlover' (2009). The song was written May 19, recorded May 20, and shot the same day, exemplifying The Lonely Island's compressed, TV-native production model. It represents the apex of the SNL…

Why it matters

A landmark specimen of comedy-rap and musical parody as practiced in the SNL Digital Short tradition. The video codifies the Lonely Island formula: period-accurate genre pastiche (new jack swing / early-90s R&B), absurdist premise escalation, A-list celebrity leverage, and rapid-cut comedic…

The director

Born December 1, 1977, in Berkeley, California. Co-founder of comedy trio The Lonely Island alongside Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. Hired as writer and digital shorts director at Saturday Night Live in 2005. Won the 2007 Primetime Emmy Award for 'Dick in a…