Soldiers Turn SNL Rap Skit Into 'Lazy Ramadi'

May 18, 2006 — -- If Josh Dobbs and Matt Wright, two National Guard soldiers from Muncie, Ind., had known what kind of an Internet hit they would have from a music video spoof they recorded, they would have put a little more care into making it.

But the roughness of the video hasn't stopped it from being viewed millions of times on the Web.

Dobbs and Wright, both staff sergeants in the National Guard, made the three-minute video -- a spoof of a wildly popular "Saturday Night Live" skit called "Lazy Sunday" -- as a project for family and friends.

The video shows the men rapping about Jell-O, includes a "Walk the Line" reference and pays homage to their hometown.

"Dobbs loves Jell-O like Johnny loves June, but I keep on telling him to use a spoon," Wright raps.

Dobbs' and Wright's parents say they are proud of what the 34-year-old men, who have been in Iraq for more than a year, have done to make light of a difficult situation.

"People are just desperate to try to find something to hang on to that's good, and helps them smile," said Kate Dobbs, Josh's mother.

The men are surprised that their video has become so popular. "Lazy Ramadi" began as just a fun way for them to show what life is like for soldiers and to give "props" to things they miss about home.

"Muncie, Indiana and there's just one thing -- a Royal Feast pizza from Pizza King," the men rap.

The Pizza King has gotten a lot of free publicity since the video was released -- something that might be worth some free pizza to the men when they return.

"I think a pizza party would be nice -- free pizza party," said Charlie Hannom of Pizza King.

There is a bit of cursing in the video, something the soldiers' parents were a little sheepish about.

"Yeah, you can kind of pick that out. I'm not responsible," Wright said.

But the men's parents said there is a serious message behind the fun: They'd like for Americans to pray for the soldiers every day.

"We feel very blessed that he's with us," Janet Wright said of her son. "Hopefully, he'll be back here shortly."

For now, though, Wright and Dobbs are making the best of their time in Iraq.

"I hate Ramadi, but there's no need to moan," the men rap. "'Cause the U.S. Army won't let me go home."

ABC News affiliate WRTV-TV in Indianapolis contributed to this report.