cast iron chefsBEHOLD! Knives flashing over shiny vegetables! All-important taste tests! Apple-spewing! Yelling! Poofy hair and golden capes! Jason Schwartzman! It's Cast Iron Cooks -- a wacky new segment on Sesame Street.

Bored to Death star Jason is the wild-eyed judge in a fruit and veggie cooking contest that spoofs Iron Chef, the American version of the Japanese cooking show. Humans must compete against Muppets in preparing three dishes -- WHO WILL WIN THE CHALLENGE?!? Only Jason Schwartzman knows! And you -- if you watch the video below! Are you ready? Then get your red satin chef's toque on! BEGIN!

Are you getting sick of hearing the words "funniest Sesame Street video ever"? No? Good, because seriously, this is the funniest Sesame Street video ever, and I mean it this time. (Until the next funniest Sesame Street video.) Cast Iron Cooks captures the zany colorful costumes, exciting music, and even dramatic bell pepper-chomping of Iron Chef perfectly. Who knew Schwartzman had the culinary passion to pull off the role of the screaming Cast Iron Cooks judge so well?

Oh, but this isn't Jason's first food foray. He has another food video, this more thoughtful Plate to Planet short from April. He voices an ordinary man who spends the day hearing news about the environmental impacts of factory farms and re-thinking what he and his family eat. That video is much quieter and ends in black bean tacos for dinner.

Contrast this with the noisy Sesame Street spoof, which also seems to be promoting a fruit and veggie-based lifestyle, just with a gonzo twist. Please tell me we'll be seeing more of Superchef Schwartzman! And let me be a contestant on the NEXT! CAST! IRON! COOKS!

Do you have what it takes to compete against Muppets on Cast Iron Cooks?


Image via YouTube