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Chairs. Other than the wheel and perhaps penicillin, these four-legged rump koozies are mankind’s greatest creation. Invented by IKEA in the early 1900s, these majestic instruments of leisure and laziness are constantly evolving. But despite aiding us in conquering our nation’s most persistent nemesis, standing, chairs rarely if ever get the credit they so richly deserve. Until now.
Over the weekend I watched Ali Wong and Randall Park’s new Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe. I loved it! The film is incredibly well-written, the cast chemistry is crackling, and the movie is just really, really funny. Wong and Park are charm personified; Michelle Buteau, Vivian Bang, and Karan Soni are certified scene stealers; and every single syllable uttered by Keanu Reeves is hilarious. As much as I enjoyed the aforementioned performers, none of them can hold a candle to the one true breakout star of Always Be My Maybe: The Gubi chair.
In the first half of the film, Ali Wong and Michelle Buteau’s characters are discussing the layout of their new restaurant with their designer, portrayed by the always terrific Casey Wilson. One of the many ways Always Be My Maybe separates itself from lesser movies is by finding fun, innovative ways to inject humor into every scene. Instead of having Wilson just play a normal designer, her character is noticeably nervous and obsessed with Gubi chairs.
The scene lasts less than 90 seconds, but it’s one of the funniest moments of the film.
As Decider’s resident chair expert, I’m here to answer all your questions about Gubi chairs.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: WHAT ARE CHAIRS?
Excellent question. Famed know-it-all Merriam-Webster defines a chair as “a seat typically having four legs and a back for one person.”
IS IT GUBI CHAIR, GOOBY CHAIR, OR GOOBI CHAIR? ALSO, WHAT THE HELL IS IT?
It’s spelled “Gubi,” and Gubi.com describes their product as followed:
“GUBI is a design company dedicated to celebrating the luxury of living life. Designs that combine the past and the present for the new to evolve. Designs that stimulate the senses, are beautiful yet usable. GUBI is pursuing perfection with passion and courage. Evolution is the essence.”
If you’re like me, you read that description and said, “Hmm, what a fun way to use a bunch of different words to say absolutely nothing at all.” It’s like I asked someone to recommend a good dentist and they sent me the Wikipedia page describing the Monroe Doctrine. Also, a true standing ovation for unironically using the term “courage” to describe a chair.
Nonsensical claptrap aside, why tell you about Gubi chairs when I can show you Gubi chairs? Here are a few samples from Gubi.com.
THREE GUBI CHAIRS WHO LOOK LIKE THEY’RE IN A ONCE NOTABLE BAND THAT’S RAPIDLY DECLINING IN POPULARITY
A GUBI CHAIR BEST DESCRIBED AS “YOUR ARCH NEMESIS GOT A RAISE!”
“MRS. ROBINSON, YOU’RE TRYING TO SEDUCE ME”
NO
THE UPSCALE DAVY CROCKETT
A TINY $500 GUBI YOUR EX’S NEW GIRLFRIEND BOUGHT AND WON’T SHUT THE HELL UP ABOUT
WHEN YOUR ESTRANGED UNCLE RODNEY UNEXPECTEDLY SHOWS UP FOR DINNER
THIS ONE’S COOL BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE GUBI CHAIR IS HIDING
ALL THE DISCOMFORT OF STANDING BUT WITH THE ELEGANCE OF SITTING
NOBODY CAME TO KEVIN JAMES’ BBQ
I LEGITIMATELY LIKE THIS PHOTO. GREAT JOB, GUBI!
I SOLD MY TABLE TO BUY YOU A GUBI CHAIR. BUT I SOLD OUR OLD GUBI CHAIR TO BUY YOU THIS LAMP. AT LEAST WE STILL HAVE OUR “A NEARSIGHTED GIANT LOST HIS MONOCLE” MIRROR
TELL US WHERE YOU HID THE BODY, GUBI CHAIR!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, CASEY WILSON’S CHARACTER NAILED IT. THE RESTAURANT WENT FULL GUBI!
What a fun, and more importantly necessary, journey through a collection of chairs I will never, ever, ever be able to afford. But you know what I can afford? Netflix. And you know what’s on Netflix? Always Be My Maybe.
