'Dick in a Box' is a 2006 SNL Digital Short by The Lonely Island, starring Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake as R&B crooners pitching their gift-wrapped genitals as the ultimate present. It first aired on December 16, 2006, and its three-step 'cut a hole in the box' recipe was widely quoted and turned into a Christmas costume staple.
Origin
The video premiered as a Digital Short on Saturday Night Live on December 16, 2006, with Justin Timberlake as guest host and The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone) producing[3]. Urban Dictionary users called it one of SNL's best sketches in a decade, praising the straight-faced delivery with Christmas-wrapped boxes fastened to the pair's pants[4]. The routine also pitches the arrangement as an all-occasion present, from Christmas to 'backstage at the CMAs'[3].
- Platform: Saturday Night Live (TV broadcast) / YouTube (viral spread)
- Creator: The Lonely Island
- Date: 2006
Overview
'Dick in a Box' is a 2006 comedy music video from The Lonely Island, the trio behind other Saturday Night Live Digital Shorts like 'I'm on a Boat' and 'Like a Boss'[3]. The bit stars Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake as two R&B crooners pitching the ultimate romantic gift: their own genitals, wrapped up in a Christmas-style gift box tied at the waist[4].
The song parodies late-1980s R&B slow jams, complete with matching suits, synchronized choreography, and a deadpan list of steps for assembling the present[3]. The joke runs on the gap between smooth, straight-faced ballad delivery and the crude payoff, plus a three-step recipe fans still quote: cut a hole in the box, put your junk in the box, and have her open the box[4].
How It Spread
The clip circulated online almost immediately after airing, and within a week several Urban Dictionary entries had been submitted for 'dick in a box'[4]. On December 22, 2006, tech blog Kottke published 'Ikea instructions for making Dick in the Box,' an illustrated flat-pack style guide to assembling the gift at home[2].
Hulu uploaded the video to YouTube on March 12, 2008, where it pulled more than 36.9 million views and 22,000 comments over the following five years[3]. The joke also spilled into costume culture, with a 'dick in a box' tag on Flickr gathering real-life recreations for parties and holidays[5].
For pop-culture context, io9 later pointed out that the gag predates SNL by more than a century: in 2008, Christie's auctioned 'a spring-loaded erotic carved wood novelty box, perhaps 19th century' for $1,214, essentially a Victorian version of the same joke[1].
How to Use
The bit typically shows up around Christmas and Valentine's Day, quoted line-for-line ('cut a hole in the box, put your junk in the box') or acted out as a costume by tying a small wrapped box to a belt[5]. Home versions often include matching dark suits to match the Samberg and Timberlake staging[4].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dick In A Box?
'Dick in a Box' is a 2006 SNL Digital Short by The Lonely Island in which Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake sing an R&B parody about giving their genitals in a Christmas-wrapped gift box[3].
Where did Dick In A Box come from?
The video first aired on Saturday Night Live on December 16, 2006, produced by The Lonely Island with Justin Timberlake as guest host[3].
What does Dick In A Box mean?
In the sketch it refers to a literal gift, a man's genitals presented inside a gift-wrapped box as a romantic offering, punchlined with the three-step recipe 'cut a hole, put your junk in, let her open it'[4].
How do you use Dick In A Box?
People usually quote the three-step recipe during the holidays or recreate it as a costume by tying a small wrapped box to the belt, often paired with matching suits like the ones Samberg and Timberlake wore[5].
Is Dick In A Box still popular?
It's a classic mid-2000s SNL bit; Hulu's 2008 YouTube upload passed 36.9 million views within five years, keeping the sketch widely shared long after its original air date[3].
