Lizard People Are the New Pepe Silvia in ‘Abbott Elementary’/’It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Crossover Promo

Barney, give Mr. Johnson a cigarette.

We are officially less than two weeks away from the mid-season premiere of Abbott Elementary, an episode which will serve as the first of two parts in a special, cross-network, crosstown crossover with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Despite the numerous bench warrants shared between the Paddy’s Pub Gang and the inherent danger Dennis Reynolds poses to children everywhere, Dennis, Mac, Charlie, Dee and Frank will all slither into the halls of Willard R. Abbott Elementary School in what’s been described as an “invasion” by the public school’s top janitor.

In a new promo for the Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover’s premiere on January 8th, Abbott Elementary’s conspiracy-minded Mr. Johnson takes after Always Sunny’s eccentric janitor to connect the dots on his school’s newest “visitors.” It turns out that Tom Sizemore wasn’t the only person who thought that Dennis and Charlie were lizards.

For It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans who haven’t yet seen an episode of ABC’s top sitcom and who are sure to be confused by the January 8th episode, the hands connecting thumbtacks to pieces of string and the voice narrating the corkboard conspiracy belong to Abbott Elementary’s resident caretaker and tinfoil-hat-wearer, Mr. Johnson. Much like Charlie Kelly, Abbott’s janitor has a unique worldview that’s susceptible to conspiracy theories and non-traditional politics — Mr. Johnson believes that all government leaders are lizard people, he thinks that The Illuminati controls the world and, in 2020, he voted for Kanye West for president.

And, for any Abbott Elementary watchers who are wondering who the hell this “Pepe Silvia” figure is, so is Charlie Kelly. When Always Sunny’s weirdo rat-basher tried to go corporate in the Season Four episode “Sweet Dee Has A Heart Attack,” his sub-functional literacy level caused him to turn his new office building’s mail room into one giant conspiracy board as he searched for the mystery man whose name appeared on every incoming piece of mail. Presumably, “Pepe Silvia” is just the Charlie translation of “Pennsylvania.”

It’s clear from Mr. Johnson’s conspiracy theorizing that not everyone at Willard R. Abbott Elementary School will be thrilled about the presence of five alcoholic sociopaths in their halls an classrooms. And, honestly, I can’t blame him. If Charlie Kelly can be King of the Rats, what’s stopping him from becoming King of the Lizards?