Anyone Seen The Anipals?

[Buck-Beaver]

Has anyone seen the Anipals? They're from Comedy Central's "TV Funhouse" and they are the (very) rude hosts of a fictional kid's show.

I don't get Comedy Central in Canada so I was wondering if anyone has seen this...all I have seen is a few clips on Comedy Central's website.

[solo409]

I saw one episode once. They are very crude but rather funny. I saw the Chrismas episode and the animals were injecting some sort of paralyzing poison into the show's host, who was dressed as one of Santa's elves (minus shirt & pants).
The puppets themselves are very crudely made (similar in form to that Insult Dog on Connan O'Brian) I think the lobster puppet is really just a plastic lobster toy on a stick!
---Nate :p

[Jackie]

Originally posted by solo409
I saw one episode once. They are very crude but rather funny. I saw the Chrismas episode and the animals were injecting some sort of paralyzing poison into the show's host, who was dressed as one of Santa's elves (minus shirt & pants).
The puppets themselves are very crudely made (similar in form to that Insult Dog on Connan O'Brian) I think the lobster puppet is really just a plastic lobster toy on a stick!
---Nate :p

The insulting dog is Truimph!

[radionate]

TV Funhouse was one of my favorite shows on Comedy Central. It was cras, crude, and vulgar, but I loved it. It was pretty funny, as it spoofed those great shows of days gone by like Captain Kangaroo and the Bannanna Splits. The puppets were very simplistic, but it worked. And the Robert Smigel cartoons (the voice of Triumph the Dog) were great as well!

If you ever have a chance to see any episodes, check them out.

[Buck-Beaver]

I think there is a new series and/or new episodes of it coming out.

[Cantus Rock]

Well Buck, you know my feelings on these kinds of puppets (hehe). The real problem here is that the puppetry wasn't good on the show. At least with Crank Yankers the puppetry matches with the speaking and flows nicely with the vulgar crud the show spews. With TV Funhouse, it was just like little animals who just kind of wiggled when they talked, rather than having their mouths move. Maybe this is a puppetry style I'm unaware of...:)

-Matt

[radionate]

I really think the whole deal with the puppets was that they weren't supposed to be quality puppets or puppeteers. It played into the whole context of the show, which was poking fun and lampooning the very shows so many of us are fond of. i.e. Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, Captain Kangaroo, Bannanna Splits, etc.

The puppetry was never intended, nor should have been, of any quality on the show. That was the whole point.

[Buck-Beaver]

Originally posted by Cantus Rock
Well Buck, you know my feelings on these kinds of puppets (hehe). The real problem here is that the puppetry wasn't good on the show. At least with Crank Yankers the puppetry matches with the speaking and flows nicely with the vulgar crud the show spews. With TV Funhouse, it was just like little animals who just kind of wiggled when they talked, rather than having their mouths move. Maybe this is a puppetry style I'm unaware of... They're not supposed to be good, that's kinda the point of it. :)

[Cantus Rock]

Well I never watched more than 5 minutes of it so I didn't really know the premiss of the show. I don't think its very cool to poke fun at shows like the ones Nate mentioned either. Oh well, they haven't made new episodes in a while, so maybe I won't have to see it again anyway...:)

-Matt

[radionate]

Hey Matt,

I take it you've never seen the Johnny Carson skit where he made fun of Fred Rogers and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. It's a classic skit, and absolutly ludicrous and funny. I took a lot of barbs at Mr. Rogers, and Fred Rogers actually saw it and thought it was funny. It's perfectly alright to hold a mirror up to things and poke a little fun at them from time to time. I think its all in the motives behind the humor. If its just ripping it to shreds, thats not talent as anyone can do that if they wanted to. Wittingly jabbing at cultural icons with a wink and a nod to the audience is the best way to do it, and is the premise for a ton of my favorite shows over time (the simpsons, SNL, the critic, TV Funhouse, South Park, etc etc.) I think there is a little green frog who we all adore that is just as guilty of it.

[Cantus Rock]

Well Nate, although I never saw the skit you're talking about, this is all I have to say on the subject:

I don't think puppets should be an outlet for stupidity. I don't like puppets speaking in sexual-innuendo (or blantently sexual talk for that matter), spewing vulgarities, or giving bad messages in general. I think it's more to the point that I don't like that kind of thing period. Human, animated, puppets, whatever. I just don't like crude humor and I find it not only unfunny but offensive. Poking fun and all-out sickness are two very different things. Its one thing to just make fun of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood in a ribbing mannor (which I can only assume is what Johnny Carson did). It is quite another to make fun of it the way TV Funhouse did it.

So, that's my point. Feel free to lace into it if you'd like.

-Matt

[radionate]

Matt,

I'm not going to lace into it as its your opinion, and nobody can change it. :D I wouldn't be so quick to judge things in such a short time period though. Many times it takes time to truly understand a tv show, artwork, person, etc.

The Johnny Carson skit, in case anyone else hasn't seen it, involves "Mr. Rogers" showing children about childbirth and marriage using Barbie dolls. Ken winds up leaving with the Nurse Barbie at the end. And Barbie then sues. It's too too funny. Man I miss Johnny Carson!:(

[Buck-Beaver]

Originally posted by Cantus Rock
I don't think puppets should be an outlet for stupidity. I don't like puppets speaking in sexual-innuendo (or blantently sexual talk for that matter), spewing vulgarities, or giving bad messages in generalIf you can, run (don't walk) and block Comedy Central from your cable now!!

:p

[Cantus Rock]

Heh, no, there was a time when Comedy Central was my favorite station. They gave my favorite show (Mystery Science Theater 3000) its big break...it also showed another one of my favorites, Upright Citizens Brigade, but yanked it after its third season. I like some of their stand-up acts, and I liked Strangers With Candy. I don't go by stations, I go by shows. :)

-Matt

[scott]

Wasn't Horatio Sanz on the Upright Citizens Brigade or am I imagining things?

[Cantus Rock]

He wasn't a member of the Cast, but he did guest star in 3 episodes. The cast was:

Amy Poehler
Ian Roberts
Matt Besser
Matt Walsh

In several of his Bios he is listed as a founding memeber of the troupe, but I don't know if they mean the show or the improv club (The Upright Citizens Community Theater in NY). :D

-Matt