Truth commercial: Muppets & smoking

[wwfpooh]

Sometimes it's good to sit back, relax and make fun of the things you love.

Good, "wholesome" humor ala Animaniacs! is okay (ex: the hilarious Barney parody), but when you cross the line into adult humor, I think people ought to tread lightly, because we still want to preserve the image of the Muppets--or whomever--as a family-friendly environment (violent yes, but not too violent [and always known to be the kind of violence that would be exhibited on classic WB! fare]) and sketches like the one I mentioned with the Electric Mayhem certainly is not doing the company any favors in the "keeping fans" department.

 

[theprawncracker]

...and sketches like the one I mentioned with the Electric Mayhem certainly is not doing the company any favors in the "keeping fans" department.

I don't see why a sketch like the one on Robot Chicken would turn fans away from the Muppets at all. I found the sketch to be inspired and quite original. The voices of the characters were spot on and so was the characterization. If anything, I think sketches like this and ones on Family Guy spark the fandom in people watching and make them interested again in their old favorites, thus, if anything, creating more fans, rather than turning them away.

Just my thoughts.

 

[wwfpooh]

and so was the characterization

Zoot is not a smoker even if he resembles one, Janice is not a smutty bimbo on adult late night TV, and Animal is not crazy enough to warrant being killed. The fact that Animal was the most popular--along with Janice--to star on Muppet Babies is proof enough that Animal--zaniness aside--is a beloved character.

Just my thoughts.

"Bah" to that, I say. Characters should not be made into something they aren't (i.e. Bert and Ernie being gay, Kermit going postal, Animal being killed, Janice being promoted as a sleezy whore, etc.) just to turn a profit or merely keep characters in people's subconcious.

 

[theprawncracker]

Characters should not be made into something they aren't (i.e. Bert and Ernie being gay, Kermit going postal, Animal being killed, Janice being promoted as a sleezy whore, etc.) just to turn a profit or merely keep characters in people's subconcious.

That's why they're not being made into something they aren't. They're being parodied. Parodies make things into things they aren't, which is what makes them parodies.

 

[wwfpooh]

That's why they're not being made into something they aren't. They're being parodied. Parodies make things into things they aren't, which is what makes them parodies.

The Barney parody that I posted must be an exception, because Barney--and his parody relative--ARE an annoyance!

 

[theprawncracker]

The Barney parody that I posted must be an exception, because Barney--and his parody relative--ARE an annoyance!

Ha ha, well with that, I must agree with you.

 

[JTheGoblinking]

Thank you, Prawncracker. Some people have no real sense of humour. Mocking something and twisting it doesn't change what it really is. What kid doesn't make awful and perverse jokes about their favourite super heroes or cartoon characters. There are some old really dirty jokes about Mickey Mouse and Superman but as funny or low brow as they might be that doesn't change what they really are. No, a parody is just a joke and can't really corrupt the thing it mocks unless you take it seriously, which you are not supposed to do.

A serious thing is this awful commercial lying about Jim Hensons' views which he cannot defend himself.

 

[wwfpooh]

Ha ha, well with that, I must agree with you.

And that parody--along with pretty all of A! in general--proved that humor doesn't NEED to be balatant and MTV-esque to be funny. Subtle-ty doesn't NEED to be dead, you know.

A serious thing is this awful commercial lying about Jim Hensons' views which he cannot defend himself.

Well, the FunHouse SNL sketch regarding The Disney Vault talks about Disney's supposed views, even though no one is entirely sure if Disney truly did act as depicted in that segment.

 

[JTheGoblinking]

There's a difference between actually damaging a reputation and just being a sense of humour you don't get or like. That's a matter of taste, not ethics, especially when it's not really corrupting anything and certainly not meant for children or shown at a time when children are even awake.

Robot Chicken has an MA (Mature audience) rating for a reason.

 

[wwfpooh]

Robot Chicken has an MA (Mature audience) rating for a reason.

True, but even certain MA things--example, Mortal Kombat--know their boundaries.