Edgiest puppet show: Wonder Showzen

[Cantus Rock]

Ugh, just another show capitolizing on the idea of using a traditionally children-geared medium to deliver crude frat-boy humor. When will this garbage end?

 

[Iokitek]

When MTV stops airing it? j/k

I have to agree though. Some parts of it were funny I guess. But it was nothing I hadn't seen before or couldn't have come up with myself in a matter of seconds. I'm not a great puppeteer myself so I actually can't really comment on that. But I saw the pilot awhile back when Buck posted a link it on his Puppetvision blog. Didn't really like it then. And I still don't.

 

[beaker]

What impresses me most about Wonder Showzen(youd have to have seen some of the episodes that have aired) is the overall feel. The show is more a spoof of early Sesame street than anything else. Anyone seen the 1969 pilot for Sesame Street? This totally reminded me of that...the cryptic interviews, stock footage, experimental cartoons, strange social underpinnings. The thing that cracks me up the most about Wonder Showzen is what the kids have to say in the street or investigative segments. Simply showing puppets having sex or doing drugs is stuff SNL was doing back in 1976 with Land of Gorch. So that's nothing new...for me it's all about the confrontational and uncomfortable feeling a lot of the improved segments have. When a kid or puppet walks into a butcher shop, surveys the grotesquery, and asks the guy 'who pays for all this..I mean spiritually'...for me it's a moment of genuis.

Now then, what I did find more funny, and it actually had good puppetry and design, was the "Kneehigh Park" sketch from the Chappelle's Show last year.
To me that blew away Meet the Feebles, Greg the Bunny, Crank Yankers,
or anything of that sort.

But I agree, shocking for the sake of shocking, in the 'hey, its like a kids show...but its really messed up!' is quite lame. But if it's done in a more thinking subversive manner with strong messages behind it, it can be quite explosive and good.

 

[ScrapsFlippy]

The puppetry itself is early Sesame quality, but it's the shows sheer subversive and caustic nature that I have never seen before on a cable broadcast show. The underlying social edict of it is surprisingly stark and almost serious. I definately see promise in this. I forgot to mention, this show really shouldnt be seen by the younger folks, as the content is pretty extreme.

I watched the clips and found them horrifyingly funny, like that one scene in the “South Park” movie between Saddam and Satan in their bedroom. You know the scene.

That said, I don’t know that a show like this would hold my attention for more than a couple of seasons. It seems to be shock for shock’s sake. Sort of like “Jerry Springer” which I can’t stand. Of course, many people seem to like that sort of thing.

What really bothers me is the crappy production values. This is where I take umbrage at the notion that this show is reflective of early Sesame Street. Jim had a keen artistic eye, and always exchanged in abundance as an artist. Sesame Street set the bar for every other children’s show to follow.

The puppetry is not “early Sesame Street quality.” Not even. Maybe early Sid and Marty Croft quality.

-- Scraps

 

[Cantus Rock]

That said, I don’t know that a show like this would hold my attention for more than a couple of seasons. It seems to be shock for shock’s sake.

I couldn't find the words that expressed what I meant when I was posting, but these are those words: Shock for shock's sake. Like the creators sat around a table saying "okay, wouldn't it be great to take a Sesame Street concept, strip it of its innocence, and lace it with crudeness?"

I will admit, some elements are funny. However as a Muppet fan, and a fan of fine puppeteering in general, I just can't see myself watching it often. It degrades a sacred artform in my eyes.

 

[lowercasegods]

If anyone's interested, there's a puppetry troupe (marionette, specifically) out of Detroit called The Geppettofiles. I haven't seen them perform, but I guess, as their title suggests, their pretty raunchy. Here's a link to their site:

http://quicktofly.tripod.com/

 

[ScrapsFlippy]

I will admit, some elements are funny. However as a Muppet fan, and a fan of fine puppeteering in general, I just can't see myself watching it often. It degrades a sacred artform in my eyes.

Well, I wasn't going to go there, but ...

The puppetry downright sucks. Bad puppetry trivializes and degrades the artform, period. (just like bad acting, bad songwriting, bad filmmaking - you name it!) There are basics - keep your head and exposed arm out of frame, don't "flip-top" when you speak, etc. When the basics go out the window, the artifice is compromised and it becomes a scene where "anyone can perform a puppet." (I'd say anyone can LEARN.) Next thing you know, puppeteers lose value as artists and any random Joe Shmoe willing to crouch under a stage with a doll on his hand for $7 an hour is getting all the work while the true artist whiles away his or her hours building beautiful puppets for a free show in the park.

It absolutely degrades a sacred artform.

Sorry. Short fuse.

(On a lighter note, did my little rant remind anyone else of Peter Falk's cameo in "The Great Muppet Caper"?)

-- Scraps "Don't make me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry" Flippy

 

[Iokitek]

don't "flip-top" when you speak, etc.

What does that mean? Do you mean you should only move the lower jaw and make sure the top of the head doesn't move up when you speak?

Just curious I noticed this before and it looks weird indeed.

 

[ScrapsFlippy]

What does that mean? Do you mean you should only move the lower jaw and make sure the top of the head doesn't move up when you speak?

Just curious I noticed this before and it looks weird indeed.

You got it. The way I was taught, when people talk we don't flip our heads back, we lower our jaws. So it should be with puppets.

Of course, rules are made to be broken (for instance when Kermit gets agitated, the top of his head flies backwards like mad.) But that's not a license to throw the basics out. If anything, keeping in the basics makes the occasional exception (agitated Kermit) much more funny.

And seriously, sorry about the rant.

-- Scraps

 

[Iokitek]

That's ok I feel like ranting too sometimes. Thanks for the tip.