‘Tim_and_Eric_Awesome_Show’ Returns for Another Season of Nightmare TV

[Ubiquitous]

By DAVE ITZKOFF

ON first viewing, the comedy sketches on “Tim and Eric Awesome Show,
Great Job!” can seem like outtakes from a public-access channel that’s
broadcast only in hell. They are full of shoddily produced, sloppily
edited talk shows about acne and commercials for utterly unnecessary
gadgets, and populated by people who should never stand within 50 feet
of a camera lens.

When these elements appear in a typical television program, they’re
usually a result of accidents, budgetary restrictions and bad choices.
When they appear on “Awesome Show,” they’re intentional.

“We have a very strict set of rules of what we think is funny,” said
Eric Wareheim, who created and stars in the series with Tim Heidecker.

“And,” Mr. Heidecker added, “I guess those would be, in no particular
order: darkness, discomfort, confusion and things that shouldn’t exist.”

Lovingly described by its architects as “the nightmare version of
television,” “Awesome Show” (which returns to the Cartoon Network’s
after-hours Adult Swim lineup Sunday night for its third season) revels
in an aesthetic of awkwardness. It favors quick sketches about pathetic
office workers and desperate on-air pitchmen, and music videos for
scatological songs. It elevates people recruited from the streets of Los
Angeles to the status of celebrities and treats the celebrities who
appear on the show as unwanted extras.

If, as its creators argue, there is humor in aberration, then “Awesome
Show” is their vision of a nonstop laugh riot. “You know you’ve got
something great,” Mr. Heidecker said, “when it makes you say out loud,
‘Why is this on TV?’ ”

Since meeting as film students at Temple University in the 1990s, Mr.
Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim, both 32-year-old Pennsylvania natives, have
noticed that their comedic sensibilities differed greatly from societal
norms. At college they created short films that anticipated their
“Awesome Show” milieu — e.g., a sloppily edited promotional trailer for
a cat film festival — and eventually grew brave enough to send their
reel (and an invoice for $50) to the comedian Bob Odenkirk, the
co-creator of the influential sketch series “Mr. Show With Bob and
David.”

Mr. Odenkirk did not pay the enclosed bill, but he enjoyed Mr. Wareheim
and Mr. Heidecker’s shorts enough to become their mentor. “My first
question to them was, ‘What scene are you in?’ ” Mr. Odenkirk recalled
in an interview. “I thought maybe they knew everyone in New York and
played their films in the clubs. And they were like, ‘What are you
talking about?’ ”

“It occurred to me,” Mr. Odenkirk added, “that they aren’t being
influenced by anybody. They’re in their own little world, and that’s why
they’ve gotten good at this.”

With Mr. Odenkirk’s help, Mr. Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim found an agent
and struck a deal with Adult Swim to produce an animated show, “Tom Goes
to the Mayor,” about a hapless inventor and the small-town politician
who constantly ruins his plans. The cartoon was canceled after two
seasons, but in their occasional live-action experiments for the series
— fake advertisements and infomercials; a behind-the-scenes video
podcast — the two men developed the funhouse-mirror sensibility that
would eventually inform “Awesome Show.”

On “Awesome Show” (which made its debut with a 10-episode season in
February 2007) Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker sometimes appear as
themselves, but more often they play various grotesque characters: a
tacky, overly affectionate husband-and-wife team of television news
anchors; a facially disfigured singer and his garishly attired brother.
“There’s nothing less funny than someone who looks cool,” Mr. Wareheim
explained. “There’s nothing more unappealing.”

To populate their twisted universe they frequently cast average-looking
actors (and nonactors) recruited from Web sites like Craigslist, who
bring an additional layer of deliberate amateurishness to their skits.
The roster of real-life characters on “Awesome Show” now includes David
Liebe Hart, a puppeteer and public-access television host, and James
Quall, an aspiring comedian who specializes in inadvertently terrible
voice impressions.

“We know that it’s not good,” Mr. Heidecker said. “We’re not idiots. But
to James Quall he’s doing a great job. And he’s on TV. So everybody kind
of wins.”

Authentically famous people can also appear on “Awesome Show,” as long
as they fit into the producers’ skewed notion of fame and are willing to
poke fun at themselves. The actor Tom Skerritt has been featured in a
skit in which Mr. Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim hope to revitalize his
career by composing an idiotic jingle for him. And John C. Reilly, the
Oscar-nominated star of “Chicago” and “Boogie Nights,” frequently
appears as the wild-haired Dr. Steve Brule, a self-styled health and
fitness expert who knows alarmingly little about the subjects.

The Brule character has proved so popular that he is being given his own
six-episode spin-off show, tentatively titled “Check It Out!,” starring
Mr. Reilly and produced by Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker. “So much
happens in a day of him improvising and us throwing stuff at him that
you want to use it all,” Mr. Heidecker said of Mr. Reilly.

Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker are also developing a game show for Adult
Swim that would star the comedian Neil Hamburger. Mr. Wareheim described
it as “a mixture of a Japanese bizarre game show and ‘The Price Is
Right.’ ” And like everyone in Hollywood they would eventually like to
make feature films. (“We’d like our first movie to be a pretty pure Tim
and Eric vision,” Mr. Wareheim said, “before we get sucked into the
Apatow system.”)

On the Web the duo can be seen with the comedian Zach Galifianakis in a
series of viral videos promoting Absolut Vodka, not to be confused with
the satirical videos Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker made last summer, in
which they appeared, without irony or fright makeup, to promote the
release of “Shrek the Third.”

“People really thought we got paid by DreamWorks to do that,” Mr.
Heidecker said. “We lost some fans that way. ‘We thought you guys were
cool, but you sold out.’ ”

[jorge_ri62]

It's things like that which make me glad that my TV has both a method
for selecting alternate channels and a button that turns it off. Is
there maybe some very vocal segment on the [as] boards that's been
shouting from the rooftops about Tim & Eric being the funniest thing
ever? They must be getting positive feedback from somewhere, and I don't
really want to venture onto their boards myself to find out.

Post by Ubiquitous
By DAVE ITZKOFF
ON first viewing, the comedy sketches on “Tim and Eric Awesome Show,
Great Job!” can seem like outtakes from a public-access channel that’s
broadcast only in hell. They are full of shoddily produced, sloppily
edited talk shows about acne and commercials for utterly unnecessary
gadgets, and populated by people who should never stand within 50 feet
of a camera lens.
When these elements appear in a typical television program, they’re
usually a result of accidents, budgetary restrictions and bad choices.
When they appear on “Awesome Show,” they’re intentional.
“We have a very strict set of rules of what we think is funny,” said
Eric Wareheim, who created and stars in the series with Tim Heidecker.
“And,” Mr. Heidecker added, “I guess those would be, in no particular
order: darkness, discomfort, confusion and things that shouldn’t exist.”
Lovingly described by its architects as “the nightmare version of
television,” “Awesome Show” (which returns to the Cartoon Network’s
after-hours Adult Swim lineup Sunday night for its third season) revels
in an aesthetic of awkwardness. It favors quick sketches about pathetic
office workers and desperate on-air pitchmen, and music videos for
scatological songs. It elevates people recruited from the streets of Los
Angeles to the status of celebrities and treats the celebrities who
appear on the show as unwanted extras.
If, as its creators argue, there is humor in aberration, then “Awesome
Show” is their vision of a nonstop laugh riot. “You know you’ve got
something great,” Mr. Heidecker said, “when it makes you say out loud,
‘Why is this on TV?’ ”
Since meeting as film students at Temple University in the 1990s, Mr.
Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim, both 32-year-old Pennsylvania natives, have
noticed that their comedic sensibilities differed greatly from societal
norms. At college they created short films that anticipated their
“Awesome Show” milieu — e.g., a sloppily edited promotional trailer for
a cat film festival — and eventually grew brave enough to send their
reel (and an invoice for $50) to the comedian Bob Odenkirk, the
co-creator of the influential sketch series “Mr. Show With Bob and
David.”
Mr. Odenkirk did not pay the enclosed bill, but he enjoyed Mr. Wareheim
and Mr. Heidecker’s shorts enough to become their mentor. “My first
question to them was, ‘What scene are you in?’ ” Mr. Odenkirk recalled
in an interview. “I thought maybe they knew everyone in New York and
played their films in the clubs. And they were like, ‘What are you
talking about?’ ”
“It occurred to me,” Mr. Odenkirk added, “that they aren’t being
influenced by anybody. They’re in their own little world, and that’s why
they’ve gotten good at this.”
With Mr. Odenkirk’s help, Mr. Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim found an agent
and struck a deal with Adult Swim to produce an animated show, “Tom Goes
to the Mayor,” about a hapless inventor and the small-town politician
who constantly ruins his plans. The cartoon was canceled after two
seasons, but in their occasional live-action experiments for the series
— fake advertisements and infomercials; a behind-the-scenes video
podcast — the two men developed the funhouse-mirror sensibility that
would eventually inform “Awesome Show.”
On “Awesome Show” (which made its debut with a 10-episode season in
February 2007) Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker sometimes appear as
themselves, but more often they play various grotesque characters: a
tacky, overly affectionate husband-and-wife team of television news
anchors; a facially disfigured singer and his garishly attired brother.
“There’s nothing less funny than someone who looks cool,” Mr. Wareheim
explained. “There’s nothing more unappealing.”
To populate their twisted universe they frequently cast average-looking
actors (and nonactors) recruited from Web sites like Craigslist, who
bring an additional layer of deliberate amateurishness to their skits.
The roster of real-life characters on “Awesome Show” now includes David
Liebe Hart, a puppeteer and public-access television host, and James
Quall, an aspiring comedian who specializes in inadvertently terrible
voice impressions.
“We know that it’s not good,” Mr. Heidecker said. “We’re not idiots. But
to James Quall he’s doing a great job. And he’s on TV. So everybody kind
of wins.”
Authentically famous people can also appear on “Awesome Show,” as long
as they fit into the producers’ skewed notion of fame and are willing to
poke fun at themselves. The actor Tom Skerritt has been featured in a
skit in which Mr. Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim hope to revitalize his
career by composing an idiotic jingle for him. And John C. Reilly, the
Oscar-nominated star of “Chicago” and “Boogie Nights,” frequently
appears as the wild-haired Dr. Steve Brule, a self-styled health and
fitness expert who knows alarmingly little about the subjects.
The Brule character has proved so popular that he is being given his own
six-episode spin-off show, tentatively titled “Check It Out!,” starring
Mr. Reilly and produced by Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker. “So much
happens in a day of him improvising and us throwing stuff at him that
you want to use it all,” Mr. Heidecker said of Mr. Reilly.
Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker are also developing a game show for Adult
Swim that would star the comedian Neil Hamburger. Mr. Wareheim

described

Post by Ubiquitous
it as “a mixture of a Japanese bizarre game show and ‘The Price Is
Right.’ ” And like everyone in Hollywood they would eventually like to
make feature films. (“We’d like our first movie to be a pretty pure Tim
and Eric vision,” Mr. Wareheim said, “before we get sucked into the
Apatow system.”)
On the Web the duo can be seen with the comedian Zach Galifianakis in a
series of viral videos promoting Absolut Vodka, not to be confused with
the satirical videos Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker made last summer, in
which they appeared, without irony or fright makeup, to promote the
release of “Shrek the Third.”
“People really thought we got paid by DreamWorks to do that,” Mr.
Heidecker said. “We lost some fans that way. ‘We thought you guys were
cool, but you sold out.’ ”
--
It is simply breathtaking to watch the glee and abandon with which
the liberal media and the Angry Left have been attempting to turn
our military victory in Iraq into a second Vietnam quagmire. Too bad
for them, it's failing.

[Cuddles Petunia]

Post by Ubiquitous
ON first viewing, the comedy sketches on “Tim and Eric Awesome Show,
Great Job!” can seem like outtakes from a public-access channel that’s
broadcast only in hell. They are full of shoddily produced, sloppily
edited talk shows about acne and commercials for utterly unnecessary
gadgets, and populated by people who should never stand within 50 feet
of a camera lens.
When these elements appear in a typical television program, they’re
usually a result of accidents, budgetary restrictions and bad choices.
When they appear on “Awesome Show,” they’re intentional.
“We have a very strict set of rules of what we think is funny,” said
Eric Wareheim, who created and stars in the series with Tim Heidecker.
“And,” Mr. Heidecker added, “I guess those would be, in no particular
order: darkness, discomfort, confusion and things that shouldn’t exist.”
Lovingly described by its architects as “the nightmare version of
television,” “Awesome Show” (which returns to the Cartoon Network’s
after-hours Adult Swim lineup Sunday night for its third season) revels
in an aesthetic of awkwardness. It favors quick sketches about pathetic
office workers and desperate on-air pitchmen, and music videos for
scatological songs. It elevates people recruited from the streets of Los
Angeles to the status of celebrities and treats the celebrities who
appear on the show as unwanted extras.
If, as its creators argue, there is humor in aberration, then “Awesome
Show” is their vision of a nonstop laugh riot. “You know you’ve got
something great,” Mr. Heidecker said, “when it makes you say out loud,
‘Why is this on TV?’ ”
Since meeting as film students at Temple University in the 1990s, Mr.
Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim, both 32-year-old Pennsylvania natives, have
noticed that their comedic sensibilities differed greatly from societal
norms. At college they created short films that anticipated their
“Awesome Show” milieu — e.g., a sloppily edited promotional trailer for
a cat film festival — and eventually grew brave enough to send their
reel (and an invoice for $50) to the comedian Bob Odenkirk, the
co-creator of the influential sketch series “Mr. Show With Bob and
David.”
Mr. Odenkirk did not pay the enclosed bill, but he enjoyed Mr. Wareheim
and Mr. Heidecker’s shorts enough to become their mentor. “My first
question to them was, ‘What scene are you in?’ ” Mr. Odenkirk recalled
in an interview. “I thought maybe they knew everyone in New York and
played their films in the clubs. And they were like, ‘What are you
talking about?’ ”
“It occurred to me,” Mr. Odenkirk added, “that they aren’t being
influenced by anybody. They’re in their own little world, and that’s why
they’ve gotten good at this.”
With Mr. Odenkirk’s help, Mr. Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim found an agent
and struck a deal with Adult Swim to produce an animated show, “Tom Goes
to the Mayor,” about a hapless inventor and the small-town politician
who constantly ruins his plans. The cartoon was canceled after two
seasons, but in their occasional live-action experiments for the series
— fake advertisements and infomercials; a behind-the-scenes video
podcast — the two men developed the funhouse-mirror sensibility that
would eventually inform “Awesome Show.”
On “Awesome Show” (which made its debut with a 10-episode season in
February 2007) Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker sometimes appear as
themselves, but more often they play various grotesque characters: a
tacky, overly affectionate husband-and-wife team of television news
anchors; a facially disfigured singer and his garishly attired brother.
“There’s nothing less funny than someone who looks cool,” Mr. Wareheim
explained. “There’s nothing more unappealing.”
To populate their twisted universe they frequently cast average-looking
actors (and nonactors) recruited from Web sites like Craigslist, who
bring an additional layer of deliberate amateurishness to their skits.
The roster of real-life characters on “Awesome Show” now includes David
Liebe Hart, a puppeteer and public-access television host, and James
Quall, an aspiring comedian who specializes in inadvertently terrible
voice impressions.
“We know that it’s not good,” Mr. Heidecker said. “We’re not idiots.
But to James Quall he’s doing a great job. And he’s on TV. So everybody
kind of wins.”
Authentically famous people can also appear on “Awesome Show,” as long
as they fit into the producers’ skewed notion of fame and are willing to
poke fun at themselves. The actor Tom Skerritt has been featured in a
skit in which Mr. Heidecker and Mr. Wareheim hope to revitalize his
career by composing an idiotic jingle for him. And John C. Reilly, the
Oscar-nominated star of “Chicago” and “Boogie Nights,” frequently
appears as the wild-haired Dr. Steve Brule, a self-styled health and
fitness expert who knows alarmingly little about the subjects.
The Brule character has proved so popular that he is being given his own
six-episode spin-off show, tentatively titled “Check It Out!,” starring
Mr. Reilly and produced by Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker. “So much
happens in a day of him improvising and us throwing stuff at him that
you want to use it all,” Mr. Heidecker said of Mr. Reilly.
Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker are also developing a game show for Adult
Swim that would star the comedian Neil Hamburger. Mr. Wareheim described
it as “a mixture of a Japanese bizarre game show and ‘The Price Is
Right.’ ” And like everyone in Hollywood they would eventually like to
make feature films. (“We’d like our first movie to be a pretty pure Tim
and Eric vision,” Mr. Wareheim said, “before we get sucked into the
Apatow system.”)
On the Web the duo can be seen with the comedian Zach Galifianakis in a
series of viral videos promoting Absolut Vodka, not to be confused with
the satirical videos Mr. Wareheim and Mr. Heidecker made last summer,
in which they appeared, without irony or fright makeup, to promote the
release of “Shrek the Third.”
“People really thought we got paid by DreamWorks to do that,” Mr.
Heidecker said. “We lost some fans that way. ‘We thought you guys were
cool, but you sold out.’ ”

The writer of the article sounds like a fan. I wonder how many people will check out the show for the first time because of
it, and how long it will take them to change channels.

[The Eternal Lost Lurker]

"Cuddles Petunia" <***@yahoo.com> wrote in message

*snip* Please don't quote an entire post to add a two or three line
response. It's bad netiquette.

[Ubiquitous]

Post by Cuddles Petunia

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/television/27itzk.html?_r=1&ref=television&oref=slogin

The writer of the article sounds like a fan. I wonder how many people
will check out the show for the first time because of it, and how long
it will take them to change channels.

Three-point-five seconds.

[Syvyn11]

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Cuddles Petunia

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/television/27itzk.html?_r=1&ref=television&oref=slogin

The writer of the article sounds like a fan. I wonder how many people
will check out the show for the first time because of it, and how long
it will take them to change channels.

Three-point-five seconds.

I want to say that T&E is the biggest piece of crap on Adult Swim, but the
sad fact is there are worse things..

Morel Orel
Saul of the Mole Men
Xavier, Renegade Angel
Squidbillies

Post by Ubiquitous
--
It is simply breathtaking to watch the glee and abandon with which
the liberal media and the Angry Left have been attempting to turn
our military victory in Iraq into a second Vietnam quagmire. Too bad
for them, it's failing.

[Antonio E. Gonzalez]

Post by Syvyn11

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Cuddles Petunia

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/television/27itzk.html?_r=1&ref=television&oref=slogin

The writer of the article sounds like a fan. I wonder how many people
will check out the show for the first time because of it, and how long
it will take them to change channels.

Three-point-five seconds.

I want to say that T&E is the biggest piece of crap on Adult Swim, but the
sad fact is there are worse things..
Morel Orel

A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad it got cancelled
prematurely, thought they still got off a good final episode. Trully
a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Post by Syvyn11
Saul of the Mole Men

A bit of an extreme parody of Land of the Lost, but more than a few
fun moments . . .

Post by Syvyn11
Xavier, Renegade Angel

Less said about this one the better . . .

Post by Syvyn11
Squidbillies

More than a few cringe-worthy moments, but still surprisingly fun .
. .

Post by Syvyn11

Post by Ubiquitous
--
It is simply breathtaking to watch the glee and abandon with which
the liberal media and the Angry Left have been attempting to turn
our military victory in Iraq into a second Vietnam quagmire. Too bad
for them, it's failing.

Yes, we all know invading Iraq was a huge mistake, that mess will
take quite a while to clean up . . .



--

- ReFlex76

[Ubiquitous]

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Syvyn11

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Cuddles Petunia
The writer of the article sounds like a fan. I wonder how many
people will check out the show for the first time because of it,
and how long it will take them to change channels.

Three-point-five seconds.

I want to say that T&E is the biggest piece of crap on Adult Swim,
but the sad fact is there are worse things..
Morel Orel

A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad it got cancelled
prematurely, thought they still got off a good final episode. Trully
a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Ironically enough, it was cancelled because they followed [adult swim]'s
suggestions to "make it darker".

[Antonio E. Gonzalez]

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Syvyn11

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Cuddles Petunia
The writer of the article sounds like a fan. I wonder how many
people will check out the show for the first time because of it,
and how long it will take them to change channels.

Three-point-five seconds.

I want to say that T&E is the biggest piece of crap on Adult Swim,
but the sad fact is there are worse things..
Morel Orel

A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad it got cancelled
prematurely, thought they still got off a good final episode. Trully
a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Ironically enough, it was cancelled because they followed [adult swim]'s
suggestions to "make it darker".

Obviously *too* dark! In spite of that mistake, the show still had
a good run . . .



--

- ReFlex76

[Ubiquitous]

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

[Moral Orel] A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad it
got cancelled prematurely, thought they still got off a good final
episode. Trully a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Ironically enough, it was cancelled because they followed [adult
swim]'s suggestions to "make it darker".

Obviously *too* dark! In spite of that mistake, the show still had
a good run . . .

Fer sure.
Have you seen the "lost scripts"?

[Antonio E. Gonzalez]

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

[Moral Orel] A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad it
got cancelled prematurely, thought they still got off a good final
episode. Trully a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Ironically enough, it was cancelled because they followed [adult
swim]'s suggestions to "make it darker".

Obviously *too* dark! In spite of that mistake, the show still had
a good run . . .

Fer sure.
Have you seen the "lost scripts"?

Can't say I have . . .



--

- ReFlex76

[Ubiquitous]

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

[Moral Orel] A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad it
got cancelled prematurely, thought they still got off a good final
episode. Trully a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Ironically enough, it was cancelled because they followed [adult
swim]'s suggestions to "make it darker".

Obviously *too* dark! In spite of that mistake, the show still had
a good run . . .

Fer sure.
Have you seen the "lost scripts"?

Can't say I have . . .

I'll have to remember where I saw them (Dino or [as]'s site?) but he had
some interesting eps lined up that would have filled out the missing parts
of the final ep. One I do remember was Orel having to share a bed with
Clay's father, who is dieing of cancer and moved in.

[Antonio E. Gonzalez]

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

[Moral Orel] A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad it
got cancelled prematurely, thought they still got off a good final
episode. Trully a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Ironically enough, it was cancelled because they followed [adult
swim]'s suggestions to "make it darker".

Obviously *too* dark! In spite of that mistake, the show still had
a good run . . .

Fer sure.
Have you seen the "lost scripts"?

Can't say I have . . .

I'll have to remember where I saw them (Dino or [as]'s site?) but he had
some interesting eps lined up that would have filled out the missing parts
of the final ep. One I do remember was Orel having to share a bed with
Clay's father, who is dieing of cancer and moved in.

Well, that's the way it is . . .



--

- ReFlex76

[Ubiquitous]

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

[Moral Orel] A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad
it got cancelled prematurely, thought they still got off a
good final episode. Trully a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Ironically enough, it was cancelled because they followed [adult
swim]'s suggestions to "make it darker".

Obviously *too* dark! In spite of that mistake, the show still
had a good run . . .

Fer sure.
Have you seen the "lost scripts"?

Can't say I have . . .

I'll have to remember where I saw them (Dino or [as]'s site?) but
he had some interesting eps lined up that would have filled out
the missing parts of the final ep. One I do remember was Orel having
to share a bed with Clay's father, who is dieing of cancer and moved
in.

Well, that's the way it is . . .

Found it!

On the Q&A thread for the show on the Adult Swim boards, Dino posted
brief descriptions of the 7 episodes that were cut. He didn't want to
post any more scripts since they were all in various states of rough
drafts:

1. Easter: Orel's Grampa (Clay's father) comes to Moralton to tie up
loose ends before he dies. He ends up sharing Orel's bed as his death
bed for the last ten episodes, giving Orel good advice. (happens during
the Sacrifice episode).

2. Nurture: Shapey and Block nurture each other and grow emotionally.

3. Narcissism: After cutting it off with Florence, Putty becomes
disillusioned with all women. This makes him incredibly attractive to
all the females in Moralton and he becomes the most available bachelor
in town, fukcing tons of poossy. This makes him even more bored with
every lady out there. He starts picturing Florence as he's fukking
everyone. When he finally runs into Florence, she is dating someone else
and is really really thin. Putty's disappointed in her appearance. He's
been picturing fat Florence, and even though she's prettier on a shallow
level, longs for her previous look. She explains that she got so
depressed when he stopped seeing her that she didn't feel like eating.
He happily tells her now that he's back and she can get fat again. She
is insulted by his self-centered attitude and tells him to go away. In
the end, I think he probably wins her back though by showing he really
cares.

4. Untitled: Bloberta and Officer Papermouth accidentally bump into each
other late at night, both reaching into the garbage can outside Nurse
Bendy's apt. and simultaneously grabbing the "Sonny" Teddy bear.
Papermouth chivalrously let's Bloberta keep it, and this starts off an
affair between the two of them. It ends up being very good for the both
of them. Not sure how Clay reacts. Didn't get very far on this one.

5. Untitled: I wanted to write the continuing saga of Orel and
Christina, but never got to it. No solid ideas on this.

6. Raped: You may have read this. I'll probably put it up on my blog
again. [1]

7. Death: Orel's Grampa finally dies. Orel doesn't find too much solace
from anyone and becomes a Goth kid, getting heavily into the Christian
Death Metal band: Multiple Godgasm. Don't want to say much more about
this, on the remote chance that there will be a Moral Orel movie, I'd
like to use a lot of this story.

[1]: Posted to his December 6th, 2008 blog entry on MySpace:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=3906
3786&page=2

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Raped

INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE - DAY
Potterswheel is in that familiar position: between a stirruped-woman’s
legs.
POTTERSWHEEL
Interesting...
MISS SCULPTHAM (O.S.)
What’s so interesting all of a sudden?
POTTERSWHEEL
Well...for one, Miss Sculptham, there seems to be some trauma to your
uterus...
Potterswheel looks up at her, suspiciously. Sculptham looks away,
uncomfortable.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Huh. Fancy that.
POTTERSWHEEL
But the biggest damage seems to be...
(looking, looking)
...to...your...utter solitude.
Sculptham shoots him a curious raising of the eyebrows. He finally looks
up at her.
POTTERSWHEEL (CONT’D)
(emotionless)
Your pregnant.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Hmmm... Now that’s interesting.
POTTERSWHEEL
Probably due to your oddly heroic episode with Cecil Creepler a few
months back.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Probably.
POTTERSWHEEL
(looking inside her)
That puncture wound along your uteral wall is odd though. Was he
carrying some kind of sharp, wirey apparatus?
MISS SCULPTHAM
(lying)
Yes, now that you mention it, he was. He had one of those things you
hang your clothes on.
POTTERSWHEEL
Coat rack?
MISS SCULPTHAM
No...
POTTERSWHEEL
(points; confident)
A hanger!
Sculptham puts her finger to her nose: “on the nose.”
POTTERSWHEEL (CONT’D)
Well. Mystery solved.
(chuckling; a joke)
Hopefully the fetus won’t commit suicide like his father.
(nothing)
Um... congratulations on the new life, I suppose.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(distracted)
Same to you.
Potterswheel cocks his head like a confused dog.
EXT. DIORAMA ELEMENTARY - DAY
Establishing shot. We hear Sculptham.
MISS SCULPTHAM
All right, class, we have our big field trip next week...
INT. CLASS ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Sculptham passes out forms to all the students.
MISS SCULPTHAM
...so get these permission slips signed by your parents.
As she hands one to Orel, he looks excited.
OREL
Where are we going, Miss Sculptham?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Freedom County Prison.
The kids all look at each other, not sure how to react.
MISS SCULPTHAM (CONT’D)
We’re lucky enough to have a penitentiary right in our own backyard that
houses some of widest varieties of rare and exotic criminals in the
world.
DOUGHY
Like g-g-g-graffiti artists?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Better than that, Doughy. You’re going to get to observe murderers,
spousal abusers and, if we’re lucky, maybe even the king of the
convicts...
(sadly)
...the rapist.
The class is stone cold quiet. Sculptham is now at the front of the
class. Behind her is on the chalkboard is written: “This week’s lessons
-- 1. Jack The Ripper 2. Atilla The Hun 3. Vlad The Impaler 4. Fatty
Arbuckle”
MISS SCULPTHAM (CONT’D)
Inches away from us, a specimen of cunningness and ferocity.
(lost in thought)
A beast, once proud, who lurked through his lair, waiting to pounce on
his unsuspecting prey...planting his seeds. Marking his territory.
Taking no prisoners.
OREL
Gosh! Rapists sound awful!
MISS SCULPTHAM
Orel, if you’re going to rank the most awful in the criminal kingdom,
the rapist is number one. The best.
OREL
Jeepers. Then why are we going?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Well...
She looks down at her belly.
MISS SCULPTHAM (CONT’D)
...something in my gut is telling me it’s what I need to do.
The class looks at her warily.
EXT. FREEDOM COUNTY PRISON - DAY
It is an ominous and overcast day as the school bus pulls up to the
gates of the penitentiary. The kids all sing with scared, trembly
voices.
KIDS
The w-w-wheels of the b-b-bus go r-r-round a-a-and r-r-round/r-r-round
a-a-and r-r-round/r-r-round a-a-and r-r-round...
INT. PRISON - DAY
The class is let through a large gate by OFFICER PLOTWHIST, a
nice-looking prison guard.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(pronounced “plot-wist”)
Thank you, Officer Plotwhist.
PLOTWHIST
My pleasure, pretty lady.
A few kids giggle at this.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(to kids)
Shhh. Quiet. You’ll scare the smaller prisoners.
As they walk from cell to cell, the shadow of the bars cross against all
their faces. Sculptham whispers throughout, as if they on safari.
Plotwhist accompanies them.
MISS SCULPTHAM (CONT’D)
Okay, now to your left, here are some prime examples of hardened
criminality. Notice their telltale striped patterns. This is so the
guards can tell them apart from the guards.
Orel points to a particularly evil-looking convict, RAYMOND PISTWELL.
OREL
(a little scared)
What kind of criminal is he?
MISS SCULPTHAM
(delighted with the question)
Well, let’s find out, shall we?
(to Pistwell)
Hey, Killer. What are you in for?
PISTWELL
(flirting)
To be on display here for you.
Sculptham looks flustered
PISTWELL (CONT’D)
You are window shopping, right?
She looks self-consciously toward the children.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Uh, whatever could you mean by that? Silly.
PISTWELL
Am I silly? Or Am I right?
Plotwhist chivalrously steps in.
PLOTWHIST
Reel it in, Pistwell.
MISS SCULPTHAM
It’s all right, Officer. I can handle this.
Plotwhist steps back, disappointed.
MISS SCULPTHAM (CONT’D)
(overly cold)
So your last name is Pistwell. As in, Pistwell, the notorious rapist?
PLOTWHIST
(nodding)
Call me: Ray.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Well, kids, we found one!
(gestures)
The majestic rapist.
PISTWELL
(embraces the compliment)
What are you doing for lunch?
He lasciviously stares at Sculptham. She stares back without fear.
SCULPTHAM
Ceasing a rare opportunity to study the feeding habits a wild criminal
from a dangerously close distance.
He smiles, satisfied. The kids twiddle their thumbs and whistle
awkwardly. Plotwhist looks concerned. Sculptham seems determined.
INT. PRISON MESS HALL - NOON
Sculptham sits with Pistwell at a table with other criminals. The kids
all eat nervously at another table.
PISTWELL
Cecil and I shared a cell. He constantly talked about you.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Sure he did. I put him in jail.
PISTWELL
(laughs)
Yeah, I know.
(shakes his head)
Women...
MISS SCULPTHAM
I only visited him because I wanted him to know what he did to me and
what I was going to do with it.
PISTWELL
(not convinced)
Uh-huh. And here you are, back again.
MISS SCULPTHAM
I’m a teacher. This is a fun learning trip.
PISTWELL
Yeah, the kid’s are having a ball.
They look at the terrified youngsters. A beat. He’s got her number.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Okay. You’re right. I came here because I need to know. What was he
like?
PISTWELL
You’re asking me?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Yes. Our relationship consisted of Cecil doing all the talking with his
hand over my mouth. And, even then, not too much information came
out...of his mouth.
PISTWELL
Why do you want to know?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Don’t worry. I have a vested interest.
PISTWELL
Toward the end, Cecil desperately wanted to procreate. To give something
of himself to eternity.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(sarcastically)
How generous.
PISTWELL
When you decided to get rid of the baby, he got morbidly depressed.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(coldly)
A: We’re talking about the spawn of a sexual degenerate. And B:
(with weight)
He wasn’t about to marry me.
PISTWELL
Oh, well, I don’t know about tha-
MISS SCULPTHAM
Look. I’m here because I’m still pregnant. It’s too late to get rid of
it. People already know. I just wanted to learn about him so I knew what
I was in for.
PISTWELL
But I thought you got rid of it yourself.
MISS SCULPTHAM
So did I? Apparently Cecil generously gave me twins. I was able to get
one of them right where he lived. But the other slippery rascal got
away.
She pats her stomach. Pistwell touches it.
PISTWELL
That’s so...beautiful.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Not the first word that comes to my mind...
PISTWELL
(nodding)
Cecil was my best friend. And you’re everything he said you were.
MISS SCULPTHAM
A woman he raped?
PISTWELL
No. Someone with a secret, unspeakable passion.
She she drops her spoon and instantly gets uncomfortable.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Okay...so let’s not “speak” about it.
PISTWELL
Agnes. Will you marry me?
MISS SCULPTHAM
What?
PISTWELL
I know I’m a rapist...
MISS SCULPTHAM
No...it’s not only that. But...you’re in jail.
PISTWELL
A convict can marry any woman who wants to marry him back. This is
America.
He takes her hand.
PISTWELL (CONT'D)
(romantically)
And it’s the only legal thing I’ve ever wanted to do. To make an honest
woman of you.
They kiss. The other convicts look on as if they’re touched by the
moment. All the kids look mortified, especially Orel. Officer Plotwhist
is heart-broken by the kiss.
OREL
Wuh-oh...
Orel looks at Plotwhist, sympathetically.
EXT. CITY HALL - DAY
Scultpham walks out and happily looks at the marriage licence, marked in
big blue letters: “ACCEPTED!”
INT. PUTTY’S OFFICE - DAY
Putty is finishing up a game of solitaire.
PUTTY
Aha! Beat ya again, Nobody!
He sadly puts his head in his hand, nothing to do.
SFX: DOOR KNOCK
PUTTY (CONT’D)
Come in.
Sculptham enters. Putty’s happy to see a lady.
PUTTY (CONT’D)
Well, hello! And what do I owe this pleasant little surpr-
MISS SCULPTHAM
Reverend, I want you to perform the wedding ceremony for my fiancee and
me.
PUTTY
Great. One less fish in the ocean. Who’s the luck-out?
MISS SCULPTHAM
His name is Raymond Pistwell.
PUTTY
(sounds familiar)
Raymond Pistwell...
(realizes)
You mean, Ray Pistwell?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Yes.
PUTTY
The rapist, Ray Pistwell?!
MISS SCULPTHAM
That would be him.
PUTTY
Isn’t he still locked away in Freedom?
MISS SCULPTHAM
(matter-of-fact)
For life, yes.
PUTTY
Agnes, wouldn’t you rather go out with someone who’s actually allowed to
go out?
MISS SCULPTHAM
(bitterly)
Like who?
PUTTY
(offended)
Like who?!
He pulls out a hand mirror and looks at himself.
PUTTY (CONT’D)
Hmm. Time for a new mirror. Why him?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Because this town breeds a lot of silent Ray Pistwell’s. I’m just
getting one that shouts it from atop the highest mountain.
(beat)
Plus, I’ll always know where he is.
Putty thinks about this for a moment.
PUTTY
Touche. All right. But he’s gotta stay cuffed.
MISS SCULPTHAM
You’ll be fine.
She gets up.
INT. CLASS ROOM - DAY
Sculptham talks to Orel.
OREL
(nervous)
A ring boy? Why me?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Well, you’re responsible for the two of us meeting.
OREL
But, it was a field trip and I just wanted to learn about him because he
seemed really really really really scary.
MISS SCULPTHAM
I know. That was so cute.
She walks away, Orel swallows hard.
INT. OREL’S BEDROOM - EVENING
He gets into bed next to his loudly moaning Grampa.
OREL
(very quietly; to himself)
Hmmm.
GRAMPA
Will you shut up?!
OREL
Oh! Sorry, Gra-
GRAMPA
(still in pain)
Just kidding, kid. What’s wrong?
OREL
I don’t want to disturb you, Grampa.
GRAMPA
Orel. I’m dying in horrible pain. Disturb away.
OREL
Well, I was just asked to be a ring boy for a wedding that it don’t
think is a very good idea.
GRAMPA
Yeah, most people aren’t usually good at having very good ideas. Just
let ‘em do it. If they’re old enough to get married, they’re old enough
to deal with a huge, dumb mistake. A smart twelve year old kid like you
being or not being a ring boy isn’t going to change things. Just go and
have a good time and get an old guy like me to sneak you some drinks.
OREL
Well, I don’t know about the drink part, but thanks Grampa. I appreciate
the advice.
GRAMPA
Yeah, well, I was a dad once.
They close their eyes and go to sleep.
INT. CELL - DAY
The gate opens and Sculptham enters all in white. Orel follows, holding
a cushion with a ring on it. Putty is next to him. They are both very
tense but with smiles.
PUTTY
(sotto: to Orel)
Just keep that smile plastered on your face and it’ll be okay.
OREL
Okay, but my cheeks hurt...
Pistwell walks up to Sculptham, looking less than happy.
PISTWELL
Um...Agnes. Can I talk to you alone?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Sure...
They turn to Orel and Putty who just idiotically smile.
PUTTY
You want us to leave?
PISTWELL
Yeah, well, I can’t.
PUTTY
Oh! Of course!
(laughing nervously)
You’re never leaving! You’re here forever and ever!
Putty exits, nudging Orel who is frozen stiff.
PUTTY (CONT’D)
C’mon! Move it, Smiley.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(to Pistwell)
What’s up, Handsome?
PISTWELL
I don’t know if I can go through with this.
MISS SCULPTHAM
I don’t understand. Don’t you love me?
PISTWELL
Well, yeah...but Cecil was my pal. I don’t want to just swoop down here
and horn in on his action.
MISS SCULPTHAM
He’s dead. Swooping and horning is fine at this point.
PISTWELL
No. Him being dead makes it seem worse. It just feels...wrong somehow.
Longest pause ever.
MISS SCULPTHAM
You rape women.
PISTWELL
Yeah, but, a fella’s not supposed to cross his buddy. Even for a dame.
Sculptham’s eyes turn to hate. She feels her stomach, looking down at
it.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(to fetus)
Oh, I hope you don’t turn out to be a man.
INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
She walks outside. Everyone sees her expression.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Wedding’s off.
Putty and Orel rush to her happily, throwing rice on her.
OREL
Hooray! Great news!
PUTTY
Congrats!
Sculptham really looks depressed.
INT. PRISON MESS HALL - LATER
Sculptham eats alone in her wedding dress. Plotwhist walks up with his
tray and stands there.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Wanna sit down or something?
PLOTWHIST
Oh! Thank you!
He sits. They eat in silence for a moment.
PLOTWHIST (CONT’D)
Um, ma’am. I just wanted to say that...
MISS SCULPTHAM
I know. You love me.
PLOTWHIST
How’d you know what I was going to say?
MISS SCULPTHAM
I’m incredibly psychic.
PLOTWHIST
Oh. Was I obvious?
MISS SCULPTHAM
Officer Plotwhist, You’re not the most subtle person.
PLOTWHIST
Oh?
MISS SCULPTHAM
(almost angry)
Look, you’re very nice. Too nice. You just don’t excite me. I already
know everything about you. You’re gallant, chivalrous, polite, loyal...
Plotwhist takes off his hat and lets down his wondrously long hair.
MISS SCULPTHAM (CONT’D)
...a hippy?
PLOTWHIST
A lesbian.
MISS SCULPTHAM
A lesbian woman?
PLOTWHIST
Who’s very attracted to psychics.
She takes Sculptham by the hair and kisses her passionately.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(pronouncing it “plot twist”)
Officer Plotwhist!
PLOTWHIST
Call me: Mary.
MISS SCULPTHAM
(flabbergasted)
Wow., Mary. Men don’t kiss like that.
They kiss again. Putty and Orel look from another table. Orel is amazed.
OREL
Boy, that Miss Sculptham sure gets around!
PUTTY
(miserably)
Amen.
OREL
(sincere)
Amen!
Putty looks at Orel, irritated.
EXT. CITY HALL - DAY
Plotwhist and Sculptham stand outside the building looking dour. Orel
runs up, really excited and happy.
OREL
Oh boy! This is going to be great! Reverend Putty’s waiting at the
church! Here’s the ring! Did you get your marriage licence?! Did ya,
huh?! Did ya?!
They nod and show it to Orel. In big red letters it is marked: DENIED.
OREL (CONT’D)
(sadly)
Denied? But why?
Plotwhist shrugs.
PLOTWHIST
This is America.
MISS SCULPTHAM
Sorry, Orel. You can go home now.
Orel sadly walks off. Mary turns to Agnes, sweetly.
PLOTWHIST
How do you feel?
MISS SCULPTHAM
A lot more raped then when I was actually raped.
Plotwhist turns to her, curiously
PLOTWHIST
You were raped?
MISS SCULPTHAM
(sighing)
Sit down, Mary.
They sit on the steps to talk.
FADE OUT.

[Antonio E. Gonzalez]

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Antonio E. Gonzalez

Post by Ubiquitous

[Moral Orel] A wonderful parody of Davey and Goliath, too bad
it got cancelled prematurely, thought they still got off a
good final episode. Trully a case of Too Good To Last . . .

Ironically enough, it was cancelled because they followed [adult
swim]'s suggestions to "make it darker".

Obviously *too* dark! In spite of that mistake, the show still
had a good run . . .

Fer sure.
Have you seen the "lost scripts"?

Can't say I have . . .

I'll have to remember where I saw them (Dino or [as]'s site?) but
he had some interesting eps lined up that would have filled out
the missing parts of the final ep. One I do remember was Orel having
to share a bed with Clay's father, who is dieing of cancer and moved
in.

Well, that's the way it is . . .

Found it!

<snip for brevitiy; that's what scrolling's for!>

Wow, that was . . . long . . .

Gotta admit, dying Grandpa Puppington would've made a good addition
. . .



--

- ReFlex76

[Dave Turner]

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Cuddles Petunia

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/television/27itzk.html?_r=1&ref=television&oref=slogin

The writer of the article sounds like a fan. I wonder how many people
will check out the show for the first time because of it, and how long
it will take them to change channels.

Three-point-five seconds.

You're being generous.

[Antonio E. Gonzalez]

Post by Ubiquitous

Post by Cuddles Petunia

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/television/27itzk.html?_r=1&ref=television&oref=slogin

The writer of the article sounds like a fan. I wonder how many people
will check out the show for the first time because of it, and how long
it will take them to change channels.

Three-point-five seconds.

It's certainly an aquired taste, but these resurections of Andy
Kaufan obviusly have viewers . . .



--

- ReFlex76

[The Eternal Lost Lurker]

"We have a very strict set of rules of what we think is funny," said
Eric Wareheim, who created and stars in the series with Tim Heidecker.

Too bad for them only drunks, stoners, and retards share their opinions on
funny.

[Ubiquitous]

Post by The Eternal Lost Lurker

"We have a very strict set of rules of what we think is funny," said
Eric Wareheim, who created and stars in the series with Tim Heidecker.

Too bad for them only drunks, stoners, and retards share their opinions on
funny.

That, sir, is a slur against drunks, stoners, and retards!

[g***@gmail.com]

Post by Ubiquitous
By DAVE ITZKOFF
ON first viewing, the comedy sketches on “Tim and Eric Awesome Show,
Great Job!” can seem like outtakes from a public-access channel that’

s

Post by Ubiquitous
broadcast only in hell. They are full of shoddily produced, sloppily
edited talk shows about acne and commercials for utterly unnecessary
gadgets, and populated by people who should never stand within 50 feet
of a camera lens.

Thankfully there is a place on the *boob tube* for experiments like
this. It's the best couple of hours on the TV...Aqua Teen Hunger
Force, Squidbillies, SeaLab, and a few others are refreshingly
inventive...if cryptic. (Unknown Hinson should be a household name.)

www.Shemakhan.com