The Boondocks

[Hobbit]

Anybody else been watching this? The show's f-ing hilarious. It's the only thing I've ever seen about black people that doesn't take itself, in any way, seriously.

PC bullcrap disclaimer: The Boondocks makes heavy use of the word "nigga." This word may be offensive to some, but it is used in the show by black people, and is technically ok. However, if you're offended by even satirical characters using the word "nigga" in any context, you just need to loosen that sphincter and get a life, nigga.

Samuel L. Jackson was on last night, and will be on again Saturday (replay night).

Some of the funnier quote from the series:

White folk gave us jobs and roofs over our heads. They took us out of the jungle, gave us a sense of purpose, and what do we do in return? We go out and we VOTE!! Bunch o' ingrates.

Jesus was black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the government is lying to you about 9/11.

Nikes are like walking land mines. They look perfectly harmless, but step on one, and you'll have to deal with an explosion.

You can't make me be something I'm not.
The hell I can't!

 

[Dan]

I don't care for it. I've tried to watch two separate episodes and both really bored me.

The animation style is sort of interesting, but the show seems to be nothing but "white people do THIS, black people do THIS". I didn't like the comic strip for the same reason.

Frankly, I'm surprised you enjoy it, Hobbit. It seems to be pretty biased to the left, and its creator, Aaron McGruder, is one of the biggest liberals out there.

I think I have a bit of a prejudice against shows like this on Adult Swim. When I first started watching Adult Swim, all they had was Aqua Teen, Sealab, Space Ghost, and The Brak Show, and the only shows I really like on there follow the same style as these (absurdist humor, terrible animation, etc.). I wish Cartoon Network would devote a separate night to shows like The Boondocks, Venture Brothers, Mission Hill, Home Movies, etc. I really like Mission Hill a lot, but I have trouble switching from "Aqua Teen" style humor into more reality-based humor like that.

I'd say the most unique, and probably my favorite, Adult Swim show would be Tom Goes to the Mayor. Anything with Bob Odenkirk working on it and David Cross, Brian Posehn, and Patton Oswalt making guest appearances, is alright with me.

My 2 favorite new shows are 12 Oz. Mouse and Squidbillies. 12 Oz. Mouse is a little hard to get into at first, but if you can get the pacing and all, it's pretty funny. Squidbillies is twisted as hell, but it's great, and I think it's got my favorite animation style on Adult Swim right now. Also, there was one show they ran for only one episode called Lucy, Daughter of the Devil that was really funny and had a very unique visual style. I think it was done by Loren Bouchard, who worked on Home Movies.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

I don't care for it. I've tried to watch two separate episodes and both really bored me.

The animation style is sort of interesting, but the show seems to be nothing but "white people do THIS, black people do THIS". I didn't like the comic strip for the same reason.

Frankly, I'm surprised you enjoy it, Hobbit. It seems to be pretty biased to the left, and its creator, Aaron McGruder, is one of the biggest liberals out there.

I think I have a bit of a prejudice against shows like this on Adult Swim. When I first started watching Adult Swim, all they had was Aqua Teen, Sealab, Space Ghost, and The Brak Show, and the only shows I really like on there follow the same style as these (absurdist humor, terrible animation, etc.). I wish Cartoon Network would devote a separate night to shows like The Boondocks, Venture Brothers, Mission Hill, Home Movies, etc. I really like Mission Hill a lot, but I have trouble switching from "Aqua Teen" style humor into more reality-based humor like that.

I'd say the most unique, and probably my favorite, Adult Swim show would be Tom Goes to the Mayor. Anything with Bob Odenkirk working on it and David Cross, Brian Posehn, and Patton Oswalt making guest appearances, is alright with me.

My 2 favorite new shows are 12 Oz. Mouse and Squidbillies. 12 Oz. Mouse is a little hard to get into at first, but if you can get the pacing and all, it's pretty funny. Squidbillies is twisted as hell, but it's great, and I think it's got my favorite animation style on Adult Swim right now. Also, there was one show they ran for only one episode called Lucy, Daughter of the Devil that was really funny and had a very unique visual style. I think it was done by Loren Bouchard, who worked on Home Movies.

Dan, In honor of your mention (adult swim),
I've changed my icon.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

One time I hired a monkey to take notes for me in class and I would just sit with my mind a complete blank while the monkey would scribble on little pieces of paper.

One day the teacher said "ok class, I want you to write a paper using your notes."

I wrote, "Hello my name is Bango. I like to climb on things. Can I have a banana? eek eek."

I got an F.

I told my mom and she said "I told you never trust a mokey"

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

One time I hired a monkey to take notes for me in class and I would just sit with my mind a complete blank while the monkey would scribble on little pieces of paper.

One day the teacher said "ok class, I want you to write a paper using your notes."

I wrote, "Hello my name is Bango. I like to climb on things. Can I have a banana? eek eek."

I got an F.

I told my mom and she said "I told you never trust a mokey"

Drinking at work???

 

[insein]

I don't care for it. I've tried to watch two separate episodes and both really bored me.

The animation style is sort of interesting, but the show seems to be nothing but "white people do THIS, black people do THIS". I didn't like the comic strip for the same reason.

Frankly, I'm surprised you enjoy it, Hobbit. It seems to be pretty biased to the left, and its creator, Aaron McGruder, is one of the biggest liberals out there.

I think I have a bit of a prejudice against shows like this on Adult Swim. When I first started watching Adult Swim, all they had was Aqua Teen, Sealab, Space Ghost, and The Brak Show, and the only shows I really like on there follow the same style as these (absurdist humor, terrible animation, etc.). I wish Cartoon Network would devote a separate night to shows like The Boondocks, Venture Brothers, Mission Hill, Home Movies, etc. I really like Mission Hill a lot, but I have trouble switching from "Aqua Teen" style humor into more reality-based humor like that.

I'd say the most unique, and probably my favorite, Adult Swim show would be Tom Goes to the Mayor. Anything with Bob Odenkirk working on it and David Cross, Brian Posehn, and Patton Oswalt making guest appearances, is alright with me.

My 2 favorite new shows are 12 Oz. Mouse and Squidbillies. 12 Oz. Mouse is a little hard to get into at first, but if you can get the pacing and all, it's pretty funny. Squidbillies is twisted as hell, but it's great, and I think it's got my favorite animation style on Adult Swim right now. Also, there was one show they ran for only one episode called Lucy, Daughter of the Devil that was really funny and had a very unique visual style. I think it was done by Loren Bouchard, who worked on Home Movies.

I agree with your assessment of the boondocks. My girlfriends nephew, 14 years of age, now says "thats the most fucked up thing since Ronald Reagan" as a catch phrase because the show said it. I got him to change that saying to "Jimmy Carter" instead of Reagan and told him the reason why but its the thought that many mindless kids go around with ideas of things based on what they hear for a brief moment in a cartoon.

As for the new shows, squidbillies, 12 oz mouse and most recently perfect hair forever are just too absurd. I find aqua teen funny because the humor is somewhat based on people you know. Everyone knows a Carl or shake or meatwad in their lives. WTF is all this other shit though? Too much insanity at one time.

 

[Dan]

Dan, In honor of your mention (adult swim),
I've changed my icon.

Well, I tried to change mine, too, but I can't find a pic of Brak or Dad or Tom or The Mayor that has the right dimensions.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

Well, I tried to change mine, too, but I can't find a pic of Brak or Dad or Tom or The Mayor that has the right dimensions.

Cut and paste into Microsoft paint.
shrink to approximate size,
use the image tab and click attributes.
Set attributes, save as Jpeg.
There ya go. Any pic you want as an avatar.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Drinking at work???

Don't you know where that's from?

 

[Dan]

I agree with your assessment of the boondocks. My girlfriends nephew, 14 years of age, now says "thats the most fucked up thing since Ronald Reagan" as a catch phrase because the show said it. I got him to change that saying to "Jimmy Carter" instead of Reagan and told him the reason why but its the thought that many mindless kids go around with ideas of things based on what they hear for a brief moment in a cartoon.

I think Adult Swim and political humor shouldn't really have anything to do with each other. Hell, even American Dad is too political for Adult Swim, in my opinion.

And, here's the problem with saying you don't like the Boondocks. Immediately, everyone jumps all over you because they think you disagree with the political views. Not really, I just disagree with jokes being stolen from In Living Color and dressed up as "new" and "controversial".

As for the new shows, squidbillies, 12 oz mouse and most recently perfect hair forever are just too absurd. I find aqua teen funny because the humor is somewhat based on people you know. Everyone knows a Carl or shake or meatwad in their lives. WTF is all this other shit though? Too much insanity at one time.

I don't like Perfect Hair Forever at all. I get the joke, they're making fun of anime, but it's still not funny or entertaining. 12 Oz. Mouse is just sort of entertaining in a weird way, I don't really laugh my ass off when I watch it or anything, but it's entertaining enough.

Now, Squidbillies, I might have to disagree with you. While they are certainly being caricaturized in a major way, I can think of plenty of people who act like Early and his son (Rusty?). But, yeah, they kind of did go off the deep end with this newest batch of shows.

I have a theory as to why they did, though. Adult Swim has gone from being an underground thing that basically just college students watched to being this big huge corporation that's selling all kinds of tie-ins, making movies, etc. In many ways, the whole Adult Swim system has changed big-time. I remember back in the day (by which I mean 2003), when they'd announce a date when new shows were going to start airing, and the day would come and pass, and they'd just say "oops, we didn't finish them, sorry!" I couldn't see them doing that now, there's too much money, too many outside sources involved with AS now. So, I think they went out of their way to make the weirdest, most absurd shows they could just to say "see, we're still underground!" Don't get me wrong, I still love Adult Swim, but now when I see frat boys going around quoting Aqua Teen, it just kinda irritates me. Same think happened with Chappelle's Show. I'm just one of those people who's happier when me and my friends know of something that nobody else really cares about, and it's kind of "our" thing.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

I think Adult Swim and political humor shouldn't really have anything to do with each other. Hell, even American Dad is too political for Adult Swim, in my opinion.

And, here's the problem with saying you don't like the Boondocks. Immediately, everyone jumps all over you because they think you disagree with the political views. Not really, I just disagree with jokes being stolen from In Living Color and dressed up as "new" and "controversial".



I don't like Perfect Hair Forever at all. I get the joke, they're making fun of anime, but it's still not funny or entertaining. 12 Oz. Mouse is just sort of entertaining in a weird way, I don't really laugh my ass off when I watch it or anything, but it's entertaining enough.

Now, Squidbillies, I might have to disagree with you. While they are certainly being caricaturized in a major way, I can think of plenty of people who act like Early and his son (Rusty?). But, yeah, they kind of did go off the deep end with this newest batch of shows.

I have a theory as to why they did, though. Adult Swim has gone from being an underground thing that basically just college students watched to being this big huge corporation that's selling all kinds of tie-ins, making movies, etc. In many ways, the whole Adult Swim system has changed big-time. I remember back in the day (by which I mean 2003), when they'd announce a date when new shows were going to start airing, and the day would come and pass, and they'd just say "oops, we didn't finish them, sorry!" I couldn't see them doing that now, there's too much money, too many outside sources involved with AS now. So, I think they went out of their way to make the weirdest, most absurd shows they could just to say "see, we're still underground!" Don't get me wrong, I still love Adult Swim, but now when I see frat boys going around quoting Aqua Teen, it just kinda irritates me. Same think happened with Chappelle's Show. I'm just one of those people who's happier when me and my friends know of something that nobody else really cares about, and it's kind of "our" thing.

The classic Indie snob.

I'm right there with ya, buddy.

 

[Dan]

The classic Indie snob.

I'm right there with ya, buddy.

Yeah, it happens to me a lot, actually. I loved the White Stripes back in the day, next thing I know they're the "Next Big Thing" and I'm a sellout because I'm so into them. Same thing happened with Andrew WK, although I doubt my liking him ever really got me much indie cred, and he never really got that popular anyway.

It's about to happen again, I fear, with Death Cab for Cutie.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

Don't you know where that's from?

It was a joke.
I didn't understand where you got the monkey stuff from.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

It was a joke.
I didn't understand where you got the monkey stuff from.

I know it was a joke, it's a quote from Space Ghost, the staple of the original Adult Swim. I figured having a Zorak avatar, you might recognize it.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

I know it was a joke, it's a quote from Space Ghost, the staple of the original Adult Swim. I figured having a Zorak avatar, you might recognize it.

Ahhh,
Well it's been a while since I've seen it.
Plus Zorak and Brak say all kinds of goofy shit.

Brak: My name is Brak, and in Hawaiian, that means "fish food!"

Zorak: Attention Libra! I'm sorry to report that in the next few months, you will discover a large, ugly lump on your neck. It's your head! Mwahahahahaha! So don't pick at it, it'll just make it worse. Muhuahahahahahaha! Hey, does your head hurt? Well, it's killing me! Mwahahahaha!"

Brak: Hey listen, Zorak, I'm gonna do a rap about you! Oh, who's that out there floatin' in space?
Space Ghost: Brr! Stick 'em!
Brak: It's my buddy Zorak, an evil disgrace!
Zorak: Word to your mother.
Brak: He's got a cavity in his face!
Space Ghost: Tell 'em, mack daddy!
Brak: He's in pain all over the place. He is evil; I'll say it again. He's my bestest buddy, my friend. He flies through space with all his henchmen! Then he conquers planets and makes demands.
Space Ghost: Wiggedy, wiggedy, wiggedy, wiggedy wack!"
Zorak: I am Zorak!"
Space Ghost: Alrighty.
Brak: He's the big bug that everybody knows!
Zorak: What up!?
Brak: Just look at the tantrums that he throws!
Space Ghost: I love you, Brak!"
Brak: He's got a beak instead of a nose!
Zorak: Yeah! My leg is cramped!
Brak: When he lies, it grows and grows!
Zorak: That's Pinocchio, you dork!
Brak: I'm not a dork, you jerkhead!"
Zorak: Dork!
Brak: Jerkhead!
Zorak: Shutup, and finish your rap!
Brak: Okay. Zorak's mean, but you know what?
Zorak: Cry baby.
Brak: I bet Space Ghost could kick his butt!
Space Ghost: Exactly!
Brak: So be real good, with all your might.
Space Ghost: You hearing me, son!?
Brak: 'Cause Santy Claus is comin' tonight!
Zorak: What does that have to do with anything!?
Brak: I like Santy Claus!

Brak: I don't like coffee. It makes me jittery. Here's an impression of me on coffee: "I've had some coffee, oh, ubuduubububububububububu, abuduabababababa! Hey! Hey hey hey hey! What're you doin' what're you doin' what're you doin' what're you doin' what're you doin' what're you doin'!? I don't know what you're doin' 'cause I've had too much coffee!! I don't know!!" Don't drink too much coffee, kids.

Brak: Zorak! Hey, hey Zorak, why do seagulls fly over the sea?
Zorak: Eh, I'll bite. Why?
Brak: Because if they flew over the bay, they'd be baygulls! See, get it? Baygulls! I don't get it. Do you get it?

Zorak: Here's another story from the Cartoon Planet storybook. It's called, 'Little Helping Hands.' It was written by Cricket and Khaki. They're best friends.
Brak: Isn't that just too cuuute!"
Zorak: Isn't it just? Well, here we go. Many people don't know this, but roaches are our friends. They come out when it's dark to help us. They're awfully tiny, so there's not much they can do. But they water the plants when you're out, and center the soap on the soapdish, and when they run at you, they're just coming over for a little kiss. Roaches are our friends. So they next time you see one, tell them thanks... for taking care of things... while you were asleep. The End.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Ahhh,
Well it's been a while since I've seen it.
Plus Zorak and Brak say all kinds of goofy shit.

Brak: My name is Brak, and in Hawaiian, that means "fish food!"

Zorak: Attention Libra! I'm sorry to report that in the next few months, you will discover a large, ugly lump on your neck. It's your head! Mwahahahahaha! So don't pick at it, it'll just make it worse. Muhuahahahahahaha! Hey, does your head hurt? Well, it's killing me! Mwahahahaha!"

Brak: Hey listen, Zorak, I'm gonna do a rap about you! Oh, who's that out there floatin' in space?
Space Ghost: Brr! Stick 'em!
Brak: It's my buddy Zorak, an evil disgrace!
Zorak: Word to your mother.
Brak: He's got a cavity in his face!
Space Ghost: Tell 'em, mack daddy!
Brak: He's in pain all over the place. He is evil; I'll say it again. He's my bestest buddy, my friend. He flies through space with all his henchmen! Then he conquers planets and makes demands.
Space Ghost: Wiggedy, wiggedy, wiggedy, wiggedy wack!"
Zorak: I am Zorak!"
Space Ghost: Alrighty.
Brak: He's the big bug that everybody knows!
Zorak: What up!?
Brak: Just look at the tantrums that he throws!
Space Ghost: I love you, Brak!"
Brak: He's got a beak instead of a nose!
Zorak: Yeah! My leg is cramped!
Brak: When he lies, it grows and grows!
Zorak: That's Pinocchio, you dork!
Brak: I'm not a dork, you jerkhead!"
Zorak: Dork!
Brak: Jerkhead!
Zorak: Shutup, and finish your rap!
Brak: Okay. Zorak's mean, but you know what?
Zorak: Cry baby.
Brak: I bet Space Ghost could kick his butt!
Space Ghost: Exactly!
Brak: So be real good, with all your might.
Space Ghost: You hearing me, son!?
Brak: 'Cause Santy Claus is comin' tonight!
Zorak: What does that have to do with anything!?
Brak: I like Santy Claus!

Brak: I don't like coffee. It makes me jittery. Here's an impression of me on coffee: "I've had some coffee, oh, ubuduubububububububububu, abuduabababababa! Hey! Hey hey hey hey! What're you doin' what're you doin' what're you doin' what're you doin' what're you doin' what're you doin'!? I don't know what you're doin' 'cause I've had too much coffee!! I don't know!!" Don't drink too much coffee, kids.

Brak: Zorak! Hey, hey Zorak, why do seagulls fly over the sea?
Zorak: Eh, I'll bite. Why?
Brak: Because if they flew over the bay, they'd be baygulls! See, get it? Baygulls! I don't get it. Do you get it?

Zorak: Here's another story from the Cartoon Planet storybook. It's called, 'Little Helping Hands.' It was written by Cricket and Khaki. They're best friends.
Brak: Isn't that just too cuuute!"
Zorak: Isn't it just? Well, here we go. Many people don't know this, but roaches are our friends. They come out when it's dark to help us. They're awfully tiny, so there's not much they can do. But they water the plants when you're out, and center the soap on the soapdish, and when they run at you, they're just coming over for a little kiss. Roaches are our friends. So they next time you see one, tell them thanks... for taking care of things... while you were asleep. The End.

I have a ton of Brak stuff on MP3. It's funny even without the visuals.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

Space Ghost: Who do you think you are?
Denis Leary: I think the universe knows who I am, Space Ghost.
Space Ghost: Then who do you think the universe knows I am, Denis?
Denis Leary: Space Ghost. And I'm Denis Leary, master of the universe.
Space Ghost: Master? I know one or two guys who might disagree with you... master!
Denis Leary: Like who?
Space Ghost: Yoda.
Denis Leary: Okay, who else on the list?
[beat]
Space Ghost: Star Wars.

 

[Dan]

My favorite episode of The Brak Show was the one where Brak is trying to pick up chicks. Zorak's making fun of him and does an impression of him that goes like "Blooopty-blooopty-bloooo, I'm Brak, and I'm an idiot!" or something like that. Then they show Brak actually trying to hit on a girl and he goes "Blooopty-blooopty-bloooo, I sure like candy! Hey, you wanna go to the candy store with me?"

Doesn't really work too well when written down, but it's hilarious.

 

[Hobbit]

Wow, this carried on a lot without me. Anyway, I like "The Boondocks," despite the author's liberal leanings simply because he doesn't take himself seriously, like the authors of Doonsbury or "The DaVinci Code." I see so much more in this than the "white people, black people" comparisons. Most of what I see is either just a funny story with little to no politics, a satire on the idiocy of some of the black culture (i.e. the episode about "nigga moments" where tiny disputes turn lethal), some political humor that's ludicrous on both sides, or a mixture. I mean, almost none of the stances taken by the characters in the strip or the show are all that reasonable, and if the guy was as loony as any of his characters, he'd be writing books about how Michael Moore is actually the second coming of Jesus or working for a political lobby rather than writing a comic strip. In fact, most of what I hear about how bad the guy is is either, "He's a left-wing loony. Look at this (points to Huey saying "Ronald Reagan was the devil")," or "How dare he make fun of black people like that (points out satire on black culture)," and after looking at it myself with an objective mind, I find the guy to be quite hysterical.

Oh, and one more comment. The only "black and white" comparisons I've seen in the show have an implied "and black people are stupid for doing this." What I've seen so far is white people *not* rioting, and, one of the funnier moments in the show, a view on how "nigga moments" affect white people.

*bump into each other*
"What whatchou doin', b****."
*gets mad look on face* "Wait a minute, I'm white." *smiles, walks away*
*dumbfounded* "Hey, wait a second. This is a perfectly good opportunity for you to throw your life away."

 

[insein]

I think Adult Swim and political humor shouldn't really have anything to do with each other. Hell, even American Dad is too political for Adult Swim, in my opinion.

And, here's the problem with saying you don't like the Boondocks. Immediately, everyone jumps all over you because they think you disagree with the political views. Not really, I just disagree with jokes being stolen from In Living Color and dressed up as "new" and "controversial".

Yea i can see what your saying. I just dont like it cause to me its retarded. I think Family guy is the greatest cartoon ever created and i love the simpsons but American Dad is not up to that level. Maybe im just expecting too much. Seth does lean to the left but he rips on both sides in his show. I actually find it hillarious when he rips on bush about being on speed dial with god and when he's like a child being entertained in the white house. Its quick and to the point and theres no mistaking that its all a big joke. Boondocks to me can be taken seriously in some parts and i just think its dumb what they are saying.

I don't like Perfect Hair Forever at all. I get the joke, they're making fun of anime, but it's still not funny or entertaining. 12 Oz. Mouse is just sort of entertaining in a weird way, I don't really laugh my ass off when I watch it or anything, but it's entertaining enough.

Now, Squidbillies, I might have to disagree with you. While they are certainly being caricaturized in a major way, I can think of plenty of people who act like Early and his son (Rusty?). But, yeah, they kind of did go off the deep end with this newest batch of shows.

I have a theory as to why they did, though. Adult Swim has gone from being an underground thing that basically just college students watched to being this big huge corporation that's selling all kinds of tie-ins, making movies, etc. In many ways, the whole Adult Swim system has changed big-time. I remember back in the day (by which I mean 2003), when they'd announce a date when new shows were going to start airing, and the day would come and pass, and they'd just say "oops, we didn't finish them, sorry!" I couldn't see them doing that now, there's too much money, too many outside sources involved with AS now. So, I think they went out of their way to make the weirdest, most absurd shows they could just to say "see, we're still underground!" Don't get me wrong, I still love Adult Swim, but now when I see frat boys going around quoting Aqua Teen, it just kinda irritates me. Same think happened with Chappelle's Show. I'm just one of those people who's happier when me and my friends know of something that nobody else really cares about, and it's kind of "our" thing.

As a side note, the new aqua teen wasnt that good. I thought it lacked the same gut busting humor that ive come to love from them. Guess you cant ride it forever. I first heard of aqua teen about 2 years ago and dismissed it as a dumb show. When i actually watched a few back in january of 04, i couldnt believe what i was missing. That show was so dumb it was clever. Just the one-liners and inside jokes were excellent all around. I started taping everyone of them and then showed them to my friends not knowing what to expect. They all instantly loved them and we sit there quoting aqua teen episodes every time we hang out (among the usual simpsons, family guy, futurama, etc). The show has real potential. I just hope they dont fuck it up because they are focusing on this other crap too much.