“Drawn Together” is one of the most vile, prurient, politically incorrect shows on TV.
If this show wasn’t so funny, it would be repugnant. But it is funny–spit-out-your-spleen funny. That’s provided you can find humor in just about anything, from obscure pop-cultural references (say, a strung-out version of the Cocoa Puffs mascot Sonny) to abortion and wanton violence.
Don’t worry, it’s just a cartoon. A funny cartoon.
Comedy Central’s “Drawn Together,” which has its second-season premiere at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, is centered on a group of cartoon and video game characters of different styles, backgrounds and erotic inclinations who live together as part of a “Big Brother”-style reality show.
The characters are slightly skewed versions of familiar faces–more in a moment–ranging from Superman to the Little Mermaid, Betty Boop to Valerie of “Josie and the Pussycats.” The stable of voice actors includes Adam Carolla as bigoted, sexist Spanky Ham, an Internet download pig.
In 15 seconds, you’ll know if this adults-only comedy is for you.
“It’s not real subtle,” co-creator Matt Silverstein said. “You know what you’re getting into.”
“Drawn Together” knows its audience: pop-savvy wisenheimers who love taboo-busting and jokes that hit at Gatling-gun pace. Like a raunchier “Family Guy,” it’s not debasing society–it’s reflecting and lampooning it.
Silverstein and co-creator Dave Jeser, both in their early 30s, previously worked together as writers on “3rd Rock from the Sun” and “Greg the Bunny” as well as critics’ darlings/ratings dogs such as “Andy Richter Controls the Universe” and “Action.” They write what’s funny to them–and they find a lot of things funny.
For example, this week we learn that Loony Tunes ethnic mouse Speedy Gonzalez is a cokehead, and that Strawberry Shortcake comes from a genocidal society that enslaves and consumes another race.
Strawberry Sweetcake, that is, who just happens oh-so-coincidently to resemble another cartoon figure. And it’s never explicitly stated that the coke-addled mouse is Senor Gonzales.
The verbal and sight gags range from witty to gross to the “how the hell do they get away with this?” Even some “South Park” fans could be offended.
“They’re like guerrilla terrorists of cartoon comedy,” said Jess Harnell, who voices the Superman-esque Captain Hero. “I don’t know where they get this stuff. It probably had a lot to do with hallucinogenics.”
Coming soon
Comedy Central has ordered more than a dozen live-action and animated pilots for the coming year, according to zap2it.com. Here are some of them.
– Comic Sarah Silverman (right) will star in an untitled show about “a detached and eccentric woman with no discernible goals.”
– “Gay Robot,” from Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company, will star comic Nick Swardson as the voice of a robot who discovers he’s gay after a spilled wine cooler fries his circuit board.
– “Freak Show,” an animated series from “Arrested Development’s” David Cross, is about sideshow performers–including Siamese twins, the World’s Tallest Nebraskan and The Bearded Clam–who are also B-list superheroes.
– “Not Another High School Show” will parody teen dramas from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to “The O.C.”
– “Wee on America” will star “Jackass” regular Jason “Wee Man” Acuna as he takes on normal-sized challengers in mental and physical competitions.
– Morgan Spurlock’s (left) “Public Nuisance,” a sketch comedy/hidden-camera show, has the “Super Size Me” director and a band of pranksters taking on hot-button issues.
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Edited by Curt Wagner (cwwagner@tribune.com) and Kris Karnopp (kkarnopp@tribune.com)
