| Sunday, January 20, 2002 |
01:25 - Ahh, bless you, Cartoon Network.
|
(top)  |
"Moltar! Wiggle the darn antenna!"
An ad for Kung Pow, with the trailer appearing in the drop-down TV frame as an interviewee on Space Ghost. Then SG starts badly lip-syncing "I.. think Kung Pow! ... is the bestmovie... in History!"
Zorak, in full Chinese dress and wig, stares vacantly.
"Prepare... to fight me... with strength!" continues SG, and he flies off, with an "Adult Swim" badge floating in the corner.
See, this is what makes Cartoon Network different from Nickelodeon. Nick cancels Invader Zim because it isn't making the kiddies scream-torture their parents into buying enough merchandise to justify its continued existence. But Cartoon Network makes up these little interstitial gems, purely because it makes them laugh. Someone gathered together the stock animation frames, cobbled together a 30-second spot in Photoshop, and a bunch of program directors meeting over pizza late at night giggled themselves silly. Then they put it on the air, because they knew I would giggle myself silly. I and a whole bunch of people like me.
Then they return to "The Popeye Show", hosted by a languid guy making snide but loving comments about the animation foibles and corny gags in the shorts lined up. Beginning and ending clips that look surreal out of context, like the "Moment of Zen" from each MST3K episode. It's like it's a show put on by a guy with a bunch of tapes and some drunk friends. This is what cartoons are all about. This is what TV should be all about. And good grief, we actually have it.
|
|
