Monday, March 9, 2009

Better Not 'See You Sunday'

My sense of humor is all over the map. Darker comedies like Rushmore and the classic Dr. Strangelove (I'm not going to write the whole title!) make me laugh in a different way then, say, Knocked Up or "Tim And Eric, Awesome Show Great Job!" That being said, I'm having a hard time with MTV's new "comedy" show, "How's Your News?"

HYN? is part of a new block on Sunday nights called "See You Sunday," which is meant to appeal to the Jackass-Extreme-Beer-Drinking crowd (I think). The set starts off with the painfully awful "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory," which is just like his previous (somehow) hit "Rob and Big" only "Big" is replaced by his dorky cousin Drama and it takes place in his new office/skatepark/playground complex. I'd love to ride a bike into a foam pit or jump on an inflatable "blob" like in Heavyweights, but I'm sick of watching and listening to this moron (even though he is a very smart business man).

Following this is the equally awful "The College Humor Show." I'm not even going to start on this steaming pile of pony loaf.

After this is the occasionally entertaining "Nitro Circus," which recalls Jackass in a good way (its executive producers include Jeff Tremaine and Johnny Knoxville). The show features Travis Pastrana (AKA the dirt-biker who did a double-backflip to win the X-Games - yay) and a bunch of his friends that try and do outrageous stunts. What makes this show watchable is that none of them have egos - they know that they're lucky to have a show and the network is paying for them to travel the country and do EXTREME stunts. There is no way this show is going to be as popular and controversial as Jackass, but hang on to your egos, fellas, and your show might last more than 3 months.

Concluding the block is "How's Your News?" This is the most mind-boggling show I've ever seen. The show features 8 mentally and physically impaired men (and one woman) who drive across the US talking to celebrities, musicians, and doing faux-documentary style featurettes. Are we supposed to be laughing at these people? They occasionally tell jokes, and they even performed as a band at last year's SXSW festival in Austin, TX. To make matters worse, executive producers of the show are Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Yes, THAT Matt Stone and Trey Parker. So does that mean its supposed to be funny? It seems like the HYN? team are having fun and doing what they want to do, but what are we as viewers supposed to be doing? Laughing at them? Laughing with them?

I don't get it. I find it neither funny nor quirky, heartwarming nor hilarious. It's just really hard when there is nothing on TV Sunday nights and you're bored out your mind.


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