Stripperella vs. Gary The Rat
Published June 27, 2003
Tonight at 10:30pm Eastern, 9:30 Central, The New TNN (because Spike Lee has a problem being affiliated with Network Television) finally aired thier long-promoted new "Cartoons For F**kin' Adults" line-up. The set list includes an hour of old-time favorites "Ren & Stimpy," intersected by two new half-hour shows "Gary The Rat" and "Stripperella."
"Gary" features the vocal talent of Kelsey Grammar in a pitch perfect parody of Angry Dr. Frasier Crane. Obviously, Grammar's trying to prove that he's more than a one-trick pony after more than 20 years as the titular doctor on "Frasier" and "Cheers." Gary's penchant for Cosmopolitans and expensive imported cheese delivery would suggest otherwise.
The show, shelved since 2000 and executive produced by Grammar, establishes Gary as a big-time human lawyer who woke up one morning as a rat. Far from Kafka-esque allusions (although there is a brief nod to waking up as a bug with a rat's head), the opening credits all but spell out Gary's rodential metamorphosis. Later in the show, a confuscian barfly postulates that it is a sign that Gary Andrews, hot-shot Tobacco company defending lawyer, has been "in the rat race too long" and this is his karmic payback, which Gary non-chalantly dismisses as not possibly being the cause.
In an effort to inject long term plot points, the pilot also introduces a ridiculous cast of uninteresting and one-dimensional charaters: A parody of a hitman/exterminator of the Big Dumb Mook mold, a pest-detesting neighbor desperate to be rid of The Rat, and a dumb-as-a-block-of-cheese delivery kid. There's also a running gag about Gary's ne'er seen, institutionalized mother, who seems to be the victim of various non-sequitor torture rituals.
The thinly veiled computer animation is choppy at best, and looks more like a story-board from a market-research homework assignment (no offense to internet artist John Watkins-Chow).
Executive producer Grammar attempts to be naughty with the show's cavalier attitude and use of the word "shit," but the potty humor can't compensate for the lack of imagination in this dismal evolution of Frasier Crane.
Thank goodness the execs at The New TNN had the programming gusto to slot this stop-motion failure between tried-and-true "Ren & Stimpy," and the inspired Marvel Comic guru Stan Lee's creation "Stripperella."
Based on the bodacious curves and attitude of sexy ex-Baywatcher Pamela Anderson, "Stripperella" follows exotic dancer Erotica Jones at dance club "Tender Loins" at night, and later, on her adventures as secret agent 0069 (a number tattooed on her upper, right thigh and magically imbued with secret lair unlocking power).
And what a secret lair it is! Housed in the bowels of a department store, it's part Zion, part "Office Space." It's in this secret lair that the show's true nature really starts to peek through. Over a loudspeaker, a woman's voice is heard reminding secret agents about stealing from the clearly labelled food in the fridge. This is followed by an introduction to Stripperella's boss, a man in a Charles Xavier-type wheel chair that he proceeds to zip uncontrollably throughout the cavernous room in. Finally, the chair stops and we're treated to another hysterical gag when Mr. Boss utters "These things are dangerous! Good thing I'm not a cripple" and proceeds to get out of, pick up and smash into the fireplace the offending gizmo.
- Stripperella vs. Gary The Rat
- Published: June 27, 2003
- Type:
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Books: Comics and Graphic Novels, Video: Animation, Video: Television
- Writer: Amber Gertzbein
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Comments on this articleComments
I swear that i thought the entire sequence about Stripperella being funny was biting sarcasm, since the gags described sound really tired and lame. I had to go back and read it again once I saw the score. Part of me still thinks the score must be sarcasm.
Give me a break!!! STRIPPERELLA??? You've got to be kidding!! There's enough sickening REAL strippers without them making cartoon ones too. Gary the Rat KICKS ASS!!! The animation really is pretty good and it's damn funny too. Plus Gary is soooooo hott!!! x___x Isn't it obvious what the superior show is here??
Hey. I think Gary is freaken hott too!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really like the show. I have a question though. Does anyone kno if you could buy the 1st season??? please write back. thanks
"Gary the Rat" is screamingly funny! It mocks our societal aversions to both lawyers and bestiality with a dry, mordant wit.
Even as a giant rat, Gary is so imperious and sneeringly superior that it's obvious he's learned nothing from the change.
I checked out Striperella, which seems like an excuse to show animated T&A, and turned it off after the first episode.
How utterly wrong you are, my dear! "Gary the Rat" is by far the superior show. -- DolphinXZ5
I watched both shows since their start and, from what I've seen, both shows are just about even. On the positive side, both have adult, but still good, humor; both have one celebrity voice each for their main/title character; both have nice storylines, good color, and good texture. On the negative side, despite the nice storyline of Gary the Rat, Stripperella has a little more continuity; some of the characters in Gary the Rat weren't as good as most of the characters in Stripperella, nor were they drawn as well as any of the characters in Stripperella, no offense to any of the artists, of course. Thank you.
Now for a non-professional comment that I'm entitled to: I love Stripperella, as well. (But my opinion was unbiased.) Thank you.
Oh, yes. In addition, Stripperella has a better tail than Gary has. ;)
Gary The Rat is a great hybrid combination of intelligent adult humor and dumb comedy. It's different and fresh and Gary always manages to say what you wish you would have said yourself if you had the guts to. Stripperella on the other hand is just a bunch of sad and tired cliches pulled together by Pamela Anderson's voice. Stan Lee should BE ASHAMED of himself. I totally disagree with your grade. Gary A-/Stripperella C- :(
i think gary the rat going to win he is the best there is he will kick the shit out of stripperella
oh yes definity gary the rat will win he is more stronger and smarter
I think the show (Stripperella) is written pretty well, but it is too vulgar. Why cant we have entertainment that is intelligent without the sex?
stripperella? give me a break its a retarted show and its rediculous. gary the rat is much more funnier i wouldnt be surprised if stripperella got cancelled
i think gary the rat will win i mean comon stripperella has too much vulgarity and its gay gary the rat A+ stripperella F-
Striperella is great!!!I love Stan Lee's
work and it's great to see him back in
action.I agree with him that"Stripper.."
is much more effective in animation than
on the printed page. Gary The Rat BLOWS!
Grammer's Dr.Crane shtick was kinda fun
about 15 years ago but was beaten into
the ground before"Cheers" had ended it's
run.Maybe if they had portrayed Gary as
a coke snorting,drunken,ego maniac...???
Oh yeah,the "Agent 69" gag on "Stripper"
was Barbara Feldons original tag on "Get
Smart" but they couldn't get it past the
censors,opting for "Agent 99" instead.
stripperella is just plain stupid i mean really gary the rat is much more funnier and hw saxton jr gary the rat does not blow!
Well,OK this won't be the first time I
have had to fend off accusations of my
having a low-brow sense of humor.I think
that Stan's animation is really great &
I dig boob jokes too so "Stripperella"
works for me.Then again,I love Rudy Ray
Moore,Zucker Bros.movies,South Park and
Lenny Bruce so what do I know? What some
folks find funny others don't and vice-
versa and it all boils down to:"Opinion"
don't you think? And opinions are like
ass.....,Oh never mind.
Thank you everyone for expressing your views on Stripperella vs. Gary the Rat. I can't believe you're all still commenting after 8 months!
Please take a moment to read an excerpt from a letter I have recently sent to a commenter on this post:
"While I appreciate you expressing your opinion on this issue, I'm going to have to ask you to please stop posting on this article, and on my blog, or I will have you blocked from both sites.
"You are more than welcome to post your opinions, but I would like to point out that stating the same thing over and over, especially when you refuse to acknowledge anyone else's thoughts or rebuttals, tends to get annoying to editors and other posters. It also labels you as immature and unwilling to be objective. Your poor spelling and grammar will also not help others to take your ideas seriously.
I would suggest that before you submit another comment, you not only spell-check for errors, but you consider what you are writing and possibly do some research in order to back up any statements you make. It will help other posters to consider your views, and you will find that people respond better to thoughtful, deliberate comments, rather than childish, repetitive insults.
Yours sincerely,
Amber Gertzbein
esta chido
I love gary the rat!! I like stripperella too just wish it wasn't based on pamela, i mean come on, when has she ever stripped? (besides for the camera, and in guys minds *rolls eyes*) Well anyway, from a strippers point of view they both rock!! :P (*Y*)
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In my opinion, Gary the Rat has many humorous scenes, which can be sophisticated at times as well. It's ownly noticible flaw is it's poor animation, but the story and humor definatly makes up for it.
Striperella, on the other hand, is just repetitive, and at times insulting. Having a woman scream "Why didn't you kill me!" becuase she had been turned incredibly obese is just imature and lame.