MCJ Advent Calendar - Day Fourteen - Father of the Pride

Do you remember back in 2004 there was an animated series about Siegfried and Roy and their animals? This is one of those things I haven't thought about for 10 years, and, if you had asked me, I might have thought it was some dumb idea I had in a dream. But no, it was some dumb idea other people had in real life. 

I now remember how delighted I was when I first heard about this. Think about it. An animated comedy series, about two guys who aren't funny, and their jungle cats, one of which just fucking tried to kill one of the guys in real life a few months before. How could this be anything other than a grade-A smash? In fact, what season are they on now? 11? Hmmmm? What's that? It didn't make it past the first season? Shocking.

Perhaps network executives thought this might work because the tigers were relegated to side characters and weren't the focus of the show, but that seems like a stretch. Like if I said, "I want to do an animated show about Bill Cosby. But don't worry, his systematic drugging and raping of women is only a side story." I'm not sure that would get the green light.

At any rate, a few months before Father of the Pride aired, I fantasticated about what some of the episodes might be in the post below...

Monday, June 28, 2004

S.A.R.M.O.T.H (Siegfried and Roy Masters of the Hilarious!) 

Those who know me know that there is nothing in this world I am more excited about than the upcoming computer animated show Father of the Pride about Siegfried and Roy and their jungle cats. This thing is a guaranteed winner. Whenever you tell someone that there is going to be a cartoon in prime-time about Siegfried and Roy and their tigers, the look on their face alone is all you need to tell you how eagerly anticipated this thing is. I really don't think network executives have had their finger on the pulse of what the American public has wanted since this show aired.

Anyway, I was fortunate enough to get a tape from NBC with the first 13 episodes on it and let me tell you, you better watch these things while sitting on a rubber sheet because you are going to piss yourself. That's just a fact. Finally someone has captured the hilarity of a Siegfried and Roy show and brought it to the small screen. Here are some of the highlights:

Episode 1: During a performance, one of the tigers begins to daydream and we see, through his eyes, Roy's head slowly morph into a triple cheeseburger. The tiger pounces and hilarity not only ensues, but also endures, in this soon-to-be classic episode. After being beaten off of Roy, the tiger belches and lets out what is sure to be the next big catchphrase (along the lines of "Is that your final answer?" or "You're Fired!") when he says, "I'm sorry I chewed on your head." Fun!

Episode 4: A whole host of comic situations emerge when S&R call their cranky boss (Old Man Periwinkle voiced by Scott Baio) to see if they can get the week off to be guest judges at an Idaho potato spanking festival. They think he says "yes," but he really said "no." This hilarious misinterpretation happens due to the fact that his voice is muffled by the tiger that is gnawing on his head. Things really turn upside-down when the boys get back from Idaho and must repay Periwinkle by babysitting his bratty nephew for the weekend. Buckle your seatbelts!

Episode 9: The tigers have a taste for human blood and the whole Las Vegas strip is in a panic! S&R do their best to contain the mayhem but the whole situation gets turned on its ear when a report come from Paris that tiger-mouth-hats are the next big fashion trend. Soon tourists are coating their heads in gazelle blood to lure these beautiful beasts and the boys find themselves without any tigers for their show! When they are forced to substitute fat kids for the tigers, will anybody notice? Watch and find out!

Each episode ends with Siegfried and Roy in bed together writing in their diaries about the fun times they had and the lessons they learned. The show is a treat for all ages.

Father of the Pride is really going to fit in with NBC's new Tuesday night line-up which includes a couple of other great shows. The first is called Horse Sense and it's a claymation show about Christover Reeves and his riding-horse as they go around to different places and solve mysteries together. And they're in a band. The other new show is called Mr. Jesus and Woody and it's about Jesus and his best friend Woody the Crucifix (the original "odd couple") and the shenanigans that occur as they attempt to share an apartment and teach gymnastics to homeless kids.