12.26.2009

christmastime for the jews, and other hilarity

This is the third holiday season I've wanted to post the same great video, but can't because of Canadian copyright restrictions. "Christmastime for the Jews" was one of Robert Smigel's brilliant cartoons for SNL, featuring a perfect Phil Spector-style Darlene Love singing over the animation.

We have it on a Smigel DVD which we watched yesterday - completely coincidentally to Christmas. US readers and Canadians with fake IP addresses can watch it here. Canadians without a workaround have to settle for audio here; there's a still from the video here.

However... searching for the video, we learned that TV Funhouse - the Comedy Central show, not the SNL shorts - is finally out on DVD! Yay! This is a must-buy for us. The short-lived, little-seen, late-night comedy was our secret obsession in the winter of 2000. It's a totally irreverent, hilarious cartoon spoof, in the style of those low-budget Hanna-Barbera cartoons from the 1970s and 80s. You might be able to see some clips here, and the trailer for the DVD is here. But I can't find audio of the theme song!
Everyone stay up and play
For the last cartoon show of the day
TV Funhouse comin' through
With animals that pee and poo
Ani-pals adventuring
Out in space or playin' with string
You did your homework, thereby earning
One last show before you turn in
Last chance to be entertained
Sleep is good but TV helps your brain
TV Funhouse!

Since I can't post the Smigel videos, I'll go with something more serious: "The Profit," by Dwayne Booth, better known as the cartoonist Mr. Fish.


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