"Crank Yankers" (2002) TV series 2002-????

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Creators:

Adam Carolla
Daniel Kellison
Jimmy Kimmel

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

2 June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy

Tagline:

Screw the innocent.

Plot:

A show with real 'crank' phone calls to real victims. Puppets are added as the 'actors' to give visual support to what is happening in the phone calls.

Plot Keywords:

Puppet | Telephone Prank | Shock Humor | Vulgarity | Puppet Nudity

Cast

Artie Esposito	...	Puppeteer (72 episodes, 2002-2007)
Paul McGinnis	...	Puppeteer (68 episodes, 2002-2007)
Victor Yerrid	...	Puppeteer (62 episodes, 2002-2005)
Biz Markie	...	Announcer (42 episodes, 2004-2007)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:TV-14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Comedy Central

Trivia:

Cast members must venture to Nevada to make their crank calls, because it is one of a few states where only one party need consent for a conversation to be recorded.

Quotes:

Arthur Johnson: Listen, I've been around this shiny blue marble a few times and i've never met a unisex person. You're an innie or an outie understand? You either got a fishing hole or a fishing pole.It's franks and beans or fish taco, Capiche?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saving 'Star Wars' (2004)

Very Funny Prank Call Show

This is one of the few Comedy Central shows I like. There's no rhyme or reason to this program, except to bug people with prank calls. Unlike the prank calls you might make, these guys are actually talented and skilled comedians, and the characters they have crafted are memorable. This stuff is far superior to the prank call phenomenon that likely inspired it, "The Jerky Boys." My favorite is, of course, Special Ed, whose voice and mantras are simply hilarious. Other good characters include the perverse yet exaggeratedly upper-crust Niles Standish, the old man Elmer, and Birchum, the Vietnam vet. Kimmel, Carolla, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes, and even "Family Guy's" Seth McFarlane lend their voices to these roles. All of these guys are gifted mimickers and put their acting talents to the fore for a simple childish game of prank calls. If you want to watch a funny Comedy Central show, watch this.