TV Funhouse Mocks Disney Yet Again

[TnAdct1]

Tonight on SNL, TV Funhouse did another parody of the Walt Disney company. This time around, the target of parody is the "Walt Disney valut" that is usually mentioned in ads for Disney DVD releases. In this segment, Mickey gives two kids a tour of the vault, where the kids discover (along with a lot of cheapquels, including one where Simba is a guest host on "The View") some of the darker Disney secrets. Among the things referenced:

-the urban legend of Walt's frozen body
-Disney being part of HAUC during the 1950's
-the nude picture from the Rescuers
-the frame of Jessica Rabbit without any underwear from Who Framed Roger Rabbit
-the black centaurs from Fantasia
-Song of the South (with Disney having an "anti-Negro" version that he shows at parties)
-Disney's ill-fated attempt to make an amusement park in Virginia
-the Disney company's original attempt to own the rights to the Muppets in 1989 (with Jim Henson being tied up in the vault)

[GagaMan]

"He would excel! He would excel~!"
I loved it.

[Sevenfeet]

"He would excel! He would excel~!"
I loved it.

Actually, the quote was "He wouldn't sell! He wouldn't sell!". In 1989 Henson was in negotiations with Disney to sell the Muppets. Henson died suddenly and the deal fell apart. Disney wouldn't acquire the Muppets until last year.

This parody was truly inspired. Jabs about endless lame Disney sequels, Disney urban legends, Disney's personal and political activities as well as criticisms, and even clips of the alledged "director's cut" version of "Song of the South". They even threw in pictures of controversial Disney animation frames that made it into movies as an inside joke to animations fans. And all hosted by Mickey Mouse himself.

If you missed it, watch it on Youtube before NBC takes it down.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nrrSyYlmSjw&search=saturday%20night%20live%20disney


Great Quote:

Mickey: <Dejected> Look, he was who he was. Take the good with the bad. <Cheers up> He created me! Think of all the laughs I've given you!

Little girl: You're supposed to be funny??

Mickey: <Dejected> ...yeah.

[John Pannozzi]

"He would excel! He would excel~!"
I loved it.

Actually, he was saying "He wouldn't sell! He wouldn't sell!". And I thought that segment was pretty funny. I actually liked it better than Bambi 2002.

[Peter Paltridge]

Great Quote:

Mickey: <Dejected> Look, he was who he was. Take the good with the bad. <Cheers up> He created me! Think of all the laughs I've given you!

Little girl: You're supposed to be funny??

Mickey: <Dejected> ...yeah.
I loved that part so much. GREAT film. Everybody see it quick!

[Itchy]

Hillarious stuff.

[Snailbait]

That was hilarious, hah.

[straw_hat]

So Henson was actually locked up in the vault all this time, interesting, and here I am going around and saying he's been dead since 1990.

[GagaMan]

Ahh, I heard it as Excel, because I tought maybe they locked him up before his influence overtook Disney's XD

[Rocketboy]

Heh, I kinda felt sorry for Mickey in the funhouse, with everything about Walt being exposed.

I loved their play on sequals and maybe they should go with one for another funhouse sketch. (I want a Jungle Book 3.0)

[Yamwacky]

Yeah it was great!... but sadly, so much of it is true. Mickey COULD be a funny charcter (he was in the 30's) but since he's become a corporate icon that's no longer possible. Warner Bros. cartoons = funny
Disney = yaaaaaawn.

[GagaMan]

True that. As soon as Donald came aong and sucked all the personality out of him, Mickey has since become one of the most bland cartoon characters out there, with some very rare exceptions being Mickey Birthday Party(check that crazy dance!), Symphony Hour (as this and the Band Concert proed, conducting music brings out the anger in him ;p) and Runaway Brain.

[Fan of Sponge]

I thought it was hilarious. It gave me an idea that the Boondocks should do an episode where Huey petitions to get Song of the South on DVD. I thought NBC would get into trouble for using Mickey Mouse since its copywrite protected. However, the cartoon just got funnier with every passing embrassing moment.

[veemonjosh]

Clicked on the link. Looks like the video's gone. Ah well.

So I don't get to see the video. Big loss.

It's back up at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wkdHt53IE8&search=Disney%20

[Moto Pete]

i thoght that was the Best Tv Funhouse in years since the Abigouisly (sp?0 Gay Duo

It captured the Stupid way Disney just one takes away DVD's and two makes Crappy Direct to Video now DVD movies

[MorotheWolf]

Wow...that was really funny.:D They really looked this up, didn't they?

[judyindisguise]

i thoght that was the Best Tv Funhouse in years since the Abigouisly (sp?0 Gay Duo

It captured the Stupid way Disney just one takes away DVD's and two makes Crappy Direct to Video now DVD movies

Now see, FWIW, that kind of stuff - along with the gag that Mickey's not funny - I don't mind. In fact I agree with it. It's when Walt himself gets attacked for flaws he didn't possess that I get ticked off. Corporate Disney can get mocked out the wazoo, in fact I do it myself. But I've had the privilege of meeting people who actually worked with Walt, and what do you know, he was actually a good guy. He had enormous integrity and didn't give a darn about money unless it would help him make a better film or fund a new project like Disneyland. He did care a lot about people. Sorry for my oversensitivity on this subject AND for the rant. :o

[James T. Rocket]

Clicked on the link. Looks like the video's gone. Ah well.

As for the Henson thing...Jim went to Disney and offered to sell, since his fortunes had nearly collapsed and he was running out of money. The Disney suits had their doubts about the Muppets' true worth and wanted the Sesame Street characters too. They also wanted some control over content, since they didn't care to finance more box-office flops like "Dark Crystal" and "Labryinth". When Jim died his kids tried to get more money from the studio, and the studio refused - understandably, IMO, since the mastermind was no longer part of the package. The kids then proceeded to use the media to paint Disney as this evil corporate monster (and you can bet the media was all too happy to participate). Thanks to their brilliant negotiating skills the deal fell through. Michael Eisner was still obsessed with the puppets, however, and finally bought them. Now Disney is stuck with trying to do something with them. Good luck with that!


I wish you didn't feel the need to bash Jim Henson's legacy in your rush to the aid of the poor maligned Disney coroporation.

[judyindisguise]

I wish you didn't feel the need to bash Jim Henson's legacy in your rush to the aid of the poor maligned Disney coroporation.

Uh, may I remind you that thanks to that poor maligned corporation, the Muppets still exist, and may yet live to entertain future generations. Just thought I'd mention that. And I'm an admirer of Jim Henson, not a detractor.

But anyway I was not defending the corporation. I was defending Walt. Two entirely different things. As for the corporation, overall I hated the Eisner era. I'm glad he's gone, and I'm hoping that Disney will stop just being a "corporation" and start being a house of ideas again.

At any rate I've deleted my message. It read like an attack on the guy I was replying to, and was therefore unhelpful.

[DisneyBoy]

Do you think it'll come back online at some point - I'd like to see it :)

[Moto Pete]

Uh, may I remind you that thanks to that poor maligned corporation, the Muppets still exist, and may yet live to entertain future generations. Just thought I'd mention that. And I'm an admirer of Jim Henson, not a detractor.

But anyway I was not defending the corporation. I was defending Walt. Two entirely different things. As for the corporation, overall I hated the Eisner era. I'm glad he's gone, and I'm hoping that Disney will stop just being a "corporation" and start being a house of ideas again.

At any rate I've deleted my message. It read like an attack on the guy I was replying to, and was therefore unhelpful.

The Muppets died 2-19-05 trust me there will never be another muppet venture with the original muppets

[DarthGonzo]

The Muppets died 2-19-05 trust me there will never be another muppet venture with the original muppets

Moto, where did you come from anyway? :p You popped up here less than a week ago and your all over these boards like a cheap suit. ;)

I agree there doesnt seem to be much hope left for the Muppets, though it seems a lot of classic properties are going down the same route. Seems like the classic Looney Tunes has finally dissappeared from TV for good this time if even Boomerang doesnt show it. In fact, Boomerang would rather show the 1975 H/B and Filmation Tom and Jerry cartoons than show LT, which is pretty sad.

[Moto Pete]

Moto, where did you come from anyway? :p You popped up here less than a week ago and your all over these boards like a cheap suit. ;)

I agree there doesnt seem to be much hope left for the Muppets, though it seems a lot of classic properties are going down the same route. Seems like the classic Looney Tunes has finally dissappeared from TV for good this time if even Boomerang doesnt show it. In fact, Boomerang would rather show the 1975 H/B and Filmation Tom and Jerry cartoons than show LT, which is pretty sad.


hahahahhahhahaaa i was on two other boards b4 Nohomers.com & Muppetcentral but find this to be a more diverse and engaging board. I would have never found it if it wasn't for "Saved by the Bell" on [adultswim].

yeah all the Muppet projects are killed by Robert Iger CEO of Disney. it's ashame about Looney Toons ( the Dvd's and movie were flops)

[Dudley]

THat was hilarious!

btw he said he wouldn't sell.

[Mad Mod 49]

It's when Walt himself gets attacked for flaws he didn't possess that I get ticked off. Corporate Disney can get mocked out the wazoo, in fact I do it myself. But I've had the privilege of meeting people who actually worked with Walt, and what do you know, he was actually a good guy. He had enormous integrity and didn't give a darn about money unless it would help him make a better film or fund a new project like Disneyland. He did care a lot about people. Sorry for my oversensitivity on this subject AND for the rant. :o

I actually agree. Why the heck is Walt attacked for being racist? That "uncut Song of the South" thing was really unneccessary.

[TheMecca]

People on the East Coast: THEY ARE AIRING IT RIGHT NOW IF YOU TURN ON NBC YOU CAN CATCH IT THIS IS SOME BRILLIANT COMEDY WATCH IT.