Flattire, or Whamsy

December 10, 2011 8:41 AM

In 2007, an Israeli cable station produced a show that parodied kid's educational tv with over-the-top racism, sexism, you-name-it-ism--kind of what South Park would be like if it were less restrained and tasteful. Toffee and the Gorilla was, apparently, unsuccessful and short-lived. YOUTUBE. NSFW. NSFHome either. Here's a non-youtube article about the show.

The show did eventually pop up on YOUTUBE, where, last April (in time for Easter) a bunch of American Christians found that The Crucifixion cut too close to the bone, though others think it nailed it. It still has low view numbers, though.

For more, Google the show's title, or the hebrew title, טופי והגורילה

(The spiky character who orders poop in the restaurant is a tree. I guess poop is what a tree would order)

posted by hexatron (13 comments total)

I can't tell if this stuff is incredible, or terrible.
posted by yeoz at 9:04 AM on December 10, 2011

I'm glad you made this into a post. I almost mentioned it in the Dr. Bronner chicken wing post because the Crucifixion clip was listed in the sidebar at YouTube for some bizarre reason.
posted by cropshy at 9:52 AM on December 10, 2011

though others think it nailed it

rim shot!
posted by xetere at 9:59 AM on December 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

Aww, they missed the crow of thorns when they crucified the stuffed monkey. I forgot the crown myself when I tape-crucified a stuffed toy sea turtle in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican (Squirt from finding Nemo).
posted by jeffburdges at 10:49 AM on December 10, 2011

It's like a more "adult" version of Wonder Showzen? (I think I prefer Wonder Showzen).
posted by symbioid at 10:58 AM on December 10, 2011

What's up w/the Toblerone? Is it something that's not Kosher?
posted by symbioid at 11:00 AM on December 10, 2011

Not really feeling this show, but what I do find hilarious is that even after the extensive quotes in the second link point out that this is clearly satire and criticism of modern Israeli attitudes, no one in the comments under the article seems to believe this. They're all too busy howling for the blood of Zionists.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:03 AM on December 10, 2011 [5 favorites]

OK, so it's basically Poe's Law?
posted by symbioid at 11:06 AM on December 10, 2011

"I'll immerse you in your blood, baby stupid!"
posted by kurumi at 2:45 PM on December 10, 2011

When trying to jump forward in these Hebrew language videos it felt like I should move the time marker to the left.
posted by benito.strauss at 3:04 PM on December 10, 2011 [7 favorites]

This reminds me of how great Wonder Showzen was.
posted by geoff. at 3:06 PM on December 10, 2011

I've met a fair number of Israelis actually. Funny none pointed out this show before.
posted by jeffburdges at 3:54 PM on December 10, 2011

The description says it was a cable TV show, and the production values do. not. look. high. Although perhaps the producers were. But it's funny how the commentators are determined to read this as an example of Israeli brutality and racism.

Anyway, here's the last two paragraphs of Google Translate's version of the Hebrew interview with the producer. It's partly gibberish, but you can make out the gist of it. It's a very low-budget theatre-sporty sort of satire on society.

"Toffee and the gorilla" is a parody of the national TV - sexist - racist, Radicalization of children's programs then and now. Therefore Bikinis. Toffee is the establishment and represents the party capital - army forward, and want to marry a ham hi - tech And live in Modi'in. Toffee is very sexual - Joshua's theory has a check on Puritan pornography, its main property is the first Britney Spears album. Toffee dresses like a doll, too. After all, the Channel 2 or 10 serve Dolls: In many ways, most people on TV are not hairy puppet.[...]

As a screenwriter, I took the players throw the script away and enjoy. Important for me to look like the team (including Htaorenim And makeup artist) having sex more than recite the words. It always seemed unfair People are saying out loud things I write.

posted by Joe in Australia at 5:07 PM on December 10, 2011