Transmissions From the Ghost Planet
June 23, 2014 7:54 AM Subscribe
GABBA GABBA HEY
posted by Spatch at 8:03 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Spatch at 8:03 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
I think the author underrates The Brak Show at the end. Its impact on my psyche was far more profound than that of SG:CC.
I was conversing with my cat a few years ago and a friend asked if I realized I was doing the Brak voice. I thought holy shit I totally am, which makes sense, as my cat is pretty much the Zorak of our relationship.
posted by echocollate at 8:20 AM on June 23, 2014 [20 favorites]
I was conversing with my cat a few years ago and a friend asked if I realized I was doing the Brak voice. I thought holy shit I totally am, which makes sense, as my cat is pretty much the Zorak of our relationship.
posted by echocollate at 8:20 AM on June 23, 2014 [20 favorites]
An oral history of Brak: "One minute I was a happy space pirate, looting and pillaging, and then, poof! I'm as dumb as a doornail!" (WARNING: audio file)
posted by kewb at 8:22 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by kewb at 8:22 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
Man, I loved this show. The episode where Macho Man Randy Savage plays Tad Ghostal's grandfather is what I show people when they want to know how my sense of humor got the way it is.
posted by $0up at 8:22 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by $0up at 8:22 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
"He's making a mockery of the product. You're making a mockery of the product!"
posted by murphy slaw at 8:26 AM on June 23, 2014 [8 favorites]
posted by murphy slaw at 8:26 AM on June 23, 2014 [8 favorites]
The Macho Man grandpa episode is one of the highlights of Human Civilization.
"Sounds like Randy Savage."
"Well, it's not, Zorak. It's my grandad."
"I met your father once in a steel cage match. I wish you coulda seen your old man weepin' like a woman after my patented piledriver. Yeah, yer dad remembers me. Ohhhh yeah."
Piledriver!
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 8:35 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
"Sounds like Randy Savage."
"Well, it's not, Zorak. It's my grandad."
"I met your father once in a steel cage match. I wish you coulda seen your old man weepin' like a woman after my patented piledriver. Yeah, yer dad remembers me. Ohhhh yeah."
Piledriver!
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 8:35 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
Space Ghost and Dino Boy premiered on CBS in 1966 and lasted a meager 20 episodes. The title character was a white-clad intergalactic policeman created by legendary cartoonist Alex Toth while working for the company. Toth hated the design, complaining about the character's "amoeba-like" cape and clunky wristbands. "I don't know what all the shouting's about. I always thought it was mediocre," he said.
And I'm pretty sure I watched every episode as they originally aired. I would've been seven and thus precisely the right age for a barely one-dimensional character who flew around through space and fought bad guys, shouting his name a lot as he did ... in a deep voice, of course. What wasn't to love?
The fact that he's inexplicably still around, specifically because he was pretty much a failure in the first place -- well that's clearly just how the universe works.
posted by philip-random at 8:43 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
And I'm pretty sure I watched every episode as they originally aired. I would've been seven and thus precisely the right age for a barely one-dimensional character who flew around through space and fought bad guys, shouting his name a lot as he did ... in a deep voice, of course. What wasn't to love?
The fact that he's inexplicably still around, specifically because he was pretty much a failure in the first place -- well that's clearly just how the universe works.
posted by philip-random at 8:43 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
So many great episodes and so many quotes, but a personal fave was when Zorak fixated on Jack Klugman:
"Be a Man! Be a KLUG Man!"
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 8:47 AM on June 23, 2014 [7 favorites]
"Be a Man! Be a KLUG Man!"
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 8:47 AM on June 23, 2014 [7 favorites]
I was going to inquire if the article mentioned the result of the eBay auction at the end of episode with the replicating pods, but the internet has already answered that question:
posted by filthy light thief at 8:47 AM on June 23, 2014
The eBay auction featured in the original ending of this episode ended at $7000 on December 7,1999.And now I can rest easy, knowing that there isn't an unaired episode sitting on some rich fool's shelf, unseen by the public at large.
The auction itself was just a hoax,the episode had two alternate endings that viewers could vote on at ebay, the first featured the pods tranforming into SG and the crew along with the episode title appearing at the end credits.
The second alternate ending is the ending with the floating numbers spelling "The End". Was chosen.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:47 AM on June 23, 2014
And Then There Was the Time Batman Teamed Up with Space Ghost.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 8:49 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 8:49 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
Hoona Igna Chowa Neha!
posted by K'an at 8:50 AM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by K'an at 8:50 AM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
Bob's here.
posted by like_a_friend at 8:53 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by like_a_friend at 8:53 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Space Ghost C2C can take credit for introducing a new generation to Sonny Sharrock.
posted by dr_dank at 8:56 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by dr_dank at 8:56 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Lombaak ecree oplom ah-plee ozona aa'aa!
Ice-T, you will hook Zorak up with some fly honeys!
I loved that show.
posted by Foosnark at 9:02 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Ice-T, you will hook Zorak up with some fly honeys!
I loved that show.
posted by Foosnark at 9:02 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Has anyone else read the weirdly grimdark Space Ghost comic miniseries by Jim Kelly? I admit that I liked the take on "the Zorak" as a hive-mind entity, but I have to wonder who asked for this in the first place.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:04 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:04 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
So many great episodes and so many quotes, but a personal fave was when Zorak fixated on Jack Klugman:
"Be a Man! Be a KLUG Man!"
Between Space Ghost, Sealab and Archer quotes my husband and I have inadvertently given my 6 year old daughter a collection of awesome sayings appropriate for anything.
Chopping Veggies for dinner - "I'm a knife. Knifin' around. Cut cut cut cut cut cut cut"
Right now she thinks all of this comes from her brilliant parents. When she finally sees all of the source material her mind will be blown. Or she will be bitterly disappointed.
posted by Lapin at 9:04 AM on June 23, 2014 [19 favorites]
"Be a Man! Be a KLUG Man!"
Between Space Ghost, Sealab and Archer quotes my husband and I have inadvertently given my 6 year old daughter a collection of awesome sayings appropriate for anything.
Chopping Veggies for dinner - "I'm a knife. Knifin' around. Cut cut cut cut cut cut cut"
Right now she thinks all of this comes from her brilliant parents. When she finally sees all of the source material her mind will be blown. Or she will be bitterly disappointed.
posted by Lapin at 9:04 AM on June 23, 2014 [19 favorites]
Boo Boo Kitty is one of our affectionate nicknames for our son. Which allows us to periodically yell NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BOO BOO KITTY and then helplessly dissolve into giggles.
posted by synapse at 9:05 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by synapse at 9:05 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
a barely one-dimensional character who flew around through space and fought bad guys, shouting his name a lot as he did ... in a deep voice, of course. What wasn't to love
And the owner of that voice . . . was Gary Owens, who also voiced Roger Ramjet and was the announcer on Laugh-In and did a hundred other things both silly and serious.
Space Ghost C2C can take credit for introducing a new generation to Sonny Sharrock.
I would guess Sharrock's work on SGC2C brought him more public awarenes than everything else he ever did combined, tho it's an awareness about a molecule deep for the most part. Here's another side of Sharrock: Who Does She Hope to Be?
Banjo! *sob* Banjo! BANJO!!
IN MEMORY OF
BANJO
11:00 pm - 11:15 pm
posted by Herodios at 9:10 AM on June 23, 2014 [15 favorites]
And the owner of that voice . . . was Gary Owens, who also voiced Roger Ramjet and was the announcer on Laugh-In and did a hundred other things both silly and serious.
Space Ghost C2C can take credit for introducing a new generation to Sonny Sharrock.
I would guess Sharrock's work on SGC2C brought him more public awarenes than everything else he ever did combined, tho it's an awareness about a molecule deep for the most part. Here's another side of Sharrock: Who Does She Hope to Be?
Banjo! *sob* Banjo! BANJO!!
BANJO
11:00 pm - 11:15 pm
posted by Herodios at 9:10 AM on June 23, 2014 [15 favorites]
philip-random: "well that's clearly just how the universe works"
I watched them when they repackaged them in the early 80's ('81 according to Wiki) and I was about 7 as well. And I must admit I loved him then. 7 is obviously the golden age of goofy Hanna Barbera cartoons. My favourite episode? The one where he encounters the space foreign legion with goofy French accents on a some kind of north Africa desert planet.
I watch them now with my son, who is five, to say that he loves them is an understatement. And that Brave & the Bold episode linked above by 1970s Antihero blew his mind. I've tried to get him to love Jonny Quest but he loves Space Ghost. And inexplicably the Mighty Mightor which was just stupid. When he's a bit older I'm going to lay Thundarr on him.
SG C2C - was a huge favourite for me when I discovered it during its initial run. Chambraigne blew my head wide open. And I can attest to becoming a huge Sonny Sharrock after watching the show.
posted by Ashwagandha at 9:14 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I watched them when they repackaged them in the early 80's ('81 according to Wiki) and I was about 7 as well. And I must admit I loved him then. 7 is obviously the golden age of goofy Hanna Barbera cartoons. My favourite episode? The one where he encounters the space foreign legion with goofy French accents on a some kind of north Africa desert planet.
I watch them now with my son, who is five, to say that he loves them is an understatement. And that Brave & the Bold episode linked above by 1970s Antihero blew his mind. I've tried to get him to love Jonny Quest but he loves Space Ghost. And inexplicably the Mighty Mightor which was just stupid. When he's a bit older I'm going to lay Thundarr on him.
SG C2C - was a huge favourite for me when I discovered it during its initial run. Chambraigne blew my head wide open. And I can attest to becoming a huge Sonny Sharrock after watching the show.
posted by Ashwagandha at 9:14 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
That period when Coast to Coast and Cartoon Planet coincided with a time when I was probably the most depressed I've ever been. If it hadn't been for those shows I might have gone into a real tailspin. ANDY MERRILL SAVED MY LIFE
Also "I want a pet I can love. But I don't wanna take care of it!" is something th' wife and I both will shout randomly when we're feeling unreasonable.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:19 AM on June 23, 2014 [5 favorites]
Also "I want a pet I can love. But I don't wanna take care of it!" is something th' wife and I both will shout randomly when we're feeling unreasonable.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:19 AM on June 23, 2014 [5 favorites]
The episode "Table Read" always confused me. I would have laid money that the show wasn't scripted before the interviews and that they wrote around the footage of the celebrities, yet "Table Read" suggests a rigorously scripted show (or perhaps "Table Read" was making fun of scripted shows and behind-the-scenes footage of table reads).
And on down the rabbit hole we go...
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 9:23 AM on June 23, 2014
And on down the rabbit hole we go...
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 9:23 AM on June 23, 2014
Holy hell, the later DVDs are either insanely expensive or completely unavailable according to Amazon. And Netflix only has the first three volumes, which predates the really crazy stuff like Chambrain. Is Coast to Coast streaming anywhere?
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:26 AM on June 23, 2014
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:26 AM on June 23, 2014
Holy hell, the later DVDs are either insanely expensive or completely unavailable according to Amazon.
YOU'RE BRINGIN' ME DOWN, MAN!
posted by branduno at 9:37 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
YOU'RE BRINGIN' ME DOWN, MAN!
posted by branduno at 9:37 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
Aha, looks like iTunes has 'em, though that's of limited utility to Apple TV-less me.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:40 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:40 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Any time I get the chance to name a character in a game, it's Brak, because HI MY NAME IS BRAK!!
And more talk shows should ask "What are your super powers?" or "Are you getting enough oxygen?" as those are much better questions than, "Tell me about your movie."
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:45 AM on June 23, 2014 [7 favorites]
And more talk shows should ask "What are your super powers?" or "Are you getting enough oxygen?" as those are much better questions than, "Tell me about your movie."
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:45 AM on June 23, 2014 [7 favorites]
"Bob, everyone knows Green Bay is not in December. You obviously don’t shampoo!"
I'm pretty sure Chambraigne is one of the best things ever shown on TV.
Also: All hail Lokar, Potentate of Locusts, and Charles Nelson Reilly of The Future.
posted by the matching mole at 9:52 AM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
I'm pretty sure Chambraigne is one of the best things ever shown on TV.
Also: All hail Lokar, Potentate of Locusts, and Charles Nelson Reilly of The Future.
posted by the matching mole at 9:52 AM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
Aha, looks like iTunes has 'em, though that's of limited utility to Apple TV-less me.
Ok, that's not perfect, but at least that's something. I was being flippant, but the idea of the later seasons not even theoretically being available anywhere was, legitimately, bringing me down.
posted by branduno at 9:56 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Ok, that's not perfect, but at least that's something. I was being flippant, but the idea of the later seasons not even theoretically being available anywhere was, legitimately, bringing me down.
posted by branduno at 9:56 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
murphy slaw: “"He's making a mockery of the product. You're making a mockery of the product!"”
the matching mole: “I'm pretty sure Chambraigne is one of the best things ever shown on TV.”Carl Brain also appeared on Aqua Teen Hunger Force, which made my little Space Ghost loving heart beat with joy.
posted by ob1quixote at 10:08 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
"the idea of the later seasons not even theoretically being available anywhere was [...] bringing me down."
FWIW there are torrents.
posted by BeerFilter at 10:14 AM on June 23, 2014
FWIW there are torrents.
posted by BeerFilter at 10:14 AM on June 23, 2014
Oh, god, I love SGC2C, and I swear they really, really, really need to make more shows like this. Yes, it is silly, yes, they use a lot of [pause] gags, and the almost constant nonsequiter state of the whole show is absolutely amazing.
Also, Don't Touch ME.
posted by daq at 10:18 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
Also, Don't Touch ME.
posted by daq at 10:18 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
Oh man… that's what I get for not reading the whole article before commenting. ATHF originated on Space Ghost? With prototype versions of Ignignokt and Err's voices? Mind. Blown.
posted by ob1quixote at 10:33 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ob1quixote at 10:33 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Toth hated the design, complaining about the character's "amoeba-like" cape and clunky wristbands. "I don't know what all the shouting's about. I always thought it was mediocre," he said.
But the part where his superhero-emblem is a silhouette of his own head? Genius.
posted by straight at 10:45 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
But the part where his superhero-emblem is a silhouette of his own head? Genius.
posted by straight at 10:45 AM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
The show's influence has been staggering -- Adult Swim . . . grew out of Williams Street's experiments. Aqua Teen Hunger Force . . . Sealab 2021 used the same repurposing technique . . . The Brak Show . . .
Interesting, no mention of Harvey Bi-i-i-i-i-i-i-rdMAN!! Which I’d consider the bridge between SGCTC and [adult swim].
= = =
One thing that always interested me was seeing which guests figured out how to function in this fun-house and which just came off as lost -- or worse.
Among the losers were such hip-n-happening cats as Slash and David Byrne.
Among the winners were such squares as Donny Osmond and Carol Channing.
My hypothesis is that the people who come off well* as guests on SGCTC despite lacking any hipness credentials are the ‘troupers’; people who are part of SHOWBIZ®, Inc. They always turn their good side to the camera with the red light, figure out what the gag is, always support the 'scene'.
Rock musicians -- however skilled as musicians -- are part of ROCKBIZ™, which is selling something different. They are usually showbiz amateurs unless they work at it, and understanding showbiz is totally optional in rock.
I don’t know much about Pro wrestling, but Hulk Hogan didn’t do so well either.
As to Adam West . . . what possible damage could Adam West do to Adam West by 1994?
I think my favourite guest was Merril Markoe, who, like Number Six did, turned the tables on her host and interrorgated him:"If you're a ghost aren't you dead?" "Whose ghost are you?" "What was your name when you were alive?" "If you were on teevy in the sixties aren't you, like fifty years old now?"
Subverting the subversive, top that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* I do realize that there was a lot of editing, but I don't think anyone came off lame enough to have been victims of revenge editing. I think the lamers were just lame.
posted by Herodios at 10:48 AM on June 23, 2014 [10 favorites]
Interesting, no mention of Harvey Bi-i-i-i-i-i-i-rdMAN!! Which I’d consider the bridge between SGCTC and [adult swim].
One thing that always interested me was seeing which guests figured out how to function in this fun-house and which just came off as lost -- or worse.
Among the losers were such hip-n-happening cats as Slash and David Byrne.
Among the winners were such squares as Donny Osmond and Carol Channing.
My hypothesis is that the people who come off well* as guests on SGCTC despite lacking any hipness credentials are the ‘troupers’; people who are part of SHOWBIZ®, Inc. They always turn their good side to the camera with the red light, figure out what the gag is, always support the 'scene'.
Rock musicians -- however skilled as musicians -- are part of ROCKBIZ™, which is selling something different. They are usually showbiz amateurs unless they work at it, and understanding showbiz is totally optional in rock.
I don’t know much about Pro wrestling, but Hulk Hogan didn’t do so well either.
As to Adam West . . . what possible damage could Adam West do to Adam West by 1994?
I think my favourite guest was Merril Markoe, who, like Number Six did, turned the tables on her host and interrorgated him:"If you're a ghost aren't you dead?" "Whose ghost are you?" "What was your name when you were alive?" "If you were on teevy in the sixties aren't you, like fifty years old now?"
Subverting the subversive, top that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* I do realize that there was a lot of editing, but I don't think anyone came off lame enough to have been victims of revenge editing. I think the lamers were just lame.
posted by Herodios at 10:48 AM on June 23, 2014 [10 favorites]
Another reason to hate AOL.
Fuck you, AOL. You killed Space Ghost!
posted by gern at 11:17 AM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
Fuck you, AOL. You killed Space Ghost!
posted by gern at 11:17 AM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit: "And more talk shows should ask "What are your super powers?" or "Are you getting enough oxygen?""
To this day on long car rides, my standard way of asking if everyone is comfortable with the current AC/heater setting is "Are you getting enough oxygen back there?"
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:18 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
To this day on long car rides, my standard way of asking if everyone is comfortable with the current AC/heater setting is "Are you getting enough oxygen back there?"
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:18 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
So many of the things I like were ultimately killed by clueless corporate decision-making. It happened to Mystery Science Theater twice.
Space Ghost Coast To Coast is terrific, yes, but I actually think Cartoon Planet was better. Is the Cartoon Network revival as bumpers between classic CN cartoons on Saturdays still going?
posted by JHarris at 11:21 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Space Ghost Coast To Coast is terrific, yes, but I actually think Cartoon Planet was better. Is the Cartoon Network revival as bumpers between classic CN cartoons on Saturdays still going?
posted by JHarris at 11:21 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
There are a bunch of SGC2C clips up at the Adult Swim website. There's also an Adult Swim livestream from 8PM-6AM, but I have no idea if it includes Space Ghost or if it's locked to specific regions or ISPs.
Count me as another person whose sense of humor was pretty strongly influenced by SGC2C and its Adult Swim contemporaries. I still think that episode that pretty much consisted entirely of Space Ghost crawling after a fire ant while muttering to himself was hilarious. Not sure what that says about me.
posted by yasaman at 11:39 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Count me as another person whose sense of humor was pretty strongly influenced by SGC2C and its Adult Swim contemporaries. I still think that episode that pretty much consisted entirely of Space Ghost crawling after a fire ant while muttering to himself was hilarious. Not sure what that says about me.
posted by yasaman at 11:39 AM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I will devour each and every one of you, that is the truth! Do you know the muffin man?
posted by like_a_friend at 11:43 AM on June 23, 2014
posted by like_a_friend at 11:43 AM on June 23, 2014
My username is from my favorite episode(s) "Brilliant Number One" and "Brilliant Number Two" with Peter Fonda and Buzz Aldrin.
Also, "Things get easier as your brain dies, Bob."
posted by vibrotronica at 11:50 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
Also, "Things get easier as your brain dies, Bob."
posted by vibrotronica at 11:50 AM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
This thread contains more DailyMotion links than I expected.
posted by tapesonthefloor at 12:03 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by tapesonthefloor at 12:03 PM on June 23, 2014
My username is from my favorite episode(s) "Brilliant Number One" and "Brilliant Number Two" with Peter Fonda and Buzz Aldrin.
SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! SEE VIBROTRONICA SET FIRE TO THE STANDS AND BURN A HOOOOLE OF EFFIGY THROUGH THE WALLS!
Good God, I loved this show. My brother and I will still quote an absurd amount of lines from it to each other. "Brilliant Number(s) One/Two" were just incredible episodes. The crack near the beginning when the horrible hum starts still sends a weird shiver down my spine.
posted by kilozerocharliealphawhiskey at 12:07 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! SEE VIBROTRONICA SET FIRE TO THE STANDS AND BURN A HOOOOLE OF EFFIGY THROUGH THE WALLS!
Good God, I loved this show. My brother and I will still quote an absurd amount of lines from it to each other. "Brilliant Number(s) One/Two" were just incredible episodes. The crack near the beginning when the horrible hum starts still sends a weird shiver down my spine.
posted by kilozerocharliealphawhiskey at 12:07 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
So interesting and so perceptive that I think we will now fight with knives!
posted by graymouser at 12:23 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by graymouser at 12:23 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Fuck you, AOL. You killed Space Ghost!
So many of the things I like were ultimately killed by clueless corporate decision-making. It happened to Mystery Science Theater twice.
Unfortunately choice quality stuff is not at all the norm; but every once in a while clueless corporate decision-making does accidently allow something good and fun and creative to escape for a while . . .
So many of the things I like were ultimately killed by clueless corporate decision-making. It happened to Mystery Science Theater twice.
Unfortunately choice quality stuff is not at all the norm; but every once in a while clueless corporate decision-making does accidently allow something good and fun and creative to escape for a while . . .
And you should be diggin' it while it's happeningposted by Herodios at 12:39 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yes! you should be diggin' it while it's happening, cuz
It Just Might Be A
One
Shot
Deal!
Then there was the time Space Ghost mistook Pavement for the Beatles
posted by cottoncandybeard at 12:54 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by cottoncandybeard at 12:54 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
the almost constant nonsequiter state of the whole show is absolutely amazing.
And so, so, so, so, so much funnier than Family Guy and it's non sequiturs, IMO.
Also: Space Ghost C2C is one of the greatest shows of all time to watch high.
I know it goes without saying...but I still feel compelled to say it.
posted by Fists O'Fury at 1:26 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
And so, so, so, so, so much funnier than Family Guy and it's non sequiturs, IMO.
Also: Space Ghost C2C is one of the greatest shows of all time to watch high.
I know it goes without saying...but I still feel compelled to say it.
posted by Fists O'Fury at 1:26 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
WHY DO WE ALWAYS HURT THE ONES WE LOVE?
WHY, TURNER, WHY?
TURRRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I miss you, Space Ghost.)
posted by Katemonkey at 1:46 PM on June 23, 2014
WHY, TURNER, WHY?
TURRRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I miss you, Space Ghost.)
posted by Katemonkey at 1:46 PM on June 23, 2014
I'm cursing Google right now because I can't find any video documentation to back me up, but for a few years in the mid-2000s the local TV and radio ads for the Ohio Renaissance Festival were VOed by George Lowe, the voice of Space Ghost on C2C. Since the ads usually came on during late night programming (between reruns of Star Trek TNG and Highlander: The Series) it always felt somewhat surreal, as though the Williams Street gang was beginning to infiltrate other channels' programming.
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:49 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:49 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Space Ghost Coast to Coast was brilliant Dadaist anti-humor. The original "Fire Ant" where Space Ghost spends 10 minutes following an ant as the setup for a joke is that bizarre phenomenon where a scene goes from funny to boring to funny and just becomes mind-warping after a while. Absolutely brilliant.
posted by graymouser at 1:53 PM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by graymouser at 1:53 PM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
Dr. Fishopolis, you need a shave!
posted by anazgnos at 2:03 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by anazgnos at 2:03 PM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I sent this link to my husband - he loves Space Ghost and the Brak show. Frequently quoted around our house: "Can I have a banana? Eep eep!"
posted by Squeak Attack at 3:44 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Squeak Attack at 3:44 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I remember trying to describe, early on, this show I had just seen on the cartoon network with Space Ghost. It was an early episode where Space Ghost wanted Zorak to get psychiatric help so he brought in several self-help experts like Dr. Joyce Brothers and the like.
You try explaining to someone, breathlessly and enthusiastically, about having just seen a space mantis tell a sex advice columnist that deep down he is a "lonely... drummer from Pearl Jam" while Space Ghost, in order to prove he can speak French, screams Frere Jacques at the top of his lungs until the episode blackout. See what their reaction is.
Loved both Space Ghost and Cartoon Planet. Merrill, Croker and Lowe were a comedy triumvirate the likes of which have proven hard to beat. There's an episode kicking around, I think it's from around 2000, which was a live-action table read. Watching the entire writing and voice team play and riff off each other (and learning how to do Zorak's laugh) is fascinating. They were having a blast. Some days I kinda wish I'd lived closer to Williams St.
posted by Spatch at 3:59 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
You try explaining to someone, breathlessly and enthusiastically, about having just seen a space mantis tell a sex advice columnist that deep down he is a "lonely... drummer from Pearl Jam" while Space Ghost, in order to prove he can speak French, screams Frere Jacques at the top of his lungs until the episode blackout. See what their reaction is.
Loved both Space Ghost and Cartoon Planet. Merrill, Croker and Lowe were a comedy triumvirate the likes of which have proven hard to beat. There's an episode kicking around, I think it's from around 2000, which was a live-action table read. Watching the entire writing and voice team play and riff off each other (and learning how to do Zorak's laugh) is fascinating. They were having a blast. Some days I kinda wish I'd lived closer to Williams St.
posted by Spatch at 3:59 PM on June 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
To this day I have to remind myself not to pronounce Bob Odenkirk's name as Ba Bodenkirk.
posted by jason_steakums at 4:41 PM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by jason_steakums at 4:41 PM on June 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
Also: Space Ghost C2C is one of the greatest shows of all time to watch high.
"Is that where I got all these ideas? 'Cause they're brilliant! Hey! Break all the pipes in the sub for more good ideas!"
posted by jason_steakums at 4:49 PM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
"Is that where I got all these ideas? 'Cause they're brilliant! Hey! Break all the pipes in the sub for more good ideas!"
posted by jason_steakums at 4:49 PM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
Ants are so stupid.
posted by unknowncommand at 5:21 PM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by unknowncommand at 5:21 PM on June 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
Dr. Fishopolis, you need a shave!
Just to bring a couple themes together: I had the e-mail address drfishopolis@aol.com for a while.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 5:27 PM on June 23, 2014
Just to bring a couple themes together: I had the e-mail address drfishopolis@aol.com for a while.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 5:27 PM on June 23, 2014
"Then who do you think the universe knows I AM, Dennis?"
God, it's been too damn long.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 5:32 PM on June 23, 2014
God, it's been too damn long.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 5:32 PM on June 23, 2014
Because we'd be at the beach!
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 6:57 PM on June 23, 2014
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 6:57 PM on June 23, 2014
SGC2C FanFare rewatch, anybody? I've already busted out the DVDs!
posted by jason_steakums at 7:21 PM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by jason_steakums at 7:21 PM on June 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
Frequently quoted around our house: "Can I have a banana? Eep eep!"
I GOT AN 'F'!
Fun fact #1: Reader, let me tell you something. When Space Ghost Coast To Coast hit it big the web was in its infancy. And the guys who made it actually made a Geocities-style home page for every one of their main characters, Space Ghost, Zorak, Moltar, Brak, and even the second-stringers like Black Widow and Tansit, and updated them once in a while. Unfortunately, all those pages are now dead and not archived anywhere to my knowledge. Sad, sad, sad.
Fun fact #2: The voice of Tansit, who was also the back-from-commercial-break guy for (the AWESOME, EVEN BETTER THAN SGC2C) Cartoon Planet, was Don Kennedy. The man has the kindest, happiest voice. He also hosts the public radio program Big Band Jump. He's still alive and kicking at the age of 94! Rock on, Don Kennedy!
Fun fact #3: Shortly before the introduction of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network produced, as a trial run, two episodes of Brak Presents The Brak Show Starring Brak, a joyously silly combination of live action guests, intensely addicting songs, Space Ghost characters and other classic Hanna-Barbera characters like Wally Gator and the Great Grape Ape. They even made a compilation CD of music from the show. Which I physically own, with my own owny things!
Fun fact #4: Before it returned, and before Tom, Toonami was hosted by a CG Moltar. Word is that floating around, somewhere, there is a torrent site out there with a VHS recording of the entire first day broadcast of Toonami, Moltar bumpers and all....
posted by JHarris at 7:22 PM on June 23, 2014 [7 favorites]
I GOT AN 'F'!
Fun fact #1: Reader, let me tell you something. When Space Ghost Coast To Coast hit it big the web was in its infancy. And the guys who made it actually made a Geocities-style home page for every one of their main characters, Space Ghost, Zorak, Moltar, Brak, and even the second-stringers like Black Widow and Tansit, and updated them once in a while. Unfortunately, all those pages are now dead and not archived anywhere to my knowledge. Sad, sad, sad.
Fun fact #2: The voice of Tansit, who was also the back-from-commercial-break guy for (the AWESOME, EVEN BETTER THAN SGC2C) Cartoon Planet, was Don Kennedy. The man has the kindest, happiest voice. He also hosts the public radio program Big Band Jump. He's still alive and kicking at the age of 94! Rock on, Don Kennedy!
Fun fact #3: Shortly before the introduction of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network produced, as a trial run, two episodes of Brak Presents The Brak Show Starring Brak, a joyously silly combination of live action guests, intensely addicting songs, Space Ghost characters and other classic Hanna-Barbera characters like Wally Gator and the Great Grape Ape. They even made a compilation CD of music from the show. Which I physically own, with my own owny things!
Fun fact #4: Before it returned, and before Tom, Toonami was hosted by a CG Moltar. Word is that floating around, somewhere, there is a torrent site out there with a VHS recording of the entire first day broadcast of Toonami, Moltar bumpers and all....
posted by JHarris at 7:22 PM on June 23, 2014 [7 favorites]
You know, I'm still a bit disappointed that no one turned Brak For President into "Barack For President".
A vote for Brak is a vote for beans every day. Good jazzy good gobbity beans doo-de-de-doo!
posted by Katemonkey at 1:04 AM on June 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
A vote for Brak is a vote for beans every day. Good jazzy good gobbity beans doo-de-de-doo!
posted by Katemonkey at 1:04 AM on June 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's mating season on my home planet.
posted by Cocodrillo at 4:01 AM on June 24, 2014
posted by Cocodrillo at 4:01 AM on June 24, 2014
Your son is a moron!
posted by mubba at 7:42 AM on June 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by mubba at 7:42 AM on June 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Do you even know what gum is?
....no....
.....but I want some.
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 3:46 PM on June 24, 2014
....no....
.....but I want some.
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 3:46 PM on June 24, 2014
Unlike Family Guy (which I do appreciate), the constant barrage of non-sequiturs on SGCTC somehow always made sense for the characters.
And I really hope that FanFare rewatch happens, but if so I hope everyone is OK with the threads being little more than people spouting quotes and sniggering at each other.
"Here's what we do — we order one of those mind-erasing kits..."
"Moltar, come take this speaker off my head! It was obviously a bad idea that YOU had!"
"Well, The Mind Taker, it seems you have me tied up!"
"Do you like salmon, or trout?"
posted by mubba at 7:35 PM on June 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
And I really hope that FanFare rewatch happens, but if so I hope everyone is OK with the threads being little more than people spouting quotes and sniggering at each other.
"Here's what we do — we order one of those mind-erasing kits..."
"Moltar, come take this speaker off my head! It was obviously a bad idea that YOU had!"
"Well, The Mind Taker, it seems you have me tied up!"
"Do you like salmon, or trout?"
posted by mubba at 7:35 PM on June 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Metafilter: She will be bitterly disappointed.
posted by Billiken at 10:31 AM on June 25, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Billiken at 10:31 AM on June 25, 2014 [2 favorites]
I managed to find one set of Council of Doom pages, from the Cartoon Network website back then, on the Wayback Machine. Here you go.
posted by JHarris at 11:18 PM on June 25, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 11:18 PM on June 25, 2014 [2 favorites]
This was back in the days of hand-coded HTML, so on a whim I loaded the page source for the CoD main page. A couple of things:
1. A meta tag reads:
<META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="cartoons, cartoon, cartoon network, scooby, scooby-doo, scoobydoo, flintstones, jetsons, tom and jerry, tomandjerry, tom&jerry, yogi bear, yogi, dexter, dexter's laboratory, cow and chicken, cowandchicken, cow & chicken, johnny bravo, toonami, robotech, sailormoon, sailor moon, ed, edd n eddy, powerpuff girls, hanna barbera, hanna barbera animation">
Ah, memories.
2. There's a comment on the page that reads:
<!-- Lisa, don't forget to change the rowspan below when you add one. -->
This was right before the list of Council of Doom pages. I suppose Lisa was the person who maintained those pages. I wonder who she was?
posted by JHarris at 7:29 PM on June 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
1. A meta tag reads:
<META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="cartoons, cartoon, cartoon network, scooby, scooby-doo, scoobydoo, flintstones, jetsons, tom and jerry, tomandjerry, tom&jerry, yogi bear, yogi, dexter, dexter's laboratory, cow and chicken, cowandchicken, cow & chicken, johnny bravo, toonami, robotech, sailormoon, sailor moon, ed, edd n eddy, powerpuff girls, hanna barbera, hanna barbera animation">
Ah, memories.
2. There's a comment on the page that reads:
<!-- Lisa, don't forget to change the rowspan below when you add one. -->
This was right before the list of Council of Doom pages. I suppose Lisa was the person who maintained those pages. I wonder who she was?
posted by JHarris at 7:29 PM on June 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
So I went out and bought the Brak Show DVDs after marathoning SGC2C, which have some Cartoon Planet segments in the extra features (and then I fell down a YouTube hole for the ones it didn't have), and let me tell you, "Mashed Potatoes" and "I Love You Baby" ("somebody left a caaaaake out in the raaaain/oh no!/I was gonna eat that cake but now it's all wet and I don't think I want any!") are still perfect all these years later. Absolutely perfect and I will love them until I'm ancient.
posted by jason_steakums at 7:22 PM on July 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by jason_steakums at 7:22 PM on July 2, 2014 [2 favorites]
The other day I started singing "Don't Touch Me" and my girlfriend joined in, so I said, "I had no idea you were into Space Ghost! Man, I miss that show." She had no idea what I was talking about, nor did she know who Brak was. Neither of us knows how she knows that song.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 9:14 AM on July 3, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 9:14 AM on July 3, 2014 [5 favorites]
More Cartoon Planet magic (unfortunately just the audio, and mistakenly attributed to the Brak Show):
Magic Toenail
Beef Log
posted by murphy slaw at 9:52 AM on July 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Magic Toenail
Beef Log
posted by murphy slaw at 9:52 AM on July 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Those two things are from the Brak Show. They're just from the real one, "Brak Presents The Brak Show Starring Brak," which was the wonderful and natural extension of Cartoon Planet but was too beautiful to live and only got two episodes, and not that watered-down Adult Swim thing.
posted by JHarris at 12:05 PM on July 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 12:05 PM on July 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
(They're also audio-only probably because they came from the album. The one that I own.)
posted by JHarris at 12:08 PM on July 4, 2014
posted by JHarris at 12:08 PM on July 4, 2014
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posted by xbonesgt at 7:59 AM on June 23, 2014 [1 favorite]