Actually have time to watch TV, but sick of low-quality
programming? Take heart friends, because Comedy Central is here for
you.
- Janna Hutz
- Who wants a moustache ride? (Courtesy of Comedy Central)
We all love “Insomniac,” with its glorious, drunken debauchery.
“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” is another staple; its biting and
hilarious political commentary is essential in times like these.
Hell, the channel even runs good flicks on occasion, like “High
Fidelity” and “Best in Show.”
But, not one to rest on its laurels, Comedy Central has
introduced three new shows for your viewing pleasure. On Tuesdays
at 10 p.m. airs “I’m with Busey,” the channel’s bid for “The
Osbournes”‘ reality TV crown. “Reno 911!,” a “Cops”-like show
that’s completely fake (for a change), airs Wednesdays at 10:30
p.m. Last (and certainly least) is “The New Man Show,” which airs
Sundays at 10 p.m.
Let’s get “The New Man Show” out of the way first, because it
sucks. To be fair, the show gets a laugh here and there, but new
hosts Doug Stanhope and Joe Rogan are sorry replacements for Adam
Corolla and Jimmy Kimmel. The latter pair clearly weren’t as dumb
as they acted during stunts like their hilarious campaign to end
women’s suffrage.
Rogan and Stanhope are exactly as moronic as they appear, but
even they realize that they’re nowhere near as funny as the
original hosts. To compensate, the entire show is over the top and
consequently embarrassing. Ads call the new hosts “lucky stiffs.”
Lucky indeed! They’ll have their own show for all of six weeks.
Fortunately, of Comedy Central’s new programs, “The New Man
Show” is the only misfire. “Reno 911!,” on the other hand, is a
breath of fresh air. Reality TV it’s not, but its faux-documentary
style, “Real World”-like confessionals and improvised feel might
just appeal to reality lovers and haters alike. The show has plenty
of subtle humor as well as some laugh-out-loud moments. “Reno 911!”
is a winner, but whether or not it’ll be successful remains in
question.
“I’m with Busey,” however, can already call itself a hit. Actor
Gary Busey is quite insane; we’re talking Nick Nolte-esque
dementia. Young comedy writer and lifelong Busey fan Adam de la
Pena thought it’d be a good idea to accompany him on his wacky
adventures and have them filmed. They’re a perfect pair, since
Busey is idealistic and willing to do anything for whatever cause
is on his mind, while de la Pena is cynical as hell and just wants
to go home.
Busey nearly fights a stranger, eats road kill and tries to
“butt plug” some cows all in a single episode. For a moment one
wonders how nuts Busey really is and how much of this is acting.
Stop wondering and watch; the show is damn funny.
Clearly, Comedy Central would do well to create new shows rather
than rehash old ones. As Meatloaf once said, “Two out of three
ain’t bad. Just don’t watch ‘The New Man Show.'”