Review: 'Furreh Nuuz Teevee's criticism critiqued
I believe in America.
I got two things in the mail yesterday. One was a DVD of The Godfather, which opens with the above line spoken by an immigrant undertaker. The character continues with a monologue about what coming to America means to him, and what it has cost him. Unfortunately, as this fictional funeral worker discovered, occasionally America beats your beautiful daughter’s face in because she won’t put out.
Like this character, I believe in furry, and though vicious beatings accompanied by implied gang-rape is one of the few crimes furries have not been accused of (yet), I find it an apt metaphor for how furry can sometimes make you feel. Even when you still believe in it.
The other thing in the mail was a copy of one furry’s reaction to this feeling: Joe ”Eryshe Falafel” Meyer’s self-published comic Furreh Nuuz Teevee. I doubt it’ll replace The Godfather in the annals of artistic storytelling (or Netflix queues), but it was certainly funnier.
The Story, as it is
Furreh Nuuz Teevee features the character Twiggy. (Ed: This link is safe for work. Others may not be.)
Twiggy is a goofy looking Labrador retriever/bear hybrid. I learned this in the comic’s introduction. I thought he was just a fat dog, but the half-bear thing makes sense now. He’s an excitable character, drawn in a simple yet expressive way, and a very effective straight man most of the time, who still works when the joke is on him.
Twiggy has set himself up as a sort of reporter who interviews various obvious parodies of well-known furries, at least within the fandom. Twiggy’s got a catch phrase, too. You’ll figure out what it is if you read it yourself.
The Humor
The problem with reviewing humor of any sort is that it is so different from one person to the next. The best I can do is to say whether or not I thought it was funny, and I’ve got to say most of the jokes fall flat.
Partially, I’m just not involved in the fandom to get everything. Some of this stuff is pretty specific; I just don’t spend enough time on, ahem, furrehartzite.com. I’m sure the Holy Zeut jokes would be funnier if I knew what the heck was going on, but I don’t, so they didn’t work for me.
Some of Meyer’s jokes aren’t really jokes, as well. There’s a bit about Alan T. Panda I got, but the thing is, beating up the guy isn’t a joke in and of itself. I’m sure it was cathartic to draw, but it’s not a joke.
Finally, some jokes just don’t work, period. The Avatar strip is a case in point, and I’m biased towards it. I hate Avatar. It was a not very good movie, I wear glasses so I hate 3D, it beat my favorite movie of all time in the Ursa Majors, and I lost my hat at the theater. I liked that hat!
But the punchline to the strip is the big blue guy falls down. Not a good strip.
That said, I feel humor should be judged on its successes, not its failures. Though a few strips went by without much going on, a few also got real laughs out of me. Oftentimes, it was the details. A sign reading “Pictures of Dog Dongs $500” over a convention commission table is a sad statement, but a funny joke. A strip about censorship goes into real satire rather than just Internet satire territory with the one detail it leaves uncensored. Lastly, the Twiggy character is also genuinely funny by himself.
Conclusion
Furreh Nuuz Teevee makes some points, and definitely has its moments. It’s basically like any other decent comic strip, with that one panel that keeps you going for another hundred lame quips. Unlike stand-up comics, most artists don't have the luxury of polishing their material over time, so the duds can be forgiven.
In all honesty, I can’t recommend you buy the actual dead tree book, as I’m sure the entirety of the comic is available somewhere online (most can be found here), and the bonus commentaries and fan art aren’t exactly a big draw. But the strip is worth a try.
I guess the lesson for all parties involved is take the criticism in stride, and we’ll all be better for it tomorrow.
Confidential to Meyer: Next time, slip a twenty into the review copy and I’ll call it better than The Godfather. Netflix only gave me a ten for the mention, so screw them.
Furreh Nuuz TeeVee by Joe Meyer (Ka-Blam; 36 pages) is available for $9.99 at IndyPlanet.
About the author
crossaffliction (Brendan Kachel) — read stories — contact (login required)a reporter and Red Fox from Hooker, Oklahoma, interested in movies, horror, stand up comedy
Formerly Wichita's only furry comic.
Comments
Collections of editorial comics are always a hard sell. Part of what makes them funny – their immediacy and relevance to a specific audience – is counter to the timeless, universal humour that makes for popularity. Punch could be similarly obscure.
I think the author's commentary looks useful, but perhaps the best context is provided by comments to the original works on FA. That some of these, including the Hole Zeut one, were censored suggests to me that they were doing something right. Unless, of course, they were just being a jerk. (Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.)
As you mention, the character of Twiggy himself is the comic's greatest success – I can imagine what his response would be to this review. (His literal description as a 'straight man' is somewhat in question, especially given this and this - both NSFW.)
When Furreh Nuuz works, it works well. Some of the best jokes can even be enjoyed by the targets, like this bonus strip on Inkbunny.
Apparently we may soon see Twiggy and friends in a more plot-based strip. It's a bit of a shame, since I think Joe was really getting into his stride with editorial commentary, but I'll be watching for it nevertheless.
Yeah, we should probably add that ninety percent of the links to specific strips are at least borderline NSFW.
Also, the review's been up five minutes and is already a one star wonder. This thing is going to kill my karma.
Well, now you have a chance to put your own advice into action. And look on the bright side: at least you got paid. ;-)
Welcome to the Internet! :3
Editorial comics certainly have that "had to have been there" quality to them. Even with the explanations below. However, I've known the authors work long enough to kind of get what he was going for even if I wasn't around to originally see it. I became a fan of his after seeing the whole Fender Crucifixion piece with Chewfox and followed his stuff since.
Even had my first, and still only, con badge done by him.
That being said, while all the strips are available for free on the internet, I was kind of reminded how much easier it is to flip through pages on a book then clicking on links.
I really appreciate the honest review. As much as I'd like to continue doing the FNTV strip, it just takes too much time and energy to follow drama and crank out a strip in a relatively quick amount of time without the topic going stale almost immediately. I've got a full time job and that takes much more of my time than following drama does. I think the key to the review, and which validates my feelings as well, is Twiggy himself. Out of all of this, I got a great character , and I think just because I wont be directly following current events with his eventual adventures, some of the stories that I will write about Twiggy WILL be filled with drama and might have characters that might have you go, "Hey, that kinda reminds me of..."
Those living in Britain and over a certain age will remember the anarchic, leftwing 80s comedian Ben Elton, who in middle age turned into a pro-royalty, pro-Iraq War sycophantic hack.
Joe Meyer is the Ben Elton of furry cartoonists: all he does now is go on about what a great guy Crusader Cat is and how we need to stop giving him a hard time.
"Fuck Israel! -- Crusader Cat
AHAHAHAAAAA
"all he does now is go on about what a great guy Crusader Cat is and how we need to stop giving him a hard time."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA
This is the funniest shit ever. Because that's all I talk about on my Furaffinity, Weasyl, Inkbunny & Sofurry accounts. I tweet about him every five minutes, I repost tumblrs about him, I started a fan page for him on Facebook!
Talk about beating a dead horse! I've moved on from FNTV, and the extent that I ACTUALLY interact with him is that I'll see him at a con, we will exchange hellos, and go on about our lives, as you should too. It's an obsession to me at this point, and I really think it's a waste of your time.
And also, way to go, "ANON" you're a real brave person.
But you've given me my chuckle of the day, OVER A YEAR AFTER THIS WAS POSTED.
LOLLING 4VR
"FUCK ANON" --Eryshé Falafel :D
Oh toleration/support relativism have you know bounds.
Meh. I don't really get why people were so anally-devastated about Crusader Cat in the first place.
I mean, yeah, he admitted to cat-mongling, but he also admitted to knowing this is wrong and to seeking help to stop acting on his desires; and, yeah, he's got some unpopular political opinions, but at least he's not in a position of power in a position that matters (read: a politician).
It's like, oh, another evangelical Christian with deviant sexual desires? yawn.
He's now saying that he didn't actually mongle the cat, according to this: http://www.sofurry.com/view/293276
I had my doubts after awhile? It's not like there was any proof that he actually DID the deed, aside from what he said. And some Christians have lied about their testimony (look up Mike Warnke for an interesting story) surprise, surprise.
The anon in this thread is just another bored furry with nothing else better to do.
Even if he did do it, my point is, at this point, who really gives half a shit.
I don't know whether he was lying or not, and frankly, I don't care.
All I know is Crusader Cat keeps ending up in discussions here on Flayrah and you'd think no self-described Crusader ever did something worse.
I think the discussions wind up being started by this ANON, and everybody else on planet saying, "Shut up already."
"At least he's not in a position of power in a position that matters (read: a politician)"
Rest assured I've been laying plenty of Googlebombs when it comes to Mr. Paden Reilly / Crusader Cat of New Jersey.
Rest assured, if Mr. Paden Reilly / Crusader Cat of New Jersey tries getting anywhere important or prominent, those Googling Mr. Paden Reilly are quickly going to make some interesting discoveries.
Thanks to the magic of email, and the fact that, since I authored this piece, I have to listen to listen to this crap buzz my cell phone, I have gotten to watch this little drama unfold.
I think now I will say that the post I am replying to, about the Googlebombing, may in fact be the saddest post I have ever read on Flayrah (and I once read a comment from a dogfucker who defended the rightness of receiving blowjobs form a dog by saying it's okay because the dog likes the taste of his semen).
Okay, on second thought, the parenthetical post still wins, but the fact remains that this particular Anon really needs to get a new hobby. Seriously, dude, this is a furry site; we've all jacked off to children's programming at some point, and you are starting to creep us out.
Go fuck yourself crossie you cunt.
Speak for yourself crossie you cunt.
Okay, I used to edit Encyclopedia Dramatica and even I think that's fucking lame.
You just admitted to trying to ruin this guy's life, yet even you yourself don't know why you let these people bother you.
Let it go. Your blood pressure will decrease.
Because obviously Crusader Cat needs to be ostracized because of what he SUPPOSEDLY did, and his beliefs. GUUD BLESS AMURICA
You're worried about a guy who's like 5 nothing, scrawny, and socially awkward getting into a public position enough to Googlebomb? If what you believe about someone is true, the fact is you need not take any action and others will see it too. You're simply wasting your own time, which is if I hate someone I'd be very glad they were doing. Waste all your time on your enemies, and you'll have none for yourself.
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/desiringchange/ The "Anon" poster. He's a 42 year old virgin, overweight, his fantasy is to turn into a woman made out of solid gold, and he threatened to kill me more times in one sentence than Insane Kangaroo has his whole life. It's a shame Eryshe doesn't make fun of the weirdest furries anymore, cause Desiring (sex) Change would be at the top of that list. He has been stalking me for years, checking literally EVERY online account I have (even the banned ones) and makes a butthurt journal about everything I say on FA, then delets it a week later cause he has Obsessive Compulsive disorder. We get a laugh out of him on http://www.furluminati.com/forum/index.php It's hilarious because he put several other users on that site on his FA block list list because they disagree with his opinion. Speaking of furluminati, there is a fundamental difference between them and you. You both talk shit about me but at least they have the balls to say it to my face. You don't have any balls (which is why you want to change into a woman). You post your butthurt on a website that I've been banned from for over 3 years, and even have your account hidden from non-users. You can't even work up the courage to post under your real name on here. If I ever see you I'm going to melt you down into a cross, donate you to a church and Marry Brine there. Better yet, I'm going to Commission Eryshe to draw that. It'll be a FNTV reboot.
"His fantasy is to turn into a woman made out of solid gold."
She only *looks* like she's made out of gold, dipshit.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8713056/
At least I *know* and am *fully aware* my fantasy is just a fantasy, you dumb cunt.
As opposed to, say, believing the Founding Fathers were evangelical fundamentalists to a man who wanted the United States to be a theocracy.
Because gold nuggests will pop out of my hairy British arse before that ever happens, Paden Reilly!
Oh, God, it's you.
What the Hell did we do to deserve you?
Don't worry, you don't.
Goddmmit, is this some random interloper saying "there, there" or Desiring Change saying "I'm better'n all y'all!"? Fucking anonymous comments.
So, apparently Eryshe said or drew something unpopular recently and this idiot thinks he's a weak target that he'll get brownie points for harassing, nevermind that doesn't really work when you're anonymous to begin with, nevermind that's not even how the Internet works anyway. And it turns out he has been the random annoying guy who has been attacking Crusader Cat randomly and pointlessly for monthths, despite repeatedly being told noone cares, and still not figuring out that attacking weak targets gets you no respect even when you actually find a weak target.
Seriously, dude, you spent months harassing me when you thought I was unpopular for a furry definition article; you'd bring it up and nobody even remembered what the hell you were talking about, which, by the way, was ten thousand tines more devastating than you're addled flailingto my ego, and the reason you actually did manage to get under my skin despite yourself.
Seriously, you are not gaining those Cool Kid Points you so desperately crave by continously beating dead horses that were oftentimes nonissues to start with.
Maybe try adding to the conversation at hand once in a while and you may finally get some of that respect you are screaming for..
Oh Jesus Crossie, the day I start asking for or expecting respect from fucking *furries*, for crying out loud, just shoot me in the head..!
"Get used to the real world. Good fucking luck!" --Artdecade
"You're a racist scumbag!" -- Kinkycoyote
"You're a pussy-ass cump dumpster wannabe." -- Crusader Cat
"What a fucking coward you are." -- Joe Meyer
Now those are real, passionate insults directed at me from major furry players, not some amateur, penny-ante blogger who thinks Watership Down shouldn't be counted as furry!
Your screenname is Desiring Change. You don't call yourself that unless you are trying to impress someone. Seeing as how you have the FA account, you've lost anyone who isn't a furry, all you fights are about trivia only furries really ever gave a shit about, and you picked a fight with me about stupid furry minutia only after you saw a bunch of nobody furries attacking me.
Seriously, the comments to that article were the one time in the history of Flayrah you got any respect; you are still attacking me because you want that feeling back.
I've seen this before. I was the silly annoying furry troll on Portal of Evil; my first thread was full of commenters from people I would later learn were the forum idiots. Since I was there to be the annoying furry, I actually, legitimately
was the weakest link.
I was the bottom rungs finest hour. And then I became the bottom rung when I actually stuck around. It was me and another furry. And then one day a poster came in who was ridiculously annoying and had a lot of sockpuppets and got caught forgetting to switch between them frequently.
He thought he had us, because we were furries. He'd attack us and attack us and attack us and never realize that he was the only one. And this guy is not you in this story, actually. You're me.
See, it had always been two versus, well, tens at the most, PoE wasn't that big, but it did feel like the world, of course. But now, it was two versus one. For once, we had the numbers. It was thebottom rung's finest hour again.
So what happened? Well, it's the Internet, so not much. Kinda anticlimactic. Sorry about that. I wish I could say I grew up and realized this all was rather stupid, but, well, duh. Left PoE for completely unrelated reasons.
But the point is ... well, there ain't no point.
I just like that story is all.
"Your screenname is Desiring Change. You don't call yourself that unless you are trying to impress someone."
Well c'mon, I mean "DarkWulfXX" was already taken, wasn't it?
(I stole the phrase from a chapter heading in David Robinson's book The Chronicle of Cinema 1895-1995 actually.)
"The one time in the history of Flayrah..."
I tried imagining that in the voice they do the movie trailers with, but it doesn't make it any more significant.
He's actually been harassing me for years, not sure how long, since I've been banned from FA at least.
See, here's an example of DC's rumor mongering. When did I even say the Founding Fathers (of a country MUCH better than yours) were Baptists? When did I say they wanted to found a Theocracy? Do you even know what the word "Theocracy" means? You suck, and you make your entire country look bad. It's because of intolerant control obsessed people like you that the Americans rebelled against you and won. The best thing you filthy Brits ever did is LEAVE and start a better country.
Oh BTW, here's what Washington (the builder of my great country) thought about gays:
At a General Court Martial whereof Colo. Tupper was President (10th March 1778), Lieutt. Enslin of Colo. Malcom's Regiment [was] tried for attempting to commit sodomy, with John Monhort a soldier; Secondly, For Perjury in swearing to false accounts, [he was] found guilty of the charges exhibited against him, being breaches of 5th. Article 18th. Section of the Articles of War and [we] do sentence him to be dismiss'd [from] the service with infamy. His Excellency the Commander in Chief approves the sentence and with abhorrence and detestation of such infamous crimes orders Lieutt. Enslin to be drummed out of camp tomorrow morning by all the drummers and fifers in the Army never to return; The drummers and fifers [are] to attend on the Grand Parade at Guard mounting for that Purpose.
March 14, 1778
You know, CC, you're not going to make many friends--furry or otherwise--making transmisogynistic comments on a site when such comments are completely irrelevant and only serve to piss people off and make you look like just as much of an asshole as this person.
The threats of violence were unnecessary and fucking ridiculous too.
What is actually wrong with you?
What is actually wrong with [Crusader Cat]?
How long have you got? :-)
What is actually wrong with furries -- members of a fandom which, ostensibly, treasures popular culture, playful artistic freedom and gender/identity/sexual experimentation -- who defend Crusader Cat ("Arrest queers, fuck Israel, feminists aren't human and the Beatles were all Communists!"), now, that's a considerably more interesting question!
These people, I swear -- it's the equivalent running a gay support group, in walks Ken Mehlman and the ghost of Ray Cohn, and you offer them a free hug and a Fairtrade organic latte instead of having the sense to tell them to go fuck themselves.
lol, here we go again. I never said "arrest queers", my "Fuck Israel" comment shows my distaste of Zionism (something a social liberal like you should agree with), never said Feminists arn't human, and the Beatles WERE Communists:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxyISsA0Oh0
Seriously, your British, you should know more about the Beatles than I do. Pathetic. Talking shit about me is one thing, but what good are you doing anyone when it's all lies? See, you don't hate me for what I do, you just hate me. I could cure AIDS and cancer by tomorrow, take Santas sleigh and give gifts to everyone (including Jews and Muslims) and get a time machine and stop 9/11 and kill Hitler, and you'd STILL find a reason to hate me. You would call me a "Job killing sleigh stealing baby murder who wants to play God"
If I am really as bad a person as you say I am, why don't you come over here to the States and kill me? If I really do want to kill gays and stone girl who wear pants, why don't you do something more than just whining on the internet?
I'm going to give you some advice, these are the things I learned since I went to college/joined the fandom, and after all I went through (drama and otherwise) This is now my new personal philosophy:
1. If you don't like the way things are, then you either fix them or learn to deal with them, under no circumstances are you to complain. The only thing you can gain from complaining are more things to complain about.
2. Learn when to keep your mouth shut. People are not going to listen to what you have to say just because you are saying it. People will listen to what you have to say when you say something important. Don't confuse preaching an important message with saying something only to hear your own voice. Only speak when there is something that needs to be said, otherwise, STFU.
3. Only you can boost your self esteem. In just a couple of years I saw nothing wrong with being a bitchy little whine bucket to try and crowbar some pity out of others when I was feeling bad, then I turned to sex; using my body to compensate for my poor self image. When I FINALLY realized that just gave people less incentive to talk to me (except for the one's on skype, hehe). So I decided to man up and give myself a reason to like myself. So I got a college degree, got a job, made a portfolio, and now I am on the verge of what I hope to be a great acting career. All this happened within the span of three months, and I never felt happier in my life.
4. Watch your language and behavior in the presence of a lady. And I don't just mean profanity, Even compliments can creep women out. If you want a relationship of ANY kind, you will have to agree to her terms. If a girl wants love, she won't be satisfied with sex, if a girl wants a fuckbuddy, don't say "I love you" when your performing cunnilingus.
The main difference between you and me, is I've grown up, and you grew bitter. Do what the apostle Paul said and put away childish things.
The song, "Back In The U.S.S.R" was a parody of The Beach Boys.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_in_the_U.S.S.R.
I highly doubt that The Beatles were Communists.
I'm not here to make friends, I'm just here to give DC a hard time. He pushes me around, and I push back. It's so fun and unbelievably easy to piss this guy off.
Okay, asshat, fuck you.
Seriously. Who the fuck do you think you are, coming here uninvited, to a website you can't even bother registering to because you're only here to annoy someone that none of us want here either, using highly offensive language and expecting that nobody but its intended target should be offended?
I'm trying to remember the "First they came for..." poem but I can't. The point is, you throw an awful lot of stones for someone who lives in a glass house.
I'm sorry if any of our posts made you think your special brand of bullshit would be welcome here, but it's not. Jesus didn't give you a platinum asshole, he just made you a giant one.
So how 'bout you take your fucking bowl cut, and your half-assed evangelism, and get the fuck out.
Oooh look Joe, it's your new best friend again:
"FUCK JERUSALEM! Israel has gay marriage and abortion." -- Crusader Cat
But he commissions conbadges and wears a derpy fursuit, so that makes it A-OK?
Why do I let you people get to me? Hell, all I need to do is start commissioning conbadges and wearing derpy fursuits:
AND THEN YOU'LL ALL BE QUEUING UP TO BE *MY* BEST FRIEND TOO!!!!!
Next verse, same as the last verse!
This the question that burns on everybody's minds, Why DO you let Crusader Cat get to you? It's not like the fandom is even talking about him now (well, next to you), or find him relevant at this point.
You know what I really think? That you WANT Crusader Cat. You want to BE that cat that he supposedly mongled (is there actually PROOF that he did so? other than saying he did, and he was trolling everybody, as I suspected). You want to BE CC's NEW BEST FRIEND.
If you spent more time doing something else instead of obsessing over Crusader Cat, like say, basket weaving or playing in traffic, I think you'd be a lot more productive! I urge you go forth and try it! :D
Oh, and by the way, if you come up to my table and GIVE ME MONEY, I'll draw you a conbadge as well! Although for you, there will be a $100 asshole fee tacked on!
I think you already did a comic on this relationship...
Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Although I believe it isn't Insane Kangaroo.
"You want to BE that cat that he supposedly mongled" That made my day.
Discussion has devolved way too far. Thread locked.