Comedians (Beavis and Butt-Head): Difference between revisions
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==Controversy== |
==Controversy== |
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On October 6, 1993 (exactly one month after the episode had aired), Austin Messner, a 5-year-old boy from [[Moraine, Ohio]], |
On October 6, 1993 (exactly one month after the episode had aired), Austin Messner, a 5-year-old boy from [[Moraine, Ohio]], burned down his family's [[Trailer (vehicle)|trailer]] with a cigarette lighter, killing his 2-year-old sister.<ref>{{cite web | title = Public & Private; TV Guide | date = October 28, 1993 | first = Anna | last = Quindlen | work = The New York Times | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/28/opinion/public-private-tv-guide.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = How Many Children Must We Bury? | first = Raymond K.K. | last = Ho | date = December 26, 1994 | newspaper = [[Chicago Tribune]] | url = http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-12-26/news/9412260033_1_video-violence-mtv-walt-disney-studios }}</ref> The boy's mother claimed that he had been watching the show prior to the incident, a claim refuted by neighbors who stated the family did not have cable.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Rolling Stone|date=March 24, 1994|journal=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Sommerlad |first=Joe |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/beavis-and-butt-head-25th-anniversary-mike-judge-mtv-tv-comedy-animation-offence-a8243906.html |title=Beavis and Butt-Head at 25: How MTV's original dumbasses stormed America and changed comedy forever |work=The Independent |date=March 7, 2018 |accessdate=June 1, 2021}}</ref> Regardless, this episode in particular was blamed, due to the similarities between the plot and the incident.<ref>{{cite web | title = As seen on TV | first = Kenneth | last = Garger | date = October 30, 2011 | publisher = [[New York Post]] | url = https://nypost.com/2011/10/30/as-seen-on-tv-2/ }}</ref> The following week, [[MTV]] decided to move the episodes to 10:30 PM instead of 7:00 PM and also decided to [[Deleted scene|delete]] any [[fire]] references on their network show. They had to [[Deleted scene|heavily edit]] the episode before they finally took it off the air.<ref>{{cite web | title = 11. "Comedians" (Beavis and Butthead) | date = September 2009 | publisher = [[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]| url = http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/09/most-controversial-tv-show-episodes/comedians }}</ref> |
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In 2008, Messner himself would confirm that his family did not have cable at the time due to his mother's drug addiction, and that he had never seen an episode of the show, nor planned to.<ref>{{cite web | title = Austin Messner Controversy | url = https://terribletvshows.miraheze.org/wiki/Austin_Messner_Controversy?TheOrder=0#Aftermath }}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 12:30, 11 July 2021
| "Comedians" | |
|---|---|
| Beavis and Butt-Head episode | |
.png) | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Mike Judge Mike DeSeve |
| Written by | Mike Judge |
| Original air date | September 6, 1993 |
"Comedians" is the first episode of the third season of Beavis and Butt-Head and the 28th episode of the series overall. This episode has received heavy controversy after a 5-year-old boy burned down his trailer home, killing his 2-year-old sister who was sleeping in the next room. It was suggested that the boy was inspired by this episode, when Beavis and Butt-Head burn down a comedy club.[1]
Plot
Beavis and Butt-Head are sitting, watching television when they see a commercial for a documentary about a stand-up comedian who lives an affluent lifestyle from his earnings. Although Beavis would rather go to Stewart's house and burn things, Butt-Head decides that they should go to the comedy club to become "stand-up chameleons".
They arrive at the club (named The Laff Hole), and Butt-Head goes on stage first, but only Beavis finds his jokes funny and he is eventually booed off stage. Beavis is next, and the audience exits quickly, leaving only Butt-Head to watch him. Inspired by an earlier act, Beavis attempts to juggle burning newspapers, but ends up burning the club down. The pair watch the fire spread from outside while they declare how funny and cool they both are.
Controversy
On October 6, 1993 (exactly one month after the episode had aired), Austin Messner, a 5-year-old boy from Moraine, Ohio, burned down his family's trailer with a cigarette lighter, killing his 2-year-old sister.[2][3] The boy's mother claimed that he had been watching the show prior to the incident, a claim refuted by neighbors who stated the family did not have cable.[4][5] Regardless, this episode in particular was blamed, due to the similarities between the plot and the incident.[6] The following week, MTV decided to move the episodes to 10:30 PM instead of 7:00 PM and also decided to delete any fire references on their network show. They had to heavily edit the episode before they finally took it off the air.[7]
In 2008, Messner himself would confirm that his family did not have cable at the time due to his mother's drug addiction, and that he had never seen an episode of the show, nor planned to.[8]
References
- ^ "Cartoon on MTV blamed for fire". The New York Times. October 10, 1993.
- ^ Quindlen, Anna (October 28, 1993). "Public & Private; TV Guide". The New York Times.
- ^ Ho, Raymond K.K. (December 26, 1994). "How Many Children Must We Bury?". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. March 24, 1994.
- ^ Sommerlad, Joe (March 7, 2018). "Beavis and Butt-Head at 25: How MTV's original dumbasses stormed America and changed comedy forever". The Independent. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
- ^ Garger, Kenneth (October 30, 2011). "As seen on TV". New York Post.
- ^ "11. "Comedians" (Beavis and Butthead)". Complex. September 2009.
- ^ "Austin Messner Controversy".