Re: The Boondocks comic strip...
So I watched the first episode of the Boondocks cartoon, and it kicked ass! Actually, it was WALL! (joke from the show). I was kinda worried, because I told you guys about how cool the first commercial was but then the later ones made it look stupid, like it was all guns and gangsta shit. It really wasn't, and when it was it was for a good reason, so that was probably a marketing thing.
The episode started with Huey, the main character in the strip, in a dream at this rich upper-class white garden party, where he announced "Jesus was black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the government is lying about 9/11." Then a total riot breaks out, with fancy dress types screaming "no! it can't be true!" He waked up to his grandad, who says, "Mmhmm, you had that dream where you made the white people riot again didn't ya?" "But I was tellin' the truth!" Huey protests. "You better not even dream of tellin' the white man the truth, boy!"
The show progresses as we learn that the boys' granddad inherited this nice house in a rich, all-white neighborhood. The owner of the bank that owns the house ("Mr. I Own Everything" according to granddad) comes to visit, and ends up taking a liking to Mr. Freeman, after making sure he wasn't gay or a gay marriage supporter, or have Arab friends. He invites Robert and the boys to a garden party he's throwing for his grandson who just got back from Iraq. The boys, particularly Huey, don't want to go because there'll be nothing but people they can't relate too, and of course Robert is concerned about Huey saying something that'd cause trouble (like what he said in his dream, and what he always says).
They get there, and its just like the dream - string quartet, fancy dresses, pearls, tuxedos, gourmet cheeses, wine, etc. They meet the grandson, and I thought "oh my God, I know tons of people exactly like him." He's this spoiled rich kid trying to dress and act all gangsta thug - you guys know what I mean, I always assume these people watch too much MTV. He's telling about what Iraq was like and its a spoof on average American knowledge of the culture, "It was tight, see, there was bitches - well they was all covered in them curtains or whatever they be wearing, but was still mad bitches!" The wannabe thug takes Riley, the younger brother who's a more normal black kid, I guess, than the more political Huey. He takes Riley upstairs to show him his guns.
Meanwhile, Huey is wandering around to people saying the same things as in his dream. First is a priest who's telling him he should see "The Passion." Huey says "no, couldn't, white Jesus." The priest is taken aback. "See, it tries to be all historically accurate, but they still have a white man playing Jesus, that's just some straight up bullshit." The priest smiles and says "my you speak so well, young man." Then later it cuts to him already speaking to a group. "See, all I'm saying is - Ronald Reagan was the devil. The devil!" Someone says "My what an articulate young man." He goes on, "See, Ronald Wilson Reagan - each of his names has six letters, 6 6 6! Doesn't that offend any of you!" Someone says "he forms complete sentences" and "he's just TOO adorable." And they all applaud, smiling. I thought they were kinda trying to discredit Huey there at first, but its cool. Then his granddad is talking to the bank guy and sees Huey, later, talking to a big group of people and runs over (knowing its something he better not say) and he's talking about 9/11. There's a group of important looking generals looking over their shoulders at him, but the main group is still oblivious. He's asking why the government seized all the video of the Pentagon (hopefully something that someone watching the show might question for themselves - hope there's more things like that, cuz I have friends that will watch this but kinda tune me out). Everyone is just talking about how cute he is and how he's like a little man that can talk and everything, and they applaud and smile. Grandad pulls Huey aside and is getting after him for causing a scene, Huey explains that apparently nothing he says can possibly bother them, because they're rich, and no matter what he says or does they will still be rich and have nothing to worry about, so they just applaud everything. To which they applaud. 
Upstairs the grandson has on a bulletproof vest and got Riley to shoot him with it on (Riley's not as violent as this might sound) and he goes flying out the upstairs window and crashes into the party. To which they applaud!
So at the end, granddad is apologizing to the bank dude for "my grandson, you know, shooting your grandson out a window and all." To which the rich man laughs and replies "you know, Robert, in thirty years he will be the president of the United States, but he'll still be a f*cking idiot."
So I loved the glazed hypnotic hive mind applause thing the episode had, I thought that was not only hilarious but real, and the people I've watched this episode with seemed to get that, and I also loved how its just kind of thrown in that this powerful rich guy already has the advance game plan on how the presidential soap opera will play out. The idiot thing was also obviously a dig at the current puppet president. I also liked that Huey wasn't a raving conspiracy nut, but actually raised a valid point about 9/11 that hopefully will get the viewers thinking.
Aaron McGruder, who draws the strip, is the executive producer and one of two writers of this episode, so that's good that he still has control. I was afraid he'd have sold the idea and whoever did it would ruin it. All in all, I'm thrilled with the show and can't wait for tomorrow night's episode. Just what I needed - more addictive TV! (Though I'm kinda getting tired of Lost, so this would be all that's left). I know many of you don't have/watch TV, but if you do check this out tomorrow, its on at 11:00pm eastern/pacific on Cartoon Network, during the more mature programming block they call Adult Swim. Tomorrow night's is something about R. Kelly though, which sounds like it might be dumb since I don't care or even really know who that is, but it's still a good show. It will be interesting to see if this show takes off, or maybe it will be really popular but the network will try to kill it, or something like that. I've read some comments on line from some absolutely LIVID conservatives.
Anyway, I always read posts here and wish I'd post and I finally wrote a long one about, what? TV!
