Set to the lilting strains of an innocuous “doot-ti-di-doo, doot ti-di doo” opening soundtrack, you are psychologically lulled into a receptive state of expecting a family-friendly after-school special.
Think again.
Watching the first season of "The Whitest Kids U’ Know" was an interesting experience. I wavered between horrification and flat-out gut busting laughter. Mostly the latter. I’m not really their target audience, but if you have an older teenage boy in the house like I do, you probably have seen WKUK too.
The five young comics veer into the scatological abyss. They’re totally comfortable with their genitals and poking fun at cultural icons like perennially picked upon Buzz Aldrin (Ali G’s target a few years back) and performing absurd situational gay-buddy and drag humor.
Legend has it the five “kids” came from all over the US to New York City – they met up and realized they had simpatico tastes in comedy. The Whitest Kids initially were a school-sponsored sketch comedy performance troupe at New York’s School of Visual Arts. They have blown up their act, winning awards at festivals and development deals at networks like Fuse and now IFC, using the Internet and YouTube to build their steady fanbase.
Poker-faced delivery of completely inappropriate behaviors is combined with catchy recognizable American ad music from everyone’s childhood. To this mix add whip-fast segment segues.
WKUK pushes the troupe mentality in the second season and bust out a hilarious white boy rap ditty that had to be influenced by Tyco's DinoRiders and the Bone Thug gangster rappers, a reverie of specifically identified dinosaurs getting their bong on, as well as Trevor’s hapless friend who cannot keep his junk tucked away in his “weird” pants. The second season has a bit of a darker, noir comedy edge to it as well.
For founding members Trevor Moore, Sam Brown, and Zach Cregger, and their partners Timmy Williams and Darren Trumeter, the launching of their second season on IFC will most definitely pave their future feature film careers and inevitable guest appearances on The Colbert Report and maybe even Larry King.
I would pay to see King’s reaction to Slow Jerk.
One of the WKUK kids, Trevor, is destined to steal Dane Cook’s leading man thunder. He has the looks and is light years ahead of Cook for comedy instincts.
IFC now hosts the “Kids” show. The second season premieres Feb. 10 on IFC and the new season keeps up the anything can happen feel to their comic chemistry.
Highly recommended, Rated "MA" not for kids or the easily offended.
Your Talkback on this Story