MAD Ad for WKUK
The latest issue of MAD (and presumably several DC comic books this month as well) has a special advertising insert similar to the one done several months ago for Ball Park Franks. The concept is the same… kind of a mini MAD with “articles” pertaining to the ad subject. Unlike the Ball Park ad, this one does not advertise a product as much as a group of people… NYC sketch comedy troupe “The Whitest Kids U’ Know“.
The “WKUK” had a sketch comedy television show on the FUSE Network in 2007, and has moved to the Independent Film Channel for season two. IFC is uncensored so, unlike on FUSE, their sketches air intact and unedited. Their material can be very adult and racy, so no doubt they and their fans are glad of the change.
The ads are an interesting study in the differences between comic art and live action television. Our assignments were to illustrate one of the WKUK’s most popular skits. That involved the editors working out a scaled down script, and we illustrators drawing it out in MAD form. What I found most interesting was how the comedy of a live skit could be transfered to the comic page, and what needed to be considered to make it work best.
Here is a YouTube clip of the skit I illustrated, called “Sexy Fawn”. It’s the FUSE version, so the language has been bleeped out, but I don’t know what they bother since they leave in the first sound of each word and it’s totally obvious what they are saying. Warning- the skit is more than a little racy and inappropriate for under 18 or those with a low tolerance for blue humor.
Now here are some panels from my MAD version-
The MAD version was ‘cleaned up’ considerably, replacing words like “sex” with “mate” and of course eliminating the profanity. There was no getting around the concept, though. The ridiculous “deer” outfit, complete with slutty clear pumps, is the funniest thing about this sketch, so I really made sure it was clearly a bad deer suit. I also tried to capture the odd movements the “deer” was making.
All in all a very different project with some unique challenges.
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OK I’ve never seen any skits from these guys but this one was hilarious! Definitely had the absurdity similar to Kids In The Hall + The State. I’ll have to check it out.
I think you captured the skit perfectly, Tom – did you just reference all these from YouTube or were you able to DVR a better picture off of Fuse; or get photos? In any case great work!
Did Whitest Kids U Know pay to be in MAD as sort of a promotion for them, or did MAD ask WKUK for permission to put some of their skits in the magazine. Who approached who?
That is a paid ad. I am pretty sure the IFC paid for it, but I don’t know that for a fact. I also have no idea what the arrangements were, or if ad was also considered a form of content and that was in some way a factor.