Just as it did with MTV’s cancelled stop-motion animated series Celebrity Death Match, cable outlet MTV2 is resurrecting Comedy Central’s puppet-populated prank call show, Crank Yankers. The network has ordered eight brand-new episodes of the irreverent comedy show from Jackhole Industries, the production entity comprised of Jimmy Kimmel, Daniel Kellison and Adam Carolla.
Crank Yankers premiered on Comedy Central in 2002, introducing viewers to a recurring cast of puppets that act out real prank calls. The calls were made by show regulars Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla, Wanda Sykes, Jim Florentine, Dane Cook, Sarah Silverman, David Allen Grier and Tracy Morgan, as celebrity guests including Dave Chappelle, Seth MacFarlane, Dennis Leary, Stephen Colbert, Eminem and Fred Armisen. The puppets are designed by Funny Garbage, and the title music is performed by Fountains of Wayne.
“With all the trouble in the world, it’s comforting to know that MTV2 understands how vital crank phone calls made by puppets are to this nation,” jokes Jackhole’s Kellison.
MTV2 recently launched its Sic’ Emation animation block, which features the aforementioned Celebrity Death Match, along with the Flash-animated series Where My Dogs At? and The Adventures of Chico & Guapo. Death Match was the highest rated MTV2 series premiere ever, and the block in general helped the network reach new ratings milestones. MTV2 is coming off its highest rated second quarter ever, and hopes to keep the momentum going with more programming that targets males ages 12 to 34.
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