Homestar Runner (body of work)

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[[Image:logo.png|right|200px|The Homestar Runner logo]]
[[Image:logo.png|right|200px|The Homestar Runner logo]]
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'''Homestar Runner''' (often abbreviated as '''HR''', '''HSR''' or '''H*R''') is primarily an animated [[Flash]] cartoon available through [[homestarrunner.com]]. Although originally conceived as a [[Original Book|children's book]], the site is perhaps most popular with (and has been gravitating toward) young adults.
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'''Homestar Runner''' (often abbreviated as '''HR''', '''HSR''' or '''H*R''') is primarily a [[Flash]] cartoon available through [[homestarrunner.com]]. Although originally conceived as a mock [[Original Book|children's book]], the site is perhaps most popular with (and has been gravitating toward) teens and young adults.
==Characters==
==Characters==
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[[Image:everybody-poster.PNG|thumb|The Homestar Runner cast, as shown on the [[Everybody Everybody Poster|Everybody Everybody Poster]].]]
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[[Image:everybody-poster.PNG|thumb|The Homestar Runner cast, as shown on the [[Everybody Everybody Poster]].]]
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The [[Toons|cartoons]] nominally center on the [[character]] [[Homestar Runner]], a somewhat dim but goodhearted athlete. The character [[Strong Bad]], however, is often more popular among fans, mostly through his near-weekly updates of [[Strong Bad Email]], short cartoons in which he answers actual viewer email. Strong Bad works closely with his sidekick [[The Cheat]] and uses his brother [[Strong Mad]] as the muscle in his operations. Together, the three prey on Strong Bad's awkward and constantly depressed brother [[Strong Sad]]. Many of the site's features—[[Songs|music]], [[games]], [[main pages]], etc.—are based on things from the Strong Bad Emails.
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The [[Toons|cartoons]] nominally center on the [[character]] [[Homestar Runner]], a somewhat dim but good-hearted athlete. The character [[Strong Bad]], however, is often more popular among fans, mostly through his [[Strong Bad Email]] cartoons (released near-weekly for several years) in which he answers actual emails from viewers. Strong Bad works closely with his sidekick [[The Cheat]] and uses his brother [[Strong Mad]] as the muscle in his operations. Together, the three prey on Strong Bad's depressed brother [[Strong Sad]]. Many of the site's features — [[Songs|music]], [[Games|games]], [[main pages]], [[characters]], etc. — are based on concepts from the Strong Bad Emails.
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Several other characters fill out the [[Free Country, USA|world]]: Homestar's hippie girlfriend [[Marzipan]], whose [[Marzipan's Answering Machine|answering machine]] is a frequent target for [[Aliases Used in Prank Calls|prank callers]], his best friend [[Pom Pom]], the verbally-challenged [[Coach Z]], local [[Bubs' Concession Stand|concession stand]] owner [[Bubs]], [[The King of Town]] and his [[The Poopsmith|Poopsmith]]. Rounding out the cast is [[Homsar]], an [[Analysis of Homsar's Speech Patterns|odd-speaking]] character created on account of (and in mockery of) a [[homsar|poorly-written email to Strong Bad]]. Many of these characters have [[Characters#Variations|alternate versions]].
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Several other characters fill out the world of [[Free Country, USA]], where most of the characters live: Homestar's hippie girlfriend [[Marzipan]], whose [[Marzipan's Answering Machine|answering machine]] is a frequent target for [[Aliases Used in Prank Calls|prank callers]], his best friend [[Pom Pom]], the verbally challenged [[Coach Z]], local [[Bubs' Concession Stand|concession stand]] owner [[Bubs]], and [[The King of Town]] and his [[The Poopsmith|Poopsmith]]. Rounding out the cast is [[Homsar]], an odd-speaking character created on account of (and in mockery of) a [[homsar|poorly written email to Strong Bad]]. Many of these characters have [[Characters#Variations|alternate versions]].
==Toons==
==Toons==
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Nearly every Monday, some sort of update, such as a [[short]], a [[Big Toon|longer cartoon]], a [[Strong Bad email]], an [[games|online Flash game]], or [[Store|real-life merchandise]] like [[Store CD/DVDs|DVDs]] and [[Store Toys|action figures]], is added to the website. Strong Bad Email is the most expansive and popular series on the website, and has produced several [[Strong Bad Email Spin-offs|spin-offs]], such as Strong Bad's crudely drawn comic series ''[[Teen Girl Squad]]''. The comic parodies four archetypal high-school girls and their equally archetypal quest for attractiveness, popularity, and love, which is continually frustrated by their violent [[Teen Girl Squad Deaths|death]]s in every episode.
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From January 2002 to November 2009, new content was added to the website nearly every week, usually on Monday, such as a [[short]], a [[Big Toon|longer cartoon]], a [[Strong Bad Email]], an [[Games|online Flash game]], or [[Store|real-life merchandise]] like [[Store CD/DVDs|DVDs]] and [[Store Toys|action figures]]. Strong Bad Email is the most expansive and popular series on the website, and has produced several [[Strong Bad Email Spin-offs|spin-offs]], such as [[Strong Bad]]'s crudely drawn comic series ''[[Teen Girl Squad]]''. The comic parodies four archetypal high-school girls and their equally archetypal quest for attractiveness, popularity, and love, which is continually frustrated by their violent [[Teen Girl Squad Deaths|death]]s in every issue.
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The website, built mostly out of Flash animations, is filled with hidden [[Easter egg]]s: if a certain area on the page is mouse-clicked at the right time, an additional cartoon or screen will appear. For example, in the Strong Bad Email [[studying]], viewers can view a hidden [[Bookazon.com|Web page]] about a book that Strong Bad mentions. Also, at the end of the e-mail [[vacation]], you can click on one of five postcards to hear what Strong Bad thinks of the particular [[Strong Bad's Vacation Spots|place he has visited]].
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Some other types of cartoons include ''[[Marzipan's Answering Machine]]'', toons with little animation in which characters call Marzipan on her answering machine; ''[[Puppet Stuff]]'', which uses [[live action]] [[Puppet Character Variations|puppets]] instead of animation; and ''[[Powered by The Cheat]]'', poorly animated and voice-acted cartoons created by [[The Cheat]]. Some [[Toons#Holiday|toons]] feature the characters celebrating [[holidays]], like [[Decemberween]], a holiday similar to Christmas, and [[Halloween]].
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==Content==
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The website, built mostly out of Flash animations, is filled with hidden [[Easter egg]]s: if a certain area on the page is mouse-clicked at the right time, an additional cartoon or screen will appear. For example, in the Strong Bad Email [[studying]], viewers can view a hidden [[Bookazon.com|Web page]] about a book that Strong Bad mentions. Also, at the end of the email [[vacation]], viewers can click on one of five postcards to hear what Strong Bad thinks of the particular [[Strong Bad's Vacation Spots|place he has visited]].
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Homestar Runner is known for its unabashed racist content.  Grammatical incorrectness is a point of comedy based on racial characteristics and speech impediment, to the point where those who sound different are meant to be funny, making fun of several black/hispanic stereotypes due to their perceived inferiority by the more "intellectual" white authors, who point out the comicality of differing speech patterns as both simple and childlike in comparison, as a sort of impediment befitting the handicapped, who are also made fun of.  Black Vernacular English is shown as an ignorant, childlike, anti-intellectual style of speech for its comic simplicity compared to the more "normal" Caucasian speech, especially when white characters derisively use [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Hip_Hop hip hop] slang among regular speech, from the innocuous Teen Girl Squad using "Dag, Yo" to contrast with the all white cast, to the black narrator as comedic device in [http://www.homestarrunner.com/whereugoin2.html "Where U Goin'?"]  
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Examples include:
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*The character Bubs, with his raspy bassist voice, is a comical "George Jefferson" given to bouts of emotion and irrationality, while dispensing advice as a "magical negro".  The blue skin tone and widened teeth give an "alien minority" appearance with the storekeeper role giving the impression of the homely local whose education is derived only from the streets, and must continually serve the Caucasian protagonists who are not restricted to their social roles. 
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*[http://www.hrwiki.org/images/c/cd/CoachZ_Tupac.PNG Coach Z] is the stereotypical "wigger" who listens to Wu-Tang, wears a backwards hat and "Flava flav" style bling, and uses butchered hip hop colloqialisms to demonstrates the perceived ignorance and childlike quality of black culture through botched imitation ([http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/These_peoples_try_to_fade_me These peoples try to fade me], [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/New_Boots Hip Hop Dance], [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Rap_Song Rap Song], [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/All_up_ons The Z Is All Up Ins]), showing that imitation of black culture leads to simple mindedness and deserves to be laughed at, compared to the assumed normality and superiority of white culture, in the same way "Malibu's Most Wanted" is an indirect criticism of black culture by "innocent" mockery.  
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*Strongbad and Senor Cardgage both use their "funny" accents as a point of comedic appeal, as minorities who sound different are naturally funnier in contrast to the "normal Caucasian" style of speech, just as the Mexican wrestling mask is meant to funny for being both odd and foreign.
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*[http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Homestar_Runner_and_Homestar_Runner%27s_Relationship Mental disability] and speech impediments are treated as a point of derision in [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/The_Interview The Interview] and [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Donut_Unto_Others Donut Unto Others].
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*Strong Bad has no compunction towards mocking black people in [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/extra_plug extra plug], [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/garage_sale garage sale] and [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/pizzaz pizzaz], and considers [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Heavy_Metal Nordic and Germanic Metal] more [[nazi|pure]] than the music of black people.
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*In Baddest of the Bands, Strong Bad says the King of Town's Richard Pryor impression is too white, believing skin tone determines character more than individual action.
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*In Strong Bad Email #69: Personal Favorites, in the knife fight with Pom Pom, Coach Z's line  is "I'm a white guy with a knife!" This was changed within a week after the email came out to show the authors aren't racist.   
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*[http://www.homestarrunner.com/main25.html Homepage 25] has an Aunt Jemima character criticizing Homestar as "whitey," intended as comedic since the uneducated mammy stereotype has no power to cause real change in regards to her social situation. 
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*The rapper "3-D" has a song called [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Poot-Slap Poot Slap] to emphasize simple vulgarity in hip hop, while [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Peacey_P Peacey P] suggests black people are unintelligible, egotistical drug pushers who are too dumb to [http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Trudgemank spell properly].
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Some cartoons feature spin-offs like [[Old-Timey]], black-and-white cartoons parodying the style of the 1930s; [[20X6]], a parody [[anime]] cartoon featuring the main character [[Stinkoman]]; and [[Dangeresque (film series)|Dangeresque]], a film series created by Strong Bad.
==Real World==
==Real World==
[[Image:Making of 100 email.jpg|thumb|The Brothers Chaps making the [[flashback|100th Strong Bad Email]], as seen in the [[strongbad_email.exe|DVD]] feature "[[Making of Email 100]]".]]
[[Image:Making of 100 email.jpg|thumb|The Brothers Chaps making the [[flashback|100th Strong Bad Email]], as seen in the [[strongbad_email.exe|DVD]] feature "[[Making of Email 100]]".]]
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The website is the product of [[Matt Chapman|Matt]] and [[Mike Chapman]], who typically call themselves "[[The Brothers Chaps]]." Matt Chapman provides the voices of the male characters, while [[Missy Palmer]], Mike's wife, does that of Marzipan. Mike Chapman provides the stilted voices for [[Powered by The Cheat|The Cheat's amateurish Flash cartoons]]. Many other [[contributors|people]] also help with the series.
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The website is the product of [[Mike Chapman|Mike]] and [[Matt Chapman]], who typically call themselves "[[The Brothers Chaps]]". Matt Chapman provides the voices of the male characters, while [[Missy Palmer]], Mike's wife, does that of Marzipan. Mike Chapman provides the stilted voices for [[Powered by The Cheat|The Cheat's amateurish Flash cartoons]]. Both brothers do the [[Flash]] animating for the cartoons. Many other [[contributors|people]] also help with the series.
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Because the Brothers Chaps run their own website, they have a creative freedom that they would not have doing a regular TV show. Though the site sells Homestar merchandise, it has no advertisements, and a few of the cartoons parody advertising, with products like [[Fluffy Puff Marshmallows]]. The Internet has allowed them to reach a large audience that they wouldn't have access to otherwise. Originally, they developed Homestar Runner as a labor of love, and for their own amusement. It has grown large enough that merchandise sales pay for all of the costs of running the website. An article in the ''Chicago Tribune'' on July 24, 2003, reported the retired [[Don and Harriet Chapman|parents of the Brothers Chaps]] were spending a lot of time dealing with the business aspects of the website.
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Because the Brothers Chaps run their own website, they have a creative freedom that they would not have doing a regular TV show. Though the site sells Homestar merchandise, it has no advertisements, and a few of the cartoons parody advertising, with made-up products like [[Fluffy Puff Marshmallows]]. The Internet has allowed them to reach a large audience that they wouldn't have access to otherwise. Originally, they developed Homestar Runner as a labor of love, and for their own amusement. It has grown large enough that merchandise sales pay for all of the costs of running the website. An article in the ''Chicago Tribune'' on July 24, 2003, reported the retired [[Don and Harriet Chapman|parents of the Brothers Chaps]] were spending a lot of time dealing with the business aspects of the website.
==References==
==References==
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*[[HR:firsttime.html|Introduction for first-time visitors]]
*[[HR:firsttime.html|Introduction for first-time visitors]]
*[[Wikipedia:Homestar Runner|Wikipedia entry for "Homestar Runner"]]
*[[Wikipedia:Homestar Runner|Wikipedia entry for "Homestar Runner"]]
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*[[TVTropes:WebAnimation/HomestarRunner|TVTropes entry for "Homestar Runner"]]
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[[Category:Real World]]
[[Category:Real World]]

Revision as of 18:37, 10 May 2022

The Homestar Runner logo

Homestar Runner (often abbreviated as HR, HSR or H*R) is primarily a Flash cartoon available through homestarrunner.com. Although originally conceived as a mock children's book, the site is perhaps most popular with (and has been gravitating toward) teens and young adults.

Contents

Characters

The Homestar Runner cast, as shown on the Everybody Everybody Poster.

The cartoons nominally center on the character Homestar Runner, a somewhat dim but good-hearted athlete. The character Strong Bad, however, is often more popular among fans, mostly through his Strong Bad Email cartoons (released near-weekly for several years) in which he answers actual emails from viewers. Strong Bad works closely with his sidekick The Cheat and uses his brother Strong Mad as the muscle in his operations. Together, the three prey on Strong Bad's depressed brother Strong Sad. Many of the site's features — music, games, main pages, characters, etc. — are based on concepts from the Strong Bad Emails.

Several other characters fill out the world of Free Country, USA, where most of the characters live: Homestar's hippie girlfriend Marzipan, whose answering machine is a frequent target for prank callers, his best friend Pom Pom, the verbally challenged Coach Z, local concession stand owner Bubs, and The King of Town and his Poopsmith. Rounding out the cast is Homsar, an odd-speaking character created on account of (and in mockery of) a poorly written email to Strong Bad. Many of these characters have alternate versions.

Toons

From January 2002 to November 2009, new content was added to the website nearly every week, usually on Monday, such as a short, a longer cartoon, a Strong Bad Email, an online Flash game, or real-life merchandise like DVDs and action figures. Strong Bad Email is the most expansive and popular series on the website, and has produced several spin-offs, such as Strong Bad's crudely drawn comic series Teen Girl Squad. The comic parodies four archetypal high-school girls and their equally archetypal quest for attractiveness, popularity, and love, which is continually frustrated by their violent deaths in every issue.

Some other types of cartoons include Marzipan's Answering Machine, toons with little animation in which characters call Marzipan on her answering machine; Puppet Stuff, which uses live action puppets instead of animation; and Powered by The Cheat, poorly animated and voice-acted cartoons created by The Cheat. Some toons feature the characters celebrating holidays, like Decemberween, a holiday similar to Christmas, and Halloween.

The website, built mostly out of Flash animations, is filled with hidden Easter eggs: if a certain area on the page is mouse-clicked at the right time, an additional cartoon or screen will appear. For example, in the Strong Bad Email studying, viewers can view a hidden Web page about a book that Strong Bad mentions. Also, at the end of the email vacation, viewers can click on one of five postcards to hear what Strong Bad thinks of the particular place he has visited.

Some cartoons feature spin-offs like Old-Timey, black-and-white cartoons parodying the style of the 1930s; 20X6, a parody anime cartoon featuring the main character Stinkoman; and Dangeresque, a film series created by Strong Bad.

Real World

The Brothers Chaps making the 100th Strong Bad Email, as seen in the DVD feature "Making of Email 100".

The website is the product of Mike and Matt Chapman, who typically call themselves "The Brothers Chaps". Matt Chapman provides the voices of the male characters, while Missy Palmer, Mike's wife, does that of Marzipan. Mike Chapman provides the stilted voices for The Cheat's amateurish Flash cartoons. Both brothers do the Flash animating for the cartoons. Many other people also help with the series.

Because the Brothers Chaps run their own website, they have a creative freedom that they would not have doing a regular TV show. Though the site sells Homestar merchandise, it has no advertisements, and a few of the cartoons parody advertising, with made-up products like Fluffy Puff Marshmallows. The Internet has allowed them to reach a large audience that they wouldn't have access to otherwise. Originally, they developed Homestar Runner as a labor of love, and for their own amusement. It has grown large enough that merchandise sales pay for all of the costs of running the website. An article in the Chicago Tribune on July 24, 2003, reported the retired parents of the Brothers Chaps were spending a lot of time dealing with the business aspects of the website.

References

Content for the above was taken chiefly from the Wikipedia article for Homestar Runner found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestar_Runner. As such, this article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.

See Also

External links

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