Powered by The Cheat
From Homestar Runner Wiki
The Cheat and his trusty computer, Tangerine Dreams, have been creating "Powered by The Cheat" Macromedia Flash cartoons since 2002. The Cheat's toons, which are a parody of the many poorly drawn Flash cartoons on the web, are usually packed with bad animation and character depictions, poor imitations of the characters' voices (provided by Mike Chapman), and nonexistent plots.
It is never explained how The Cheat manages to imitate the other characters speaking English (in all regular toons, The Cheat speaks in his own native "The Cheat" language). He often incorporates himself into his cartoons, sometimes in a Hitchcock-style cameo, but usually making himself appear awesome or receive some sort of prize. The Cheat has won three prizes for these cartoons in "real" life, including an iron cup full of Brunswick Stew, a pizza for his "Everybody To The Limit" music video, and the fabled "Pizza Trophy."
These animations show hints of The Cheat's fantasies and possibly insecure personality. The Strong Bad Email "mile", which The Cheat guest authored, is an ideal example of what he most desires yet cannot possibly possess. The Cheat shamelessly elevates his status in the eyes of others through praise given by his boss Strong Bad while Marzipan finally gives him the attention and affection he has been craving. However the two rarely exchange words outside of a fabricated Flash universe.
The Cheat has also provided animation for other Free Country, USA artists. He has also collaborated with the likes of The Skate Party, They Might Be Giants and many more.
Powered by The Cheat Toons
- The Cheat Theme Song
- Everybody to the Limit
- Crazy Cartoon (part of the email crazy cartoon)
- Email mile
- New Boots
- Main Page 15
- These peoples try to fade me Video
- Grumblecakes (video)
- Seasonal Sweaters
Partially Powered by The Cheat Toons
- The Cheat made a short animation with the Grim Reaper crushing hearts in Strong Sad's Lament for his Valentine's Day entry.
- Email website — The Cheat makes the Flash intro for Strong Bad's website.
- Email marzipan — The Cheat makes a music video for Marzipan's "Oh yeah yeah".
- Experimental Film — The Cheat co-directs the music video for They Might Be Giants' "Experimental Film" with Strong Sad.
- Labor Dabor — The Cheat makes some bowling animations.
- Email animal — Strong Bad's descriptions of the Deep Sea Fangly Fish are rendered in PBTC style, and the style is seen again in two Easter eggs.
- Email rock opera — Many of the visuals during the opera are in PBTC style.
- Email bedtime story — The visuals in The Cheat's bedtime story with Moses Malone are completely PBTC style.
- Email narrator — An Easter egg with the Marzipan Alien and Nebulon is done in PBTC style.
- Summer Short Shorts — The second sequence is a "Millionzoic Era" cartoon.
- Email theme song — An announcer interrupts the closing credits to advertise an upcoming show called Powered By The Cheat, which that night would have featured Strong Mad getting his own talk show.
- Email 4 branches — An easter egg that can be accessed by clicking the word 'Stupid' after The Paper comes down.
- Email strong badathlon — Strong Bad, The Cheat playing a guitar, and a hot girl are shown in a scene.
Strong Bad's Responses
- THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}
- STRONG BAD: Um, I dunno, The Cheat, I don't think it was very good.. at all. I mean, the song was kinda catchy but the visuals were lacking, at best.
- HOMESTAR RUNNER: This is the best video game I've ever played.
- STRONG BAD: {talking to The Cheat} Now that's what I'm talkin' about! That was amazing! I mean you—... I—... I can't b—... Chi-g-d-b ... He—g ... I'm buyin' you a pizza!
- Email crazy cartoon
- {the cartoon pans out to a badly drawn cartoon of Strong Bad and The Cheat watching the toon}
- STRONG BAD: The Cheat, this is the greatest cartoon in the whole world! Have a trophy!
- {Strong Bad gives The Cheat a trophy}
- THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}
- {Zoom out again to the actual Strong Bad and The Cheat.}
- STRONG BAD: Hey, I didn't do that! Did I?
- THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}
- STRONG BAD: I mean, it was good. I liked the way you worked in Eh! Steve, but I don't think it deserved a trophy. I don't even think it deserved a pizza! Maybe a pizza trophy.
- STRONG BAD: PURPLE BOXING GLOVES?! Did you do any fact-checking before you turned this in? What if I did that to you? Oh yeah, The Cheat, he's a...stripe-ed, green rabbit! With two butts!
- THE CHEAT: {responds angrily}
- STRONG BAD: But you made my underwears showing! Everybody knows I don't wear underwears!
- THE CHEAT: {The Cheat noises}
- STRONG BAD: Mmm...all right... You get an...iron cup. Full of Brunswick Stew. {places cup of stew on table}
- THE CHEAT: {responds excitedly and pushes the cup over to his side of the table}
- STRONG BAD: But lemme tell ya's. With a little extra effort, it would have been a trophy full of Steak-umms.
- THE CHEAT: {sad The Cheat noise (in an "Awww" pattern)}
- STRONG BAD: Guy drops a couple of JPEGs in his cartoon and thinks he's like, the guy who draws The Lockhorns or something. Now that guy knows funny!
(to show these three randomized responses scroll the mouse over the email button)
- THE CHEAT: {Exclamatory The Cheat noises}
- STRONG BAD: Once again, your visual style just looks thrown together. It looks like you don't care.
- STRONG BAD: And what is that terrible voice? Is that supposed to be Homestar?
- THE CHEAT: {Defensive The Cheat noises}
- THE CHEAT: {Questioning The Cheat noises}
- STRONG BAD: The animation looks terrible. It's all jerky, ya know, like it was done by a two years old boy.
| Most Recent Toons | ||||||||
| Big Toons
Homestar Runner Goes for the Gold
| Shorts
Diaper Sunrise
| Holidays
Fan 'Stumes 2023
| Puppet Stuff
Action Cool News-oween Report
| Strong Bad Email
parenting
| Video Stuff
Disk 4 of 12 - Vampire's Castle
| Teen Girl Squad
Issue 15
| Marzipan's Answering Machine
Version 17.2
| YouTube
Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate Launch Trailer
|
