''Warren the Ape'' is an
MTV reality show parody
A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...
which ran from June 14 to August 30, 2010 and aired at 10:30 p.m. The series is a
spin-off of the
IFC and
Fox TV show ''
Greg the Bunny
''Greg the Bunny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on Fox in 2002. It starred Seth Green and a hand puppet named Greg the Bunny, originally invented by the team of Sean S. Baker, Spencer Chinoy and Dan Milano. Milano and ...
'', and follows the titular character's life as he tries to get his life back together following the cancellation of ''Greg the Bunny''.
Warren has paid more attention to drugs, booze, and women than his career, which has degenerated into a series of seedy
exploitation film
An exploitation film is a film that tries to succeed financially by exploiting current trends, niche genres, or lurid content. Exploitation films are generally low-quality "B movies", though some set trends, attract critical attention, become hi ...
s, obscure
industrials, low-rent theater productions, and a regrettable string of
skin flicks. With the help of his addiction specialist,
Dr. Drew Pinsky, Warren tries (and often fails) to clean up his act, patch up his relationships, and claw his way back into the Hollywood limelight.
The series was created by
Sean S. Baker, Spencer Chinoy, and
Dan Milano, and is produced in association with MTV, Freestyle Entertainment, and Picture Shack Entertainment.
On November 19, 2010, the official ''Greg the Bunny''/''Warren the Ape'' website confirmed that there would be no season 2, and the show was in fact cancelled.
History
''Greg the Bunny'' was a franchise that began with ''Junktape'' a half-hour, bi-weekly
cable TV Public-access television
Public-access television is traditionally a form of non-commercial mass media where the general public can create content television programming which is narrowcast through cable television specialty channels. Public-access television was creat ...
show created by
Sean S. Baker, Spencer Chinoy, and
Dan Milano. The show aired on New York City's
Manhattan Neighborhood Network, Monday nights at 11:30 p.m. Warren did not appear on ''Junktape'', but when the show's main character,
Greg the Bunny
''Greg the Bunny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on Fox in 2002. It starred Seth Green and a hand puppet named Greg the Bunny, originally invented by the team of Sean S. Baker, Spencer Chinoy and Dan Milano. Milano and ...
, caught the attention of the
Independent Film Channel
IFC (formerly known as the Independent Film Channel) is an American basic cable channel owned by AMC Networks, originally launching in 1994 as a TV channel devoted to independent films. The Independent Film Channel originally operated as a com ...
(IFC) and was hired to introduce their independent films, the creators realized they needed someone with a little more intellectual focus to present their trivia segments. This is how Warren "The Ape" DeMontague was born.
''The Greg the Bunny Show'' on IFC followed Greg, Warren, and other characters introducing independent films via a series of puppet-acted parodies. Warren and Greg were both performed and voiced by
Dan Milano.
[Official Site](_blank)
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Warren and Greg then moved on to Fox TV in their biggest incarnation yet. The Fox show made its debut in March 2002 and its last episode aired in August 2002, with two episodes unaired. Despite its brief run, the series acquired a significant cult following, and was released on DVD in 2004.
In August 2005, Warren the Ape along with Greg the Bunny returned to the IFC, in a series of short segments, both old and new, spoofing movies such as ''Annie Hall
''Annie Hall'' is a 1977 American satirical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Woody Allen from a screenplay written by him and Marshall Brickman, and produced by Allen's manager, Charles H. Joffe. The film stars Allen as Alvy Singer, w ...
'', ''Miller's Crossing
''Miller's Crossing'' is a 1990 American neo-noir gangster film written, directed and produced by the Coen brothers and starring Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro, Jon Polito, J. E. Freeman, and Albert Finney. The plot concerns a ...
'', ''Barton Fink
''Barton Fink'' is a 1991 American period black comedy psychological thriller film written, produced, edited and directed by the Coen brothers. Set in 1941, it stars John Turturro in the title role as a young New York City playwright who is hir ...
'', '' Fargo'', '' Blue Velvet'', ''Easy Rider
''Easy Rider'' is a 1969 American independent drug culture road drama film written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda, and directed by Hopper. Fonda and Hopper play two bikers who travel through the American So ...
'' and ''Pulp Fiction
''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, who conceived it with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Vin ...
''. The cast for these segments primarily features puppets Greg and Warren DeMontague, with appearances from Frederick "Count" Blah, puppet agent Pal Friendlies, and The Wumpus. Tardy the Turtle and Susan the Monster were unable to appear on IFC because they were created solely for the Fox series. This incarnation lasted for two seasons and is also available on DVD.
Characters
*Warren DeMontague (voiced by Dan Milano) is the main character on the show, a veteran stage actor trying to make a new name for himself while having several substance-related vices. Frequently drunk and hardly ever prepared, Warren desperately tries to project an air of dignity (while wearing a ridiculous helmet).
* Dr. Drew Pinsky (as himself) is Warren's advisor whom Warren visits to update him on his progress.
*Cecil Greenblatt (played by Josh Sussman
Joshua Mark Sussman is an American actor, best known for his role as Hugh Normous in ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' and his role as Jacob Ben Israel in '' Glee''. He also had a minor role on the Nickelodeon TV series ''Drake & Josh'' as Clayton.
...
) is Warren's personal assistant whom he verbally abuses, also serving as his driver.
*Raquel (played by Mary K. DeVault) is Warren's "girlfriend."
*Laura (played by Laura Kachergus) is the leader of Warren's AA group, who has little patience for Warren's disruptive outbursts.
*Greg the Bunny is a side character, the title character of ''Greg the Bunny''. He acts mostly as comic relief, and jokes are made at his expense (particularly by Warren) about how he cannot act and that he is just there to look cute.
* Seth Green played Jimmy Bender on the Fox version of ''Greg the Bunny'', bearing a grudge against Warren for sleeping with his girlfriend. At Warren's attempts to patch things up between them, resulting with him accidentally having sex with Clare Grant, Seth ended up heavily hospitalized when accidentally hit by Cecil's car. By the time Warren visits him to borrow some money, Seth manages to regain use of his left hand to give a gesture as his way of saying no.
*Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman (born December 1, 1970) is an American comedian, actress, and writer.
Silverman was a writer and performer on ''Saturday Night Live'', and she starred in and produced '' The Sarah Silverman Program'', which ran from 2007 to ...
is one of Warren's former co-stars, hates Warren for an unknown reason and changing her number to get away from him. When Warren arrived to her studio to borrow some money, she went out in a rage until Warren seduced her and they had aggressive sex. But in doing so, Warren got their sex scene, though barely filmed from outside the building, on live television while forgetting all about the money in the heat of the moment.
Episodes
Appearances in other shows
Warren the Ape made a guest segment on '' Talk Soup'', which aired in 2002. In it, Warren appears alongside guest host Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman (born December 1, 1970) is an American comedian, actress, and writer.
Silverman was a writer and performer on ''Saturday Night Live'', and she starred in and produced '' The Sarah Silverman Program'', which ran from 2007 to ...
.
References
{{MTVNetwork Shows
2010s American parody television series
2010 American television series debuts
2010 American television series endings
American television shows featuring puppetry
American television spin-offs
English-language television shows
MTV original programming
Reality television series parodies
Television series about actors
Television series about show business
Television series about television