An infomercial is a form of television commercial that resembles regular TV programming yet is intended to promote or sell a product, service or idea. It generally includes a toll-free telephone number or website. Most often used as a form of direct response television (DRTV), they are often program-length commercials, and are typically 28:30 or 58:30 minutes in length. Infomercials are also known as paid programming. This phenomenon started in the United States, where infomercials were typically shown overnight, outside peak prime time hours for commercial broadcasters. Some television stations chose to air infomercials as an alternative to the former practice of signing off, while other channels air infomercials 24 hours a day. Some stations also choose to air infomercials during the daytime hours, mostly on weekends, to fill in for unscheduled network or syndicated programming. By 2009, most infomercial spending in the U.S. occurred outside of the traditional overnight hours. Stations in most countries around the world have instituted similar media structures. The infomercial industry is worth over $200 billion.
Adult Swim is a programming block broadcast by the American basic cable channel Cartoon Network during the evening, prime time, and late-night dayparts. The block features stylistically varied animated and live-action series targeting an adult audience, including original programming, syndicated series, and short films with generally minimal or no editing for content. Adult Swim is programmed by Williams Street, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television Studios that also produces much of the block's original programming.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast is an American adult animated comedy late-night talk show created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and hosted by a re-imagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. It is the first TV show to be produced by Williams Street, the company to start up Adult Swim in the early 2000s. In contrast to the original 1960s series, Space Ghost, which aired as a standard Hanna-Barbera Saturday-morning superhero cartoon, Space Ghost Coast to Coast is a reboot and sequel of the series intended for teens and adults, reinterpreted as a surreal spoof talk show and animated using the original series' artwork. Early seasons are more of a parody of late-night talk shows, while later seasons rely more on surrealism and non-sequitur humor.
Nick at Nite is an American night time programming block broadcast by the American basic cable channel Nickelodeon. It typically broadcasts Monday to Friday nights from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. ET/PT, and Saturday and Sunday nights from 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. ET/PT. The block is similar to Cartoon Network, the programming block that shares channel space with Nickelodeon's rival Adult Swim.
Wonder Showzen is an American adult black comedy television series that aired between 2005 and 2006 on MTV2. It was created by Vernon Chatman and John Lee of PFFR.
Harry Jon Benjamin is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer and musician. He is known for his voice roles in adult animated series, including Sterling Archer in Archer; Bob Belcher in Bob's Burgers; Carl in Family Guy; Ben in Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist; Kevin in O'Grady; Satan in Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil; and Coach McGuirk and Jason Penopolis in Home Movies. Benjamin was named 2014's male comedy performer of the year at Vulture's TV Awards for his work in Bob's Burgers and Archer. He also performs in the 2001 satirical comedy film Wet Hot American Summer; its subsequent 2015 television series, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp; and the final installment of the franchise, the 2017 mini series Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later.
Perfect Hair Forever is an American adult animated television series created by Mike Lazzo, Matt Harrigan, and Matt Maiellaro for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. The series revolves around a young boy named Gerald Bald Z and his quest to find perfect hair.
Makeful is a Canadian pay television channel owned by Blue Ant Media.
Saul of the Mole Men is an American live-action/puppet/animated hybrid comedy television series created by Craig Lewis, former writer on Cartoon Network's The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. The series first aired on the channel's late night Adult Swim programming block on February 11, 2007. Described as "an ultra-patriotic Land of the Lost set in the center of the Earth", the series was directed by Tom Stern and stars Josh Gardner, who previously collaborated with Stern on the television series Gerhard Reinke's Wanderlust. Its theme song is performed by South Park co-creator Trey Parker.
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is an American sketch comedy television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Adult Swim. It premiered on February 11, 2007 and originally ran until May 2, 2010. The show features surreal and often satirical humor, public-access television-style musical acts, bizarre faux-commercials with a unique editing and special effects style by Doug Lussenhop to make the show appear off-kilter.
The third season of the animated television series Aqua Teen Hunger Force originally aired in the United States on Cartoon Network's late-night programming block Adult Swim. Season three started on April 25, 2004 with "Video Ouija" and ended with "Carl" on October 24, 2004, with a total of thirteen episodes. Aqua Teen Hunger Force is about the surreal adventures and antics of three anthropomorphic fast food items: Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad, who live together as roommates and frequently interact with their human next-door neighbor, Carl Brutananadilewski in a suburban neighborhood in South New Jersey. In May 2015, this season became available on Hulu Plus.
Adult Swim is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Showcase Television, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily airs animated and live-action comedies targeting a teenage and young adult audience.
Mondo Media, also known as 6 Point Harness, is an American multimedia company that mainly produces online animation aimed at teens and young adults. The company was founded in 1988 by John Evershed and Deirdre O'Malley in San Francisco, California.
Soul Quest Overdrive is an American adult animated television series that aired on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. Soul Quest Overdrive is a spin-off of the Adult Swim series Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It was created by Aqua Teen Hunger Force creators Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis. It made its formal debut and ended on May 24, 2011, leaving two episodes unaired. The series is about the misadventures of four anthropomorphic pieces of sports equipment.
You're Whole is an American satirical television series created by Michael Ian Black for Adult Swim. The show parodies self-help infomercials and stars Black as the host, Randall Tyree Mandersohn. In it, Mandersohn advertises his systems of objects and actions designed to help people with their issues. It was the production of Abominable Pictures, with which Black originally consulted with the premise of the show in mind. Meanwhile, Michael Showalter, longtime collaborator of Black, served as the director.
Live Forever as You Are Now with Alan Resnick is a television special written, created and directed by Alan Resnick and Ben O'Brien for Adult Swim, as part of the Infomercials series. The special is presented as a parody of self-help infomercials, advertising a four-step program for creating a digital avatar that acts as a backup of its host. The special is hosted by Alan Resnick as himself, and is presented by Dan Deacon. Both, along with O'Brien, are members of the Baltimore-based art collective Wham City, who co-produced the episode under their video production division, AB Video Solutions.
For-Profit Online University is a television special written and directed by Sam West for Adult Swim. The special is presented as an infomercial parodying for-profit universities. The special is created by Wild, Aggressive Dog, a conglomerate of former Onion writers, consisting of Geoff Haggerty, Dan E. Klein, Matthew Klinman, Michael Pielocik, Chris Sartinsky and Sam West.
Infomercials is an umbrella title for independent, quarter-hour television comedy specials airing on Adult Swim. Unlike actual paid programming, all of the programs are fictitious, and for the most part maintain no continuity with each other.
Night Sweats is a Canadian animated anthology series, with live-action/CGI filler segments hosted by Bart Batchelor and Chris Nielsen. It is a compilation of the animated shorts that were created as part of the Bite on Mondo program, a joint venture of Blue Ant Media's BiteTV, and Mondo Media in which Canadian animators pitched ideas for new shows. The show consists of 26 episodes.
