2008 Woodie Awards
'Derek and Simon' create Web comedy
Jason Schueppert
Issue date: 9/17/07 Section: Intermission
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Web Review
"Derek & Simon: The Show."
You know how you're hanging out in a bar, and you're kinda, sorta dating the bartender, and then there's this jerk bouncer that keeps coming over to where you two are chatting and he keeps calling her derogatory names like "sweet t-t's" right in front of you and instead of getting mad she just laughs it off? And then, before you punch him, one of your buddies comes over and the jerk bouncer says something awful about your buddy's grandma?
Then your buddy, who's like 5-foot-10-inch, 100 pounds, and completely un-intimidating says something very quietly to the bouncer? Something that scares the bouncer so much he ends up buying you drinks? Has that ever happen to you?
Me either, but that's the premise behind "Sweet T*ts" one of 13 four- to six-minute episodes of "Derek & Simon: The Show," a hilarious new Web series from Superdeluxe.com.
If the premise of the "Sweet T*ts" episode sounds even remotely interesting to you, let me up the ante for you.
The jerk bouncer from "Sweet T*ts," his character is played by Michael Cera of "Superbad" and "Arrested Development" fame, who looks to be about 12-years-old. So when he delivers off-color, sexist comments and tries to threaten Derek or Simon, there's this layer of disbelief that this kid could ever be a bouncer (even at a Chuck-E-Cheese), but it's played completely straight, which adds to the range of the show.
"Derek and Simon" manages to blend your typical buddy sitcom into something a little more uncomfortable and awkward.
As it follows real life friends Derek Waters, Simon Helberg and their circle of friends through their ups (an allergic reaction to peanuts works favorably for Simon and his girlfriend) and mostly downs (spurting out "I love you" instead of "I want to break up with you," or ordering a girlfriend to stop baby-talking only to find out she's 80 percent deaf).
Thanks to the acting, it ends up being a surprisingly endearing odd-couple comedy about two losers in their late 20s.
"Derek & Simon: The Show."
You know how you're hanging out in a bar, and you're kinda, sorta dating the bartender, and then there's this jerk bouncer that keeps coming over to where you two are chatting and he keeps calling her derogatory names like "sweet t-t's" right in front of you and instead of getting mad she just laughs it off? And then, before you punch him, one of your buddies comes over and the jerk bouncer says something awful about your buddy's grandma?
Then your buddy, who's like 5-foot-10-inch, 100 pounds, and completely un-intimidating says something very quietly to the bouncer? Something that scares the bouncer so much he ends up buying you drinks? Has that ever happen to you?
Me either, but that's the premise behind "Sweet T*ts" one of 13 four- to six-minute episodes of "Derek & Simon: The Show," a hilarious new Web series from Superdeluxe.com.
If the premise of the "Sweet T*ts" episode sounds even remotely interesting to you, let me up the ante for you.
The jerk bouncer from "Sweet T*ts," his character is played by Michael Cera of "Superbad" and "Arrested Development" fame, who looks to be about 12-years-old. So when he delivers off-color, sexist comments and tries to threaten Derek or Simon, there's this layer of disbelief that this kid could ever be a bouncer (even at a Chuck-E-Cheese), but it's played completely straight, which adds to the range of the show.
"Derek and Simon" manages to blend your typical buddy sitcom into something a little more uncomfortable and awkward.
As it follows real life friends Derek Waters, Simon Helberg and their circle of friends through their ups (an allergic reaction to peanuts works favorably for Simon and his girlfriend) and mostly downs (spurting out "I love you" instead of "I want to break up with you," or ordering a girlfriend to stop baby-talking only to find out she's 80 percent deaf).
Thanks to the acting, it ends up being a surprisingly endearing odd-couple comedy about two losers in their late 20s.