What do you guys think of Ling-Ling?

[ChrisTom]

I am rating this article PG-14 due to the fact that the content is from a Mature Television show.


Hello everybody! So I saw this T.V. show "Drawn Togther" for the first time the other day. The show itself has alot of mature humor (Think South Park, but a little more raunchy) but it does have its good funny parts. The plot of the show is that several cartoon characters have been put in one house for a reality show (Sort of "The Real World" meets "Big Brother") and each of them are parodies of famous cartoons. A parody of Betty Boop, Superman, etc,.

When I saw this for the first time I saw a character called Ling-Ling (pictured above) which is quite obviously a direct parody of Pikachu. He is very ill-tempered, has a strong libido, and speaks in quick gibberish (made to sound like Japanese). When he sees other "Battle Monsters" he will battle them and occasionally kill them. The term "Battle" is used as a metaphor of sex for him. I can't tell whether to hate this parody or find it funny. The reason being is that its nice to see people spoof Pokemon, but once more, he is used in several sex jokes. Try to find a snippet of the show online and tell me what you think. Is this Parody just stupid and annoying, or is it funny that somebody took the time to make a spoof of Pokemon?

Thank you all for taking the time to look at this

With all regards,

-ChrisTom

 

[yung_link]

yea i watched the show a couple of times before. the first thing i said when i saw ling ling was "is that supposed to be pikachu?" when i already knew it was. i burst out laughing just at the fact someone would spoof a pokemon! he is pretty funny about 80 or 90% of the time, but sometimes the mature jokes ruin it...but sometimes its for the better! it just depends on how you look at it. if your a sensitive person who doesnt like it when people make fun of something you like then ling ling may come off as offensive(not to mention the fact that they sometimes portray him as an asian stereotype), but otherwise its all in good fun!

 

[coolcatkim22]

Eh, he's a parody.
Most characters from fiction (and non-fiction), have been paroded at least once, especially characters from kid shows.

What is one more Pikachu Parody going to do?

 

[ChrisTom]

^ ^ ^

I don't have a problem with him being parodied, but I don't like some of the jokes they use him for. His character is supposed to be a representation of Asian stereotypes on reality shows. I love how somebody did make a spoof, I just don't like some of the jokes they used. They also made Pokemon seem a bit more gory than it is...

 

[The Girl Once named Tracie]

well.... I really just don't know how to resond to this.....

 

[Timbjerr]

That show was interesting at first, but it became waay to raunchy for my tastes by the end of the first season. I like mature humor and all, but repeated reference to lewd sexual activities and homoeroticism is just gross, not funny. o_0

Ling-Ling himself isn't as bad as Xander, Captain Hero, or Wooldoor in that regard, but he is a somewhat racist asian stereotype. >_<

 

[demonmike]

Haha, the main joke with Ling Ling is the fact nobody cared about him or just exploited him for cash. Spanky made him do sweatshop labour (hilarious take on how the Pokemon Company utilise Pikachu), and every one just simply forgot he existed in one episode. Kind of like how fans who only played the originals and nothing beyond treat him.

Ahhh true to the bone.

 

[ChrisTom]

I've looked at a few more episodes and I see that he is used for several Asian stereotypes (At the DMV he is feared and when he takes an eye exam he calls all the L's R's). Once more I find myself at a middle ground. I do admit that the jokes are funny, but they are often crude and vulgar.

BTW, his trainer's name is Gash. Hmm... who does that remind us of?

 

[Yusshin]

I like Ling-Ling. He follows several stereotypes (i.e. Asians can't drive), though.

Xander's my favourite character; ever watch the episode where they find out he's gay by using a boardgame?

That was fun >>

 

[WriteThemWrong]

i love that show. if anything ling ling should get more on screen time, i remember he got one episode to himself but thats about it

 

[ChrisTom]

Thank you all for voicing your opinions. I DID like the DMV episode, but again I don't like some of these jokes. Please vote some more! I like seeing your opinions.

 

[Swolligator]

I hate it that people stereotype asian drivers as bad drivers, many of my friends can drive better than people i have seen in America!
But when I saw Drawn Together I cracked up, i love ling ling!
i like the episode they repair ling lings vision, the bit where Wooldor shows the others "asian" sight, that made me laugh.

 

[ChrisTom]

^ ^ ^
Yeah, I had to admit that scene was funny. In one episode you see their version of a Pokeball, but it was made like a pyramid. Here's something that annoys me though. Even in the special "Behind the Scenes" commentary that they do online, not ONCE did they say that it was a parody of Pikachu and the Pokemon franchise. I understand copyright issues, but when something resembles Pokemon that much they can at least take the time to say so. All they say is that "He looks like your typical Asian cartoon character".