Comedians (Beavis and Butt-Head)

"Comedians" is the first episode of the third season of Beavis and Butt-Head and the 28th episode of the series overall. This episode has received heavy controversy after a 5-year-old boy burned down his trailer home, killing his 2-year-old sister who was sleeping in the next room. It was suggested that the boy was inspired by this episode, when Beavis and Butt-Head burn down a comedy club.[1]

"Comedians"
Beavis and Butt-Head episode
Beavis and Butt-Head stand and watch the comedy club burning
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 1
Directed byMike Judge
Mike DeSeve
Written byMike Judge
Original air dateSeptember 6, 1993 (1993-09-06)

Plot

Beavis and Butt-Head are sitting, watching television when they see a commercial for a documentary about a stand-up comedian who lives an affluent lifestyle from his earnings. Although Beavis would rather go to Stewart's house and burn things, Butt-Head decides that they should go to the comedy club to become "stand-up chameleons".

They arrive at the club (named The Laff Hole), and Butt-Head goes on stage first, but only Beavis finds his jokes funny and he is eventually booed off stage. Beavis is next, and the audience exits quickly, leaving only Butt-Head to watch him. Inspired by an earlier act, Beavis attempts to juggle burning newspapers, but ends up burning the club down. The pair watch the fire spread from outside while they declare how funny and cool they both are.

Controversy

On October 6, 1993 (exactly one month after the episode had aired), Austin Messner, a 5-year-old boy from Moraine, Ohio,[2] was watching this episode. That night, he snuck out of bed and attempted to copy the scene when Beavis juggles the newspapers and lights the club on fire. As a result, Messner burned down his trailer, killing his 2-year-old sister.[3][4] One week after the incident, MTV decided to move the episodes to 10:30 PM instead of 7:00 PM and also decided to delete any fire references on their network show. They had to heavily edit the episode before they finally took it off the air.[5]

References
  1. "Cartoon on MTV blamed for fire". New York Times. October 10, 1993.
  2. Garger, Kenneth (October 30, 2011). "As seen on TV". New York Post.
  3. Quindlen, Anna (October 28, 1993). "Public & Private; TV Guide". New York Times.
  4. Ho, Raymond K.K. (December 26, 1994). "How Many Children Must We Bury?". Chicago Tribune.
  5. "11. "Comedians" (Beavis and Butthead)". Complex. September 2009.
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