Platypus Man

infobox television
show_name = Platypus Man


caption =
format = Sitcom
runtime = 30:00 (per episode)
creator = Richard Jeni
starring = Richard Jeni
Ron Orbach
Denise Miller
David Dundara
opentheme =
country = USA
network = UPN
first_aired = January 23, 1995
last_aired = July 10, 1995
num_episodes = 13
imdb_id = 0112124
tv_com_id = 2910The television series "Platypus Man" is a short-lived American sitcom on UPN in 1995. Carter, Bill (October 6, 1994). A New Network Hopes To Lure Fox Viewers. "New York Times"] The television series was based on an HBO hour-long special titled ""Platypus Man" filmed in 1992.

In the early 1990s, stand-up comedian Richard Jeni developed a comedy routine where he watched a National Geographic special on platypus. In the routine, Jeni went on to describe how he found himself relating to the TV show, and the concept of a "platypus man" was expanded to become the theme behind Jeni's 1992 HBO comedy special.

The set design for the special was created by Norm Dodge and included a checkered tile floor, a backdrop with painted-on palm trees, a refrigerator and microwave at one end of the stage (provided by Aronson Furniture, for a comedic bit entitled "Bill the Belching Gourmet"), and a black sofa at the other end of the stage. This design was reproduced in clay for the opening sequence of "Platypus Man," in which art director Rick Toone of D&K Group/Claymagic used the process of claymation to introduce the show with the help of a duck-billed clay version of Richard Jeni and footage from the platypus exhibit at Taronga Zoo in Sydney. The live-action portions of the opening sequence were shot inside and outside of Jeni's house in the Hollywood Hills (in the bedroom, bathroom, hallway, driveway, balcony and pool area) and on the streets of West Hollywood, California. The song "Platypus Man" that opened and closed the special was created with the combined efforts of Scott May, Richard Jeni and fellow comedian Rondell Sheridan, and sung in a blues-like voice by Jeni.

The HBO special ""Platypus Man" was taped in 1992 at the Park West Theater in Chicago, Illinois and covered topics such as news ("the bad news"), sports (including Jeni's classic "NFL Football Referee" routine), politics, music and sex. Executive producers on the project were Richard Jeni and Michael Rotenberg, it was produced by Tom Bull and Sandy Chandley, and post-production was handled by Steve Sharp and Juniper Recording Studios. ""Platypus Man" was nominated for a CableACE Award for director/editor Keith Truesdell, in the category of "Directing a Comedy Special"; the CableACE Awards aired on January 16, 1994.

For the television series "Platypus Man," Richard Jeni played a character named "Richard Jeni," host of a cooking show called "Cooking with the Platypus Man". Ron Orbach played Lou, executive producer of his cooking show and his best friend since childhood. Denise Miller played Paige, his sportswriter neighbor. David Dundara played Tommy, his bartending younger brother.

"Platypus Man" premiered January 23, 1995. The concept of a "Platypus Man" (a solitary male, like the male platypus), the concept of a "cooking show for guys" and the scenes involving the main character's social life were drawn from Jeni's stand-up routines. O'Connor, John J. (January 30, 1995). [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CEEDD1E3EF933A05752C0A963958260 Television Review; 2 New Sitcoms, 1 New Network.] "New York Times"] It lasted one season, with a total of thirteen episodes.

The show, paired with Pig Sty and followed by drama Live Shot, comprised the first night of programming ever shown on UPN.

References in popular culture

* Was mentioned by Homer Simpson in The Simpsons episode "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?", where Homer attacks the Springfield Shopper TV critic saying "Why you, you made them cancel Platypus Man!".

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0112124|title=Platypus Man
*tv.com show|id=2910|title=Platypus Man
* [http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~aaron2/upn/platypus/about.html Platypus Man: About]