MTV Actually Used to Play Music and Music Related Shows!
When was the last time you watched a music video on MTV? You probably haven’t unless you’re my age or older. Yes, there this a reason it is (was) called “Music” television. Once upon a time, all they played were music videos. Shows slowly started being aired but, they were always music-centered. One such show was an adult cartoon called Beavis and Butt-Head (IMDB Info). We’ll talk more about its musical ties later, but the show followed 2 less than intelligent rebellious teenagers who sat on a couch and watched their version of MTV when they weren’t at school or getting in trouble. Their popularity earned them video games and even movies. The first of these was called Beavis and Butt-Head Do America and it was released in 1996. Let’s get on the greyhound and go across the country in the following prose.
You Either Love Beavis and Butt-Head or You Don't
To sum things up, you either dig Beavis and Butt-Head or you don’t. If you liked Beavis and Butt-Head’s twisted humor, constant laughing, constant quest to score, and perverted jokes, then you will enjoy this movie. Do you think they are stupid, childish, and irritating? Don’t watch Beavis and Butt-Head Do America because you won’t enjoy it. I’m in the first group of people. While in high school, I was one of these characters every day and still am today in many ways. If you don’t believe me, just ask my wife. No, I have never played frog baseball or huffed paint thinner but, I have gotten in a lot of trouble, made a lot of people really mad, and certainly thought that really uncool things were very cool all the while laughing and making perverted jokes every chance I got.
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America - Without a Television?
Probably the most important part of Beavis and Butt-Head’s lives was their TV. In our movie, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, their TV is stolen and this is just about the only thing that will get them off of the couch…besides school for some reason. So, with the only piece of entertainment they have gone missing, they must go on a quest to find it. Naturally, for anyone who knows anything about this show, their lack of intelligence paired with dumb luck lands them in situation after situation that somehow works out with Mr. Anderson in trouble and them as heroes. It just dawned on me that another important part of their life wasn’t mentioned in this movie – nachos. I wonder how that happened. Oh well, nachos or not, they save the day and still somehow don’t score.
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America is Good Even Though There Are No Music Videos
Going into this blog, I wasn’t really expecting a long spill about this movie – yes, I said “long.” For real Beavis and Butt-Head fans, the party is over. As soon as MTV quit airing Beavis and Butt-Head, the show was soft – yes, I said “soft.” OG fans remember the music videos and it was this missing piece that ruined the show when released after MTV. A typical episode of B&B would spend 20 of the 30 minutes with the two friends watching music videos and mocking them. If Gwar or Metallica was on, they were head banging but, if Gerardo was on singing “Rico Suave”, it was joke after joke after joke.
The music video mockery was the greatest part of the show. Had I recorded this on VHS, there was a time I could have made a fortune selling it. Beavis and Butt-Head was never the same without the music videos. MTV had video rights but not Beavis and Butt-Head. A contributor named thepatman on Reddit wrote, “…rights to the music involved were secured only for broadcast. In the case of MTV, I’d wager that Beavis and Butthead didn’t secure any broadcast rights, as MTV likely already had the rights to broadcast those videos as part of their normal programming. When these older shows were put on VHS (remember that, kids?) or DVD/BluRay, the publishers had to negotiate new rights for the music. If they couldn’t, or wouldn’t, then the items went on disc without the music.” You can find this thread to read for yourself here.
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America is Consistent with Show
With the past behind us – I said “behind” – we can talk about why Beavis and Butt-Head Do America is enjoyable despite it having no music videos. Beavis and Butt-Head’s first movie makes no effort whatsoever to even worry about music videos. After all, they don’t have a tv to watch them on so, there’s no need. Because music videos were ruled out within the first few minutes of the movie, we as viewers don’t worry about it either. I’m not sure this was intentional but, it worked. I watch the show and I’m waiting on the video break but with the movie, it never crossed my mind. This allows the viewers to just pay attention to the two dumb characters and their dumb luck. If you dig it, you sit back and laugh along with the crude humor as Beavis and Butt-Head do America.
There really isn’t a lot to discuss. Beavis and Butt-Head Do America was consistent with the show. The animation seemed to be a little better but still had enough roughness to keep it consistent. If this movie was too well-animated, it would lose something. It reminded me of The Simpsons (IMDB Info). Compare season one to now. The animation is 100% different. This wasn’t the case with Beavis and Butt-Head and their first feature film. McVicker still shakes constantly and there wasn’t a lot of detail on anything. There was more but not too much. Of course, If I were McVicker, I would be shaking the rest of my life after having to deal with Beavis and Butt-Head. It must be what being a principal for kids today is like. They all must have a Xanax problem. Again, you will either dig this movie or you won’t.
I Still Laughed Out Loud at Parts of Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
Highlights for me were the montage of road signs they mocked, McVicker and his lady in the hotel, not one but two appearances of The Great Cornholio, and laughing at Mr. Anderson somehow still getting screwed over by the boys. It’s funny too that he still doesn’t recognize them. There were plenty of instances of perverted humor to laugh at or along with. For instance, the man who hires them to “do” his wife. Of course, he means kill and that’s not what Beavis and Butt-Head understand. The old lady excited about the “slots” in Las Vegas sits by Beavis who completely misunderstands what she’s saying. We also learn about their parents which was always a question for OG fans. I did laugh out loud when Butt-Head told Beavis to jump out of the trunk of the moving car and run really fast when he landed – my favorite part.
I'm Subscribing to Paramount Plus Just for The Videos
Friday the 13th (IMDB Info) and Beavis and Butt-Head were probably the two things my parents tried the hardest to stop me from watching when I was a kid but, as rebellious kids do, I found a way to do it anyway. I don’t regret my sneaky escapades and am glad I watched what I did. Looking back now, they are fond memories and I still enjoy watching these shows today. I read where Paramount + has Beavis and Butt-Head with the videos and it’s only $6 a month – totally worth it. I seriously think I’m going to sign up, even if it’s just long enough to watch the show again. That’s funny, I said, “long enough.”
Anyway, I’m bouncing out of this blog. I’m going to go eat some nachos, watch music videos, and score…something to drink. I’m a huge fan of this show and I’ve painted these guys twice. If you want to check out my art, you can do that here. I have a Beavis and Butt-Head fan art piece available. You can buy it here. You can read more blogs here and link up with me on social media here. What was your favorite episode? Did these guys ever actually score? Let me know in the comments. Peace.