What made Crank Yankers so hysterically unique was not the scripted calls at all, but the show's regularly featured characters, up to and including Special Ed. The program presented a righteously insulting slap in the face against common political correctness and its more mundane pleasantries. Yankerville, a hysterically showcased micro-reality, features its token village idiot, senile codger, unemployed drunk, bunker ridden Vietnam vet, hot stripper, flaming homosexual, pathetic local politician, and more. These are the people in your neighborhood that everyone ridicules safely behind closed doors! Taking it over the top, Crank Yankers was the first programming novelty with sufficient courage, creative license, and artistic insight to shamelessly exploit these stereotypes while using a paradoxically benign backdrop of Jim Hensenesque puppetry for its punchline. Welcome to Sesame Street on crack! From the start of its merry little jingle to its rip roaring finish, Crank Yankers is refreshingly condescending, as a children's program is to the mentality of its viewers, and as its characters bear convincing relationships to very discrete but humorous public demographics.A,B,C...Duh, no wait...A,B..Q,D,O,R...M,N,S,B...Yaaaaaah!!!!!! And it's a shame that Elmer will be sniffing himself no longer - all good things must come to a respectful close, now that Elmer may no longer leave his wet bed! Special Ed is busting a move in puppet paradise! Neil H. Gendreau.

Growing up in the generation where a group known as the "Jerky Boys" were very popular and very funny, I was hesitant at first to watch this series. I was unimpressed with the use of the puppets, while more impressed with the comic voices that changed intermittently throughout the program to give depth to this fantasy town. I felt this was a gimmick, a cheap thrill so to speak, nothing like the wonderful filth that the "Jerky Boys" could bring. Crank Yankers was for children, for pre-teens with nothing more than an opportunity to sneak some of their parents beer and laugh at jokes and situations that were not really that funny. If you can't tell already, I was highly disappointed with this program. I watched about seven of these episodes before I had to just turn it off. I chuckled occasionally, but mostly sat with anticipation in my eyes that it would only get better … but it never did. There was nothing really "laugh out loud" funny with this show. The puppets are poorly done, the voices didn't seem to match (Spoony needed to be more suave, more "Ladies Man" than Mike Tyson), and the material is just bland.Overall, I was very disappointed. Comedy Central did have an interesting idea with this one, but the execution left much to be desired. I had to turn this off before finishing all the episodes, and for a man that hates to do that, I was happy. This was a poor program. I hate to use the word, but "stupid" comes to mind. It never reached that level of hilarity that it possibly had the potential for. I recommend skipping this and checking out some old "Jerky Boys" stuff, I think you will see the originality finally emerge.Grade: * out of *****

Crank Yankers is the funniest show on television, I never miss an episode. The humor is not just limited to the crank calls but to the mannerism's and looks of the people being cranked and those dishing out the cranks. For instance (SPOILERS) a woman being cranked on the phone by Jimmy Kimmel and his children Kevin and Katie gives these innocent hand gestures when she is informed that Katie took a toothbrush from a store. Those gestures show her ability to forgive Katie. But when she finds out that Kevin stuck a bar of soap in his rectum, those innocent and forgiving hand gestures are no more and her face turns to shock. (END SPOILERS) This is a multi-dimensional showcase of humor that I hope everyone sees for the brillance that it is among the very best shows on television. My favorites are Special Ed, Bobby Fletcher, Birchum, Spooney Luv from up above, and Wanda.

This is by far the worst show on Comedy Central! Why must they torture us with these stupid shows??!!! Air the early episodes of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" if you want to redeem yourself, Comedy Central! Anyway, the plot is just STUPID. I actually watched an episode last night because I didn't want to write a comment until I'd seen a whole episode, and it stunk!!! It's all about these stupid ugly puppets. I mean, are the calls supposed to be real or what??? I'm serious! When I-know-care-who was calling a Spanish guy, and talking about car crashes, was that suppossed to be a prank??!!! There isn't even a plot!! A stupid hillbilly wanting to serve in the Peace Corps? IT'S NOT FUNNY!!! The media should bring back "Muppets Tonight" which was a GREAT puppet show. Anyway, this piece of rubbage gets a big 2/10. Please, get rid of this, "Happy Trigger TV" and "South Park"! They all stink!!