Death to Smoochy

Death to Smoochy is a 2002 is a black comedy about the seedy, behind the scenes, world of kids programming. Kids show host Rainbow Randolph (Robin Williams) is fired in disgrace after being caught taking bribes to let kids on his show so KidsNet producers need a talented yet incorruptible new host which they get in the form of Smoochy the Rhino (Edward Norton). But can this kind-hearted man really make a difference or will he be swallowed whole by this twisted business?

Directed by Danny DeVito, this film has made me laugh since it came out. Aside from Robin Williams' performance which is always great, we have Norton playing a pretty good naive straight-man who is almost overwhelmed by the corruption of kids programming. They are both surrounded by the acting talents of DeVito as the agent to Smoochy, Jon Stewart as a KidsNet executive, Catherine Keener as a jaded executive Nora Wells, and Harvey Fierstein as Merv Green, the unscrupulous head of the Parade of Hope charity. 

This movie is infinitely quotable but my favorite is by Vincent Schiavelli who plays former host and severe drug addict Buggy Ding Dong: "Scuse if I smell like piss. You know how it is." It should be noted you need to have a strange sense of humor to really enjoy this flick. And remember: "friends come in all sizes."