Minoriteam
Encyclopedia
Minoriteam is an animated television series on Cartoon Network's
late night programming block, Adult Swim
. The pilot episode premiered on November 6, 2005. The series officially started on March 20, 2006, and ended on July 24, 2006, with a total of 20 episodes, over the course of one season.
es, each of whom is based on a racial or ethnic stereotype
, who join forces to fight against a bunch of villains who are mostly discriminatory concepts. The show's artwork is largely an homage to Jack Kirby
("King Kirby" is thanked in the show's end credits), while the animation style parodies the limited animation of the Marvel Super Heroes Show of 1966. The opening tag declaring that Minoriteam is broadcast "FULLY COLORED" is both a racial reference and an homage to the "IN COLOR" or "IN TECHNICOLOR" line opening many old cartoons.
stereotypes.
The White Shadow organization, the "most evilest organization known to Man", is based in Corporate City. Its mission is to promote white supremacy
and racism
and oppress minorities. Its most important members appear in almost every episode. They are:
by Madman Entertainment
in Region 4. It is currently unknown if Minoriteam will every be released on DVD in the United States. Although Minoriteam was not released on DVD in the United States, it is available on iTunes
as well as the "Build Your Own DVD" feature on the Adult Swim website.
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
late night programming block, Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
. The pilot episode premiered on November 6, 2005. The series officially started on March 20, 2006, and ended on July 24, 2006, with a total of 20 episodes, over the course of one season.
Plot
The plot of the show revolves around five male superheroSuperhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es, each of whom is based on a racial or ethnic stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
, who join forces to fight against a bunch of villains who are mostly discriminatory concepts. The show's artwork is largely an homage to Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
("King Kirby" is thanked in the show's end credits), while the animation style parodies the limited animation of the Marvel Super Heroes Show of 1966. The opening tag declaring that Minoriteam is broadcast "FULLY COLORED" is both a racial reference and an homage to the "IN COLOR" or "IN TECHNICOLOR" line opening many old cartoons.
Minoriteam
- Dr. Wang, Chinese Human Calculator (Dana SnyderDana SnyderDana Snyder is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian, best known for playing Master Shake on the Aqua Teen Hunger Force show, and the film Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, both part of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim franchise.- Early life :Dana Snyder was born in...
) - the leader of the Minoriteam. He is paraplegic. He has a terrible personality and powerful mental abilities. He also owns and operates a laundromat where he charges extra to get your clothes back from the machines. In addition, he has faked accidents to obtain legal settlements and is a compulsive gambler. He has no known non-stereotypical real life. In the episode "The Assimilator", Dr. Wang gives the team "tea" to drink and then tells them that it is his urine. His depiction as a Chinese, however, leans more to the stereotype of Northeast ChineseNortheast ChinaNortheast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
people, mostly with his mustache and queue, which otherwise makes his design reminiscent of Dr. Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
.
- El Jefe (Nick Puga) - is an overweight, moustached MexicanMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
who fights crime with the Leafblower 3000, the deadliest weapon in the entire universe. His maskMaskA mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes...
is a SombreroSombreroSombrero in English refers to a type of wide-brimmed hat originating in Mexico. In Spanish, however, it is the generic word for "hat", which originates from "sombra", meaning "shade"....
pulled halfway down his face with eye holes cut in it. In his non-stereotypical real life, Richard Escartin is the handsome billionaireBillionaireA billionaire, in countries that use the short scale number naming system, is a person who has a net worth of at least one billion units of a given currency, usually the United States dollar, Euro, or Pound sterling. Forbes magazine updates a complete list of U.S. dollar billionaires around the...
CEO of his own oilPetroleumPetroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
company. El Jefe is also 1/18th Viking.
- Fasto (Rodney SaulsberryRodney SaulsberryRodney Jerome Saulsberry is an American voice-over performer, actor, vocalist, announcer and author, known for his voice work on commercials , his two books and the voice of Joe Robbie Robertson on the animated TV series Spider-Man.Born in Detroit, Michigan, Saulsberry is a University of...
) - a green-masked, T-shirt and cut-off jeans-clad African-American who is known as “the fastest man that ever was.” In addition, he seems to have the power to seduce or charm all White women in the immediate area. In his non-stereotypical real life, Landon K. Dutton is a bookish and bespectacled Professor of Women's StudiesWomen's studiesWomen's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
. He vigorously pursues sexual relationships with what he calls "booty" (especially White women) but is uninterested in an exclusive relationship. His father is a space-alien from the planet Blackton, which was destroyed by Balactus.
- !Jewcano! (Enn ReitelEnn ReitelEnn Reitel is a Scottish actor and impressionist who specialises in voice work.- Early life :Reitel's family arrived in Scotland as refugees from Estonia, German Empire...
) - a white-bearded, massively muscular man in a yarmulke (which he can throw like a deadly frisbeeFrisbeeA flying disc is a disc-shaped glider that is generally plastic and roughly in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating....
a la Wonder WomanWonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
's tiaraTiaraA tiara is a form of crown. There are two possible types of crown that this word can refer to.Traditionally, the word "tiara" refers to a high crown, often with the shape of a cylinder narrowed at its top, made of fabric or leather, and richly ornamented. It was used by the kings and emperors of...
) and a Star of DavidStar of DavidThe Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
leotard with the powers of the Jewish faith and the fiery fury of an erupting volcanoVolcano2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
(after being knocked into a volcano accidentally by Dr. Wang). He is always screaming at the top of his lungs. In his non-stereotypical real life, wimpy young accountant Neil Horowitz dates Mika, Fasto's statuesque black younger cousin and loves soul foodSoul foodSoul food cuisine consists of a selection of foods traditional in the cuisine of African Americans. It is closely related to the cuisine of the Southern United States...
. Jewcano is also the member of Minoriteam who spends the most time in his civilian garb (or merely has his civilian garb shown on-screen more often than his teammates' garbs).
- Non-Stop (Keith Lal) - an IndianIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
convenience storeConvenience storeA convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
owner who is immune to bullets and fire because of his leadLeadLead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
-lined skin. His non-stereotypical self, Dave Raj is an ex-professional skateboarderSkateboardingSkateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
, a talent that comes in handy when flying on his magic carpetMagic carpetA magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet that can be used to transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their destination.-In literature:...
. While not fighting crime Dave sometimes smokes a hookahHookahA hookah A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) (Hindustani: हुक़्क़ा (Devanagari, (Nastaleeq) huqqah) also known as a waterpipe or narghile, is a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) instrument for smoking in which the smoke is cooled by water. The tobacco smoked is referred to...
. He sometimes says "KrishnaKrishnaKrishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, give me strength!" when surprised, and his magic word to transform into his bearded, bare-chested, turbanTurbanIn English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
-clad alter ego is "Abrakazoom!".
White Shadow
The five heroes team up to fight characters who are mostly racial stereotypes, including a collective of villains comprising numerous, over-the-top CaucasianCaucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
stereotypes.
The White Shadow organization, the "most evilest organization known to Man", is based in Corporate City. Its mission is to promote white supremacy
White supremacy
White supremacy is the belief, and promotion of the belief, that white people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds. The term is sometimes used specifically to describe a political ideology that advocates the social and political dominance by whites.White supremacy, as with racial...
and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and oppress minorities. Its most important members appear in almost every episode. They are:
- The White Shadow (Adam de la PeñaAdam de la PenaAdam de la Peña is an American actor, comedy writer, producer, and director.De La Peña started his career writing for The Man Show. From there he continued to work with Jimmy Kimmel's Jackhole Productions, writing for Crank Yankers, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!...
) - the leader of this organization of supervillainSupervillainA supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s which is named after him. He has a one-eyed golden helmet in the shape of the "Great Seal" pyramid on the U.S. one-dollar bill, what some have considered the FreemasonryFreemasonryFreemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
/IlluminatiIlluminatiThe Illuminati is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically the name refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776...
Pyramid. His racist personality and purple robe are reminiscent of the Ku Klux KlanKu Klux KlanKu Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. Racist Frankenstein is also seen calling him Kevin, which might be his real name.
- The Corporate Ladder (Todd JamesTodd JamesTodd James is a contemporary artist from New York City. Self-taught, he started painting when he was very young the New York subway system under the name REAS....
) - a green-caped, pipe-smoking ladder with a stool at the top who is impossible to scale/climb (unless you're white and were born into a rich heritage); this mimics the beliefs of some who see corporations as difficult to scale for minorities. He frequently makes fun of White Shadow's leadership. He has had gambling problems in the past and his life's goal was to become a minion. He was also responsible at one point for sending the White Shadow and several members of the organization to prison.
- Racist Frankenstein (Adam de la Peña) - "Body of a monster, mind of a racist." Though his name is a direct reference to Frankenstein's monsterFrankenstein's monsterFrankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
, he is a closer parody of the depiction of Solomon GrundySolomon Grundy (comics)Solomon Grundy is a fictional character, a zombie supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern , but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman and...
from the Superfriends animated series, mocking Grundy's heavy southern accent, monstrous appearance, and tendency to refer to himself in the third person with poor grammar. Dresses like the stereotype of a WASPWhite Anglo-Saxon ProtestantWhite Anglo-Saxon Protestant or WASP is an informal term, often derogatory or disparaging, for a closed group of high-status Americans mostly of British Protestant ancestry. The group supposedly wields disproportionate financial and social power. When it appears in writing, it is usually used to...
, usually in a yuppy-style pink sweater. Hates Black people and even black-colored objects. He is blond and has blue skin. His catchphrase is the recurring threat, "Racist Frankenstein hit Blacks with hands!"
- The Standardized Test (Peter Girardi) - a giant robot-like man with an eraserEraserAn eraser or rubber is an article of stationery that is used for rubbing out pencil markings. Erasers have a rubbery consistency and are often white or pink, although modern materials allow them to be made in any color. Many pencils are equipped with an eraser on one end...
on his head and a costume patterned off a ScantronScantronScantron is an American company based in Eagan, Minnesota, that manufactures and sells machine-readable papers on which students mark answers to academic multiple-choice test questions. To analyze those answers, the machines use image-based data collection software and scanners...
answer sheet. His form refers to the assumption that standardized testStandardized testA standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a...
s are biased against minorities. He speaks with a robotic, monotonous voice.
Season 1: 2005-2006
| # | Title | Original airdate | Prod. Code |
|---|
DVD release
On August 18, 2010 the entire series was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
in Region 4. It is currently unknown if Minoriteam will every be released on DVD in the United States. Although Minoriteam was not released on DVD in the United States, it is available on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
as well as the "Build Your Own DVD" feature on the Adult Swim website.
External links
- International rescue!, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, November 25, 2006 - A site mentioned at the end of "The Internet" advertising "White Shadow Racist Time Shares."