Riley Wuz Here
Encyclopedia
"Riley Wuz Here" is the twelfth episode of the Adult Swim
animated television series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on February 19, 2006.
Riley
opens the episode by piecing
the side of a neighbor's house. As he paints, an art critic based on Bob Ross
appears and critiques the work, and with the critic's advice Riley works through the night re-doing the tag with better legibility and color work. Riley is quite pleased with himself but the actual owner of the house does not think so highly of the work.
As punishment, Granddad forces Riley to take art lessons, reasoning that if Riley learns to draw on paper then he won't go marking up people's houses with spray-paint. The art teacher turns out to be none other than the art critic from the night before. Riley is reluctant at first but the art teacher's mild manner, careful phrasing, and occasional reverse psychology
convince Riley to take the art lessons seriously.
Meanwhile, Huey is conducting an experiment to see what would happen to a person who watches nothing but "black television" for 14 days. This is a reference to the documentary Super Size Me
, in which the filmmaker ate nothing but McDonald's
food for 30 days to see if there was a health risk associated with it. Huey performed a similar social experiment in The Boondocks
comic strip from May 6, 2005 to May 14, 2005. As the experiment progresses Huey becomes lazy and stupid, reveling in the very stereotypical behavior which he despises and McGruder satirizes.
As Riley becomes more determined and sincere the art teacher directs him to a bigger canvas and soon agrees to paint a mural on another house with Riley. Riley initially wanted to paint a violent image featuring "Scarface
," however the teacher encourages him to take people by surprise and paint something they wouldn't expect him to do. The first nighttime paint-raid results in a fruit bowl still-life, and while Riley wants recognition, the art teacher convinces him not to sign his name. The second mural is a portrait of Ol' Dirty Bastard
, whom Riley regards as a "fallen soldier." Again he wants recognition despite the art teacher's warnings; he signs the work with one of his many aliases, but finds the next morning that many other people have signed it as well.
Riley insists to Granddad that he painted the mural, but Granddad thinks he is lying and punishes him. Riley and his teacher work through the night to paint another mural; they are almost caught by the police. In an attempt to prove to Grandad that he is in fact the neighborhood graffiti artist, he chooses to paint a picture of a man and a woman on their wedding day. (thought to be granddad's wife, Dorothy or Huey and Riley's parents.) Grandad is initially moved and takes a picture of it, but then forces Riley to clean it up.
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...
animated television series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on February 19, 2006.
Plot
Riley Freeman
Riley Freeman is a fictional character from the syndicated comic strip The Boondocks written by Aaron McGruder and its TV series adaptation...
opens the episode by piecing
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
the side of a neighbor's house. As he paints, an art critic based on Bob Ross
Bob Ross
Robert Norman "Bob" Ross was an American painter, art instructor, and television host. He is best known as the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, a television program that ran for 12 years on PBS stations in the United States.-Personal life:Ross was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, and...
appears and critiques the work, and with the critic's advice Riley works through the night re-doing the tag with better legibility and color work. Riley is quite pleased with himself but the actual owner of the house does not think so highly of the work.
As punishment, Granddad forces Riley to take art lessons, reasoning that if Riley learns to draw on paper then he won't go marking up people's houses with spray-paint. The art teacher turns out to be none other than the art critic from the night before. Riley is reluctant at first but the art teacher's mild manner, careful phrasing, and occasional reverse psychology
Reverse psychology
Reverse psychology is a technique involving the advocacy of a belief or behavior that is opposite to the one desired, with the expectation that this approach will encourage the subject of the persuasion to do what actually is desired: the opposite of what is suggested...
convince Riley to take the art lessons seriously.
Meanwhile, Huey is conducting an experiment to see what would happen to a person who watches nothing but "black television" for 14 days. This is a reference to the documentary Super Size Me
Super Size Me
Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003 during which he eats only McDonald's food...
, in which the filmmaker ate nothing but McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
food for 30 days to see if there was a health risk associated with it. Huey performed a similar social experiment in The Boondocks
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
comic strip from May 6, 2005 to May 14, 2005. As the experiment progresses Huey becomes lazy and stupid, reveling in the very stereotypical behavior which he despises and McGruder satirizes.
As Riley becomes more determined and sincere the art teacher directs him to a bigger canvas and soon agrees to paint a mural on another house with Riley. Riley initially wanted to paint a violent image featuring "Scarface
Tony Montana
Antonio Raimundo "Tony" Montana is a fictional character from the 1983 film Scarface. He is portrayed by Al Pacino in the movie, and is voiced by André Sogliuzzo in the 2006 video game Scarface: The World Is Yours. Tony Montana has become a cultural icon and is one of the most famous movie...
," however the teacher encourages him to take people by surprise and paint something they wouldn't expect him to do. The first nighttime paint-raid results in a fruit bowl still-life, and while Riley wants recognition, the art teacher convinces him not to sign his name. The second mural is a portrait of Ol' Dirty Bastard
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Russell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB...
, whom Riley regards as a "fallen soldier." Again he wants recognition despite the art teacher's warnings; he signs the work with one of his many aliases, but finds the next morning that many other people have signed it as well.
Riley insists to Granddad that he painted the mural, but Granddad thinks he is lying and punishes him. Riley and his teacher work through the night to paint another mural; they are almost caught by the police. In an attempt to prove to Grandad that he is in fact the neighborhood graffiti artist, he chooses to paint a picture of a man and a woman on their wedding day. (thought to be granddad's wife, Dorothy or Huey and Riley's parents.) Grandad is initially moved and takes a picture of it, but then forces Riley to clean it up.