HHN 27: Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure Farewell Tour

[s8film40]

I don't doubt that, would welcome it. Just saying it won't be BJ introducing Wonder MAHNNNN and Water Pocahontas. Pop culture parody shows are dead.

Yeah, I think they've wanted to get rid of that sort of thing since 2013. I remember hearing that the show came very close to being cancelled alongside Hollywood's at the time. Not so much for the parody aspect but rather the offensiveness aspect, but both of those things are a headache they don't want to deal with.

 

[Nick]

Yeah, I think they've wanted to get rid of that sort of thing since 2013. I remember hearing that the show came very close to being cancelled alongside Hollywood's at the time. Not so much for the parody aspect but rather the offensiveness aspect, but both of those things are a headache they don't want to deal with.

Which, as I continue to say, is ridiculous that the same company that owns the Network that airs SNL would be afraid to continue a theme park show in the same vein.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Which, as I continue to say, is ridiculous that the same company that owns the Network that airs SNL would be afraid to continue a theme park show in the same vein.

Definitely something I always wondered. Although SNL has transitioned to being less offensive and more comedy.

 

[Nick]

Definitely something I always wondered. Although SNL has transitioned to being less offensive and more comedy.

It's not like they don't give you multiple warning up front that the show will be "offensive" though. Personally I didn't find any of this show to be offensive even when I try to look at it through other people's eyes. Even the small doses of political stuff this year was rather run of the mill and harmless.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

It's not like they don't give you multiple warning up front that the show will be "offensive" though. Personally I didn't find any of this show to be offensive even when I try to look at it through other people's eyes. Even the small doses of political stuff this year was rather run of the mill and harmless.

Definitely, no part of the show seemed to be offensive to me at least.

 

[SeventyOne]

Definitely, no part of the show seemed to be offensive to me at least.

There's a human centipede joke. I don't think there's a way to make a non-offensive human centipede joke.

But while the discomfort with being offensive doesn't surprise me, what I heard was Legal is tired of having to vet parody stuff. I know everyone thinks the law is clear-cut rules ("IoA can use Spider-Man but not StarLord") but the truth is it's messy and unclear, especially with parody. So no more using other company's IPs.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

There's a human centipede joke. I don't think there's a way to make a non-offensive human centipede joke.

But while the discomfort with being offensive doesn't surprise me, what I heard was Legal is tired of having to vet parody stuff. I know everyone thinks the law is clear-cut rules ("IoA can use Spider-Man but not StarLord") but the truth is it's messy and unclear, especially with parody. So no more using other company's IPs.

Makes sense after the Jack Sparrow issue, even thought that was 10 years ago

 

[ItsAtrap]

Losing Bill & Ted is not just sad to think about, but a big loss for Orlando theme park entertainment.

I felts the same way about USH. It's a big loss that I still feel. We still have Knott's "The Hanging" but it has become less edgy as they try to do a show that will offend no one.

My biggest question for 2018 with the loss of B&T/Fear Factor is how crowds will be spread around the park.

Many of us thought about that in Hollywood. The first year without it did seem to affect the crowd flow. Same thing happened when we got rid of the SlaughterWorld show; 2,000 people off the streets and out of lines. A much smaller park, Hollywood at one time had four shows during HHN. We now have one. I think shows help a lot with crowd flow.

I'm sad to have never seen a USF Bill & Ted show.

 

[SeventyOne]

Makes sense after the Jack Sparrow issue, even thought that was 10 years ago

That seemed to be the thing that first scared them--understandably so, Disney had a solid argument. Decade of fighting later, they're over it.

 

[Ryan]

Yeah, USH's B&T was a hard loss, but USF's is just pure tradition. I've been watching the scattered videos of old Bill and Ted's, and this one from 2000, a final performance just hit me hard:



Look at how into the audience is, and this is after just 19 nights! 19! There's another one from 1998 showing guests during the yearly "We Will Rock You" intro (which was apparently much longer)... for many Florida residents and attendees, this really cuts deep.

But on the flipside, when USH had their controversy four years back, AV Club picked up the article and the comments section just tore B&T a new one, even the Florida version. Called it "borderline Seltzerberg trash" and "LCD for the redneck market", without of course, really ever being there. As HHN becomes more mainstream, the fans are shunned out more and more, and while crowds have certainly not diminished at B&T, it becomes less and less of a draw. The audience for the show is most likely not growing.

I think it invites a less cynical mind with its party, fun, good humor atmosphere but the pop culture parody thing just isn't a big deal anymore. We can consume this sort of stuff literally anywhere now, and in less of a mash-up. It's increasingly insular.

One thing I can say to soften the blow: in 2014, the old B&T writing staff came together to put on one last show at UCB called "Bill and Ted Uncancelled"... I never saw it, but I know the fringe theater scene in Orlando is fairly big so it's definitely possible. I do hope once Uni gets the T2 replacement up and running in 2019 they can find a suitable new show... god I hope it's not Jabbawockeez. I know some people really enjoy that show at USH, but something comedy based like Carnage Returns would be nice to see. I can't imagine going to HHN and not sitting for 45 min to have a good laugh.

I'm sad to have never seen a USF Bill & Ted show.

Dang, you missed out on a fun time. I'm lucky to have gone these past three years.

 

[MartyMcFly]

Just my opinion but I feel like everyone saying they're removing B&T because they want to tone down the event and be less offensive are full of it.

The show isn't even offensive, nor have I seen anyone complain, especially the type of complaints the universal would even listen to.

The offensive aspect might have come up in the decision but only as an afterthought... " well it sucks we have to get rid of the show because the fear factor stage is going but at least we don't have to worry about someone maybe complaining and getting traction in the media"

Plus it's been 26 years maybe they also thought it's better to quit while they're ahead (even though a few would consider the show hasn't been worth it's place for a few years now). Orrr maybe they have another idea, something more relevant that they can actually market in all the advertisements to bring in more people.

I for one love the show and I'm sad it's going. Even when it's not as good as some years it's still worthy of it's place, for the actors who play Bill & Ted alone. Also then poking fun at themselves and Disney is always awesome, should have more of that. Especially because Disney, Universal and the fans all take themselves too seriously.

I could go on but I'll end it here.

Party on dudes!

 

[s8film40]

Just my opinion but I feel like everyone saying they're removing B&T because they want to tone down the event and be less offensive are full of it.

The show isn't even offensive, nor have I seen anyone complain, especially the type of complaints the universal would even listen to.

I've seen on many occasions families with children walk out, especially after some of the more adult jokes. I'm sure some of those translate to complaints. Like you I agree though the complaints probably don't equate to a large amount. The bigger issue is in todays social media world the show is a ticking time bomb of a PR disaster (see USH 2013) and that I think is the bigger issue and there most definitely has been at least a desire to end the show for many years for that specific reason. It was 100% the reason for the show being cancelled in Hollywood, so I think it stands to reason it was a large at the very least contributing factor here as well.

As I've said before though time will tell the true reason as we can see what they do going forward and what elements they don't replicate in the future.

 

[MrRoamer]

I've seen on many occasions families with children walk out, especially after some of the more adult jokes. I'm sure some of those translate to complaints. Like you I agree though the complaints probably don't equate to a large amount. The bigger issue is in todays social media world the show is a ticking time bomb of a PR disaster (see USH 2013) and that I think is the bigger issue and there most definitely has been at least a desire to end the show for many years for that specific reason. It was 100% the reason for the show being cancelled in Hollywood, so I think it stands to reason it was a large at the very least contributing factor here as well.

As I've said before though time will tell the true reason as we can see what they do going forward and what elements they don't replicate in the future.

The number of people that walk out in the past 4 years or so are considerably less than the numbers that would leave before that. There always seemed to be people leaving during the show.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The number of people that walk out in the past 4 years or so are considerably less than the numbers that would leave before that. There always seemed to be people leaving during the show.

People leave during a lot of shows and not always because of content.

 

[Frank Drackman]

I've seen on many occasions families with children walk out, especially after some of the more adult jokes. I'm sure some of those translate to complaints. Like you I agree though the complaints probably don't equate to a large amount. The bigger issue is in todays social media world the show is a ticking time bomb of a PR disaster (see USH 2013) and that I think is the bigger issue and there most definitely has been at least a desire to end the show for many years for that specific reason. It was 100% the reason for the show being cancelled in Hollywood, so I think it stands to reason it was a large at the very least contributing factor here as well.

As I've said before though time will tell the true reason as we can see what they do going forward and what elements they don't replicate in the future.

When folks talk buzz words like ‘offensive’ and adult for HHN, well, I get a little lost.

I mean Jack did the whole rant out on the stage that is not in a theatre. That rant sounded like it was written after reading boards like this one...it was for the HHN fans. B&T, they do warn you...I did not like that year in that they said a strong word just because they could, to me, it added nothing to the show.


I imagine the ‘thy’re Over the legal screening approval process that I guess parody can find itself defending, but I thought this year’s show was great!

As for folks walking out of a show....I have no clue what folks expected from RHPS, but I saw that show a few times to to watch the mass exodus when Frank drops his coat...(not a year we had our daughter with us).

 

[s8film40]

When folks talk buzz words like ‘offensive’ and adult for HHN, well, I get a little lost.

I mean Jack did the whole rant out on the stage that is not in a theatre. That rant sounded like it was written after reading boards like this one...it was for the HHN fans. B&T, they do warn you...I did not like that year in that they said a strong word just because they could, to me, it added nothing to the show.


I imagine the ‘thy’re Over the legal screening approval process that I guess parody can find itself defending, but I thought this year’s show was great!

As for folks walking out of a show....I have no clue what folks expected from RHPS, but I saw that show a few times to to watch the mass exodus when Frank drops his coat...(not a year we had our daughter with us).

Just to be clear I think the biggest issue with the offensive and adult nature of the show is for those outside of the event who aren’t even attending. Really it’s not even so much about them being offended it’s more a matter of some blogger somewhere figuring out an angle to complain about the event and cause a huge controversy. That’s what took down the USH show, one article from someone who never even saw the show. The parody aspect hasn’t been an issue at all for several years.

 

[Nick]

Caught the 12:30 show tonight, second time i've seen the show so far. I laughed out loud during the How Far I'll Go parody when she sang something like "i'm a girl, you're a boy and there's apartments behind meeee"

I must've missed that the first time I saw it. I love how it pokes fun at the apartments built on the land Uni sold back when they needed money to build Potter (that was why right?).

 

[Lucky Planet]

who is the guy in the red cape with the guitar at the end? anyone know?

 

[MartyMcFly]

Just to be clear I think the biggest issue with the offensive and adult nature of the show is for those outside of the event who aren’t even attending. Really it’s not even so much about them being offended it’s more a matter of some blogger somewhere figuring out an angle to complain about the event and cause a huge controversy. That’s what took down the USH show, one article from someone who never even saw the show. The parody aspect hasn’t been an issue at all for several years.

This x100...

You're definitely right, people love getting offended for other people. Universal would know the people complaining were being ridiculous but they couldn't exactly come out and say they're full of sh*t.

That joke that got the Hollywood version banned wasn't even that bad, in fact it was actually really funny.

 

[Nick]

It's the vocal minority that ruin things for the masses.

But really what happened here is that this was the last year of the current licensing agreement Uni had for B&T. The park is in a state of massive change over the next few years and the only feasible place to hold the show would be a sound stage. This was Comcast's excuse to finally get rid of the show. Why go through all the effort to keep a show based off of a niche IP?

Personally, I hope GSATs in the coming years reflect how much people like this type of a show. I really don't think anyone any higher than Aiello actually "gets it" or realizes exactly how popular this show actually is.

In a year with a decent amount of high profile attraction closures, this one is by far the saddest imo.