'Duck' Mixes Bar Humor With Animal Puppets, Serves Cold

It doesn’t take a whole lot of imagination to spin a few funny yarns about the bar pickup ritual – everyone know people do stupid things to get drunk and laid. (As far as I know, that’s basically how Tucker Max started his career.)

Which is precisely why, out of all the possible web shows that 2 Funny Films (Kevin Susman and James Murray) could have created, Duck Walks Into A Bar… is the most unexpected. And – dare I say it – brilliant.

Naturally, the show consists of the titular character, Duck (a duck-puppet with a vest and a bowtie) engaged in various barroom interactions; one episode has him swapping conspiracy theories with Robert Wisdom (Lechero from Prison Break), and another has him talking politics (and hustling drinks) from a politician up for re-election (Carlos Alazraqui from Reno 911). Most of them, however, involve a seemingly endless stream of Hot Chicks pouring out their man-woes to the oh-so-cuddly – and crafty – Duck. Personally, I liked the latest episode (“Men & Hunting“) the most, though I must admit that the “Sensitive Duck” episode (above) probably has the best performance I’ve ever seen by a puppet. Someone nominate that for the next Streamys. To be sure, it’s crass – and perhaps just a bit too much at times – but it stops just short of being pointlessly so.

Each episode only runs for a few minutes, which is a good thing, because the jokes aren’t really made to last any longer than that. So far there are nine episodes out, and the 10th – “Runaway Bride” promises to be a good one. However, new episodes come out roughly every 6-8 weeks, so don’t hold your breath. Instead, check out the Duck Walks Into A Bar… video-blogs and outtakes, both of which can be found at the homepage. You can also cop the interview that co-creators Kevin Susman and James Murray did with 411mania or Duck’s own piece on party etiquette (not the Miss Manners variety) and college drinking on the Campus Circle.