‘Epic Meal Time: Kids Edition’ Rides the Wave

If we had to name the biggest break out web series of the year so far, it would be Epic Meal Time hands down. “Fast Food Pizza,” the group’s first carnivore-inclined gastroporn episode hit the internet just six months ago, whipped up a solid two million views and hasn’t looked back since. Now the EpicMealTime channel has cracked the top 100 most subscribed list on YouTube (currently at #73 with 654,316), in one of the fastest climbs we’ve seen yet. Who ever said it wasn’t possible to launch a web series into the Top 100 these days?

Now after signing with online network Revision3, who will also pick up the show for distribution across its web of platforms, the parodies have begun. Parodies with kids are well trodden territory on YouTube, with LandlineTV and TheFineBros fishing from this pond often. But this time it wasn’t the usual suspects who scored big riding the slipstream of EMT’s success. It was an editor and animator from Philidelphia, James Favata, that nailed the show’s power cuts, calorie ticker, and penchant for Jack Daniels—with his own son as the star.

Already the video (above) is at 66k views on YouTube with nearly 5,000 likes. “I love EMT

and making videos…. after deciding to do a parody I showed a few to my son and he really got a kick out of them,” Favata told us. “This video really happened in the directing / editing. I went at it with the goal of creating the same product, just using my kids.” Favata even used the Canon 5D Mark II to capture the rich photo feel of EMT, and a lavalier mic to capture the audio. “The final audio was actually too good…,” he admitted, “I added some room tone and reverb in post.”

Will we see more of the parody of the series that shows no signs of losing steam? Perhaps, Favata tells us, but it might not be with kids. “I don’t see us making another kids edition but I have been toying with the idea of making an old people edition… with extra fiber :)”

Any long term damage to the kids? Hopefully not, as Favata kept the language PG for his version. “My family has a lot of fun but I’m actually a strict parent. Definitely no actual cursing allowed.”