jerky boys
| The Jerky Boys |
The Jerky Boys from 1995's Jerky Boys: The Movie movie poster
|
| Background information |
| Origin |
Queens, New York, USA |
| Genre(s) |
Comedy
Prank phone calls |
| Instrument(s) |
Telephone |
| Years active |
1989-Present |
| Label(s) |
Select Records
Mercury Records
Laugh.com Records |
| Members |
| John G. Brennan, Kamal Ahmed |
The Jerky Boys are an American comedy duo from Queens, New York whose routine consists of prank telephone calls and other related skits. The duo, formed in 1989, is made up of childhood friends, John G. Brennan ("Johnny B."), and Kamal Ahmed ("Kamal").[1] The calls are made to unsuspecting recipients, or are received in response to advertisements placed in local, New York-based newspapers, and are made in character, usually with voices influenced by, and exagerrated from, the duo's family members.[1]
According to their current record label, Laugh.com, the duo has sold over 8,000,000 CD's since their 1993 debut, and will be releasing a new album, Sol's Rusty Trombone, on March 20, 2007.
|
Contents
- 1 Regular characters
- 2 Discography
- 2.1 Albums
- 2.2 Soundtrack albums
- 2.3 Compilation albums
- 3 Film and TV appearances
- 4 Trivia
- 5 References
- 6 External links
- 7 See also
|
Regular characters
- Big Ole Badass Bob The Cattle Rustler - an American Westerner/Texan who drives a semi-truck (voiced by Johnny Brennan)
- Curly G., Cradle Rock - a throwback rap artist trying to catch a break; appeared on one track to date ("Bamm!" from The Jerky Boys 3 album) (voiced by Kamal Ahmed).
- Sammy Cox - older man with a pronounced lisp; appeared on one track to date ("Herman" from The Jerky Boys 4 album) (voiced by Brennan).
- Mike Derucki - (or Michael Derucki) an out-of-work painter (voiced by Brennan).
- Jake - handles in-coming calls for Mr. Silverman, the phony sports agent ("Big Hock" track from the Stop Staring at Me! album) (voiced by Brennan).
- Jocko Johnson - voice and behavior similar to Frank Rizzo; wanted his wife's house knocked down while she was out of town ("The Home Wrecker" track from The Jerky Boys album) (voiced by Kamal).
- Kissel - a confused World War II veteran who often appears with/or complains about a hysterical wife (voiced by Kamal).
- Nikos - an immigrant Greek delicatessen owner (voiced by Brennan).
- Pico - an abused Mexican immigrant; often appears with Kissel (voiced by Brennan).
- Frank Rizzo - an extremely abrasive blue-collar Italian-American New Yorker with bizarre complaints and requests (voiced by Brennan).
- Sol Rosenberg - a nebbishy, male 50-something Jewish New Yorker who suffers from various and often ridiculous problems and ailments (voiced by Brennan).
- Rosine - a flamboyant Puerto Rican female/latina who often slaps herself (voiced by Brennan).
- Silverman - a phony sports agent ("Silverman Baby!!" track from The Jerky Tapes album) (voiced by Brennan).
- Tarbash, the Egyptian Magician - a Middle-Eastern man with a repertoire of dangerous stage tricks who mutilates himself or is attacked by various wild animals used in his acts (voiced by Kamal).
- Jack Tors - a flamboyant homosexual man who makes outrageous requests (voiced by Brennan).
- Brett Weir - a name that comes up frequently in calls such as "Super Across The Way" and "The Gay Model" (from The Jerky Boys album); actually Johnny Brennan's brother-in-law.citation needed] The character, portrayed by actor James Lorinz, also appeared in 1995's Jerky Boys: The Movie.
Discography
Albums
| Album cover |
Album information |
|
The Jerky Boys
- Released: April 1993
- Chart positions: #1 Heatseekers, #75 Billboard 200 (1993)
- RIAA certification: Platinum
- Singles: "Unemployed Painter", "Super Across the Way", "Auto Mechanic", "Dental Malpractice"
|
|
The Jerky Boys 2
- Released: July 1994
- Chart positions: #12 Billboard 200, #16 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums (1994)
- RIAA certification: Platinum
- Singles: "Pablo Honey", "Pet Cobra", "Terrorist Pizza", "A Little Emergency", "Sporting Goods"
|
|
The Jerky Boys 3
- Released: August 20, 1996
- Chart positions: #18 Billboard 200 (1996)
- RIAA certification:
- Singles: "Santa's Delivery", "Stop That", "Bamm!"
|
|
The Jerky Boys 4
- Released: October 1997
- Chart positions: #63 Billboard 200 (1997)
- RIAA certification:
- Singles: "Sol's Thermometer Mishap", "I'm a Diva", "Hello Ray", "Truck Registration", "Laundromat"
|
|
Stop Staring at Me!
- Released: May 18, 1999
- Chart positions: #117 Billboard 200 (1999)
- RIAA certification:
- Singles: "The Hucklebuck", "I Pickle They", "Hair Vitamins", "Big Hock"
|
|
The Jerky Tapes
- Released: April 10, 2001
- Chart positions:
- RIAA certification:
- Singles: "Flower Lady #2," "Silverman Baby!!", "Make Air Not War"
|
|
Sol's Rusty Trombone
- Released: March 20, 2007
- Chart positions:
- RIAA certification:
- Singles:
|
Soundtrack albums
| Album cover |
Album information |
|
Jerky Boys: The Movie (Soundtrack)
- Released: January 24, 1995
- Chart positions: #79 Billboard 200
- RIAA certification:
- Singles: "Gel" by Collective Soul
|
Compilation albums
| Album cover |
Album information |
|
The Best of the Jerky Boys
- Released: October 22, 2002
- Chart positions:
- RIAA certification:
- Singles: "Sushi Chef", "Sol's Phobia", "Punitive Damages", "Laser Surgery"
|
|
The Ultimate Jerky Boys Collection
- Released: October 24, 2004
- Chart positions:
- RIAA certification:
- Singles: "Punitive Damages", "Car Salesman", "The Mattress King", "Hurt at Work", "Egyptian Magician"
|
Film and TV appearances
- Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1994)
- Don't Hang Up, Tough Guy! (1995)
- Jerky Boys: The Movie (1995)
- Big Money Hustlas (2000)
Trivia
- English rock band Radiohead named their 1993 debut album, Pablo Honey, after the first call on The Jerky Boys 2 album (apparently having heard it on a bootleg tape, well before release of the material on CD.citation needed]
- The duo frequently incorporated references to The Howard Stern Show in several calls ("Food & Drug Complaint" from 1997's The Jerky Boys 4 album; "You Wanna Scrap?" from 1999's Stop Staring at Me! album; "Bright" from 2001's The Jerky Tapes album).
- Sleeping Bag Records founder, and long time New York City-based music promoter Juggy Gales was prank called by Johnny Brennan (Frank Rizzo) on "The Hucklebuck" track from 1999's Stop Staring at Me! album, one year before the death of Gales in 2000.
- The Jerky Boys are referenced in the Arrested Development episode "Burning Love," in which the character George Michael Bluth (Michael Cera) convinces his Christian girlfriend not to burn his Jerky Boys tape.
|
