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The Whitest Kids U' Know (IFC)

common sense media says

Subversive comedy skits straddle, sometimes cross, the line.

parents & educators say
  • 67% say language is an issue
  • 33% say violence is an issue
See all 6 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this sketch comedy series finds humor in extreme violence and explicit sexual situations. Expect plenty of references to sex using both words and gestures; many skits also feature graphic and gory violence, including impalements, stabbings, shootings, exploding heads, and more. The amount of swearing varies by skit -- some have virtually none, while others are filled with bleeps. There are also some references to drugs and drinking. Older teens might find it all funny, but younger kids won’t get the jokes and are likely to be put off by the content.

Positive messages: The series glorifies bitterness and hostility and tries to draw laughs from behavior like sexism, prejudice, and violence. It's all played for humor (and some of it could be seen as being a commentary on the same issues it plays off of), but it's pretty edgy.
Positive role models: The show's subversive characters tend to be violent, sexist, and selfish. They make fun of other people and urge each other to perform violent and sometimes degrading acts. Sometimes it’s funny, but it can also be angry and hostile.
Violence: Some skits/sequences feature graphic violence. Though they're all played for laughs, the gore factor can be quite high (impalements, exploding body parts, stabbings, etc.).
Sex: No nudity or explicit sex, but plenty of the skits feature strong innuendo and references to sex, and some show people in their underwear.
Language: Words like "ass," "oh my God," etc. are audible, but stronger swearing (like "f--k," "s--t," and "c--k") is bleeped. Uncensored DVD versions are available.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Some references to drinking and drugs. Some skits portray characters as being drunk or otherwise altered.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on The Whitest Kids U' Know

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about subversive comedy. Some of the best comedy comes from upsetting the status quo, but it’s easy to cross the line from funny to offensive. Do you think this show is funny, or do some sequences go too far? Who decides what "too far" is to begin with?
  • Some of these skits, with exploding heads, impalements, and explicit sequences, are as gory as any slasher movie. Does violence have a different impact when it’s played for laughs?

What's the story?

What's the story?
THE WHITEST KIDS U’ KNOW might also be some of the strangest guys you know. The five members of this New York troupe specialize in the weird, the wacky, and the outrageous, and their sketch comedy series straddles the line between funny and offensive. Many of the routines mine laughs from overtly sexual situations and graphic violence, though the results sometimes fall short (or perhaps go far wide) of the mark.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

The Whitest Kids U' Know pushes the edge of "acceptable" to the limits -- and when it works, it can be quite funny. For example, a group of revolutionaries who come to blows arguing over who has to make T-shirts and who must tend the nuclear reactor core is a sharp statement on the lunacy of anarchy.

But other skits aim far lower and can be plain old crude -- and/or needlessly violent, such as a sketch about a reality show that encourages participants to commit suicide. The Whitest Kids are clever, but they don’t always know when they're going too far.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-MA
Network: IFC
Cast: Sam Brown, Trevor Moore, Zach Cregger
Genre: Comedy
Where to watch: IFC
This review was written by Will Wade
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13
Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:
  • 67% say language is an issue
  • 33% say violence is an issue
  • 33% say sexual content is an issue
  • 33% say there are positive messages
  • 33% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
Read the reviews

Most useful reviews by all members

playbill313
teen, 13 years old
13
 
Super funny but super innappropriate
The show's not meant for younger kids, don't let them watch it.
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helped me decide (5) | had useful details (4) | read my mind (4)
NerdTasticDayD ...
parent of 17 year old
10
 
It has some good lessons, about love and life and just making it threw, and my 16yr old watch it all the time! we love it!
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helped me decide (3) | had useful details (4) | read my mind (3)
sadiv77
parent of 18 year old
14
 
very, very, funny
I think it says f**k alot on the unsensored DVD. It is very funny, and cool.
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helped me decide (3) | had useful details (3) | read my mind (3)
9001
teen, 15 years old
15
 
HILARIOUS!
This show is HILARIOUS! It can be very offensive and vulgar, and I think the DVD's contain explicit language and nudity, so I would not recommend those for children under 18. But just as long as you are watching the version where any nudity is censored, this show may be appropriate for children 15 years of age and older. But be warned: this show can get very vulgar. You may want to screen an episode before you let your child watch it if he or she is under 17, even if it is a censored version.
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helped me decide (2) | had useful details (3) | read my mind (3)
mikeisawesome123
parent of 11 year old
16
 
Hillarious!!! But Parents Be Warned!!!
This show is funny. But there is a lot of language. Some episodes only say the "f" word once. Others say it 1-10 times. A lot of skits contain violence, blood, and gore. Sex usually doesn't include nudity, but sometimes cartoon penises and breasts. Other times it show Real breasts but only once in a while. They also talk about sex and genitalias. They sometimes talk about and use drugs. The messages aren't positive and role models aren't good.
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dbande99
kid, 12 years old
 
Wow, gross but funny
i started watching this show when i was ten, and wow the things i learned in a negative way although funny at times it would be disgusting and raunchy. i started watching it on yotube and saw the call of duty one first it was pretty funny but then i started watching it on ifc and they would say what they want when they want. there is a lot of sexual mentions in it. they swear a lot some bleeped some not. they smoke weed a lot they also drink but a lot of it is making political jokes. this show is defiantly not for kids
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helped me decide (1) | had useful details (1) | read my mind (1)

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age
Our child development rating guidelines