SECOND EPISODE (ABSTINENCE): PRODUCTION NOTES

Hey folks!

Well episode two has aired and we want to thank all the fans who have been spreading the word - we've seen a huge increase in fans on our facebook and twitter pages, and are continuing to build our audience! We want to try and check in every week as the episodes air, to update the page with information on the episodes as they air and teases for what's coming next!

Last night MTV ran "Abstinence," as our second episode. This was actually the third episode we shot, and the first to feature a cameo by Greg the Bunny. Greg was given a lessened role on the new show for several reasons. Firstly, since Milano plays both roles the production schedule was a little easier for him to play one main character. Secondly, Greg did not test very well in MTV's initial research of our pilot presentation. But more than anything, we really felt that creatively the new show would be about Warren, and that Greg would be a peripheral character in Warren's life. We want Warren's show to become its own entity and not have to rely on our previous shows, so allowing him the spotlight is a way of making this show different than the ones that came before. But worry not - there is plenty more Greg in store.

Fun fact - this is not the first time Greg has undergone some discomfort in prison. He had a similar fate in the IFC episode, THE BLUES SHE IS MY FRIEND, and Warren himself mounts Greg during a prison stay in our IFC REUNION SPECIAL. (Both available on DVD from SHOUT VIDEO.)

In a lot of ways, we're starting to see Cecil (the amazing JOSH SUSSMAN) fulfilling the role that Greg used to have. He is bright, chipper, sweet and unflappable in the same way that Greg always was, which of course infuriates Warren. Plus, we get a nice human/puppet dynamic between them.

Though fans will notice that when we cast humans opposite the puppets, we tend to cast people with slightly cartoonish qualities themselves (usually with slightly affected voices) such as DINA WATERS, who played Dottie Sunshine on our FOX series or MARY DeVAULT who you will soon see as Warren's "girlfriend" on the new show. Heck even SARAH SILVERMAN and EUGENE LEVY are known for their unique voices.

Dan Milano is a huge fan of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and so this episode features a scene of the characters playing D&D, using the miniatures that Milano and his friends actually play with.

And to those D&D geeks out there, Dan is painfully aware that the mini used to depict the "Beholder" was not an actual Beholder, as well as pretty much any rule or terminology gaffe you might want to point out. But he was stoked to be able to use the actual, licensed game components and thought the game as depicted had a sense of legitimacy to it, despite all actors (ironically other than Warren) having never actually played the game before.

You can see a video podcast of Dan rolling dice with his buddies from ROBOT CHICKEN here.

And speaking of ROBOT CHICKEN, those of you with HD copies of the show might want to look behind the Dungeon Master (right side) in this scene to see ACTUAL PUPPETS FROM ROBOT CHICKEN featured on the table in the background...

These include the puppets of the show's creators and writers (above) as well as Dan Milano's "Cork" character and the famous Humping Robot (below). The puppets were donated by Matt, Seth and the gang over at ShadowMachine and Stoopid Monkey, who produce Robot Chicken.

There were a few fun cameos in the episode as well. Friend of the show, contributing writer and creator of the WUMPUS character CHRIS BERGOCH plays in the D&D game. (Chris also appears as the first to share in the AA scene of our pilot). KURT LEITNER, who played an IFC executive in our NATURALLY SEWN KILLERS parody, appears as the host of the "catch a predator" show, and BILL FREIBERGER, who writes on the show (as well as the Fox series) plays the Dungeon Master. JAY THAMES plays the SWAT officer who tazes Greg, and also appeared as a cop who arrests Warren in our IFC REUNION SPECIAL.

Also featured in the D&D and movie line scenes is actor JESSE HEIMAN, who came to our attention as someone who originally auditioned for the part of Cecil. He appears in one of our other episodes and has been welcomed with open arms into Warren's universe. Jesse is featured in many shows, most notably on the awesome tv series CHUCK!!

Also making art design cameos in the background of the D&D scene are a carousel of FRESHMEN comic books by the amazing HUGH STERBAKOV... (see below)

...and the artwork of master toy photographer BRIAN McCARTY: (below)

The entire scene was shot in Los Angeles' MELTDOWN COMICS!

It was fun to see Greg and Warren's SECOND LIFE avatars - though they only make a brief appearance. In the past, we'd made obscure reference to Warren playing WORLD OF WARCRAFT, as seen and the end of this viral clip of Greg playing with Star Wars figures. It was pointed out to us however that if Warren were at a "meeting stone" he would not require a "summon." Oops. Anyway, in the future we would love to see Greg and Warren playing WOW.

Drew Pinsky says that many addicts enjoy online games and Warren would be no exception. Especially when you take into account that most puppets probably enjoy the empowerment that online RPGs provide.

The movie that Warren, Greg, Cecil and the others line up for is a fictional movie called OVERLORD 3030, the sequel to the equally fictional OVERLORD 2020. Look for "Overlord" posters and T-shirts to make appearances in several of our episodes, since it is meant to be one of Cecil's favorite movies of all time.

Well, that's all the trivia for this episode - many thanks go out to our entire cast and crew for helping to make these ambitious episodes happen. We marvel every day at the amount of work that went into creating these shots and scenes. Who doesn't love puppets in cars, or seeing Greg and Warren in a brothel, or a prison? None of it happens without our amazing crew.

You have to imagine the fun (and challenge) of coming to a production meeting and discussing how to taze a rabbit on a front lawn or show a monkey icing his balls in a bathroom sink. :)

Anyway, thanks to those that watched - next week features Warren taking a classroom of children on a very unique field trip in CRASH COURSE, featuring a cameo by the amazingly funny JUDY GREER.

Team Warren