Million Dollar Extreme Explained

Million Dollar Extreme
Medium:Internet and television
Nationality:American
Active:2009–2016
Genre:Post irony
Sketch comedy
Surreal humor
Notable Work:
Past Members: Carroll

Million Dollar Extreme (MDE) was an American sketch comedy troupe, founded by alt-right comedian Sam Hyde and known for its many alt-right and white supremacist fans.[1] Group members included Hyde, Nick Rochefort, and Carroll.

The group had a 15-minute sketch show on the Adult Swim network named , which was cancelled after one season due to Hyde's connections to the alt-right. The group's YouTube channel was permanently banned in 2018 for violating the website's community guidelines. A ban on the group's subreddit on Reddit followed a few months later, as the subreddit was a major outlet for users sharing white supremacist and white nationalist content.[2]

YouTube channel

Million Dollar Extreme started out making sketch comedy videos on their YouTube channel, which David Weigel described as "absurdist" and "transgressive", often centering around themes mocking political correctness.[3] Sam Hyde's monologues, recorded on his iPhone, were also a staple for video content on the channel.[4]

Hyde also performed numerous public pranks that he uploaded to the MDE YouTube channel. In 2013, Hyde delivered a fake TEDx talk titled "2070 Paradigm Shift" at Drexel University.[5]

The troupe had various issues with online terms of service violations due to their content and fanbase. Their first ban from YouTube was in 2013, although the group continued to post online videos on several related YouTube channels after the initial ban. On May 4, 2018, their channel was permanently removed from YouTube for a violation of the site's community guidelines.[6] On September 10, 2018, the group's subreddit on Reddit was permanently removed for violations of their policy regarding violent content.[7]

World Peace

See main article: Million Dollar Extreme Presents: World Peace. In 2015, MDE were slated to have their own live action 15-minute sketch show on the cable network Adult Swim.[8] It was to be set in a post-apocalyptic nightmare world that satirizes the current political climate.[9] Titled , the series premiered on August 5, 2016.[10] Three weeks later, after World Peace was subject to internal controversy at Adult Swim due to Sam Hyde's connections to the alt-right,[11] [12] [13] [14] it was announced that the show would not be renewed for a second season.[15]

Critical reception

Christian Williams of The A.V. Club described them: "Some videos borrow Wonder Showzens toolkit, wielding subliminal blips and eye-straining text in service of subversive ends. Some make use of the Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! aesthetic, and some are surprisingly slick, with excellent, eardrum-shredding music courtesy of talented mystery-men like Orangy and Vaervaf."[16] In the view of Philadelphias Andrew Thompson: "The mission of Million Dollar Extreme has always seemed a spin on afflicting the comfortable, except its targets usually aren't the comfortably powerful. To the extent that satire exists in MDE's comedy, it feels like more of rationalization than a reason for the shock itself."

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Thompson. Andrew. WATCH: TEDx Drexel Got Pranked This Weekend. Philly Mag. October 6, 2013. January 4, 2016. August 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220829192634/https://www.phillymag.com/news/2013/10/06/tedx-prank-philadelphia-drexel-sam-hyde/. live.
  2. Web site: Daro . Ishmael N. . Reddit Banned A Page That Trafficked In White Supremacist Content, But The Problem Is Much Bigger . BuzzFeed News . 22 September 2024 . en . 11 September 2018.
  3. News: Weigel . David . The story behind the sudden cancellation of Adult Swim's Trump-loving comedy show . The Washington Post . 24 July 2021 . 23 December 2016.
  4. Web site: Take in the work of the comedy provocateurs in Million Dollar Extreme . April 23, 2013 . May 8, 2020 . May 12, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210512171941/https://news.avclub.com/take-in-the-work-of-the-comedy-provocateurs-in-million-1798237780 . live .
  5. Web site: Comedian Gives Ridiculous Prank TED Talk. Business Insider. May 8, 2020. November 27, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127020405/https://www.businessinsider.com/comedian-sam-hydes-prank-ted-talk-2013-10. live.
  6. News: Reddit has banned QAnon. Stephen. Bijan. 12 September 2018. The Verge. 13 September 2018. September 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180912234903/https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/12/17847186/reddit-qanon-milliondollarextreme-ban-sam-hyde. live.
  7. News: Reddit Banned A Page That Trafficked In White Supremacist Content, But The Problem Is Much Bigger. Daro. Ishmael. 11 September 2018. Buzzfeed News. 13 September 2018. September 13, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180913105133/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ishmaeldaro/reddit-sam-hyde-million-dollar-extreme-ban. live.
  8. Web site: Stanhope. Kate. Adult Swim Upfront Slate Includes 12 Pilots, Two From 'Robot Chicken's' Seth Green. The Hollywood Reporter. May 7, 2015. April 17, 2020. May 11, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150511203851/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/adult-swim-upfronts-slate-2015-793960. live.
  9. Web site: Lincoln. Ross. Adult Swim Comedy From Sketch Troupe Million Dollar Extreme Gets Series Order, Official Title. Deadline Hollywood. March 3, 2016. March 5, 2016. August 11, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160811042928/http://deadline.com/2016/03/sketch-troup-million-dollar-extreme-adult-swim-series-order-official-title-1201713596/. live.
  10. Web site: Million Dollar Extreme Presents: World Peace. December 11, 2016. November 19, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161119012200/http://www.adultswim.com/videos/million-dollar-extreme-presents-world-peace. dead.
  11. News: Bernstein . Joseph . 14 September 2016 . The Underground Neo-Nazi Promo Campaign Behind Adult Swim's Alt-Right Comedy Show . 15 August 2018 . . en . September 22, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240922092242/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/neo-nazi-promo-adult-swim-million-dollar-extreme#.pbwxy9Keb . live .
  12. News: Bernstein . Joseph . 17 November 2016 . Adult Swim Talent Want The Network To Cancel Its Alt-Right Comedy Show . 15 August 2018 . . en . August 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180809122351/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/adult-swim-talent-trying-to-cancel-million-dollar-extreme . live .
  13. News: Abramovitch . Seth . 8 December 2016 . Sam Hyde Speaks: Meet the Man Behind Adult Swim's Canceled "Alt-Right" Comedy Show (Exclusive) . 15 August 2018 . . en . June 8, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190608155315/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sam-hyde-speaks-meet-man-behind-adult-swims-canceled-alt-right-comedy-show-954487 . live .
  14. Web site: Sims . David . The Battle Raging Over Adult Swim's Alt-Right TV Show . The Atlantic . en . 17 November 2016 . March 1, 2022 . November 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161117200235/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/11/the-raging-battle-over-adult-swims-alt-right-tv-show/508016/ . live .
  15. News: Adult Swim Cancels Controversial Show 'Million Dollar Extreme'. Blistine. Joe. December 5, 2016. Rolling Stone. December 5, 2017. August 14, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170814215121/http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/adult-swim-cancels-controversial-million-dollar-extreme-w454098. live.
  16. Web site: Williams. Christian. Take in the work of the comedy provocateurs in Million Dollar Extreme. The A.V. Club. April 23, 2013. April 17, 2020. August 13, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170813111820/http://www.avclub.com/article/take-in-the-work-of-the-comedy-provocateurs-in-mil-96712. live.

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