Who The Fuck Is Jackson Pollock?
 | |
| Release Date | January 9 2011 |
|---|---|
| Starring | Jackson Pollock
|
| Director | Bear Diddly |
| Producer | Steven Love-Hewitt |
| Language | English |
Who The Fuck Is Jackson Pollock? was an American reality show. Fourteen people were put in one house and given the task of determining which among them, if any, is Jackson Pollock. When broadcast on TV, the pussies at the FCC renamed it "Who The F$%# Is Jackson Pollock?" It was due to be broadcast in the UK on Bravo, but Bravo was defunct in January 2011. It was then moved to Channel One, but Channel One was defunct on 1st Febuary 2011. It was then moved to Sky Three, but Sky Three's schedule was already full of camp game shows. It was ultimately shown on Channel 4 at the coveted 2 AM time slot. The show ran for only one season in 2011, as by the end everyone recognized Jackson.
The show debuted amid controversy regarding its use of the term "Pollack", its portrayal of Italian-Americans and allegations of perpetuating stereotypes, as well as criticism from abstract artists.
The show became a small pop culture phenomenon in South Korea due to the breakout stardom of Dae-ho Lee, known on the show as "Popcorn".
Premise[edit | edit source]
The show worked by the simple mystery that no one knows who the real Jackson Pollock is. Even the person who is Jackson Pollock doesn't know it! It was discovered in episode seven that Jackson Pollock (called "Jackson Pollack" by some international art savants) was actually some guy who painted pictures while incorporating the design of the American flag, but nobody in America is smart enough to know that. In each episode, the contestants compete in a challenge that has little to no relation to Jackson Pollock, besides the fact he is one of the competitors. The contestants would vote on who they believe to be Pollock and the chosen contestant, if not Pollock, would be eliminated.
Cast[edit | edit source]
Names were never revealed on the show (to avoid giving out the secret of who Jackson Pollock is) but rather, using nicknames based on physical appearance.
"Blackadder" (Dean Harrison) - A stockbroker from Illinois, and the ultimate winner of the show, nicknamed for his resemblance to Hugh Laurie.
"Jimmy" (Jackson Pollock) - The ultimate loser of the show, Pollock was despaired to learn of his identity.
"Contestant 3" (Jane Head)- A truck driver from Maine, Jane brought a "not here to make friends" attitude to the show, choosing to not receive a nickname. She attempted to sue the producers for libel in 2012, and they settled out of court.
"Popcorn" (Dae-ho Lee) - A Korean who knows only ten words in English, more than the rest of the casts' Korean knowledge combined. After his popularity on the show, Lee became a first baseman in the Korean Baseball league.
"Albert" (Gwenith Munch) - Nicknamed for sharing the exact height and weight of Prince Albert, Albert is shy throughout early episodes. Albert comes out as transgender in episode 5, and presents as a woman for the remainder of the show.
"Beanie" (Brigs Durkenleighter) - A US Marine who is compared to Jacques Cousteau due to his red beanie, and frequently references his catchphrase "Ah, ze sea!"
"Nosy" (Amanda Darwin)- An Alaskan private detective who half-asses the competitions, preferring to gather gossip on the other contestants. The originally planned challenge of episode 8 would have involved the contestants having to solve her apparent murder, but the show went off the rails.
"Dog" (Meyer Oscar)- A blackjack dealer who spends the first two episodes wearing a fursuit. He returns in the series finale.
"Corn Pop" (Jillifer Loved-Hueditt) - A gay goat rancher from Florida, who often stands behind Popcorn, and acts as his "translator."
"Elephant Girl" (Teri Horton) - A truck driver, notable for owning a Pollock painting without realizing, neither before nor after the show.
"The Joker" (Jephrew Morrison) - The only contestant with no spoken lines in the first episode, The Joker is a student at National Autonomous University of Mexico who receives his nickname in the second episode. His childhood dog was killed by a baby, leading to a life of brephophobia.
"Taxicab" (Jackie Stephenson) - A Hindu taxi driver from San Francisco, whose mother taught her knitting at a young age.
"Mario" (Pauly D) - Previously known for appearing on Jersey Shore, Pauly D is not recognized by other contestants due to dressing as a nun. He willingly left the show in episode 3 after facing anti-Italian discrimination.
"Chuckles" (Manuel King)- The host of the show, and the nephew of Don King. He is introduced in the first episode as one of the contestants.
List of Episodes[edit | edit source]
| No. in
season |
Title | Original air date | Contestant Eliminated | U.S. Viewers
(millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
A Pollock Off The Old Block[edit | edit source] |
January 9. 2011 | Chuckles | 1.1 |
| 14 people who have no knowledge of each others identities are taken into a house, and are told whomever figures out who the real Jackson Pollock is will get $10,023 Dollars (US you idiot). During introductions, "Nosy" reacts to a sexist comment from "Mario" with a karate chop, revealing she is a black belt. People wonder if she is Jackson Pollock. "Chuckles" reveals he is actually the show's host wearing a paper mask, and disqualifies himself. | ||||
| 2 |
Will the Real Pollock Please Stand Up?[edit | edit source] |
January 16, 2011 | Dog | 0.1 |
| In this Episode, Manuel King told every member in the household they must paint a Jackson Pollock Copycat. As none of the contestants had seen a Pollock before, most guessed he probably did landscapes. The Joker painted his face, earning his nickname and being the last contestant to do so. Corn Pop painted a still life, and Dog chose to make an impressionist sculpture, which wasn't any more wrong. The contestants chose to vote out Dog. Jimmy, the real Pollock, made a copy of Contestant 3's painting, saying he was "pretty sure" she was Jackson Pollock. | ||||
| 3 |
Pollocks, Trains and Automobiles[edit | edit source] |
January 23, 2011 | Mario | 0.04 |
| The contestants were split into three teams of four. The challenge was to hotwire a Japanese hybrid car. The Blue team, led by Beanie and Nosy, made the mistake of connecting the red and black wires together. The contestants planned to vote out Blackadder, but after much anti-Italian discrimination during the debate, the use of the offensive slur Guido caused Mario to quit the show, and his identity was revealed to the cast. | ||||
| 4 |
Made in Pollock[edit | edit source] |
January 30, 2011 | Taxicab | 0.001 |
| This episode is about helping children in Africa receive clothing. Of course, they aren't allowed to buy the clothes or donate previously owned clothes. Instead they are forced to make their own clothes in a chinese sweatshop. Corn Pop and Elephant Girl both have trouble understanding rudimentary Chinese, so they are beaten with a wicker stick. Popcorn doesn't understand Chinese either, but the other contestants assume he does. Taxicab makes the best dress, and is eliminated for her efforts. The episode ends with a serious message about the ethics of capitalism, given directly to the viewer by cast members. | ||||
| 5 |
The Twelve Pollocks of Heracles[edit | edit source] |
February 6, 2011 | The Joker | 0 |
| In a sendup to the Twelve Labors of Hercules, contestants are required to fight a lion, clean horse manure out of a stable, and assist in delivering a baby. The Joker expresses his hatred of babies, and feuds with the contestants who are parents. He is voted off and found to not be Pollock either. Albert comes out as transgender. | ||||
| 6 |
Los Pollocks Hermanos[edit | edit source] |
February 13, 2011 | Elephant Girl | 0 |
| As the original challenge of the episode was cancelled due to severe thunderstorms, the contestants stay in the house and play Mario Kart. Beanie has an epileptic seizure during a particularly intense race on Rainbow Road, but still manages to beat Elephant Girl, whose Wii remote didn't have batteries. Nosy and Albert confess their feelings for one another. | ||||
| 7 |
Take a Walk on the Pollock[edit | edit source] |
February 20, 2011 | Corn Pop, Jimmy (Pollock) | 0 |
| The "beach episode". Albert is encouraged by Nosy to wear a bikini to the beach, and Blackadder builds a sand castle. Pollock is found before the volleyball challenge properly begins, ending the show early. As no individual contestant discovered his identity, it is decided that the next episode will feature a final competition to determine the winner. After an unenthusiastic game of beach volleyball, Corn Pop is eliminated. | ||||
| 8 |
All Bets On Pollock[edit | edit source] |
March 6, 2011 | The rest | 0.01 |
| The final episode starts as a six player game of Jeopardy!, but none of the contestants are able to get a single question right. As a backup measure, an intense game of Poker is played, with the previously eliminated Dog (now going by his real name, Meyer), as the dealer. Popcorn is dominant for much of the game but Blackadder secures the victory with a lucky Royal Flush. All of the contestants finally get to see the works of Jackson Pollock, with their feelings summed up by Nosy: "That's it?" | ||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN |
| Jackson | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | JP | JP |
| Head | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT |
| Albert | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT |
| Brigs | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT |
| Darwin | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT |
| Lee | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT |
| Jillifer | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | OUT |
| Horton | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | |
| Morrison | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | ||
| Stephenson | IN | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | |||
| D | IN | IN | OUT | OUT | ||||
| Oscar | IN | OUT | OUT | |||||
| King | OUT | OUT | ||||||
Media and Merchandise[edit | edit source]
DVDs of the show were released in 2012, although much of the original music had to be replaced. A set of eight posters, featuring each of the six non-Pollacks (or nopos, as they were referred to on the show) that were still competing in the final episode, Jackson Pollock, and Dog, were released and available on MTV's website, despite MTV having no involvement with the show. An additional poster of King was included in preorders. A second wave of posters was exclusively available in Korea, and only featured Popcorn and Pollack.
Reception[edit | edit source]
Ratings[edit | edit source]
The first episode received 1.1 million viewers in the US, which dropped down significantly for later episodes. Most episodes were watched by under 10,000 Americans when they premiered. The show fared better in other countries, getting over one million viewers in the United Kingdom, India and South Korea. A possible sequel series starring some other artist was planned, but nothing has come of the idea yet.
Controversy[edit | edit source]
The anti-Italian jokes said on the show, particularly by King in each episode, Dog and Jimmy in episode 7, Contestant 3 in episode 4, and nearly the entire cast in episode 3, were frequently criticized. These led to Pauly D willingly leaving the program. Italian-American activists slammed the show and its promotional material, with Adriano Gabagool, a prominent Italian-American community spokesperson, calling for a boycott of Who The Fuck. Abstract artists were also critical, primarily because the program was considered too coherent.
