General Chaos: Uncensored Animation

Blame it on the Christmas Poo. When this animated feces smeared its way across the urchin-populated world of Comedy Central's South Park, it pretty much wiped out the need for naughty animation fests. If video killed the radio star, then cable just may off Spike & Mike.

Still, it's not just a matter of what's more gross or titillating. Much of this collection's 21-gag salute simply lacks the hip irreverence of TV's cartoon line-up. Bill Plympton's scribbly "Sex and Violence" vignettes wield all the bite of a Shoebox Greeting Card; Joel Brinkerhoff's cat-and-mouse spoof, "Zerox and Mylar," can't catch the gory glee of The Simpsons' Itchy and Scratchy.

That's not to say there's nothing inventive here. Frances Lea & Jayne Bevitt's sick but sweet "Oh Julie!" spies on the hapless humping of two bulbous puppets; Walter Santucci's manic "Attack of the Hungry Hungry Nipples" erects one mean pair of areolae'd action heroes. Best of all are Tony Nittoli's Saltine-addicted bird in "Junky" and Vince Collins's tripped-out vaginal mystery tour in "Malice in Wonderland." But, minus the irony, a pixillated penis is neither funny nor shocking. If this fest wants to keep pace with the immensely popular fare that's on TV, it had better change its 'toons. Opens Friday at the Avon.

-- Alicia Potter