Collecting MadVideos -- A quarter-century ago with WHAHA

November 22, 2006

5:20 PM

Student-produced video productions -- particularly those spoofing pop culture -- are by no means a new phenomenon at the UW-Madison. Back in the early '80s, one group produced a mock public television art show titled "WHAHA Director's Chatbox." One particular episode, described as a "better installment" by its creator Hank Grebe, takes on Milwaukee's Violent Femmes, or in this case, a mirror universe group named the Violent Fufus.

The four-minute video spoof follows below.

Hank Grebe studied fine art and art history at UW-Madison from 1979-81, where he focused on both serigraphy (silk-screening) and the nascent techniques of fine arts computer graphics. He subsequently worked in professional computer animation, and recently worked on the team that developed Shrek 2. His online bio provides more details.

Grebe describes some preparations for the production:

I had brought a prop, a plexiglass tube which I instructed Phil to load with Vienna canned mini sausages, which fit perfectly. They made a really cool vibrating sound when they got blown through the tube.

More of Grebe's work and thoughts are available at Media Spin.

If you wish to let us know about more videos by, of, and about Madison and Madisonians, please consider adding them to the Isthmus YouTube group or send a message.