Vegetarians want Nickleodeon to artichoke Mr. Meaty

NEWS RELEASE

LENZ ENTERTAINMENT

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Canadian-produced puppet Series, Mr. Meaty, to premiere September 22 in 90 million homes in U.S.

Mr. Meaty is the only new show to air on Nickelodeon's fall prime time line-up

Controversy over show's meat-eating theme results sparks growing on-line petitions to stop show from airing

TORONTO, ONTARIO - (Sept. 19, 2006) - Mr. Meaty, the puppet-based kids show produced by Toronto-based Lenz Entertainment, is scheduled to air in 90 million Nickelodeon-subscriber homes in the U.S., on September 22 at 8:30 p.m., announced Jack Lenz, the show's executive producer.

The series, which is Nickelodeon's only new show to enter the network's coveted prime time line-up, follows the lives of foam-animated 3D characters Josh Redgrove and Parker Dinkleman, who are 16-year-old boys making their way though the daily monotony of life by creating adventures at their after school job as employees of the fast food chain, Mr. Meaty.

Created by the Canadian award-wining puppeteer duo, Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon, who also serve as the show's writers and directors, Mr. Meaty has gathered huge momentum through Nick's website where kids are encouraged to apply on-line for a post at the chain; download the Mr. Meaty employee training video; learn about the official Mr. Meaty menu items; download podcasts and make entries on the Mr. Meaty message board.

According to Jason Hopley, "Mr. Meaty is an experience for kids and adults alike. There's no question that the messaging can be misunderstood, but everyone has gone through those awkward tween and teen years and knows what it's like. Parker and Josh are just puppets in the game of life - and in the search for the meaning in meat."

Not without controversy, the show has already garnered an anti-sentiment from vegetarians and concerned parents. Several web-driven sites have begun on-line petitions to stop the airing of the show due to its content of meat.

"Naturally, people are concerned when it comes to misdirecting youth, but it's critical that these petitioners actually watch the show before they can start a petition," said Hopley who continued, "the show is aimed at an older children's audience and is a send-up of suburban life and fast-food franchises. If anything, it's a criticism of unhealthy food."

Produced entirely at the Lenz Entertainment studios in Toronto, the company's president, Jack Lenz, sees this show as the breakthrough concept for pre-teen and teen programming in North America and beyond.

"Entertaining kids in their teens in not easy and it takes a very strong concept to catch on with this demographic. Mike Judge clearly nailed it with Beavis & Butthead and we believe that Mr. Meaty will do the same," said Lenz.

The show, which originated as a series of 17 shorts on CBC was picked up by Nickelodeon which then asked the creators to make it into a half-hour series.

The new episodes will launch on CBC on October 7 in the 11:30 a.m., timeslot.

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