Fatawesome, “Cat-Friend vs. Dog-Friend”

FATAWESOME

Fatawesome is a comedy team consisting of Jimmy Craig and Justin Parker, high-school friends from Billerica, Massachusetts. In videos, Web comics, and live sketches, they tackle topics from movies and music to videos games and superheroes, always with wicked charm and crowd-pleasing cheekiness. Fatawesome has posted more than thirty videos on YouTube, many of which have logged millions of views. They have been featured on Comedy Central, the Today show, G4, VH1, and the BBC and profiled in publications such as the Boston Globe, the Huffington Post, and Boston Magazine. Both college graduates, Craig and Parker also produce in-house videos for a Massachusetts marketing agency. They are currently working on a TV pilot and hoping to make professional careers of their comedic talents.

“Cat-Friend vs. Dog-Friend”

Posted in late 2012, this enormously popular YouTube video brought Fatawesome to national attention and acclaim. “Cat-Friend vs. Dog-Friend” casts human actors as typical pets, showing how a dog responds to people with enthusiasm and unrestrained joy, while a cat is at best ambivalent and often hostile. The humor derives not only from exaggerated portrayals, but also from suggestions that neither animal would be very desirable as a friend in human form.

Download the transcript.

Watch “Cat-Friend vs. Dog-Friend,” and respond to the following questions.

Questions on Meaning and Strategy

  1. Question

    What seems to be the PURPOSE of “Cat-Friend vs. Dog-Friend”? Do the makers of the video intend merely to entertain, or do they also have a point to make about human relationships? Why do you think so? How might you express their THESIS?

  2. Question

    Is “Cat-Friend vs. Dog-Friend” organized subject by subject or point by point? What specific aspects of cats and dogs does the video examine? Does Fatawesome seem to consider one animal more desirable as a companion than the other? Why do you think so?

  3. Question

    The video pauses early on to label the actors “DOG” and “CAT.” Are these captions necessary? That is, can viewers be expected to grasp the video’s central ANALOGY without the graphic cues? Why, or why not? Explain the analogy in your own words.

  4. Question

    OTHER METHODS This video presents several EXAMPLES of cat and dog behaviors, as acted out by human “friends.” Choose one scene, and explain the GENERALIZATION it illustrates.

Suggestions for Writing

  1. Question

    In the YouTube tagline for “Cat-Friend vs. Dog-Friend,” the authors write, “If your friends acted like your pets, you might not keep them around.” Do you agree? In an essay, consider how closely Fatawesome’s portrayals of dogs and cats (or of friends) resonates with your experience. Have the pets you’ve known behaved in ways similar to those in the video, for instance, or do they have their own unique personality traits that endear them to you? Do any of your friends seem particularly doglike or catlike? What qualities do you seek from a companion, and what do you offer in return? Would you end a relationship with someone (or something) you found to be overly eager or aloof? Why, or why not?

  2. Question

    CONNECTIONS While the creators of this video take a humorous look at our relationships with pets, George Orwell, in “Shooting an Elephant” (Part Three) confesses to a shameful incident involving an escaped animal. Using both selections as a starting point, write an essay about the morality of animal ownership. (Consider, for instance, that some activists object to the use of animals in scientific experiments; others argue that animals should not be used as sources of food or clothing; while still others insist that animals should not be kept in zoos, parks, or conservancies.) What obligations do humans have to the animals in their care? If cats and dogs are akin to people, as Fatawesome suggests, could pet ownership be considered a form of slavery? Can killing an animal, as Orwell does, ever be justified? Focus on a particular animal-rights issue that interests you and defend your position.