DEATH TO SMOOCHY
Year: 2002
USA: Warner Bros
Cast: Robin Williams, Edward Norton, Danny DeVito, Jon Stewart, Catherine Keener, Harvey Fierstein, Pam Ferris, Michael Rispoli, Salma Hayek, Jenna Boyd, Glen Cross, Melissa DiMarco, Samantha Gopwani, Natasha Kinne, Martin Klebba, Greg Korin, Vincent Schiavelli, Elvis Stojko, Nick Taylor, Danny Woodburn
Director: Danny DeVito
Country: USA
UK: 105 mins
USA Rated: R for language and sexual references
UK Certificate: 12
USA Release Date: 29 March 2002
Synopsis
He's Big, he's Purple, he's Smoochy... and he's got to DIE! Directed by Danny DeVito, DEATH TO SMOOCHY shows just how cut-throat the world of children's television can be!
Rainbow Randolph Smiley (Robin Williams) has it all - he's the clown star of the highest rating children's show on Kidnet and lives the celebrity champagne lifestyle... But there's something else Randolph has - a healthy taste for whisky and a weakness for taking bribes from parents who want their kids on the programme. His scheme works perfectly until the Feds find out and Randolph is unceremoniously sacked!
It's then up to Kidnet Network President Frank Stokes (Jon Stewart) and vice-president of development Nora Wells (Catherine Keener) to find a squeaky clean replacement as soon as possible. They replace Randolph with cheerful and earnest Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton) whose stage persona is that of a big purple rhino named Smoochy!
As idealistic as they come, Sheldon believes he can do good with his show, but it's not long before he gets an unsavoury behind-the-scenes look at the world of kids TV. Frank and Nora want to make as much money as possible from Smoochy merchandise, but Sheldon won't play ball and hires an agent named Burke (Danny DeVito) to help him gain creative control over the show.
However, Smoochy has even more to worry about as the now destitute Randolph will do anything and everything in his power to ruin him and get his old show back. Revenge is the means, assassination is the end and Rainbow Randolph will not sleep until Smoochy is dead!