.In the mid-2000s, I can’t say TV was good, but man, was it daring. There are a lot of shows that seem like fever dreams at this point, and one is Kenny vs Spenny. The Canadian comedy was essentially a game show where two friends competed to be better than each other at everything. If you missed out on this one, then you’ll be happy to know the Kenny vs Spenny Complete Series is now up on YouTube, thanks to co-star Kenny Hotz.
What is Kenny vs Spenny?
Image Credit: CBC and Comedy Central (US)
In 2006, Comedy Central purchased the rights to air Kenny vs Spenny complete series, starring Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice. The two friends essentially went around Toronto doing various competitions. Never high-brow and always irreverent, early episodes included “Who Can Sit on a Cow the Longest” and “Who Can Win a Beauty Pageant.” Episode 8, “Who Does She Like Better” is where I noticed the show’s potential. The two stars literally date the same person and try to see who gets the girl. It was dumb, ridiculous, and everything we’ve come to love about Canadian comedy.
The show filmed out of the house both stars lived in together, and eventually aired in more than 8 countries. The show concluded in 2010 with a Christmas special. Over its run, the show won awards for comedy TV series in Canada, Switzerland, France, the UK, and Germany. Adaptations in Columbia, the Netherlands, and India followed. The premise was simple, the budget was low, and I can’t wait to revisit the series on YouTube.
Shows like Nathan for You or Trailer Park Boys are synonymous with what we know as Candian comedy today. Others like Schitt’s Creek and Letterkenny found success via streaming services. Even early programs like SCTV proved that Canada’s love for laughs rivaled anything coming out of its southern neighbor. Still, Kenny vs Spenny is still talked about today thanks to its fun yet effortless take on friendship and competitiveness.
Attempted Returns and Banned Concepts
Image Credit: CBC and Comedy Central (US)
Kenny Hotz did some YouTube content for a while after the show, but both stars eventually disappeared for all intents and purposes. In 2014, however, the hashtag #BringBackKvS nearly earned the two a seventh season on Netflix. Hotz said he thought the success of Trailer Park Boys for Netflix would help their case, but it never ended up happening.
Instead, Kenny and Spenny toured multiple cities. They screened unused footage from the show. One funny competition was to see who could drink the most. Obviously, the CBC and other broadcasting companies didn’t want to promote binge drinking. So, the idea died, but the tour offered an opportunity to show off those funny moments too wild for TV. The show is still a cult hit, and many more will likely discover it now. You can watch the Kenny vs Spenny complete series here on YouTube, and if you want to hear some other great news, read our post about Taika Waititi adapting works of Roald Dahl on Netflix. Thanks for reading Comic Years for all things TV, comics, and pop culture.
Featured Image Credit: CBC and Comedy Central (US)