Just when you thought it was safe to pick up the phone … they're back!
In a time when old ideas are being pulled from the grave, dusted off, and given a new lease on life, we've received word that Jimmy Kimmel's prank call show, CRANK YANKERS, will return for a fifth season on September 25 courtesy of Comedy Central. Alongside news of the show's premiere comes a nostalgia-driven trailer for the new series, which arrives packed with many of your favorite puppets from the show's original run, as well as a list of celebrities you can expect to find getting in on all the fun.
Back to voice their characters are the show's creators, Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, who will welcome stars the likes of Tiffany Haddish, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Kroll, Jeff Ross, Tracy Morgan, and Sarah Silverman to the fold. Also expected to lend their voices to the puppet-packed cast are stars Nikki Glaser, David Alan Grier, Kathy Griffin, Arturo Castro, Will Forte, Lil Rel Howery, Abbi Jacobson, Natasha Leggero, Thomas Lennon, Demetri Martin, Bobby Moynihan, Kevin Nealon, Adam Pally, Chelsea Peretti, Tony Barbieri, Paul Scheer, Iliza Shlesinger, Jimmy O. Yang and Derek Waters.
You can check out the new trailer below, which features Morgan's Spoonie Luv leading the charge. Fans of the felt-covered and funny prank call premise can also expect characters like Elmer Higgins, Niles Standish, Bobby Fletcher, The Truth, Terrence Catheter and Mr. Birchum to also return for more smart phone-savvy antics.
According to reports, Comedy Central ordered 20 episodes of CRANK YANKERS at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour this February, so I hope you're prepared for plenty of cringe-worthy prank calls featuring puppets of all shapes and sizes. As a way of updating the show for a 2019 audience, the Yankers will go beyond their prank call staple by exploring platforms like social media, e-sporting events and any avenue that will tolerate their ridiculousness, for as long as patience will allow.
“‘Crank Yankers’ has always been my favorite show to make. Nothing is more fun or makes me laugh harder than a great crank call and I am thrilled that Comedy Central asked us to do it again,” said Kimmel back in February. “At this time, I would like to ask all Americans to disable their caller ID. Thank you.”
Acting as showrunner and executive producer on the series is Kimmel's younger brother, Jonathan Kimmel, who is set to be joined by his brother Jimmy, Carolla, and Daniel Kellison as executive producers.
Much like The Jerky Boys before them, CRANK YANKERS came along at a time when things like Caller ID and ping-back services were far from common place. Oh sure, those methods existed at the time, but you had to jump through a few flaming hoops to really get anywhere while using them. Nowadays, phone numbers come part and parcel with your smart phone screen, so you have to wonder if Kimmel and the crew will be using some manner of scrambling tech to make their calls. Either way, it would appear as if CRANK YANKERS is coming back, y'all. You've been warned!