AllMovie

Created for Colorado State University's The Collegian in 1992, Brett Merhar's cult comic strip Free for All achieved nationwide prominence when it was syndicated by King Features beginning in 1998. The TV-cartoon version of the property was every bit as hilariously tasteless and mean-spirited as the original strip, if not more so. Merhar himself provided the voice of protagonist Clay Zeeman, a twentysomething slacker who became a millionaire after suing a fast-food restaurant. The episodes focused on the friendship between Clay and his "loser" buddy, impoverished community-college student Johnny G. Jenkins (voiced by Jonathan Silverman). Others in the cast included Angus, a doped-up ferret who'd escaped from a corporate testing lab; Johnny's father, Doug, a non-charming drunk; Johnny's oversexed grandma, a character right out of Playboy; and sexy girl-next-door Paula (voiced by Juliette Lewis). Also appearing in animated form were a number of pop-culture icons, some of whom actually provided their own voices. Merriwether Williams of SpongeBob SquarePants fame served as head writer. The initial seven episodes of Free for All were animated by Film Roman (The Simpsons, King of the Hill); the series premiered July 11, 2003, on the Showtime cable network.