Uploaded August 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is my video highlighting Michael Cusack's bizarre but wonderful animation comedies from YOLO, Damo and Darren to Smiling Friends and YOLO Crystal Fantasy. Works that can be said to illustrate his incredible talent for a surreal style of comedy in an animated format.
While only a few handful of animators take the potential of their craft to the absolute limits, you can clearly tell that Cusack’s work is one of them. His work is so bizarre and surreal that you’d easily be forgiven for thinking it’s come from an absolute insane madman.
But even if it’s not your kind of humour, at least his animation is different.
This is my video explaining why.
Thank you to my amazing Patreons for continuing to support this channel. You guys are amazing.
If you’d also like the option of becoming a Patreon, head to:
patreon.com/motioninart
Website:
motioninartmedia.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/motion_in_art
Reddit:
reddit.com/user/motioninart
Clips Mentioned:
90s As Fuck! – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=xOCH6630RlM
Bush Friends – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=X-AQNR93Nc4
Bushworld Adventures – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=v6yg4ImnYwA
Canteen Ladies – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=K4npqo01kd0
Chuck Her In The Ute – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=9i2eZaJsC7g
Damo and Darren – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=vmL72sgVdAQ
Flathead – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=MB1kL5503AI
Gabe Newell at E3 – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=632kyLysP6c
Grandpa Arthur – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=SM5Nw2ZJYFQ
Plasma TV – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=PCWfkl0aQU8
Question For Ted – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=uoFXj2FOioM
Rare at E3 – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=tfaN267lI_Y
Smiling Friends Pilot - Zach Hadel & Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=ZBJyNU_YlpY
Weedheads S01E01 – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=ZKMaU7jHjYc
Woolies – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=w5YRZgo3W28
YABBY HUNTERZ – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=1wV6_GiMR8s
YOLO – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=LkKKTsJZ5kU
YOLO 2 – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=Qc8hHUT_gU0
YOLO Crystal Fantasy – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=0q1SXKc8RLo
Additional Footage:
Michael Cusack & His Messed Up Cartoons – The Slot
youtube.com/watch?v=mMq7eC8udHA
Salad Fingers 1 Spoons - David Firth
youtube.com/watch?v=M3iOROuTuMA
Step Inside Michael Cusack’s Brain – The Slot
youtube.com/watch?v=swOac8QmEPE
Who is Michael Cusack?
Michael Cusack is a 26-year-old Australian animator known for making comedic cartoons online. He is best known for “YOLO” and “Damo and Darren” which combined have had over 17 million views.
YOLO, a 2-minute parody of girls’ nights out, went viral when Cusack first uploaded it back in 2012. It currently has more than 8 million views, and caught the eye of Rick & Morty co-creator Justin Roiland. He’d go on to approach Cusack to create an April Fools special for the Adult Swim series.
The resulting short, Bushworld Adventures, sees Rick and Morty take a roadtrip from Wollongong (where Cusack is from) to Bendigo. The animator had complete freedom to take the episode where he wanted.
He also created Smiling Friends which is a 2020 animated pilot created by Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack for [adult swim]. It premiered on April 1st, 2020 during Adult Swim's 2020 April Fools' Day schedule. Adult Swim has also picked up the animated comedy series “YOLO: Crystal Fantasy” from him.
The series, which will premiere later this year, follows Australian party girls Sarah and Rachel as they are looking for fun times, new experiences, positive vibes, and hopeful horoscopes in the bizarre town of Wollongong. Sarah’s quest is to find love, whereas Rachel hungers for chaos, often bringing them into conflict as they encounter surreal Australiana, strange bush creatures, and eccentric nomads.
Cusack’s viral YouTube hit “Ciggy Butt Brain” caught the eye of “Rick and Morty’s” Justin Roiland who later asked him to create an Australian version of “Rick and Morty,” which led to the animated project “Bushworld Adventures.” The 11-minute special infamously aired on Adult Swim on April Fools Day in 2018, one year after the surprise premiere of “Rick and Morty” Season 3.
And if you’re still reading this – hello.
This video is made through Fair Use under copyright law for the purposes of education in criticism or review; as well as parody or satire.
copyright.gov/title17/92c
https://www.copyright.org.au/ACC_Prod
This is my video highlighting Michael Cusack's bizarre but wonderful animation comedies from YOLO, Damo and Darren to Smiling Friends and YOLO Crystal Fantasy. Works that can be said to illustrate his incredible talent for a surreal style of comedy in an animated format.
While only a few handful of animators take the potential of their craft to the absolute limits, you can clearly tell that Cusack’s work is one of them. His work is so bizarre and surreal that you’d easily be forgiven for thinking it’s come from an absolute insane madman.
But even if it’s not your kind of humour, at least his animation is different.
This is my video explaining why.
Thank you to my amazing Patreons for continuing to support this channel. You guys are amazing.
If you’d also like the option of becoming a Patreon, head to:
patreon.com/motioninart
Website:
motioninartmedia.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/motion_in_art
Reddit:
reddit.com/user/motioninart
Clips Mentioned:
90s As Fuck! – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=xOCH6630RlM
Bush Friends – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=X-AQNR93Nc4
Bushworld Adventures – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=v6yg4ImnYwA
Canteen Ladies – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=K4npqo01kd0
Chuck Her In The Ute – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=9i2eZaJsC7g
Damo and Darren – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=vmL72sgVdAQ
Flathead – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=MB1kL5503AI
Gabe Newell at E3 – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=632kyLysP6c
Grandpa Arthur – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=SM5Nw2ZJYFQ
Plasma TV – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=PCWfkl0aQU8
Question For Ted – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=uoFXj2FOioM
Rare at E3 – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=tfaN267lI_Y
Smiling Friends Pilot - Zach Hadel & Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=ZBJyNU_YlpY
Weedheads S01E01 – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=ZKMaU7jHjYc
Woolies – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=w5YRZgo3W28
YABBY HUNTERZ – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=1wV6_GiMR8s
YOLO – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=LkKKTsJZ5kU
YOLO 2 – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=Qc8hHUT_gU0
YOLO Crystal Fantasy – Michael Cusack
youtube.com/watch?v=0q1SXKc8RLo
Additional Footage:
Michael Cusack & His Messed Up Cartoons – The Slot
youtube.com/watch?v=mMq7eC8udHA
Salad Fingers 1 Spoons - David Firth
youtube.com/watch?v=M3iOROuTuMA
Step Inside Michael Cusack’s Brain – The Slot
youtube.com/watch?v=swOac8QmEPE
Who is Michael Cusack?
Michael Cusack is a 26-year-old Australian animator known for making comedic cartoons online. He is best known for “YOLO” and “Damo and Darren” which combined have had over 17 million views.
YOLO, a 2-minute parody of girls’ nights out, went viral when Cusack first uploaded it back in 2012. It currently has more than 8 million views, and caught the eye of Rick & Morty co-creator Justin Roiland. He’d go on to approach Cusack to create an April Fools special for the Adult Swim series.
The resulting short, Bushworld Adventures, sees Rick and Morty take a roadtrip from Wollongong (where Cusack is from) to Bendigo. The animator had complete freedom to take the episode where he wanted.
He also created Smiling Friends which is a 2020 animated pilot created by Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack for [adult swim]. It premiered on April 1st, 2020 during Adult Swim's 2020 April Fools' Day schedule. Adult Swim has also picked up the animated comedy series “YOLO: Crystal Fantasy” from him.
The series, which will premiere later this year, follows Australian party girls Sarah and Rachel as they are looking for fun times, new experiences, positive vibes, and hopeful horoscopes in the bizarre town of Wollongong. Sarah’s quest is to find love, whereas Rachel hungers for chaos, often bringing them into conflict as they encounter surreal Australiana, strange bush creatures, and eccentric nomads.
Cusack’s viral YouTube hit “Ciggy Butt Brain” caught the eye of “Rick and Morty’s” Justin Roiland who later asked him to create an Australian version of “Rick and Morty,” which led to the animated project “Bushworld Adventures.” The 11-minute special infamously aired on Adult Swim on April Fools Day in 2018, one year after the surprise premiere of “Rick and Morty” Season 3.
And if you’re still reading this – hello.
This video is made through Fair Use under copyright law for the purposes of education in criticism or review; as well as parody or satire.
copyright.gov/title17/92c
https://www.copyright.org.au/ACC_Prod
