Wikipedia

Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends

Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends was an independently produced puppet and variety show created and produced by Richard Concepcion.[1] The show was broadcast weekly on public-access cable TV in New York City from 1983 to 2017.[2] The show ran on the Manhattan Neighborhood Network, Queens Public TV, and aired online every Sunday afternoon over the Pawpet Broadcasting Network before the Funday Pawpet Show.[3]

Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends
GenreComedy
Created byRichard Concepcion
Opening theme"Custer's Last Stand" by Apollo 100
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes780
Production
Running time28 minutes
Original release
ReleaseFebruary 21, 1983 (1983-02-21) –
April 28, 2017 (2017-04-28)

The show, which is based in Rapid Transit Rabbit's hometown of New York City, followed him, and his friends Cuppy, Rupert and Mejeep, both in town, and around the country on their adventures. This could be in the form of puppets interacting with each other via a traditional puppet stage, or in the form of a video documentary. In recent years, the show expanded to include Rapid as a mascot, as well as a puppet which was used to film video documentaries for the show.

Throughout the years, the Rapid T. Rabbit character has attended many events such as the Doo-Dah Parade in Ocean City, New Jersey,[4] and the Long Island Ducks Mascot Day[5] among others including the New York City Easter Parade. While Rapid T. Rabbit was a very involved with local events in the New York City area, he was commonly mistaken as the "Easter Bunny"[6] by kids according to an interview with Richard in The New York Times.

Rapid also made appearances on various other television shows including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in 1999[7] and with local fandoms including the Chuck E. Cheese and ShowBiz Pizza fandom (from 2004 until 2013) at "Cheesevention", as well as in the Furry Fandom at conventions such as Anthrocon and Midwest Furfest as a Guest of Honor in 2000.[8]

In 2011, the program was the subject of a featured exhibition at the Museum of the Moving Image.[9]

Richard Concepcion, the producer and puppeteer of Rapid T. Rabbit, died on August 1, 2017,[10] in his apartment due to natural causes, thus ending the show's run.[citation needed]

Artwork of the show's main character Rapid Transit Rabbit
The show's main character Rapid Transit Rabbit

Main cast

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  • Rapid Transit Rabbit – Host
  • Cuppy – Co-host
  • Mejeep The Meeping Ferret – Co-host
  • Rupert – Supporting character and Rapid's puppet nephew

Special guest appearances

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References

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  1. ^ Belkin, Lisa (April 13, 1987). "Public-Access TV: Behind the Scenes". The New York Times. p. C18.
  2. ^ "Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends show #1". YouTube. January 10, 2013. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  3. ^ "Funday PawPet Show". en.wikifur.com. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  4. ^ "Who's Who at the Doo Dah Parade - America's Greatest Family Resort | Official Site of Ocean City, NJ". oceancityvacation.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  5. ^ Rapid T. Rabbit & Friends at LI Ducks Mascot Day 2005, October 29, 2006, archived from the original on December 12, 2021, retrieved September 15, 2021
  6. ^ Belkin, Lisa (April 13, 1987). "PUBLIC ACCESS TV: BEHIND THE SCENES". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "A Hare Piece - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart". Comedy Central. September 22, 1999. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  8. ^ Patten, Fred (2017). Furry Fandom Conventions, 1989-2015. McFarland & Company. p. 172. ISBN 9781476663814.
  9. ^ "Before the Web, It Was Public Access: A New Museum Exhibition Leads Visitors Back to the Days of Rapid T. Rabbit". The Wall Street Journal. February 11, 2011. p. A20.
  10. ^ "Rapid T. Rabbit". www.bobdbob.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  11. ^ Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends show #693, February 14, 2015, archived from the original on December 12, 2021, retrieved September 14, 2021
  12. ^ "Rapid T Rabbit-Show.79". YouTube. April 16, 2019. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  13. ^ Rapid T. Rabbit interviews Chuck E. Cheese, March 27, 2009, archived from the original on December 12, 2021, retrieved September 14, 2021
  14. ^ Telly Monster Drop Kicks Rapid T. Rabbit off Sesame Street, November 2006, archived from the original on December 12, 2021, retrieved September 14, 2021
  15. ^ Big Bird and Oscar call in to Rapid T Rabbit Show, December 16, 2019
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