Spike TV adds a plethora of midget wrestlers to its line up.

Spike never seems to surprise me. The network seems to keep coming out with these absurd new shows (i.e. MANswers, 1000 ways to die, Deadliest Warrior, and Blue Mountain State) that contain nothing but dumb male humor. Spike TV’s new show geared towards men is the series Half Pint Brawlers, a combination of the Ultimate Fighting Challenge and Jackass, plus a plethora of hardcore wrestling midgets.

The midgets on this show actually preferred to be called midgets instead of the more socially acceptable term little people because who really wants to see little people wrestling, midget wrestling just sounds way better.. These midget wrestlers travel to bars around the country to strut their stuff in the ring, or in some cases on the concrete dance floors in the bar. They really don’t have any problem with the fact that people are going to go watch them to stare and watch them make fools of themselves. The boss aka Puppet says, “If your gunna stare at me, I’m gunna make money doin it.” Despite being the boss of the group, he is pretty crazy. In the opening credits we see him get pool balls shot at his balls, and we see him later in the show warming up the crowd by auctioning off a staple gun shot to his balls. He came out of that situation laughing despite a bloody sack.

This is another very cast driven show like jackass or UFC, and this cast isn’t one to disappoint. There is Bobby, the long-haired, beer gutted wrestler who’s nickname is “the ladies man.” He ends up crying and getting emotional after a performing accident with his brother Kato. Bobby is sure to provide the emotional, sentimental side to this show to give it some meaningful balance. Kato the dwarf destroyer, also known as the veteran, is one of the more hardcore guys on the show. He splits his head open on the concrete after Bobby hurled his beer gutted belly onto him lying on the bar table. They end up smashing through the table and Kato’s head is crushed on the bars concrete floor, the final result being a lot of blood on the floor and a trip to the hospital for 28 stitches. He is going to be the character who simply doesn’t care about the consequences (i.e. he gets back in the ring the day after his injury).

The crew added a new midget, Turtle, who is constantly getting hazed in proper jackass fashion. He gets fully shaven, struts his stuff in a thong down the street yelling “I am a midget,” and in future episodes strip teases for a bunch of dudes. He is the “Raab Himself” of the show. Mad Mexx “the immigration sensation” is the most hardcore of all the wrestlers and seems to enjoy getting things stapled to his face, though he doesn’t seem to play a big role in the show. He is also the most normal looking midget of the brawlers, which makes his routines slightly less entertaining to watch. There’s simply something about midgets that makes things better, and did I forget to mention these midgets all love to get hammered.

I truly expected nothing less from this series premiere from Spike. They’re show ideas are getting more and more “out there,” but somehow easily manage to entertain us. However, I think this show could cause some other little people to rise up against the show. There are shows like Little People, Big World, that try to portray little people in a positive light, but Half Pint Brawlers is doing quite the opposite. I think this show is fairly controversial in today’s world. Though I may enjoy watching midgets fight, I also believe that it’s degrading towards other little people who are trying to distance themselves from midget stereotypes. However, if it was meant to be a serious show, it wouldn’t be on Spike TV. Half Pint Brawlers is hardcore, very stupid funny, and gives us a fresh new take on fake wrestling. It’s only because of the success of Jackass and UFC that this show fits into today’s TV culture.