Long before staff members of "Childrens Hospital" were being such cutups on Adult Swim, their antics were available as webisodes.
That's where creator Rob Corddry and the cast -- Megan Mullally, Lake Bell, Erinn Hayes, Malin Ackerman, Henry Winkler, Ken Marino and Rob Huebel -- first practiced their comedy that spoofs medical shows.
If you missed the Web shows -- or even the first two seasons on Adult Swim -- "Childrens Hospital: The Complete First & Second Seasons" has just come out on DVD. Season 3 begins next Thursday on Adult Swim.
Because the series started as 5- to 6-minute shows, Corddry didn't think its frantic humor -- a one-hour medical show shown in one-fourth the time -- could be expanded.
"I said I would never do it on television because I didn't think it would sustain itself longer than 5 1/2 minutes. I think at 11 minutes 15 seconds, we reach our saturation point," he says. "So I can guarantee you it will never be longer than that."
As for those who try the show and are outraged by the jokes about race, sex, medicine, terminal illness, weight problems and handicaps, "Childrens Hospital" writer David Wain has a suggestion.
"I have great respect for anyone who is offended by this show. There are thousands of shows," Wain says. "So you can watch something else if you don't want to watch this."
