The Impractical Joker: Betty Boop's cousin is a total nightmare

Is it worth your time?

If you have seven minutes to kill and a soft spot for weird, rubbery animation from the thirties, yeah, go for it. People who get annoyed by cartoon characters constantly laughing at their own jokes should probably skip this one. It's not high art, but it's got a certain chaotic energy that keeps you watching.

The whole thing starts with Betty just minding her business. She’s baking. It looks peaceful enough until Irving bounces in like he’s made of pure springs. Honestly, this kid is the worst. He keeps pulling these stunts that aren't even clever, just loud and disruptive. 🤡

The Grampy Factor

Everything changes when Grampy shows up. I always liked Grampy. He’s got that inventor vibe where he can turn a kitchen utensil into a death trap in about three seconds flat. Seeing him square off against a brat like Irving is pretty satisfying, even if the physics of the cartoon make zero sense.

• Irving's laugh is actually kind of grating after the third time.
• The way the cake explodes is a highlight for me.
• I kept thinking about Red Hot Hoofs and how much more grounded that felt, even though it was also just a goofy romp.

There’s this one bit where the prank-war escalates into something that looks suspiciously like a Rube Goldberg machine gone wrong. It’s messy. It’s fast. It’s barely a story, really. It’s more like a series of slapstick beats strung together with ink and paint. 🎨

I wasn't looking for a deep message here. You don't watch a Betty Boop short for that. You watch it to see how many things can go wrong in a kitchen before the house collapses. Irving is just a tool for destruction, and honestly, he deserved what he got. The animation has that jittery, hand-drawn charm that you just don't see anymore. It feels like someone drew it in a basement while drinking too much coffee.

It isn't as memorable as some of the other stuff from that era, like Oh'phelia, but it’s a quick distraction. Maybe stay away if you’re currently trying to bake a cake. It might put you off the whole process.