Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special
Encyclopedia
Kung Fu Panda Holiday, also known as Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special, is a 2010 television special
that premiered on NBC
on November 24, 2010. Featured are the voices of Jack Black
, Dustin Hoffman
, Angelina Jolie
, Jackie Chan
, Seth Rogen
, David Cross
, Lucy Liu
, James Hong
, and Jack McBrayer
. The special's premiere broadcast drew 5.925 million viewers.
) assigns Master Po (Jack Black
) to host the annual Winter Feast at the Jade Palace, a highly ritualized formal occasion where all the Kung Fu masters of China attend, insisting on the perfection of the event. Although excited, Po also wishes to spend the holiday with his father Mr. Ping (James Hong
), and rejects the finest chefs in China in an attempt to have him cater the event. However, Mr. Ping believes Po is more concerned with his duties as the Dragon Warrior, and adamantly remains at his restaurant to feed the townsfolk who have nowhere else to eat for the holiday.
Guilt-ridden, Po tries to cook the banquet by himself, but is quickly overwhelmed by the myriad of responsibilities that come with it, further complicated by the interference of Wo Hop (Jack McBrayer
), a rabbit chef he had accidentally disgraced earlier and is desperate to die at the hands of the Dragon Warrior to redeem his honor. A comment from Wo Hop inspires Po to enlist the Furious Five to complete the preparations for the feast while he has the still-suicidal Wo Hop help him in the kitchen.
On the night of the Winter Feast, Po comes to realize that he should be with his father for the holiday and excuses himself before the masters to help Mr. Ping prepare food for the townsfolk. For his part, Mr. Ping, who had been struggling with the business alone, realizes that he was being unfair to his son for attending to his larger responsibilities and apologizes to him. With this reconciliation, father and son prepare their feast with polished skill.
Moved by Po's loyalty to his family, the Furious Five and the other masters participate in the festivities with the townsfolk. Po is additionally able to restore Wo Hop's honor by presenting him with the Golden Ladle originally intended for the chef selected to cook for the masters' banquet. Shifu is initially mortified that everyone abandoned the feast, but upon seeing the merry time everyone is having at the noodle shop, he realizes Po did the right thing, creating a truly perfect event with his father. Although Shifu turns to leave, Po persuades him to join them, firmly asserting Shifu's place with his family.
, Emily Ashby praised its positive messages and role models, in which Po "learns that listening to your heart is the best way to make the right decision, and his choice inspires others to do the same".
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
that premiered on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
on November 24, 2010. Featured are the voices of Jack Black
Jack Black
Jack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
, Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
, Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
, Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
, Seth Rogen
Seth Rogen
Seth Rogen is a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, producer, screenwriter, and voice artist. Rogen began his career doing stand-up comedy during his teen years, winning the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998. While still living in his native Vancouver, he landed a small part in Freaks and...
, David Cross
David Cross
David Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
, Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu
Lucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
, James Hong
James Hong
James Hong is an American actor and former president of the Association of Asian/Pacific American Artists . A prolific acting veteran, Hong's career spans over 50 years and includes more than 350 roles in film, television, and video games.-Early life:Hong was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His...
, and Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
. The special's premiere broadcast drew 5.925 million viewers.
Plot
Master Shifu (Dustin HoffmanDustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
) assigns Master Po (Jack Black
Jack Black
Jack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
) to host the annual Winter Feast at the Jade Palace, a highly ritualized formal occasion where all the Kung Fu masters of China attend, insisting on the perfection of the event. Although excited, Po also wishes to spend the holiday with his father Mr. Ping (James Hong
James Hong
James Hong is an American actor and former president of the Association of Asian/Pacific American Artists . A prolific acting veteran, Hong's career spans over 50 years and includes more than 350 roles in film, television, and video games.-Early life:Hong was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His...
), and rejects the finest chefs in China in an attempt to have him cater the event. However, Mr. Ping believes Po is more concerned with his duties as the Dragon Warrior, and adamantly remains at his restaurant to feed the townsfolk who have nowhere else to eat for the holiday.
Guilt-ridden, Po tries to cook the banquet by himself, but is quickly overwhelmed by the myriad of responsibilities that come with it, further complicated by the interference of Wo Hop (Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
), a rabbit chef he had accidentally disgraced earlier and is desperate to die at the hands of the Dragon Warrior to redeem his honor. A comment from Wo Hop inspires Po to enlist the Furious Five to complete the preparations for the feast while he has the still-suicidal Wo Hop help him in the kitchen.
On the night of the Winter Feast, Po comes to realize that he should be with his father for the holiday and excuses himself before the masters to help Mr. Ping prepare food for the townsfolk. For his part, Mr. Ping, who had been struggling with the business alone, realizes that he was being unfair to his son for attending to his larger responsibilities and apologizes to him. With this reconciliation, father and son prepare their feast with polished skill.
Moved by Po's loyalty to his family, the Furious Five and the other masters participate in the festivities with the townsfolk. Po is additionally able to restore Wo Hop's honor by presenting him with the Golden Ladle originally intended for the chef selected to cook for the masters' banquet. Shifu is initially mortified that everyone abandoned the feast, but upon seeing the merry time everyone is having at the noodle shop, he realizes Po did the right thing, creating a truly perfect event with his father. Although Shifu turns to leave, Po persuades him to join them, firmly asserting Shifu's place with his family.
Cast
- Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
as Po - Dustin HoffmanDustin HoffmanDustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
as Shifu - Angelina JolieAngelina JolieAngelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
as Tigress - Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
as Monkey - Seth RogenSeth RogenSeth Rogen is a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, producer, screenwriter, and voice artist. Rogen began his career doing stand-up comedy during his teen years, winning the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998. While still living in his native Vancouver, he landed a small part in Freaks and...
as Mantis - David CrossDavid CrossDavid Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
as Crane - Lucy LiuLucy LiuLucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
as Viper - James HongJames HongJames Hong is an American actor and former president of the Association of Asian/Pacific American Artists . A prolific acting veteran, Hong's career spans over 50 years and includes more than 350 roles in film, television, and video games.-Early life:Hong was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His...
as Mr. Ping - Jack McBrayerJack McBrayerJack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
as Wo Hop - Dan FoglerDan FoglerDaniel Kevin "Dan" Fogler is an American actor, playwright, and filmmaker.-Personal life:Fogler was born in Brooklyn, New York, the second child of Shari, an English teacher, and Richard Fogler, a surgeon. Fogler is Jewish...
as Zeng - Susan Fitzer as Shop Owner / Baby BunnyRabbitRabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
/ Host GooseGooseThe word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller.... - Lena Golia as Little Bunny
- Jonathan GroffJonathan GroffJonathan Drew Groff is an American singer-songwriter, stage, television and film actor. He originated the role of Melchior Gabor in the stage musical Spring Awakening and appeared as Jesse St...
as Master Rhino - Stephen Kearin as Father / Village Bunny
- Tom OwensTom OwensThomas William Owens is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'10" center from the University of South Carolina, Owens played five seasons in the American Basketball Association and seven seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Carolina Cougars, Memphis...
as Dream Bunny / Panicked PigPigA pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives... - Conrad VernonConrad VernonConrad Vernon IV is an American director, writer, and voice actor, best known for his work on the DreamWorks animated films Shrek 2 and Monsters vs...
as Boar - Mick Wingert as Goose Attendant / Pig Tailor
Reception
On the special's review on Common Sense MediaCommon Sense Media
Common Sense Media , commonly known as CSM, is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization which serves as a guide for parents that has reviews for most media types, including books, movies, video games, music, and websites, and rates them in terms of violence, sex, and profanity. The website...
, Emily Ashby praised its positive messages and role models, in which Po "learns that listening to your heart is the best way to make the right decision, and his choice inspires others to do the same".