The Unexpected Way Justin Roiland Used Rick From Rick And Morty On The Phone
"Rick and Morty" has come to permeate the zeitgeist in a way most TV shows can only dream of. Not only is the mainstay series insanely successful, but it's launched a series of shorts presented in different animation styles to give people something else to watch late at night on Adult Swim. The show was such a hit that the mere mention of McDonald's old Szechuan sauce, which was used in the 1990s as a promotional tie-in for "Mulan," was enough to send fans into a fervor. People stormed McDonald's locations around the country when they brought back the sauce for a limited time.
It's abundantly clear that fans can't get enough of their favorite alcoholic scientist and his naive grandson. They'll take any excuse they can get to obsess over the hilarious antics of the duo, including a prank phone call where the mere use of Rick's voice is enough to have you rolling on the floor laughing. And amazingly, it was all for a good cause.
Rick's not much of the praying type
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc around Houston, Texas. All the more frustrating during this time was the fact that televangelist, Joel Osteen, refused to open his church doors to the needy. Justin Roiland, along with the team at H3H3 Productions on YouTube, decided to kill two birds with one stone (via Vice). They played a prank on Osteen, pointing out his church's hypocrisy, all while raising money for those impacted by the hurricane by having Roiland lend his voice acting talents to a good cause.
Roiland called Osteen's prayer line, telling the woman on the other end that he had thousands of dollars he wished to donate to Osteen, with the only condition being that Osteen pray with him. The woman must've known it was a prank from the get-go as she adamantly refuses to connect Roiland with Osteen, and instead of being helpful, she chooses to speak in tongues.
Years after the prank, fans continue getting kicks out of the stunt, with Redditor u/nialldude3 posting an animated recreation of the phone call to a new thread. It wouldn't be the last time Roiland used his Rick voice outside of the show to hilarious ends. He also read a State of Georgia court transcript, which takes one bizarre turn after the next. Here's hoping these aren't the last times Roiland brings Rick into the real world.