Nick Knacks

NYT talks about Nickelodeon and the state of kids' programming.

Make Mine Medium

In England, there's help for the homeowner plagued by the deceased. (Artwork: eldaram3)

Nowhere Over the Rainbow

Troubles at the studio that brought you the Merry Old Land of Oz.

Good as the New Looney Toons?

Superman gets a make-over as a brooding, hoodie-wearing pc fellow, courtesy of more "re-envisoning" in the Time-Warner empire. "Re-envision" is often a euphemism for "new stink."
via Hot Air

The Picture That Inspired the Song

U.N. Me, that is. And this photo didn't inspire the song, but the United Nations gift shop did. Here are Paul Rugg, myself and Tom Minton outside that august world body during our 1994 Peabody Award trip. This is yet one more photo from the Hastings Archives forwarded to me via Paul Rugg. I can't remember if Peter went with us to the Empire State Building—which was next that day. But if Paul sends me another photo, the answer will be 'yes.'

Wood You Look At That?

The real Norm Abram along with Paul Rugg, Peter Hastings, myself and Jean MacCurdy at some private dining room in Pasadena circa 1996. Norm talked dowels and we talked animation. The result was Normadeus. (Peter Hastings found this in his voluminous photo archives.)

Butt Out

Ala Mad Men, there was a time you could actually smoke in the Big Apple. This was taken by Peter Hastings in 1994, when Jean MacCurdy took the Animaniacs writing staff to New York for the Peabody Awards. We got to meet Time-Warner president Gerald Levin, a small man who wore large cushioned shoes and worked in an office hotter than the planet Mercury. This led to speculation that he was from a distant world sent to earth for business reasons.

At the Peabody award luncheon, we sat at a table next to Paul Harvey. Paul Rugg would not stop imitating him and we ended up laughing into our napkins a great deal. There's nothing like a fun, memorable trip paid for by the company.

New Secretary of Education

This guy just became available.

99 Muslim Super Heroes on the Wall

Here come the The 99, a group of animated Muslim superheroes bound for TV on the Hub. Working on the show is former Batman writer Stan Berkowitz, who is interviewed in this article. In the first episode, the 99 must deal with one of their own when Samir the Unhinged has a fatwa placed on his teenage daughter for emailing Justin Bieber.
(Artwork: Teshkeel Media Group)

Mind Your Colors

A sketch from a very odd English comedy show circa 1997 called The Fast Show.

via abbottdirector

Gear Up With Craig

Craig's holding a ton o' Animaniacs merchandise.

Drunk With Endorphins

You can have your cake and eat it too—so to speak.

Study: Americans Get Majority Of Exercise While Drunk

Did Paul Rugg Write This?

There is more than a hint of Ruggian sensibility. (Plus Swedish blood courses through Paul's veins like cold water from the Baltic Sea flowing beneath a freighter filled with iron ore and blondes.)

Jaded Haven via RightNetWork

What is Today?

Today is don't-mess-with-your-35-year-old-drunken-son-when-he-wakes-up-at-noon-with-a-hangover-day.

The It Game

Former Acme comic Jeff Lewis does what comics do: make their own short films. Very funny.

5minutehour via Scott Kreamer on Facebook

Another Life Lives

Nate Ruegger continues to stack up kudos for his film, Another Life.

Banksy Beat Down

The Simpsons featured a new opening by UK graffiti artist Banksy depicting the show's animation being created in a squalid, dungeon-like sweat shop. It's already been pulled from EW.com. Below is an MOS version. There's biting the hand that feeds you, then there's breaking off the fingers and eating them with mustard. You decide.

Mr. Bigglezuk via Hot Air

Success Secrets

I'm happy for them!!












via Webless Ken

Brute Dictators Are People Too

We're so hard on our blood-thirsty dictators, judging them for things like killing millions while neglecting the whole person. Learn here about their life-affirming habits.
Via Cracked

Cleese Crushed in Divorce

One of my favs, John Cleese, gets taken to the cleaners, the grocery store, and a small doughnut shop by his ex-wife. In need of funds, he is now available for children's parties and company picnics.

Fat Suit

That's what I face this Saturday. I have a wedding to attend. A suit. And a big weight problem brought on by depression and overeating.(Starting in mid-August when my knee tanked.) For the last two weeks its been a lot of broccoli and salads. Off to the gym in a half-hour to sweat a bit. I feel like a wrestler trying to cut weight. Or a guy who sits around in sweat pants at a computer all day wondering where the pounds came from.

Hot Property

Sometimes they need tweaking.

Submission

This guy is only half-kidding.

Writerly Pep Talk

From the ashes arises the City of Tucson...or a phoenix. In any case, author J.K. Rowling cites failure as a catalyst to success.

Subtle PSA

A ghastly reminder from the UK government to cut your carbon emissions; once again proving you catch more flies with honey than murderous carnage.

mangoswiss via James Delingpole