Welcome to the online home of 89.1 WIDR's Saturday Morning Cartoon Show, hosted by DJ Beta and DJ Muppet every Saturday from 9-11am.
Our podcasts contain the same cartoon episodes, theme music, rocked out covers, and in-show musical acts you've come to love on the air. The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show is definitely a part of this balanced breakfast.
Claymation rules! Today is Gumby day, so hopefully you lot are in the mood for some short, but action packed clay-based adventures.
Begun as a student project at USC by creator and Michigan native Art Clokey, Gumby ended up being not just a beloved TV show, but a merchandizing machine. The 233 episode run inspired everything from lunch boxes and figurines to endorsement deals from the Library of Congress and a video game, made nearly fifty years after the first cartoon air. That's some mighty powerful mojo, my friends.
And as promised, here are a couple of episodes that don't really work on the air, but are super cool nonetheless. Plus what's Gumby without at least a little bit of visual? You can totally see Davey & Goliath in these designs.
Don't forget to put in your requests for holiday specials, as next week is our big kick-off and we want to have plenty of time to find the ones you want that we may not already have.
And for those of you who might've missed the announcement on the show, Cookie Jar Entertainment finally did something with all the amazing properties they own and it is called (for better or worse) Jaroo. It's essentially a Hulu for cartoons and it's awesome. We're not getting anything from them for mentioning it or saying we like it, I'm just really happy with what's been made available (DREAMSTONE!!!) and couldn't not share with you guys. :)
Welcome back, everyone, or should I say welcome back...to the future! :p Yes, I know, that was awful, but if you say it in a Michael Scott voice it's actually pretty funny. No, no it's not...
Anyway, today's cartoon is in fact Back To The Future: The Animated Series, a smart, silly romp through both time and space featuring good writing, surprisingly impressive voice acting, and anachronisms that only lead to fun, something Quantum Leap couldn't say. The live action sequences with Christopher Lloyd that opened and closed the show are as much of a hoot as the show itself, plus they're all sciencey.
I'm not writing a ton today because a) this is one of those shows that is a lot of fun, but doesn't have a lot of historical or cultural significance and b) I have a friends Thanksgiving tonight and I need to get home to cook! I'm sure you understand. ;)
Join us next week for a show filled with daring do, car chases, and unnaturally living clay as far as the eye can see! Yup, we're doing Gumby.
For those of you in The States, have a great Thanksgiving, and for everyone else, enjoy!
"You've never seen a street like Sesame Street. Everything happens here. You're gonna love it!" - Gordon, the first lines ever spoken on Sesame Street.
While the current incarnation of Sesame Street has the squeaky clean feel of Giuliani's Disneyfied Times Square, its roots, much like the city it calls home, are funky, anarchistic, and full of vibrant, unpredictable life reminiscent of early Saturday Night Live or The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. When you think about it, can't you see Grover getting a part time job with The Ministry of Silly Walks or the Two Headed Monster paying a visit to The Pit of Ultimate Destruction for a lesson on sharing? Everything really could happen on Sesame Street, because the people and puppets who inhabited it were fully realized individuals with unique personalities and real problems to deal with, from worrying about making friends in a new place or facing the harsh realities of life. Today, though we have a scant two hours to cover 40 years worth of stuff, we dive head first into this exceptional world that gave so many of us a classroom with no walls, a family who always loved us, and a safe place even in hard times.
One of the things I do think is a loss for kids and adults alike is no longer having musical guests on Sesame Street play their own songs rather than parody or learning-ified versions. As much as I like the changes to "Two Princes," kids deserve exposure to good music for its own sake. While no one will argue the benefits of giving Mozart and Chopin to younglings, the same is rarely said about Talking Heads or Mos Def, but anyone with kids in their lives knows that they love to head bang along with "The Immigrant Song" just like the rest of us. I don't know if a moment like the one below would even be possible today, the spontaneity of the kids, the gritty feel, and the undeniable funk, but man, am I ever glad it was once upon a time. Even if things have changed, it means a lot to know that Sesame Street was once a place for a dirty bass line and a soul filled horn section.
Though I have a wide range of opinions and analyses on the subject of all things Street related, I think I'll limit you to what was said on the show. If you'd like to know more about the development of Sesame Street, its impact on culture, or the mountain of general trivia that's out there, follow the links in this blog, make use of the Muppet Wiki, check out the articles done by the New York Times over the years, and get your hands on any of the historical/memoir booksaboutthe life of Sesame Street. If you're lucky, you might even get a chance to see the stuff in the Jim Henson traveling exhibit when it swings by your corner of the globe. (Kalamazoo folks? Yeah, we have just under a year until Chicago, but then, oh boy!)
We didn't have time to get to so very many things I would've liked to, some controversial nowadays and some just a whole mess of fun, so I've included a few videos that I hope you'll enjoy. If you're old enough to remember these beauties, share them with someone in your life who isn't, and if you're new to them, well, just remember that there are a gazillion more out there just as good waiting to be seen. YouTube is your friend. ;)
As with all things, age has brought changes to how we experience and use the world of Sesame Street. We've seen Bert and Ernie doing gangsta rap, Grover getting his near and far on with The Todd, Big Bird and Elmo on The West Wing, outtakes with comic geniuses, and an entire stage production lovingly satirizing the entire Sesame Street experience and life throughhilariouslyfilthymusical numbers, but none of that changes how so many of us feel when we hear those first few chunky notes on the piano. No matter what crazy things happen in the world around us, we can always count on a vampire obsessed with numbers, a neurotic triangle lover, and an incorrigibly lovable trash can dweller. Well done, Sesame Street.
"Hope you liked it. Now scram!"
- DJ Muppet
P.S. Massive Beta and Muppet congrats to superfan Ray, who informed us today that he and his wife (also a fan of the show) are expecting a baby! SQUEE! We could not be happier for them and wish them all the best. Now I need to learn how to knit baby booties that look like Optimus Prime. :p
Good news, everyone! The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show has perfected time machine and gone back into the past fifty years! No, we didn't do anything to Castro, but we did score a load of most excellent cartoonery and are, therefore, especially proud to bring you a day of Rocky & Bullwinkle.
As far back as I can remember, my life was filled with the adventures of a dim-witted but lovable moose and an eternally patient flying squirrel. I had View Master discs, coloring books (which I still have), figurines, and a host of other doodads sporting their likenesses. The only animated show that came close in amount of love I had for it was Beany & Cecil, which makes a whole mess of sense when you put the two side by side. Both were sharply written for child and adult audiences, both had crackerjack voice actors, and both made liberal use of the pop culture of their times, but where Rocky & Bullwinkle truly stand out is in the way stories, and therefore adventures, were constructed in serial format, much like the popular radio and film series that had captured the imagination of the nation for so many years.
As you listen to today's show, take the time to sit down and really focus on it. It's rare to have a cartoon so well made that functions as well over the air as it does on the screen and I think you'll enjoy the inherent lushness, the luxury of being able to enjoy such a richly layered piece of American animation. Voices from luminaries like June Foray, Bill Scott, Charles Ruggles (you may know him as the grandfather from the original The Parent Trap), Daws Butler, Paul Frees, and their contemporaries make for an incredibly pleasing aural experience. Just don't drink anything during the show segments, as it will come out of your nose.
Below, as promised, you'll see a couple of extra bits from the series. The first is a call to action for kids to save their pennies for the future, which is not only highly entertaining, but also a wonderful slice of life that might otherwise go unheard of by future generations.
This second video is the puppet segment that occasionally got Jay ward and his pals into hot water with the parents of children who did what the TV told them too. Hee hee hee. :) Big Ears & Noodle Noggin learned not quite enough.
That's all we've got for this week, boys and girls, but tune in next week when The Saturday Cartoon Show celebrates the 40th birthday of Sesame Street old school style, because we love anarchy the most when in involves Muppets and musical numbers. If you've got a favorite sketch, song, or animated segment from everyone's favorite street, leave a comment or shoot us an e-mail so we can add it to the line up. Heeeeeeeeeere fishy fishy fish!
At last we have come to the end, the final farewell, the ultimate expression of Halloween frivolity and the bittersweet truth that many of us are just too old to get away with door-to-dooring it any more. I need a candy beard... Oh right, you came for cartoons. I can scheme later.
Our first offering today is a tale of both sweet belief in humanity and an pumpkin who probably listens to a lot of Joy Division, The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile. While Raggedy Ann and Andy have spent a lot of time in their lives, animated or otherwise, trying to help people, there may be no more pathetic a cause than that of a squash with low self-esteem and an old woman who's afraid of living. Bet you didn't think these things got so deep, eh? (Check out the Toonopedia entry about these dolls, 'cause that's quite a history.) No fear, however, as any cartoon with June Foray (*coughGoBuyHerBookcough*) and Daws Butler just can't manage to stay sad. It's a nice salve to all the things that make us want to hide under the blankets 'round this time of year.
And what Halloween season would be complete without a dog who thinks he's World War II people, the tender faith of a little boy, and a sack of Halloween Rocks? Of course, I'm talking about It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Aside from being one of the longest running and most beloved Halloween specials, this beauty give us excellent last minute costume possibilities. I'll say no more, as I know you guys are eager to get the celebrations started. :)
If you're headed out tonight be safe, have either a flashlight or designated driver as appropriate for your activities, and have a great time! Bring us candy. ;)
It's cold and there are wolves after me! Okay, so that's a stretch, but Beta was out today and spending a rainy Fall morning alone in the studio while doing Halloween specials is enough to put put both heebies and jeebies into the mix. The people creeping around the building, getting ready for the football game, make oddly spooky noises when the sun's not out. Anyway, cartoons!
The first hour of the show features an eighties classic that ran on CBS for fifteen years before finally being retired from regular programming: Garfield's Halloween Adventure. In addition to boasting the first appearance of Binky the Clown, this special generated one of my all time favorite slacker catchphrases, "Candy, candy, candy!" Keep you ears peeled for two musical numbers sung by Lorenzo Music and two more sung by the Lou Rawls, both of whom were tremendous vocal talents. Plus, you know, pirates!
During the show I mentioned Mark Evanier, a man who has his fingers and toes in more pies than I can count and all of them are awesome. His blog is always entertaining, but for SMCS listeners it is his accounts of the shows he's worked on that are the most exciting. If you're a fan of anything related to Garfield, you do not want to miss his section about the work he's done on the Garfield animations. The fact that he has an episode guide makes it even sweeter. ;)
In the second hour I was downright giddy to fulfill a listener request for The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror III. Not only do you get The Simpsons from a great era, but you also get a tale about terrifying toys, the appropriation of an antique ape, and, zounds, zombies! While there have been many wonderful moments in the history of Treehouse of Horror, I can't find a single episode that matches this one for quality of writing, humor, and use of other works. It just may be a perfect half hour of the Simpsons.
Next week we'll be airing one more as-yet-to-be-determined Halloween Special and our traditional closer It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I thought a few of you would be interested in a couple of old TV promos from this one, so below the entry you'll fine two from CBS, one from 1966 and one from 1985. It's a neat little look into how this particular special seemed to tap into the cultural climate no matter the era. Plus it's just cool that the second one also contains one of today's featured shows. Look at how that one is framed, as there's more than cartoons with it.
As always, any requests for cartoons or music can be left right here or e-mailed throughout the week. And for those who missed it last week, yes, we'll play "Riverbottom Nightmare Band" for you. ;)
Hey all! Sorry about the delay is getting the podcast up. You may or may not know that my car and I were hit last week and dealt a rather nasty blow. I'm safe and, thanks to my dad being awesome, my car is at least drivable, but because of the setbacks in my schedule I wasn't able to get back to the studio and get the podcast uploaded. But I have now!
This show features some truly classic cartoons from the Warner Bros. universe. Both Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes are represented, as well as some of the newer offerings that will send listeners of a certain age back to footy pyjama evenings hiding under a blanker in front of the TV. Since long time WB animation fans are no doubt familiar with most of today's offerings I won't go into great detail commentary wise, however, I do want you to pay special attention to the orchestration and sound effects on the Porky Pig/Sylvestershorts. There's a suitably other worldly quality to these cartoons that I've never heard anyone able to match Carl Stalling on and these are pieces worth taking special note of.
I did want to share one of my favorite spooky Bugs Bunny cartoons with you, but alas, we didn't have the time, so below the entry you'll find it in video form. What's a Halloween celebration without Gossamer, after all? ;)
Tomorrow morning we'll be featuring two more full length Halloween specials from our collection, one of which is even a request, so make sure to tune in and, if you've got 'em, send us your requests for music and cartoons for the final week of the SMCS Halloween Extravaganza!
