"I never thought it was such a bad little Saturday Morning Cartoon Show."

We've made it through! Things got downright crazy this month for ol' DJ Muppet and I must apologize for the lack of updates, but I shall make up for that right now with a massive post featuring all of the holiday special shows. Here you go! :)

Podcast for 12/05/09 - How The Grinch Stole Christmas & Twas The Night Before Christmas

Podcast for 12/12/09 - The Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special

Podcast for 12/17/09 - Eureeka's Castle Christmas & A Rugrats Chanukah

Podcast for 12/26/09 - A Wish For Wings That Work & A Charlie Brown Christmas

We'll see you in the new year for a day for this gem, by very special request.

Be safe on the 31st and come back to us on the 2nd in one piece, ready for another totally sweet year of cartoons, giant puppets, and chicanery of all kinds. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

"Do you want to try it, Pokey?" "No thanks, I prefer The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show."

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. 

Podcast for 11/28/09 - Gumby

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. :)

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

"Is there a Saturday Morning Cartoon Show in every century?"

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.

Podcast for 11/21/09 - Back To The Future

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!

- DJ Muppet

"Can you tell me how to get, how to get to The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show?"

"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 books about the 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!)

Podcast for 11/14/09 - Sesame Street

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 throughhilariously filthy musical 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

"Nothing up my Saturday Morning Cartoon Show...Presto!"

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.

Podcast for 11/07/09 - Rocky & Bullwinkle

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!

Have a wonderful week an enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

"I got a Saturday Morning Cartoon Show..."

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. :)

Podcast for 10/31/09 - Halloween 5 - The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile & It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

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. ;)

Next week? Ka-preview!

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

"Dad, you killed zombie Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!"

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.

Podcast for 10/17/09 - Halloween 4 - Garfield & 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. ;)

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

"The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show had a little lamb...BUT I ATE IT!"

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/Sylvester shorts. 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.

Podcast for 10/17/09 - Halloween 3 - Looney Tunes

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!

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

Goldarn brickle bush. Eh! I've got brickles in The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show

As Halloween grows ever nearer and more of us scramble to get just the right costume - my sassy pirate costume was a complete bust, so any ideas? - The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show is just giddy to bring you two more specials to inspire, educate, and possibly horrify, but that's due more to the idea of beating up a child for a Members Only jacket. Seriously, Alvin, what's up with that?

The first hour has a quintessential eighties tales of fear, isolation, and redemption, all wrapped up in the kind of vapid scheme only Alvin Seville could both come up with and be party to through multiple musical numbers. Kid's got a screw of two loose, am I right? ;) Simon, Theodore, good luck with that one.

The second half of the show will undoubtedly provide you with far more of a challenge to the way you thought the world worked. If you ignore the production dates and only pay attention to the points given in the plot, Halloween Is Grinch Night clearly comes after How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Beta had a poor reaction to the realization of The Grinch's backsliding ways. It's a harsh reality in which the healing power of song and roast beast only lasts through the new year. Personally, I blame the addictive properties of the sour-sweet wind. Below the entry you'll find the YouTube vids of this special. Normally I wouldn't post a complete cartoon we'd just done, but since such a fine work is so rarely seen on TV anymore, I wanted to make sure those unfamiliar with it would get at least a passable visual. Obviously the DVD is better, but that one's on you. I can't run around buying you guys copies of everything I think you should see.

Podcast for 10/10/09 - Halloween 2 - The Chipmunks & Halloween Is Grinch Night

We've had a request for a specific Treehouse of Horror, so we'll definitely be doing that one, but if you have one you'd like we might be able to do a full day of ghoulish Simpsons fun. As always, any other requests are totally welcome. :) We love specials and we love it when we know we're playing ones you guys dig. I also wanted to once more mention our newly founded Facebook group, which we would love you to join, since that's a great place to not only get to know other SMCS fans, but also conveniently make requests for upcoming shows. We're cool like that.

Have a great week, everyone!

-DJ Muppet

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show, what a name. Kind of odd, but nice just the same.

Welcome to the first day of the Saturday Morning Cartoon Show month long celebration of the animated Halloween special! Twice a year we take a full thirty days worth of Saturdays and devote them to the most memorable and the most holiday underrated specials, and October is such a month. Hooray for Halloween! I'm unusually excited this year and not just because of 

Before we get into the meet of the show, I want to pass on a wonderful site run by my digital pal Adam Selzer. In addition to being an accomplished author, tour guide for Weird Chicago, and nattily dressed musician, Adam has also put together the wicked useful blog HalloweenSpecials.net, chock full of not only write-ups of specials past, but also an impressive collection of video clips. If you're looking for a refresher on a partially remembered show or a summary of a completely forgotten eerie TV offering, this is the site you'll want to spend some time on. He does good work and knows Mr. Boogedy, which would have endeared him too me if I didn't already know how awesome he is. So go poke around there for a spell once you're done here and if anything tickles your fancy, let us know.

In our first hour, we bring you three classic Disney shorts: Pluto's Judgement Day, Trick Or Treat, and Lonesome Ghosts. You can make your own Ghostbusters jokes. He'll slime you, Mickey. The second hour? Oh, my friends, the second hour is one of the best cartoons to come out of the Disney machine, as well as a great adaptation of some of the earliest American literature in existance. If you guessed The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, you're so right and deserve a cookie. Curl up with your loved ones, leave a light or two on, and enjoy day one of our spooktacular offerings.

Podcast for 10/03/09 - Halloween Day 1 - Disney shorts and Sleepy Hollow

Tune in next week for more ghoulish delights, many of which our listeners specifically requested. There's still time to let us know what Halloween specials you'd like to hear, so feel free to e-mail us (address above to your left), leave a comment here, or on our newly formed Facebook group. We'd love it if you joined and we'd love it even more if you said hello. :) 

I ain't afraid of no ghosts! But I might be next week. Tune in to find my terror.

- DJ Muppet

I'll get you Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!

Happy graduation day! Okay, so not all of you are graduating today, but plenty of you are and that's enough to deserve special hoorays and such. :)

While we don't have any graduation themed cartoons, we do have a day of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, and that's the kind of ridiculousness that can be enjoyed into the wee hours of your matriculation celebrations. If your consciousness is altered, the Koopa Kids make way more sense from what I understand. We're taking it easy today, as this particular show isn't particularly significant to the development of the genre or clever to the point of being noteworthy. On a sunny day filled with new beginnings, there's no reason to get overly thinky, so sit back, have a cool drink, and enjoy the frippery!

Podcast for 04/25/09 - The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

Next week, thanks in no small part to many of you requesting it, we'll being going back to school and back to the seventies with Interplanet Janet, Bill, and Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla. If you said "Schoolhouse Rock!" you're absolutely right! You also have the opportunity to let us know which songs you'd like to hear during the show by leaving comments here or by e-mailing us at widrsmcs at gmail dot com. Nice and easy. We'll see you next week. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show is a party dude!

Happy Saturday, fellow cartoon aficionados! Today is a very special day here on The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show: we're pleased to welcome our super special guest DJ/producer, Fred. Since WIDR and the SMCS in particular meant so much to him, Fred stepped up during WIDR Week and donated $89.10, entitling him to not only bitchin' WIDR merch, but also to a day here in the studio with DJ Beta and I, running the game and calling all shots in need of calling. It's a tough job, but he came prepared to be awesome. How, you may very well ask? By declaring today Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle day, of course!

Back in the eighties, there were many things that sounded like a good idea but really weren't: C3PO cereal, square knit neck ties, and of course D.C. Follies. Luckily for us, the eighties was a bastion of absurd, but wonderful cartoon show. With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you got a little bit of everything that made the eighties worth being a kid in: action, creatively costumes villains, bad puns, and merchandise up the wazoo! While the hardcore fans of the comics may not have liked the liberties taken with their favorite Foot fighting terrapins, there were far more people who came to the TMNT mythos through the show and loved every minute of it. Be honest, how many of you had a crush on April O'Neil? That's what I thought. :)

Podcast for 04/18/09 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

We got calls about how much people liked Fred and we know he reads the blog, so if you'd like to here more of him as a DJ here at WIDR, please leave a note for him in the comments. In fact, he wants to leave a little note himself:

First and for most: Thank you all for those who donated along with me to WIDR for WIDR Week. You guys are the ones that keep radio evolution alive and I am colored 50,000 shades of happy because of that. Now to my fellow original TMNT fans.... You're Welcome. I loved growing up watching this show and I'm so glad to hear from all the happy phone calls we received that this wonderful show has not been forgotten. Thank you DJ Beta for all the Uncle Phil jokes and wonderful insights on the TMNT universe. Thank you to all those that requested the songs/shows they did, everything fit and just made the show that much better. Sorry to the few friends that requested songs to me and we weren't able to fit them in. All I can say is that there is just too much cartoony goodness to fit in just 2 hours. Much love to DJ Muppet to helping me get everything setup for the show, the hours of talking about all things geeky, muppety and cartoony alike, and most importantly giving me good directions so I could actually find the WIDR building. Finally, to those that listen to this show and other WIDR shows, TELL YOUR FRIENDS, TELL YOUR FAMILY, TELL YOUR CO-WORKERS (even the creepy ones that you'd rather didn't make eye contact with you) about the Saturday Morning Cartoon Show and WIDR. Help keep radio evolution alive. I know you love it, you know I love so please do the right thing: tell your friends when they have a boogie in their nose cause you'd want them to do the same for you and since we all love it.... spread the love.  

Words of delight and sensibility. :) I also need to apologize. One of our listeners made a request that we couldn't play, but I said I'd post it here, however in all the hubbub at the station today, I forgot what song it was! I'm so sorry!  Leave a note for my in the comments and let me know what it was so I can get it posted here. Aside from that, tune in next week for more video game memories when we air The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3. Many of you have wanted this and your patience shall be rewarded. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

Peter, my boy, you've got to shape up and reform if you want to be The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show.

What a great weekend for an egg hunt! There's no snow or anything. Last year there was snow. Yes, California listeners, I can hear you laughing at us with pity and bemusement, but I'm still happy. :) Today is one of our holiday specials and we couldn't be more pleased.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail may at first glance seem like a mediocre offering from the bursting coffers of Rankin-Bass, but it soon becomes apparent that this Easter cartoon is a whirlwind ride that asks us to reevaluate everything we thought we knew about physics, food preservation, prosthetics, and the space-time continuum. I'm not kidding. This puppy takes us careening from one holiday to another in a hot air balloon thing of unstable engineering with a basket of eggs that, by all rational standards, should've become a mass of sulfuric stench, yet remains fresh as the daisies painted on the shells. There are appearances by witches and ghouls, talking worms and hats, and even Santa Claus. Don't try to understand it; let the cartoon wash over you and surrender to the journey. I say this with my tongue only partially in my cheek. ;)

Podcast for 04/11/09 - Here Comes Peter Cottontail

A great deal can often be said about the cultural impact of holiday specials, but with the exception of it's signature song, this particular cartoon never reached the levels of influence that it's peers (like Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town) did. It did spawn a direct to video sequel, but what little I've seen of it doesn't indicate much improvement in writing or animation style, though both are updated for the modern audience. It kind off rips of a handful of Christmas specials...well, I think it does, you ought to judge for yourself. I would like to see flaming nougat though.

Next week is going to rock, because one of our listeners will be taking the reigns for the day. He was generous enough to Adopt-A-DJ during WIDR Week and he picked The Saturday Morning Cartoon show. An active and interactive listener of many moons, he's picked a day of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for his special visit and we're all pretty geeked about it. Even though he's in control, you can still get your requests in by calling during the show or by e-mailing and commenting here throughout the week. We'll take 'em however we get 'em!

Have a happy Easter and enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

P.S. For those who might be wondering, this is xkcd. It's amazing, but not for kids, so be ye warned. Make sure that you don't start in on the archives unless you have several hours free. Even when work calls, you may find it hard to tear yourself away. XKCD is geek crack. Sexy, sexy geek crack.

Ten billion ants in this world, and I'm having trouble with just The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show.

Good morning, cartoon fans young and old! You know, I feel a bit like The King of Cartoons when I say that and I like it. Hopefully you've all had a decent week and are in the mood for some old school, jazzed up, dare I say hep animation goodness.

Today we're geeked to bring you an underrated, but nonetheless wonderful cartoon from 1969-1971, The Ant And The Aardvark. In addition to being one of the first productions from Depatie-Freleng Enterprises, this cartoon has the distinction of being one of the only shows we've aired that was created for theatrical release. When making quality pre-feature shorts became financially untenable, most animation studios stopped making them and theatre owners either used old cartoons or eliminated them all together. However, William Hanna and Joseph Barbara, not to mention David Depatie and Fritz Freleng, realized that they could make short/television animated pieces without investing the massive amounts of time and money Disney had by simplifying the process. They cut down on detail in the animation and essentially created a new paradigm for the mass consumption of cartoons.

Knowing this, the quality of The Ant And The Aardvark becomes even more impressive. I normally just post links, but to fully appreciate this cartoon, I really do believe you need to see how much comes through in the simplistic art style used, so I'm embedding. Watch this episode, then see how your perspective on the audio changes.

Isn't it pretty? You can see the Depatie-Freleng works had great influence on animation for the next decade. Part of it is certainly the Chuck Jones influence, but it's bigger than him and that's pretty cool. Seeing it all together makes John Byner's voicing of almost every character in the series infinitely more impressive. I'll be honest, a man who can mimic both Dean Martin and Paul Lynde has a special in to my heart.

Podcast for 04/04/09 - The Ant And The Aardvark

That's all for now, but come back next week for our Easter episode, which promises to have more time travel and Maurice Chevalier impersonating than any other Easter even this year! Seriously, we're airing Here Comes Peter Cottontail. It's bizarre and wonderful, and it has Danny Kaye, Casey Kasem, and Vincent Price. How many varieties of awesome is that? In the meantime, get today's show, leave a comment to let us know what you think, and enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show cuts his hair...

Hey there fanboys and Freakazettes! Welcome to another episode of The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show.

Today's show, as you are no doubt aware, is a celebration of both the most serious and most absurd aspects of the comics world. While we're all aware that Arkham is a terrifying place and that women in comics should own a fridge at their own peril, there are a myriad of conventions in the books themselves and in the fandom which surrounds them ripe for parody. What do we end up with? Freakazoid, of course!

Since you guys were so delightfully vocal about which episodes you wanted, it's all about the fan service! Keep your ears open for the surprisingly Venture Bros.-esque Toby Danger segment (the writing at any rate) and a special appearance by carpentry guru Norm Abram. It's even more awesome that it sounds.

Podcast for 03/28/09 - Freakazoid

I know, I'm not getting into too much detail about the show, but we've done it before and to be honest, the Wikipedia article does a much better job than I would at explaining what's going on in this gem of a show. So sit back, enjoy the latest SMCS, and come back next week for a heaping helping of old school: The Ant And The Aardvark! It's swinging, man. ;)

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet 

Quick, run to your TVs...

...and program them to record five hours of Chuck Jones awesomeness!

Turner Classic Movies is having a mini Chuck Jones-athon tonight beginning at 8pm. Here is the full schedule, which includes a new documentary on one of the SMCS's favorite cartoon creators and - perhaps of more interest to those who follow the blog - two airings of his beloved adaptation of The Phantom Tollbooth in between a whole mess o' Loony Tunes. Since so many of our listeners dig this movie and it's so hard to find through legitimate means, it seemed like the kind of thing you'd want to be advised of. Of course, if it hadn't been for the diligent and cartoon/civic minded Mark Evanier I wouldn't have known about this at all. Do check out his blog. Comics, cartoons, and soup: go, you'll like.

I also wanted to pass along a link to a Beany & Cecil segment that amused me to know, if for no other reason that it's one more tie that B&C have to The Muppet Show and Lionel Hampton. Two very cool people/things in my book. It's called "DJ the DJ," and once you've seen it you can imagine why I enjoyed it so throughly. There are a ton of good B&C 'toons on YouTube, so have some fun exploring. I certainly did.

If you look to your left, you'll see we have a new poll up. Please, please, please vote! We can only air two episodes on any given show and since several requests have come in, I think we ought to be democratic about it. Vote on! And we'll take whatever's in the lead come showtime. ;) For a summary of what is in each episode, get your Wikipedia on.

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

...have we got a Saturday Morning Cartoon Show for you!

Welcome to another day of singin', dancin', and tom foolery based on the exploits of animated do-gooders. Today, my friends, is VeggieTales day and we've got vikings!

Born in 1993, the brainchild of Big Idea Productions founders Mike Nawrocki and Phil Vischer, VeggieTales has become a driving force in both Christian and mainstream cartoon production. Why? Because it's filled from stem to stern with well-rounded characters, hysterical writing, and musical numbers that would amuse The Marx Brothers. :) Whatever your religious convictions (or non-religious, for that matter), this show is smart, this show is funny, and this show understands my needs for parody of culturally significant arts and literature...and cowboys. If you've never been willing to give VeggieTales a chance, doing so today may just change your mind. If nothing else, you'll be able to say you've heard vegetables doing Shakespeare and that'll impress all the right people. It's hard to imagine that a direct to video cartoon could produce almost forty episodes, two feature length films, over two dozen CDs, and a live stage show if it sucked, you know?

Podcast for 03/21/09 - VeggieTales

For those of you show are unfamiliar with the treasure trove that is the VeggieTales silly song library, here's a sampling of their brilliance. One of our listeners requested it, but since we try not to play additional material from whatever we're highlighting, I promised to post it here instead. Bear in mind that pretty much everything from VeggieTales and the rest of the Big Idea universe are available on CD, video, and through digital sources, so piracy is not encouraged.

The Hairbrush Song

If you're looking for even more VeggieTales action, check out the Big Idea Fun site. It's kid friendly and, let me be totally honest here, there's plenty of stuff for the grown-up casual gamer. I've spent many a happy hour on The Eggsperts, Jerry's Cheeseburger Madness, and especially Lyle's Breakout. I once had a record on that bad boy. :) The coloring pages are pretty sweet too, though I babysit a lot and that may bias me.

I'd also like to take a moment to welcome our new UK podcast listeners. There are a whole mess of you. :) Hopefully you enjoyed last week's Bananaman outing. If there are any British, Irish, Scottish, or Welsh cartoons that you'd like the SMCS to know about, please don't be shy. Link us, baby!  

Next week we'll be stepping into our red long johns, moussing our hair with lightning bolts, and running around, arms in the air, going "Whssssshhhhhh!" If you guessed that our next cartoon was Freakazoid, give yourself a cookie! You're smart and you've earned it. ;) Now, every episode of Freakazoid is a good one, but if there's a specific episode you'd like to hear, please let us know - either in the comment here or via e-mail - by Thursday night so we can play the ones that will tickle you the most.

Have a great weekend and enjoy!

 - DJ Muppet

P.S. To our beloved listener who adopted us, I e-mailed you, but now I think it may have gone awry. Alas! Drop me a line here or through the SMCS e-mail addy and we'll get things sussed. :)

When Eric eats a banana, he becomes The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!

Happy Sunday, SMCS listeners! I don't know how things are on your end, but here in Kalamazoo it's blue skies, bright sun, and the promise of temperatures approaching 60, so I'm a very happy camper. Hopefully none of you are being subjected to anything too intense that would spoil the fun of a very lively show chock full of evil machinations and daring-do.

Today's show was supposed to be VeggieTales, but the files were corrupt when I went to burn the show CD and we were unable to bring them to you this week. While the vegetables have been relegated a show to one week hence, Beta and I are always prepared - I was a Girl Scout for thirteen years after all - and we had another wonderful cartoon ready to go. Today, we are proud to present the UK darling Bananaman. Those of you who are fans of other classic Brit toons like Danger Mouse and Count Duckula will no doubt enjoy this simple, but very funny when-they-aired-in-America contemporary. The episodes are extremely short, but the pacing and cleverness of the characters make the length an asset. Cartoon nuggets that don't suck? How can it be? It just can. ;)

Podcast for 03/14/09 - Bananaman

There isn't much to say about today's episode, as the cartoon speaks for itself, but I do want to thank everyone who called in requests. There were a ton of you and we love playing stuff we know you want to hear, so keep 'em coming. :) Also a huge thank you to one of our biggest fans (I haven't asked if I can use his name, so I won't) who upgraded his initial WIDR Week pledge to Adopt-A-DJ status! Woohoo! This means that sometime in the near future, you'll all be hearing him on the air with us while playing the the cartoons and music he likes best. There's just so much to look forward too!

Since some of you requested that the songs is offered last week be made available individually rather than in a single zip file, I set up a folder with the soundtrack for The Phantom Tollbooth that allows single song downloads. Bear in mind, this isn't something that's commercially available. If you were able to buy this soundtrack I wouldn't have uploaded it (or had to put it together for that matter), but it's not, so have at it! I'm not sure if MediaFire has any policies about files that go a certain length of time without being downloaded, but just in case, if you want these, you should get them quickly.

The Phantom Tollbooth soundtrack

So, next week will be filled with animated scallions and silly songs, but for now, have fun with fruit based super heroing and the loving parody of a pantheon of both heroes and villains. Keep those requests coming via e-mails and comments in the blog too. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

By the power of Grayskull, I have The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!

Happy WIDR Week, loyal listeners! Today is a celebration of all the things that make WIDR and The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show awesome. Even our most long-standing audience members will be shocked and giddy with delight at the amount of fan service we managed to cram into a single show. ;) Seriously, it's pretty impressive. There are also a number of theme songs making their debut on the show today, so if you don't usually download the podcasts, this is the day to change that.

As you're no doubt already aware, this week's cartoon is none other than the equally loved and mocked He-Man & The Masters of The Universe, featuring everyone's favorite whiny, scheming, bone based villain, Skeletor. Beta does a pretty good impression too, which makes today's show a lot of fun, even though much - okay, all - of our talk time is spent asking for your help in keeping WIDR running. If you've yet to make a donation and would like to, you can call the station at (269)387-6303 until Sunday at midnight to make a pledge or use this direct link to the WIDR page on the WMU donation system to give via credit card. Every single dollar helps keep the shows you love on the air and is niftily tax deductible. If you make a donation of $10 or more, you'll get your very own copy of the 2009 WIDR Week SMCS Mix CD, lovingly put together by yours truly. If you donate online or through another show, let me know via e-mail with your contact info (and screenshot/receipt for online payments) and I'll make sure you get your CD. And of course a huge thank you to the people who have donated already! You are the only reason we get to do what we do and we're so very grateful.

Since we didn't provide our usual infotainment fodder of history and cultural significance for He-Man, I figured those of you who were interested in deeply detailed information about the Masters of The Universe universe would do well with one of the most comprehensive fan sites in existence, He-Man.org. Not only do they have in-depth analysis of each series, movie, and comic book run, they also have the most up-to-date information about existing and upcoming toy lines. What? So I want Teela and Evil-Lyn dolls to pose in battle on my desk. Is that so wrong? I already have a Teela from the original run you know. ;)

Podcast for 02/28/09 - He-Man & The Masters of The Universe

I also though the more hardcore leaning He-Man afficionados - and, heck, just the people who like pointing and laughing - would dig this recent post in the Live Journal community Scans Daily featuring He-Man and Superman in what could easily be termed a Battle Royale. I saved it all week for you and was so geeked to share! Unfortunately, Scans Daily was just suspended. I have no doubt that it'll be back up sooner rather than later, as it has a very active and vocal population, but still, harumph. It seemed like a sensible thing to give you the link and hope for the best, so that's just what I did. If someone had the wild hare to make this sucker, the people should not be deprived of it.

Tune in next week for another journey back to the surprisingly warped world of the 1960's when we whisk you away to a land populated by ineffectual witches, talking crockery, and music that can't help but inspire illicit behavior. What strange land is this, you may well be asking? In the galaxy populated by the minds of Sid and Marty Krofft, the first show they produced, H.R. Pufstuf, stands the test of time as a deliciously out there romp through the transition between the 60's and the 70's, which for those of us who watched a lot of Laugh-In is an impressive feat. This is a week you'll want to listen with friends, if for no other reason than to have someone with which to share that feeling of "What?!?" Your brain will thank me. 

The sun is out and spring is coming, so after you've had your fill of cartoonery, go outside and enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

P.S. Check back in a couple of days or subscribe to our feed, because I'm going to be posting some bonus material music that fans of Chuck Jones will not want to be without. Ain't I a stinker? :p

You will find the kingdom of The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show.

Hey guys. I'm so sorry this is late. I had it all written and ready to post once the file uploaded, but my friend Steve passed away on Saturday and after finding out I forgot all about updating until just now. Understandable, sure, but I really dislike leaving you guys hanging. It wasn't intentional. Next week's will be prompt and full of Eternia's Most Wanted. Here's the entry for this past Saturday.

- Muppet

**
Good morning, all! Hopefully the majority of you are safe and snuggly indoors, as Michigan is giving us what for and dropping a whole mess of snow on most of the state. What better time to sit back with friends, family, or anything cuddly in reach and enjoy the simple, but still adventure filled world of David The Gnome. And maybe some hot cocoa.

Tiny, old, and voiced by Tom Bosley, David The Gnome is an easy character to write off as too gentle for adults to enjoy, but this is show that seems to pride itself in moral lessons taught through events of genuine consequence to those in the story. That's not something that happens all the time in a great deal of television (*coughHeroescough*), let alone in cartoons.

Podcast for 02/21/09 - David The Gnome

Don't you just want to rub noses? Yeah, me too. :)

Next week, which incidentally is the SMCS time for pledge begging, we're diving head first into a world of unitards, manimals, and half baked morals. If you guessed He-Man & The Masters of The Universe, you're right! Mua ha ha ha ha! What? I like the vaguely homoerotic exploits of Skeletor. Don't forget, we need money to keep doing what we do, so please give us a call between 9am and 11am this Saturday morning. We've even got some hardcore SMCS fan service coming up, so you definitely don't want to miss this installment. ;)

Have a great weekend everyone! Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

I was a man. I was The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody. Who's in the mood for something slimy? Okay, I didn't mean for those two things to sound tied together, even though the shoe fits more than a little bit. I'm not knocking the day, single though I may be, today's cartoon just happens to be Swamp Thing! "Intruders! Tasty intruders!" Slimy and romantic, no?

Unlike many of the other comic book based cartoons we've featured here on the SMCS, the Swamp Thing cartoon was both short lived and poorly received, which of course stopped no one from heavily merchandising the thing before it had even aired. It worked. A lot. As someone with at least five actions figures from the series, I can say his with no hyperbole whatsoever. For those of you not planning on listening during the daylight hours, this particular cartoon is a lot of fun if you listen with friends who have plenty of MST3k skills, because this show is soooo much fun to mock. :) It's even better with puppets.

On the upside, parents will no doubt appreciate the socially conscious environmental messages that are (slightly) less heavy handed than those found in Swamp Thing's contemporary Captain Planet & The Planeteers. But if they've had to buy eight different versions of the same character and a swamp buggy to put them in, they may not care that their kid now wants to recycle. What will stick with them is that little Stu and Sue are suddenly talking like Cajun ne'er do wells because they think Bayou Jack is just too cool for words (and little Sue has a crush on Gambit to boot). Okay, enough yammering. On to the podcast!

Podcast for 02/14/09 - Swamp Thing

WIDR Week begins next week, but we've changed formats a little bit, so you'll get way more music as we beg for money to run the station. If you're not a Kalamazoo resident and want to know a little more about the station, the Wikipedia article is good, but a more in depth history can be found in the site's About WIDR section. If you'd like to make a donation/pledge and won't be awake/in town next weekend for the pledge drive, you can e-mail us at Gmail using the WIDRSMCS screen name to give us your contact info and the amount you're pledging, then we can get a form filled out for you when we have them in the studio.

Don't forget that in the 166 hours a week we're not on the air, you can still give us your requests for music and suggestions for future shows right here in the comments or via e-mail. In addition to be totally convenient, a head start on your desires makes it easier for us to procure and play them. No need to be shy. ;)

Next week we're taking a gentler approach and it will no doubt greatly appeal to those of you who, like me, dig fairy tales and folklore storytelling. Created in Spain and based on Dutch books, David The Gnome is a unconventional cartoon to be sure, but one that is smarter than most modern audiences give it credit for and augments the moral lessons with information instead of generalized platitudes. That alone makes it better than any number of cartoons-with-messages from that era. Even without being able to see the lush animation that stayed true to the book's illustrations, this is a thoroughly enjoyable show that listeners of all ages will enjoy. So, you know, come back and get it!

Have a happy Valentine's Day and good rest of your weekend, guys, and I'll see you back here next week. :) Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

Help! I need The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!

Yeah, we went there. Sure, we've taken you back to the sixties many times before, but never in a fashion so blatantly commercial and delightfully absurd , but in that wait-a-second-why-did-this-last-three-seasons kind of way. :) It's a fun jaunt into the world of The Beatles cartoon, but fun though it may be, it does sort of make one grateful for the animated versions of MC Hammer and The Police Academy.

I've a terribly long day today, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Obviously there's a ton of information out there if you want to know more about The Beatles, so I won't bog you down. Just sit back and enjoy. Keep an ear out for another awesome track from Mosh Pit On Disney by Japanese fave Asparagus.

Podcast for 02/07/08 - The Beatles animated series

Next week, please join us for a day filled with ridiculous villains, eco-consciousness, and early entries onto the "List Of Things That Make Alan Moore Violently Angry." If you said Swamp Thing, you're absolutely right! This promises to be a good time, whether you love or hate the twisted hulk Alec Holland has become. :)

Spring is on its way, my friends. Go outside and enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

ETA: Thank you for the heads up, Dani. The podcast link is all fixed and should take you to the right place. Sorry about that. Did I mention I have a very long weekend? Yeah, seven hours of over time in three days. I'm a little punchy.

Eeeek! A Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!

Guten tag, mein kinder! It's a wunderbar day in the neighborhood, ya? Welcome to The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show blog! 

As promised last week, this week we're pleased to bring you the short lived prime time cartoon, Capitol Critters. While it did miserably in it's original airing (ABC only aired 7 of the 13 produced episodes), I really do believe that it was a case of being ahead of its time, or at the very least of both audiences and executives trying to get The Simpsons and being disappointed because the wise cracking rat kids didn't say "Cowabunga, dude." It's smart, funny on multiple levels, and while I think the writing does need punching up in places due to he highly visual nature of the storylines, it's a thoroughly enjoyable, if occasionally heavy handed cartoon.

Podcast for 01/31/09 - Capitol Critters

You may have noticed that it's not the easiest show to find information, as result of both the era and brevity of the show, however, if you enjoy the episodes in today's SMCS, you don't really need much more. :) It's a good time. And yes, Beta and I both can't stop thinking about Cow and Chicken every time Jammit speaks. One really neat things about these copies of Capitol Critters that makes understanding them a little easier is that the voiceover promos at the end of the show are in tact, so we can see that the first episode was aired immediately before President George H. W. Bush's third State of The Union address. They clearly had some high hopes and some specific demographics in mind with this choice. On the second episode we play, the big political scandal is government officials bouncing checks. Who'd've thought such a thing would make us nostalgic, eh? In any case, it's neat stuff.

Remember, you can send us feedback and requests 24/7 here in the comments section or through e-mail, which can be found to your left. Have a great weekend everyone and we'll see you next week as we delve into the world of celebrity cartoons and bring you The Beatles. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

"And now here's Beany and Cecil in...The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!"

Wahoo, everybody! Today's show is just a hoot and I'm positively geeked to bring it to you here on The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show blog.

If the subject heading didn't clue you in, this week's show focuses on the witty, irreverent, lovable, and other adjectives as well The Beany & Cecil Show! Can you tell this is a particular favorite of mine? Good, because it is. :) Not only do we bring you three delightful Beany & Cecil cartoons during the first hour, we were lucky enough to find a complete episode of Matty's Funday Funnies that still had all of the previews, bumpers, commercials, and teasers for the next episode to air in its entirety to air during the second. While WIDR is a non-commercial radio station, the toys advertised no longer exist (though Mattel most certainly does) and I strongly believe that a part of understanding not only animation/television culture, but also American culture is being media savvy. As such, the choice was made to keep the ads in so our listeners, many of whom would have no other opportunity to experience such targeted advertising from this era, deserved a chance to experience what was a part of everyday life for their parents and grandparents. Of course, I know that plenty of folks in our audience were around and watching these babies first run, but either way, the commercials are cool and a little bit hilarious, so have fun with them! See if you recognize any voices from your favorite cartoons in these ads as well. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Below you'll find the usual link to download the SMCS podcast, but beneath that you'll also find a little something special. I decided to offer you another hunk of bonus material this week, however this time it's in the form of another cartoon! Pretty sweet, eh? This is actually my favorite out of the assorted Beany & Cecil 'toons I found, but it seems my poor ancient computer hasn't the proper codecs to allow me the pleasure of snagging the sound for the show. But who am I to deny our fans and friends the chance to see "So What And The Seven Whatnots?" Plus it's so heavy with visual pop culture references that it really wouldn't be done justice on the air. So, you know, I highly recommend downloading this too. I had planned on including an excerpt from the original puppet show Time For Beany for you as well, but it seems that it has gone missing from my hard drive. I'll see if I can track it down again and if I do, I'll update with a link.

Podcast for 01/24/09 - The Beany & Cecil Show

Beany & Cecil short - "So What And The Seven Whatnots"

Ka-download! :) Wait until you hear how cheery Beta is. He was taken by surprise when it came to the awesomeness of Beany & Cecil and it shows.

And to i-gouge, who left a comment in our last entry (making my day, by the by), keep an ear out for some of those cheesy 60's Marvel themes you like. They fit into the show perfectly and we're not the types to deny the urges of our loyal audience, especially one's whose exposure to WIDR was so sadly short lived. ;) Let this be a lesson to you all: when you say "Jump," Beta and I say "Okie dokie!"

Tune in and stop by next week for something that many of you didn't believe existed. Unfortunately, no, not the animated version of Evil Dead: The Musical!, but something maybe even more terrifying: Steven Bochco's under appreciated foray into the animated world, Capitol Critters. What? We're bringing you Niel Patrick Harris (Dr. Horrible, woot!) and Bobcat Goldthwait (who has graced up previously on Space Ghost Coast To Coast). What more do you want from us?!? You'll eat your politically satirical rodentia and like it! No, really, it's actually pretty funny.

Thanks again for listening, dudes and lady dudes. We'll catch you next week. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

We're creepy and we're cooky, we're The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show!

Good news, everyone! Today's installation of The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show contains all the tentacles, cauldrons, and explosions you need to complete this balanced breakfast. Seriously, this is good stuff, my friends. It's The Addams Family, for goodness sake! Animated and larger than life, which is saying something considering the shenanigans we normally get up to on this show.

If you're interested in the art of Charles Addams, his official website is a good starting place for current projects, including the Addams Family musical that's just finishing it's workshop, but as always, the Wikipedia article on him covers a lot more ground, though on a somewhat superficial level. A quick image search will provide you all kinds of cool examples of his work, both Addams Family and not. But I know you guys, you're clever enough to find plenty on your own and you want the podcast!

Podcast for 01/17/09 - The Addams Family

We also had a request from a long time listener for a song that we'd played a cover of not ten minutes before he called, so to make up for not being able to play his song, I promised to post it here. So, you know, here it is. :)

The Mickey Mouse March

If you need help downloading any files in the blog from MegaUpload, there's a link to a spectacular tutorial from The Deuce Project blog just to your left. That bad boy'll not lead you astray. The comments section is open for anyone, with or without a screen name, so feel free to leave us a note if you're of a mind.

Next week is going to be a banner week for me, because I've adored Beany & Cecil since I was but a wee Muppet, and the urge to share this surprisingly hip and savvy show with the WIDR family has been quite strong. If you can't listen live, make it a point to either subscribe to our podcast through iTunes or to download the show here at the blog, because if you like slapstick, broad villainy, and surprisingly smart machine gun puns, this is a show tailored for you. :)

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

It's The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show, Charlie Brown!

Evening all and welcome to The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show blog's all Peanuts post!

Beta and I know there are some serious Charlie Brown fans among our listeners, because you call and write to tell us so. Since we love playing what you want to hear, this week's show is all about that poor little not-actually-bald-like-everyone-thinks boy who love baseball and little red headed girls. In fact, the two 'toons we aired deal with those very thing: Charlie Brown's All-Stars and You're In Love, Charlie Brown. We figured that while everyone seems to like the Peanuts gang around Halloween and Christmas, ol' Chuck just can't catch a break during the holidays and deserved to be heard having something good happen to him, though you'll have to wait until the end of the second hour to witness it. A link to the podcast and some bonus material are below. If you need help downloading anything, check out the link on the sidebar to your left. It should take care of everything you need to know.

Podcast for 01/10/09 - Peanuts

Peanuts commercial for the Ford Falcon starring Charlie Brown and Linus

Trailer for the film "A Boy Named Charlie Brown"

In addition to the Peanuts goodies, this episode of the SMCS is chock full of cartoon themes, including some from across the pond you may not be familiar with yet. Tune in next week for the delightfully ghoulish antics of The Addams Family. 

Don't forget that you can subscribe to the SMCS podcast (and all of your other WIDR faves)  directly through iTunes using the link to your left. You can also use this blog or our e-mial address to request music and cartoons you'd like to see on future episodes. We aim to please, after all. :)

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

Bump In The Night

Hey everyone! Welcome to the relaunch of The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show blog! From now on, you can get your weekly fix of the SMCS without being up on Saturday mornings or being beholden to Apple in easy to use MP3 format. By clicking the link below, you'll be taken to MegaUpload's download page for this particular episode where you can type in the provided code, wait 45 seconds, and have your very own copy to love and hug and stroke and call George. The blog will be updated with the podcast each weekend no later than Sunday night (actual time dependent on my work schedule).

Bump In The Night - 01/03/09

In addition to the podcasts of each aired show, I hope to bring you all fun websites, amusing mashups of toons we already love, and even some bonus downloadable content from time to time. You never know what wild things I may come across in my travels.

If you have requests for songs or cartoons you'd like to hear on future shows, you can e-mail us or leave comments right here. We're all about convenience. :) Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet