Podcast for 03-29-08 - Aaahh Real Monsters

Afternoon all! The sun is shining and even though there's a bite in the air, it smells like spring and that makes for a happy DJ Muppet. You know what else makes me happy? Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. Since that was our cartoon this morning, you can imagine the nifty little mood I'm in.

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show - 03/29/08 - Aaahh!!! Real Monsters

As you'll hear during today's show, this is one of the cornerstone cartoons from the world of Klasky Csupo and a classic even amongst the greats of the early Nickelodeon years. Funny, smart, and sweetly dark, each episode remains an exciting gem fit for all but the extremely young and uncomfortably squeamish. Another treat to be found in this week's show is an appearance by legend-in-his-own-mind lounge king Richard Cheese and his band Lounge Against The Machine with their version of the Spiderman theme. We've brought you many a cover of this timeless ditty, but none quite so swingin' as this.

We'd also like to welcome our new listeners from across the country and around the globe. :) There are so many of you! We're glad to have you and hope we amuse. If you like what you hear, please pass us on to others so that the cartoonery can spread like an anvil loving virus of fun. We're also giddy to take requests for future shows in the comments section of the blog.  If you prefer your blogosphere automated, feel free to help yourself to our RSS feed, conveniently linked to several popular readers in the list to your left. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

P.S. One little reminder about next week: this Wednesday is the first Wednesday of the month and that means it's time for DJ Muppet's Playhouse. Chock full of WIDR music for kids of all ages, you'll be able to download the podcast Wednesday by 10 pm EST at The Stagedoor Blog.

Podcast for 03-22-08 - Space Ghost Coast To Coast

Good morning, true believers...I mean, gentle readers...er...well now, I wonder what I should call you. We haven't yet come up with a catch all phrase to describe our listeners, have we? We've bandied about Toonatics, but that seems not quite right. Oh well. Hey guys! :) We're knee deep in show and freezing our assorted extremities to the bone, but that has of course not stayed us from our appointed cartoon rounds. Ka-linkage!

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show - 03-22-08 - Space Ghost Coast To Coast

Before you listen I would like to make a small disclaimer: I have a deep and long standing love for both The Ramones and David Byrne, so I am, for a portion of the program, rendered slightly loopy. They and the music they've made mean a great deal to me and I got a tad giddy. Please forgive the babbling.

Okay, so, Space Ghost Coast To Coast rules. Since it's formatted as a 15 minute show with commercials, it means that we can bring you six complete episodes. Here's the breakdown in order of appearance, both on TV and on today's show:

1) "Bobcat" - Bobcat Goldthwait & The Ramones

2) "Fire Drill" - David Byrne & Donny Osmond

3) "Art Show" - Laurie Anderson & Stomp

4) "Gallagher" - David Cross & Bob Odenkirk

5) "Rio Ghosto" - Ben Stiller, Kevin Smith, & Jim Jarmusch

6) "Sweet For Brak" - Tenacious D

It's hilarious, subversive, and embodies everything that makes good late night television. Does it remind anyone else of Steve Allen or Ernie Kovacs? It has that kind of flair. Well done, Williams Street nee Ghost Planet Industries.

Musically the show's a bit light today, but I think the Marky Ramone improv and Tenacious D jamming more than makes up for it. Keep an ear out for another bizarre celebrity cartoon theme. We'll be making up for that a bit with a musical nugget right here. A caller asked to hear that beloved tune by The Nightmare from Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas, "Riverbottom Nightmare Band," but since we played it last week I told him I'd put it here for him. So many people love this song, so it's fun to share. 

Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

WIDR Week Recap & Bonus 'Toon

Well, everyone, thanks to the generosity of our listeners, The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show raised $219.10 for WIDR. Thank you so much! We literally can't do what we do without you guys and your nice cashy money. If you wanted to donate but didn't get to during WIDR Week you can still donate at the website anytime you like.

Since you guys didn't let us down and we have some new and international listeners joining us, I thought it'd be a good time for a little tidbit that just doesn't fit into the show.

Heckle & Jeckle - Steeple Jacks (1951)

Heckle & Jeckle is a great cartoon that often relies more heavily on visual gags than dialogue, as did most of the cartoons in the Golden Age. Because of that, this particular short doesn't work especially well on the radio, hence deciding to share it with you here. One of the things that drew me to Heckle & Jeckle initially is that though much of the broad physical humor is akin to the fare seen in Tom & Jerry, even through the cynicism (as much as there was in the cartoons of the fifties) and 'toon violence, there is a sweetness to both characters. I've always found that soothing and endearing. Even as a child I didn't understand why you couldn't drop and anvil on a bad guy and be pleasant about it.

I've played it in Windows Media Player, Real Player, and DivX, so you shouldn't have too much trouble. If you do, I'm sure downloading the latest codecs will fix you right up. :) Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

Podcast for 03-15-08 - Rocko's Modern Life

Another wonderful Saturday is upon us and that means it's time for another edition of The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show. Today's episode has not one, not two, but four vignettes from classic Nicktoon Rocko's Modern Life.

We are in the midst of WIDR Week, so some of the show is spent asking our listeners to donate and help keep WIDR and Radio Evolution alive. You may not know this, but the vast majority of our operating budget and emergency fund come from the direct contributions of the WIDR audience, both in Kalamazoo and around the world. In fact, our first donation this morning came from California, so you can see we get around. If you're an international listener and would like to donate, there is a donation link on the main page of the WIDR website. Every single dollar helps and goes to keep independent music and radio kicking in Kalamazoo.

Here's this week's episode. We had a blast, so hopefully you will too. :)

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show - 03-15-08 - Rocko's Modern Life

This file's a little larger than usual, as I've decided to try things out at a higher bitrate. If any of you have a preference about file size, sound quality, etc., please let me know. It's totally feasible to post a high and low quality version for folks with slower connections. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet

Podcast for 03/08/08 - Silver Surfer

Sorry about the delay on yesterday's show. Someone changed the setting on the board to something very bad and I didn't realize it until after the show, so I've been trying to get the file cleaned up. The good news is that it's much better than it was when I started, but the expected bad news is that it's still really overdriven and may drive the audiophiles in the audience nuts. That being said, the show was really good, so it's worth muddling through. :)

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show - 03/08/08 - Silver Surfer

WIDR Week is now in full swing, so please consider giving to help keep radio evolution on the air and, well, evolving. If everyone who listened to the station or the show podcasts gave a dollar we would have more than enough to run the station for the year. Just something to think about.

As we did last year, we'll be offering an additional premium to the good folks who donate during our show at the $30 level. You'll of course get the swag WIDR has for you, but as a special bonus and thank you from DJ Beta and I we'll be putting together a SMCS mix disc with all kinds of musical delights for animation fans of all ages. Donors will have the choice between an all music disc or a disc that includes a never-before-heard cartoon. If you have any questions or special requests about WIDR Week or our giveaway, please feel free to leave a comment here or give us a call whenever you hear either of us on the air. :)

- DJ Muppet

Podcast for 02-23-08

Good morning WIDRites, both near and far.

Everyone lucks out this week, since there will be a total of three full episode of The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show posted this week. We'll be caught up with what we've gotten recorded as of this post, but since tomorrow is Saturday there'll be one more show before the week is out.

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show for 02/23/08 - Chuck Norris presents Chuck Norris in Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos

As always, if you like what you hear, please link to or forward us to friends and like minded cohorts. The more the merrier and, let's face it, Chuck Norris is always better with friends.

- DJ Muppet

P.S. Since I'm already here I thought some of you might enjoy this month's edition of DJ Muppet's Playhouse, which was once more expanded into a two hour slot chock full of most excellent tunes for WIDR kids of all ages. This month we heard stuff from Glissandro 70, Maria Maldour, The Thunderlords, Lou Reed, and many, many others. If you've got kids, like kids, are a kid, or want to be a kid, this is a podcast you will sorely regret missing. It's a hoot. :)

Podcast for 02-09-08

Well, everyone, it looks like technology and I are once more safely affianced and podcasting is an emphatic go. Hurrah! The following link will allow you to download the file from MegaUpload, one of the few sites that can handle a two hour show's file size. If you're having trouble getting the show, please use this lovely tutorial made for WIDR's own totally bitchin' Deuce Project. It'll get you sussed in no time.

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Show for 02/09/08 - The Music of Carl Stalling

If you know someone who would like the show, please pass links to this blog or entry along to them. We'd love for as many people to have fun with this as possible. Conversely, if you have comments, suggestions, requests, or anything else that will help us make the show better for our audience (which is you), please comment and let us know what you think. Enjoy!

- DJ Muppet