Old School Lane Casual Chats Episode 7: Manic Expression's 1 Year Anniversary

In this special episode of Casual Chats, Patricia and Kevin celebrate their associated website Manic Expression by interviewing the founder James Walsh. Learn about how Manic Expression got started, how he came up with his original content, and his upcoming projects.

To know more about the site, head over to manic-expression.com. 

Old School Lane's Nickelodeon Tribute: Butt Ugly Martians

When it comes to the discussion of what the first CG animated series on Nickelodeon was, most people think that it was The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. That right there is incorrect. The very first CG animated series on Nickelodeon was none other than Butt-Ugly Martians. 

The show was about a group of three alien warriors named B-Bop a Luna (voiced by Charlie Schlatter), 2T Fru T (voiced by Rob Paulsen), and Do-Wah Diddy (voiced by Jess Harnell) who were sent to planet Earth by their leader Emperor Bog (voiced by S.Scott Bullock) to conquer it. When they land on Earth, they make friends with three kids named Mike, Cedric, and Angela and start to love the planet, especially the humans, hoverboards, and hamburgers. They decided not to conquer Earth. However, Emperor Bog doesn't know of the aliens' decision and he always checks on them to see if they're doing their job. His right hand man Dr. Damage, however, does and tries to convince Emperor Bog about it. In every episode, the three aliens fight against evil villains who either try to conquer Earth or has a hatred with the Martians. When they combine their abilities and shout "BKM" (Butt Kicking Mode), they get their gear and fight against them. The episode concludes with lying to Emperor Bog about learning techniques about conquering Earth and him not knowing any better. Really, there's not much to say. That's basically it. 

The purpose of Butt Ugly Martians was to contrast the darker, moodier, and more adult-theme animated sci-fi series Invader Zim. However, it was a huge failure. The show was quickly cancelled less than a year after its debut on February 21, 2002. Looking back years later, I must say that this is, without a doubt, one of the WORST Nicktoons I've ever seen. The animation is clunky, blocky, and dated, the characters are bland and forgettable, the episodes are beyond BORING, and the action is underwhelming. There is nothing in Butt Ugly Martians that satisfies anyone. I don't recommend checking it out!

That's all for now. Tune in next time as we go into the year 2002 and discuss about All That's third spin-off The Nick Cannon Show.

Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.

-Patricia

Old School Lane's Nickelodeon Tribute: Interview with Mathew Klickstein

As we’re heading into the 2000’s Nickelodeon shows and movies, let’s talk about one more thing regarding the 80’s and 90’s Nickelodeon. If you’ve been enjoying the history behind the #1 kids’ network and all the shows that used to air around the golden era, then you’re in for a real treat. Coming soon in Fall 2013 is a new book called Slimed! An Oral History of Nickelodeon’s Golden Age written by Mathew Klickstein. 



You’ve probably heard his name before since I used a few references from his posts from splitsider.com. The book covers the origins of Nickelodeon and has many interviews from the former presidents, vice presidents, creative consultants, writers, producers, directors, actors, and creators of Nickelodeon shows and the network itself. Joining us today is the author himself Mathew Klickstein. Enjoy!

Patricia- What made you decide to write the articles on the little-to-know behind the scenes stories on shows from Nickelodeon?

Mathew- I'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO A BOOK ABOUT NICKELODEON FOR SOME TIME NOW. AFTER LEAVING LA IN 2008, I MOVED TO PORTLAND FOR A WHILE WITH AN OLD FRIEND AND MET REGULARLY WITH A WRITER'S GROUP IN THE AREA, NAMELY FOR SOME GOOD BEER, BAR FOOD, AND NICE FOLKS TALKING ABOUT WRITING. ONE OF THE GALS WHO WAS PRETTY COOL HAD A BOYFRIEND WHO HAD JUST WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT STARBUCKS BASED OFF OF AN ARTICLE HE WROTE, AND I THOUGHT, "I COULD DO THAT." I STARTED TELLING FOLKS I WAS GOING TO DO THE "NICKELODEON BOOK" AND EVEN BEGAN READING TOM WOLFE VOLUMINOUSLY TO PREPARE, SEEKING OUT THE BEST WAY TO WRITE ENGAGING, NARRATIVE-BASED CREATIVE NON-FICTION ABOUT NOSTALGIC AMERICANA. BUT THEN LIFE TOOK OVER AND I DIDN'T THINK I WAS READY TO DELVE INTO DOING WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO ACTUALLY MAKE IT HAPPEN. I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE AN AGENT YET BACK THEN, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOME NOBODY LIKE ME TO WRITE A BOOK OF THIS NATURE ABOUT SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT. WHY WOULD MELISSA JOAN HART TALK TO SOME IDIOT WITH THIS CRAZY IDEA AND NO CREDENTIALS ASIDE FROM SOME LIGHT FILM AND FREELANCE JOURNALISM WORK? I'LL TRY TO SPEED IT UP HERE WITH A FOUR YEAR OR SO FAST-FORWARD...

I DECIDED TO HIT UP A FRIEND OF A FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAPPENED TO RUN THE SOUND STUDIO WHERE "DOUG" WAS RECORDED. I ASKED THE GUY IF HE COULD HOOK ME UP WITH AN INTERVIEW WITH JIM JINKINS, JUST TO SEE IF I COULD WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT "DOUG" AND HIM. I DID THE INTERVIEW, DID NOTHING WITH THE RECORDING FOR A FEW INTERMINABLE MONTHS, AND THEN WAS LAID OFF FROM MY JOB AS THE ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER FOR THE DAILY NEWSPAPER WHERE I'VE BEEN LIVING IN BOULDER THE LAST THREE YEARS. I SUDDENLY HAD SOME TIME ON MY HANDS AND SOME QUICK MONEY FROM AN OPTION ON A SCRIPT AND PROFESSIONAL THEATER PROJECT -- A PERFECT STORM OF OPPORTUNITY -- AND DECIDED TO ACTUALLY GIVE THE "DOUG" STORY A CHANCE. I WROTE IT, LIKED IT, AND SUBMITTED IT TO A FEW PLACES -- A FEW OF WHOM WANTED TO RUN IT. I DECIDED TO GO WITH SPLITSIDER BECAUSE I LIKED THE EDITOR, ADAM FRUCCI, AND EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO INTEREST IN WEB PUBLISHING AT THE TIME, IT WAS A BIG ENOUGH SITE TO GET THE ARTICLES OUT THERE BUT NOT SOME HUGE CONGLOMERATE THING THAT WOULD BULLDOZE OVER MY STORIES OR NEVER EMAIL ME BACK IF I HAD ISSUES WITH EDITING. I STARTED CONTACTING OTHER NICK FOLKS, AND IT STARTED WORKING. AND NOW, 100 SOME-ODD INTERVIEWS AND SIX MONTHS LATER, HERE WE ARE. MORE TO COME, TOO.

Kevin- What were your favorite Nickelodeon shows? What were your least favorite?

Mathew- THAT'S A TOUGHIE BECAUSE NOW I'VE BECOME RATHER FRIENDLY WITH A LOT OF THE CREATORS OF THE SHOWS ON NICK AND IT'S HONESTLY AFFECTED MY FEELINGS ABOUT A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS. I'M GETTING TO KNOW THEM BETTER AS PEOPLE -- THEY'VE ALL BEEN VERY OPEN WITH ME -- AND IT'S MADE ME SEE THEIR SHOWS IN WHOLE NEW WAYS. THAT MAY SOUND TRITE, BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS (HOW DOES A CLICHE BECOME A CLICHE?). AS CLICHE AS SAYING, "I REALLY LIKED 'EM ALL FOR DIFFERENT REASONS." I DON'T THINK I COULD DO THIS OTHERWISE. IT'S OVERTAKEN MY ENTIRE LIFE IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. IF MASTERS DEGREES WERE GIVEN FOR EXPERIENCE AND DIRECT PRODUCTION RATHER THAN ROTE MEMORIZATION, MEANINGLESS TESTS, AND COSTLY SEMESTERS, I WOULD DEFINITELY BE EARNING AT LEAST TWO RIGHT NOW -- ONE ON NICK AND ONE ON CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN TELEVISION/CABLE HISTORY. WHAT JOB I COULD GET WITH TWO SUCH MASTERS DEGREES, YOU GOT ME. TEACHING AT SOME LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE IN UPSTATE NY? ACTUALLY, THAT MIGHT BE KINDA FUN. I COULD HANG WITH WHOEVER MIGHT BE TEACHING THE GAMEBOY CLASS OR THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK CLASS.

Patricia- There are currently two other books about Nickelodeon: What makes your book different from the others? What do you hope to accomplish with your book?

Mathew- I'M ACTUALLY WELL AWARE OF THE TWO OTHER BOOKS OUT ON NICK, AND HAVE BEEN FRIENDLY FOR A FEW YEARS WITH THE EDITOR OF THE FIRST, WHICH IS A COLLECTION OF ACADEMIC ARTICLES WRITTEN ABOUT NICK (ONE SUCH ARTICLE SAID EDITOR, HEATHER HENDERSHOT, WROTE). I CONTACTED HER WAY BACK IN 2008 WHEN I FIRST STARTED HAVING AN IDEA I MIGHT DO THIS SOME DAY. WE TALKED ABOUT TALKING CATS AND THE LIKE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. THE SECOND BOOK IS ANOTHER ACADEMIC TEXT WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE FIRST. I HAVE THAT ONE NOW, TOO. HER NAME IS SARAH BANET-WEISER. I'M TRYING TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT NICK THAT IS FOR MORE OF A MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE -- FANS OF THE SHOWS AND CHARACTERS AND ACTORS -- WITH A KIND OF NARRATIVE THROUGHOUT; SIMPLE BUT THE STORY OF NICKELODEON AS A CHARACTER ITSELF. IT WILL ALSO BE AN ORAL HISTORY, SO THE STORY WILL BE TOLD BY THE VERY PEOPLE WHO CREATED IT AND ITS SHOWS. SOME OF THESE FOLKS HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THESE SERIES SINCE THEIR FIRST RUN DECADES AGO.

Patricia- Can you briefly explain what can we expect from this upcoming book on Nickelodeon without spoiling it? How many shows are you going to cover?

Mathew- YOU CAN EXPECT TO READ ABOUT AND LEARN ABOUT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I WOULD HOPE ANYONE WOULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE SHOWS. I'M 30. I'M FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I'M A NICK KID. I GREW UP ON THESE SHOWS. I WATCHED THEM AGAIN WHEN THEY WERE RE-RELEASED ON DVD. I CHECK THEM OUT TO THIS DAY. I KNOW THEM PRETTY WELL IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND NOW I HAVE THE CHANCE TO FIND OUT WHAT MADE THEM SO INDELIBLE AND SINGULAR. AS MUCH OF WHAT I JUST SAID THAT WILL FIT IN A BOOK WILL BE THERE ON THE PAGES.

Patricia- In your opinion, what shows put Nickelodeon on the map as the network to see? What shows do you think started the downhill point to the "Nickelodeon Golden Era"?

Mathew- AGAIN, I THINK WHAT MADE AND IN FACT STILL MAKES NICKELODEON SUCH A SUCCESSFUL FORCE IN BOTH COMMERCIAL AND CRITICAL REALMS IS HOW PROTEAN ITS PROGRAMMING IS. IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN SUCH AN IMPORTANT BRAND -- "THE FIRST KIDS NETWORK" -- WHILE OFFERING SUCH DIVERSE MATERIAL, FROM LIVE ACTION TO ANIMATION, FROM SITCOMS TO SOAP OPERA DRAMAS (MANY MAY NOT REMEMBER "FIFTEEN," BUT IT WAS NICK'S OWN "DEGRASSI" FOR A SHORT STINT). THEY ALL BROUGHT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THE TABLE. ONE THING I'M LEARNING: ESPECIALLY IN THOSE EARLY YEARS AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE NINETIES, HAD ANY ONE OF THOSE SHOWS NOT BEEN AIRED, THE CHANNEL WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT TODAY. THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAGIC INGREDIENTS: CONSISTENCY OF BRAND, VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING.

Patricia- A few months ago, Kevin and I interviewed Caseen Gaines, who is the author of Inside Pee-wee's Playhouse. The book covered some fascinating and shocking stories about the entire phenomenon of Pee-wee Herman from the stage shows, the movies, and the TV show. What were some of the most shocking stories that you heard when interviewing former actors, creators, and behind-the-scenes crew of the Nickelodeon shows and movies?

Mathew- NICE TRY, PATTI! YOU'LL HAVE TO READ THE BOOK!

Kevin- Who were the people that you were the most excited to interview? Who were your favorite people that you interviewed?

Mathew- I KNOW THIS MUST BE GETTING ANNOYING AND SEEM LIKE I'M TRYING TO SELL BOOKS HERE (PS: I AM), BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT CHANGES SO OFTEN THAT I CAN'T SAY ANYMORE. IT HAS BEEN WEIRD, STRANGE, INTOXICATING, AND A LITTLE VERTIGINOUS TO RELIVE SO MANY MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD THROUGH THE TV I WATCHED AT A VERY DIFFERENT TIME IN MY LIFE. IT FEELS AS THOUGH I'VE KIND OF REACHED THROUGH NOT ONLY WHAT HARLAN ELLISON HAS REFERRED TO AS "THE GLASS TEAT," BUT ALSO THROUGH TIME IN THIS QUIXOTIC QUEST TO TRACK DOWN AND TALK TO THESE FOLKS. I'LL TELL YOU THIS, I'VE BEEN SURPRISED MORE TIMES THAN I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT AS REGARDS WHO MAKES FOR A BETTER AND MORE ENGAGING INTERVIEW. SOME OF MY BEST STUFF HAS BEEN COMING FROM FOLKS I WOULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED.

Kevin- Which people that you wished that you would have had the chance to interview, but couldn't get a hold of for whatever reason? What questions would you have asked them?

Mathew-  I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS BOOK IF I WASN'T ABLE TO GET EVERYONE I WANT AND FEEL IS NEEDED TO MAKE IT WORK. IF I WERE DOING A WEBSITE OR COMPOSING A SONG, IT WOULD BE THE SAME CONCEPT. I'M DOING THE ORAL HISTORY OF NICKELODEON BECAUSE, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, I'M GOOD AT GETTING IN TOUCH WITH AND INTERVIEWING SUCH PEOPLE. THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I DO AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN GOOD AT. I'VE GOTTEN MOST OF THE FOLKS I WANT ALREADY AND AM STILL MOVING SWIFTLY TO GET THE REST.

Kevin- Do you own any Nickelodeon memorabilia?

Mathew- I THINK THAT'S RELATIVE.  

Kevin If you could be any Nicktoon character, who would you be and why?

Mathew- I ALWAYS LIKED THAT DOUG FUNNIE COULD PLAY THE BANJO. I WISH I COULD DO THAT. MAYBE I WILL SOME DAY. 

Kevin- How you do feel about Shout! Factory releasing the Nickelodeon shows on DVD?

Mathew- I LIKE SHOUT! THEY RELEASED A GUY I KNOW'S MOVIE CALLED "HOW'S YOUR NEWS?" HE WENT ON TO ALSO DIRECT THE RECENT "SOUTH PARK" DOCUMENTARY. I ONCE APPLIED FOR A JOB THERE DOING THEIR LINER NOTES. I DIDN'T GET IT, BUT I WAS YOUNG AT THE TIME. YOUNGER THAN NOW. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD NAME FOR A BAND: "YOUNGER THAN NOW."

Kevin- If you can spend time with two voice actors known for voicing iconic characters on Nickelodeon, who would it be and why?

Mathew- I'VE ALREADY SPENT TIME WITH A BUNCH OF THEM. THEY'RE ALL GREAT. MANY OF THEM ARE LIKE CARTOON CHARACTERS THEMSELVES. TALKING WITH THEM ON THE PHONE IS FANTASTIC AND I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET A FEW OF THEM IN PERSON WHEN I MOVE TO NYC IN JUNE.

Kevin- What advice and steps would you give to someone who wants to write a book based on a particular topic?

Mathew- I ALWAYS GIVE THE SAME ADVICE WHENEVER PEOPLE ASK ME HOW TO WRITE BOOKS OR SCREENPLAYS OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE: DON'T. UNLESS YOU'RE DOING IT FOR YOURSELF AND FOR FUN AND BECAUSE YOU LIKE DOING IT. MAYBE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO DO IT. UNLESS YOU'RE INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY OR HAVE A LAST NAME THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE, THE REALMS OF FILM, MUSIC, PUBLISHING, AND COMMERCIAL ART IN GENERAL IS IN A REALLY SHITTY PLACE RIGHT NOW, ON EVERY LEVEL. I FIND GAMBLING INCREDIBLY BORING (EVEN CARD GAMES, ETC.), BUT SPENDING TIME, ENERGY, AND OFTENTIMES YOUR OWN MONEY IN DEVELOPING A PROJECT LIKE WHAT I'M DOING NOW IS THE BIGGEST GAMBLE OF ALL (ASIDE FROM RUSSIAN ROULETTE) BECAUSE YOU'RE BETTING WITH YOUR LIFE. I GOT LUCKY WITH A GREAT IDEA, I HAVE AN AMAZING AGENT I EARNED THROUGH A PREVIOUS FAILED ATTEMPT AT ANOTHER PROJECT, AND I'VE LEARNED BY BEING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DOOR HOW TO PUT TOGETHER A BOOK LIKE THIS THAT MADE IT CLEAR TO PUBLISHERS I WAS THE GUY FOR THE JOB. BUT IN THE BEGINNING, I WAS JUST SOME KID WHO WANTED TO ONE DAY TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT NICKELODEON. 

THEN A FEW YEARS LATER THOUGHT TO PUT SOME TIME AND EFFORT INTO SOME ARTICLES THAT MIGHT REAWAKEN THAT DREAM. AND IT WORKED. IT MIGHT NOT HAVE, THOUGH. BUT THOSE FUCKING THINGS STILL TOOK A LOT OF TIME, ENERGY, AND -- YES -- MY OWN MONEY TO COMPLETE WITHOUT ANY GUARANTEED COMPENSATION OR REFUND FOR SAID TIME, MONEY, ETC.. MORAL: IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, KNOW IT MIGHT NOT MAKE YOU ANY MONEY AND THAT YOU MIGHT LOSE SOME IN THE PROCESS, THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SACRIFICE TIME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO DO IT. AND THAT IT MIGHT LEAD TO "NOTHING." WHICH IS WHY YOU HAVE TO JUST DO IT BECAUSE YOU SEE EVEN THE PROCESS OF MAKING IT AS SOMETHING FAR BETTER THAN "NOTHING."

Kevin- What was it like working with Steven Seagal and screenwriting one of his movies?

Mathew- I DIDN'T WORK WITH HIM. HE JUST APPEARED IN A MOVIE I WROTE. I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS BEFORE ELSEWHERE AND ALL I'LL SAY NOW IS I'M GRATEFUL STEVEN WAS IN THE FILM BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE BECOME SUCH A COMMERCIAL BLITZ FOR ABOUT A YEAR WITHOUT HIM ON THE DVD BOX'S COVER. IT WASN'T THE FILM I ORIGINALLY WROTE, BUT I WROTE IT TO SELL AND NOT TO BE A DREAM PROJECT FOR MYSELF. I SUCCEEDED. YAY.

Kevin- What are your favorite movies?

Mathew- THE TRUTH IS "BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ," "SALO," AND "IDIOTERNE." BUT BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE HAVEN'T HEARD OF THOSE FILMS AND I ALWAYS AM WORRIED ABOUT SEEMING LIKE A SNOBBY FILM DOUCHE IF I SAY THAT, I'LL GO WITH MORE STANDARD FARE: "NATURAL BORN KILLERS," "NASHVILLE," AND "BRAZIL." MAYBE THE MONKEES' "HEAD" SHOULD BE IN THERE; IT'S WAY BETTER THAN IT SOUNDS (DIRECTED BY BOB RAFELSON AND CO-WRITTEN BY JACK NICHOLSON -- IN 1968.)

Kevin- What books on screenwriting would you recommend?

Mathew- I DON'T RECOMMEND ANY BOOKS ON SCREENWRITING. I HAVEN'T READ ANY. EVER. EVEN IN FILM SCHOOL, ACTUALLY, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT. OR MAYBE I DID READ THEM FOR CLASS. I JUST DON'T REMEMBER. CHRIST, THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO, ALMOST, AND I WASN'T PAYING MUCH ATTENTION IN CLASS. I WAS BUSY READING OTHER BOOKS AND WATCHING MOVIES OUTSIDE OF CLASS, WORKING ON FILMS, ETC. I WAS IMPATIENT (STILL AM). I WILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND TWO FILM BOOKS, THOUGH: JANE HAMSHER'S "KILLER INSTINCT" ABOUT THE MAKING OF "NATURAL BORN KILLERS" FROM START TO BEYOND FINISH (IS ACTUALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME, AND READS LIKE A NOVEL: JANE IS NUTS). AND THE OTHER IS SOMETHING OF AN OBVIOUS ONE: RAY CARNEY'S "CASSAVETES ON CASSAVETES." ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT THE COVER. IT'S A FILM SCHOOL IN ITSELF. 400 SOME ODD PAGES OF PURE, UNFILTERED IDEAS ABOUT MORE THAN FILM. I DON'T THINK ANY BOOK I OWN IS MORE MARKED UP THAN MY COPY OF THAT ONE. IT'S AN INCREDIBLY FUN READ, TOO. CASSAVETES WAS ALSO NUTS.

Kevin- What shows on Nickelodeon are you currently watching?

Mathew- THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU MEAN BY CURRENT. I LOOK BACK ON A FEW OF THE OLD SHOWS JUST TO GET SOME IDEAS AND TO REMEMBER THINGS I MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN, BUT NOT OFTEN. I DON'T REALLY WATCH TV ANYMORE AND HAVEN'T SINCE JR. HIGH SCHOOL. MOST PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO DON'T OR HAVEN'T MUCH IN THE PAST EITHER. I THINK THAT'S WHAT MADE NICK SO SPECIAL: IT WAS DONE BY PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING SOMETHING SO NEW BECAUSE THEY WERE PRODUCING WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE AND NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THEY HAD SEEN BEFORE.

Patricia- What changes do you think would get Nickelodeon back to its former glory that we experienced in the 80's and 90's?

Mathew- AGAIN, THIS IS EXTREMELY RELATIVE. NICKELODEON AND VIACOM BEHIND THEM IS DOING AMAZING THINGS NOW WITH THE CHANNEL. THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. NICKELODEON HAS ONLY BEEN GLOBAL FOR A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THAT'S INCREDIBLE! COMMERCIAL SUCCESS IS A TALENT IN ITSELF. YOU MAY NOT HAVE RESPECT FOR BRITNEY SPEARS OR MILEY CYRUS OR WHOMEVER, BUT YOU ALSO PROBABLY CAN'T SELL $10M COPIES OF SOMETHING IN A WEEK. THEY CAN (SURE, THEY'RE PART OF A SYSTEM THAT SELLS IT WITH THEM, BUT THAT CAN BE SAID ABOUT MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND EVEN "FINE" ARTISTS WHO HAVE GALLERIES AND AGENTS AND MANAGERS AND PUBLICISTS AND DID EVEN BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS; MICHAELANGELO WAS COMMISSIONED TO DO THE CISTINE CHAPEL, LEST WE FORGET; THAT WAS A COMMERCIAL JOB). AND I KNOW THERE ARE LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS OUT THERE WHO LOVE THE SHOWS THAT ARE ON THERE NOW.

MAYBE SOMEONE IN THE FUTURE WILL WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THE "GOLDEN AGE" BEING NOW? I READ AN ARTICLE WITH THE KID WHO WAS ONCE UPON A TIME THE AMPHIBIOUS INFANT ON THE COVER OF "NEVERMIND" CIRCA NOW (HE'S 21) AND HE WAS SAYING HE WISHED THERE WAS GOOD MUSIC NOW LIKE THE GREAT OL' DAYS OF THE NINETIES. AND, C'MON, MOST OF US THINK THE MUSIC IN THE NINETIES SUCKED. SIMILARLY, I HUNG WITH A MUCH OLDER GUY WHO RUNS THE CINEMA PROGRAM AT MY LOCAL LIBRARY LAST NIGHT IN HIS CRUMB-ESQUE HOARDER HOUSE AND WE WATCHED SOME OLD "PINWHEEL" HE HAD ON VHS. HE LOVES THAT OMNIBUS SHOW AND FEELS NICK WAS NEVER THE SAME AFTER IT WAS PHASED OUT IN THE EARLY 80S, SO WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT CONCEPT OF "GOLDEN AGE." NICK'S STILL ON THE AIR. STILL GOING STRONG. MAY SEEM LIKE I'M BEING PATRONIZING OR SYCOPHANTIC, BUT IT'S WHAT I FEEL.

Patricia- What shows from Nickelodeon that you wish would come back on TV?

Mathew- I WANT TO SEE MORE "THREE'S COMPANY" AND THE ORIGINAL "WONDER YEARS" WITHOUT ALL OF THE CHANGES MADE TO THE SONGS. PROBABLY WILL NEVER HAPPEN BECAUSE OF RIGHTS ISSUES. AND WALLY GEORGE'S "HOT SEAT." MAYBE MORE BOB ROSS' "THE JOY OF PAINTING."

Patricia- Finally, after your book is released, what are your upcoming projects?

Mathew- I WOULD SAY BUT THEN SOMEONE MIGHT STEAL MY IDEA(S). I'VE ALWAYS GOT PLENTY ON THE BURNER. SOME SHIT WORKS OUT, MOST DOESN'T. THE BIT THAT DOES KEEPS ME GOING ARTISTICALLY AND FINANCIALLY, THOUGH. FOR NOW. "SOMETHING ALWAYS COMES ALONG TO SAVE THE TWO SIMPSONS CHILDREN." I'M ALREADY WORKING ON A FEW THINGS, THOUGH. I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE BEING A POP CULTURE INTELLECTUAL. IT'S FUN AND KIND OF FUNNY. AN INTERESTING WAY TO MAKE A LIVING.

For more information about Slimed! An Oral History of Nickelodeon’s Golden Age, check it out on Facebook at facebook.com/NickOralHistory and Twitter @NickOralHistory. To take a quick look on what to expect in the book, check out his Splitsider account at http://splitsider.com/user/5531/matt-klickstein/.

Are you looking forward to Slimed! An Oral History of Nickelodeon’s Golden Age? What are your favorite Nickelodeon shows from the 80’s and 90’s? Post it in the comments below. That’s all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.

-Patricia and Kevin

Old School Lane's Nickelodeon Tribute: Interview with Kristin Fairlie

What better way to conclude our review of Little Bear than to talk to Little Bear himself...or herself. Wow! Deja vu! Little Bear's voice was done by Canadian actress Kristin Fairlie. She's started her acting career when she was 8-years-old debuting in the 1995 film The Scarlet Letter as Faith Stonehall. She had won her first Young Artist of Hollywood in the Showtime movie The Sweetest Gift at 14.



But she's mostly known for her voice acting in shows such as Madeline, Babar: The King of Elephants, and the Total Drama series. But she'll always be known as the sweet innocent Little Bear. Nowadays, she's been in a few indie movies such as Moonpoint and Jesus Henry Christ and she's the founder of a website named Hate and Heartbreak. Hope that you enjoy this amazing interview with Kristin Fairlie.


 


Patricia- What were your favorite shows/TV shows growing up?

Kristin- My favorite shows when I was really little were Road to Avonlea, Fresh Prince, The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show, Jem, Rainbow Brite, My Pet Monster and Full House.

Kevin- At what age did you decide that you wanted to pursue your life into acting?

Kristin- I was eight years old when I started in the industry, but I began making short films with the my siblings and the kids on my street when I was 6 : ) I always wanted to be an actor.

Patricia- Who are your influences?

Kristin- A lot of people inspire me in my life. I love Kate Moss' style, I love Julianne Moore, Joan Allen and Fiona Apple. Anne Heche is someone who's friendship, strength and advice had an incredible impact on me, I admire her lot as an actress and a person. Sarah Polley is someone I have looked up to since I was a little girl. And I love Frank Ocean. Just want that to be known lol.

Patricia- What was the audition process like for The Scarlet Letter, The Sweetest Gift, and The Virgin Suicides?

Kristin- I auditioned for The Scarlet Letter when I was 12, for director Roland Joffe. He was incredibly kind and so inspiring to work with. I remember being at the callback with him and him asking me if I'd like to go to BC and Nova Scotia to shoot the film. My parents were excited that I would be working with Robert Duvall, Gary Oldman and Demi Moore and I was too young to know who they were! Stuart Margolin, the director of The Sweetest Gift was a guiding light for me on that film. And meeting Sofia Coppola was inspiring and a little overwhelming! I am a huge fan of hers.


Kevin- What was it like working alongside actors such as Demi Moore, Robert Duvall, Gary Oldman, Anne Heche, and Laura Dern?

Kristin- These were some of the greatest experiences of my life. Anne became a dear friend to me while filming Gracie's Choice and gave me advice I will cherish for the rest of my life. Demi Moore is one of the strongest and coolest women I have ever met. Robert Duvall and Gary Oldman were so sweet to me and so talented, and Laura Dern is incredible, I took a lot away from acting opposite her. She truly has a gift. And she's in Jurassic Park! Favourite trilogy of all time :)




Patricia- What funny memories can you tell us while working on the set for those movies?

Kristin- On The Virgin Suicides, there was this boy on set that was one of the most handsome guys I've ever seen. He was really nice, and I wanted to get a picture of him just because I couldn't believe how cute he was, so I asked him to take a picture of me and Sofia Coppola, and then I was like we might as well get a picture too and Sofia took a picture of the two of us. I went to school and showed my girlfriends the picture like look how hot this guy is! About a month later The Faculty and Halloween H20 came out and the boy in my photo was suddenly one of the biggest stars in the world. It was Josh Hartnett.

The Sweetest Gift was jokes and laughter for the entire shoot. Marc Donato (Degrassi) and Dylan Provencher (Wind at my Back) played my brothers and we bonded over a summer of playing with the animals on set and learning Southern accents together. The entire cast and crew were amazing, working with Helen Shaver, Tisha Cambell and legend Diahann Carroll was a great learning experience to be working opposite such strong and talented women.

On The Scarlet Letter, there were two oxen meant to pull a cart. They had different white patches of fur on their faces, and production wanted their faces to be matching. They (safely) dyed the oxen's faces brown to match and their fur turned purple so they had to be replaced! I hope those oxen got their chance at stardom on another movie.

Patricia- What was your reaction when you won the Young Artist of Hollywood Award Winner for The Sweetest Gift?

Kristin- I was so honoured. Showtime flew me to Los Angeles to attend the ceremony and when my name was called I almost didn't hear it it was so surreal. I barely remember accepting the award, I was vibrating with excitement and nerves. Afterwards I stood onstage with the other winners, and I looked to my left and right and realized I was standing in between Jena Malone and Dominique Swain and I felt really proud to be in such fantastic actresses company. Also Leonardo DiCaprio who I love had previously won a YAA so I felt like that might lead me to work with him one day lol fingers crossed.

Kevin- What made you decide to go into voice acting?

Kristin- I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I didn't know that it was even possible to be a voice on a cartoon series. Who doesn't love cartoons? It never occurred to me that I could be a cartoon. When I got my first voice audition, I walked into the studio and though you're kidding me. I just talk and you record it and make me a cartoon?? It was mind-blowing. My first cartoon voice was Nicole on the cartoon Madeline. I got to speak in a French accent and sing songs with the other girls in the studio. I was very small so I had to stand on a milk crate to be able to sing at the mic with the other girls. It was too much fun.




Patricia- What was the audition process like for Little Bear?

Kristin- Originally, I auditioned for the roles of Duck and Hen. I read the same voice for both of them. Casting told me the show was for preschool kids, so I thought of the voice I heard in my head when I was learning to read and I guess Little Bear is what it sounded like lol. The casting director came into the vocal booth and said the producers would like me to read for Little Bear. And I was like for sure, which one is Little Bear? And they told me the show was called Little Bear. I think I used the same voice. Afterwards they gave me 4 Little Bear books and said they would see me soon. When I began recording the show, Maurice Sendak came to visit the studio, and he drew a Little Bear picture in each one of my books which are some of my most treasured possessions.

Patricia- Did you read the books before auditioning for the show?

Kristin- I had never heard of Little Bear when I auditioned for the show. I had no idea the impact Little Bear would have on people and it's something I am so proud to have been a part of. I am continuously surprised by the variety of people I meet at Fan Expo and Comic Con that hug me and tell me that they love Little Bear. He is loved by all ages :)




Patricia- What characteristics do you share with Little Bear?

Kristin- Little Bear is kind and he has integrity. He always stays true to himself and he cares about his friends and family very much. He has an amazing imagination and always tries his best. I like to think those are the characteristics we share.

Kevin- What was it like working with Maurice Sendak and Else Holmelund Minarik?

Kristin- I unfortunately never had the opportunity to meet Else Holmelund Minarik, but I did get to spend some time with the wonderful Maurice Sendak when he came to a recording session. He was so interesting and he was very pleased with the series and how it turned out. He said my Little Bear voice was just right :)



Kevin- What would a typical day be like for voicing an episode?

Kristin- My mom would pick me up from school at lunch time, and we would head down to the city to the studio. Little Bear was almost always recorded as an ensemble, so I would be in the studio all afternoon while different characters joined me and others left. Usually about 4-6 hours per record. There was a lot of jokes and laughter. Sometimes I would record pick up lines for episodes already completed, so I would get to watch a screen and see a snippet of the episode and record my lines along with Little Bear's mouth movements. That was fun.

Kevin- What was your favorite episode?

Kristin- I wouldn't even know where to begin I have so many favorites. I loved "The Puddle Jumper" episode. Zen frog was so funny to listen to. I love when Little Bear goes to the moon. The first three episodes are so dear to me, especially "What Will Little Bear Wear"? as they were my first ever and set the tone for the five seasons of the series.

Patricia- Do you still keep in contact with the creators or the voice actors from Little Bear?

Kristin- I still work often with Director Merle Anne Ridley, and I'm in touch with Tracy Ryan (Duck), Amos Crawley (Owl) and Janet Laine Green (Mother Bear)

Patricia- What was it like doing The Little Bear Movie?

Kristin- It was incredible. I recorded the film with my brother Kyle Fairlie, who was the voice of Cub, the bear cub that Little Bear helps to find his family. Afterwards I got to record the voice for the plush Little Bear that sold at Target so that was a pretty amazing experience.




Patricia- How did it feel that you were doing this movie alongside your younger brother?

Kristin- It is one of my proudest moments and something we both cherish.

Kevin- When was the last time you watched an episode of Little Bear?

Kristin- I see it all the time flipping channels.

Patricia- After over 12 years after Little Bear was on air, do you think that the show has held up well?

Kristin- I think Little Bear is hands down the best cartoon for young children on television. Little Bear is about friendship, family, nature and using your imagination. It teaches people to be kind and I think that is an important lesson at any age.



Kevin- What was the audition process like for the Total Drama series?

Kristin- Just like every voice audition, you go to the studio, read the character description, look at the sketch of the character, and then interpret their voice how you feel it should sound.


Patricia- What characteristics do you share with Bridgette?


Kristin- Bridgette is kind, friendly, determined, she loves to sing, she loves animals and she's clumsy. I constantly bang my elbows off everything.




Kevin- Do you enjoy singing or acting more?

Kristin- I don't think I could live without either. It's a toss up.


Patricia- What was it like doing Moonpoint and Jesus Henry Christ?

Kristin- Moonpoint was hilarious fun. Jesus Henry Christ was one of my proudest moments in my career so far.



Patricia- What was it like working with Julia Roberts, Toni Collette, and Michael Sheen?

Kristin- I didn't have scenes with Toni or Michael, but I met Toni who is lovely. Julia Roberts. What can I say? She is an angel among us. She was so sweet, and flattering. She told me she had everything to do with me being cast in the film. I squeezed her arm when I thanked her for having me in the movie and afterwards I thought, Richard Gere touched those arms! Ha ha.


Patricia- Can you tell us what made you come up with the idea for Hate and Heartbreak?

Kristin- I have always wanted my own label and clothing store. When we began building the website, I wanted the name to be universal and something that everyone could relate to. I was trying to think of a positive name but I had lost someone in my life to cancer and I was so consumed with anger and heartbreak. And then I realized that everyone can relate to that. We all experience those emotions at some point in our lives and they are inescapable. Even if you ignore them, they will bubble up in some way at some point in your life, and it is only when you embrace those emotions that you are able to break free and move forward from them. And I want to support people through that darkness and be a symbol of strength in the face of hate and heartbreak. I want to let people know that it's okay to feel those things and that they are never alone in feeling that way and it's okay to move forward. You will come through it stronger than you knew was possible.




Kevin- When people approach you, what voice do they demand that you do the most?

Kristin- Little Bear.


Patricia- What are your reactions of people approaching you and saying that they watched Little Bear growing up and they loved your character portrayal?

Kristin- It makes my heart full. People tell me I was a huge part of their childhood, or their children's, and I'm so honoured to have touched so many lives.

Patricia- What are your upcoming projects?

I have several projects in the works, but I have just completed a guest star on the CTV /Fox International Series The Listener. I am very excited for everyone to see the episode! It is episode 2 of Season 4 :)

Patricia- Alright then. Kristin, thank you so much for the interview.

Kristin- Thank you!

For more information about Kristin, visit her website at hateandheartbreak.com. Follow her on FaceBook and Twitter @kristinfairlie. That's all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.

-Patricia and Kevin

Movie Review: Little Bear: The Movie

Around the 2000's, Nick Jr. decided to follow the same path of what Nickeloeon was doing a few years previously: movies. Around Christmas 2000, Nick Jr. had their first theatrical movie debut with The Little Bear Movie. 



Based on the Nick Jr. TV series and the books written by Else Holmelund Minerak, Little Bear is about the simple stories of a young bear cub named Little Bear and his numerous adventures alongside his parents and best friends. For how I feel about the TV series, I like it okay. It's simple, has nice animation, nice, calm orchestrated music, and sticks very close to the theme of the books. So how does the movie stand out? Let's check it out. Here's The Little Bear Movie. The movie starts off with a bear cub waking up finding himself all alone calling his mom and dad. While looking around the deep woods, he then learns that he's all alone. Meanwhile we see Little Bear getting ready to go on a camping trip with Father Bear. Little Bear is very excited to go out with Father Bear and he quickly finishes his packing.When fishing near a lake, Little Bear sees the bear cub from the beginning of the movie catching fish with his paw. He's having difficulty as he fell down and scared the fishes away. Little Bear finds it funny and joins alongside him not knowing that he was fishing like a bear.



The bear cub doesn't find it funny and walks away. Little Bear wanted to know more about him so he introduces himself. The bear cub simply introduces himself as Cub. He goes off where we also see his friend Little Moose. Little Bear follows them not knowing about the danger that lurked behind him with a mountain lion. Cub saves his life with Little Bear not having a clue to what was going on. Cub then realizes that Little Bear is not from the woods. Little Bear finds himself lost not knowing where Father Bear is. Cub helps Little Bear settle in the woods and make himself feel calm. Little Bear questions him on where his parents were. Cub tells him that he doesn't know where they are. He had been lost for a long time and has looked everywhere for them. Little Bear tells him that he'll take Cub home to his house the following day. When Little Bear and Cub walk over to the house, Father Bear find them heading towards the path and was worried sick about where his son was. Little Bear explained about Cub's problem and Father Bear decides to take Cub home to take care of him until they find his parents.



Cub isn't able to understand the indoor life of Little Bear with them cooking their food and sleeping in beds. Little Bear realizes that Cub doesn't feel at home so he decides to help find his parents. The next day, Little Bear's friends Duck, Cat, Hen, and Owl come over to play with Little Bear and are confused to seeing Cub. Little Bear explains that Cub is lost and needs to find his parents and they offer to help. As they search around the woods, the gang gets separated from one another. Little Bear, Cub, and Duck try to look around the deep woods for both Cub's parents and the separated group consisting of Owl, Hen, and Cat. They come across Little Moose and Cub's other friends Poppy and Pete, two foxes. They had seen where Cub's parents were so they follow them. Meanwhile Trouble, the mountain lion, sneaks in to try to eat Duck, but Little Bear comes and saves her life. Poppy and Pete then lead Cub's parents over to Cub and the movie ends with them reuniting.



Overall, the movie was okay. It was very nice, colorful, and had a calm, relaxing atmosphere. However, I find the pace to be a tad bit slow and the main villain to be underwhelming. But then again, it's a movie based on a pre-school show. It doesn't do anything preachy or awful. Kids nowadays would find it to be very boring and would want to tune into a more faster paced show, but I liked the Little Bear series okay. It's a nice relaxing refresher to stray away from the fast paced shows you would see like Yo Gabba Gabba! 

That's all for now. Tune in next time as we have a special interview with one of the voice actors from Little Bear. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.

-Patricia

Old School Lane's Nickelodeon Tribute: Interview with Debi Derryberry

What better way to end our review of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius than to talk to the boy genius himself...or herself. The voice actress behind Jimmy Neutron is Debi Derryberry whom you may also know as Jake from Tazmania, Jackie from Bobby's World, Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family animated series, Nergal Jr. from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, and more. She's also sings children's songs about her own created character named Baby Banana which have reached #1 in many radio stations. Due to her really busy schedule, we were able to ask 5 questions. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy our interview with Debi Derryberry.


 

Kevin- When you first auditioned for the role of Jimmy Neutron, what was your first impression on the character and the show?

Debi- I thought it was pretty clever and cute.  It wasn't called Jimmy Neutron though.  It was called something like Johnny Quasar. It was being cast as a very short 7 minute pilot and I had no way of knowing how popular it would become.  I just knew that I had to try to sound different than Bart Simpson or Bobby from "King of the Hill". 

Kevin- If you had a shrink ray, who or what would you shrink and why?

Debi- I would shrink my dog so he would be afraid of the cats instead of trying to attack them. 

Patricia- What was it like voicing Wednesday on The Addams Family and Jackie from Bobby's World?  

 

Debi- Both shows had phenomenal directors.  Gordon Hunt and Ginny McSwain and both shows had outstanding casts.  I had a really fun time in both series because the whole cast was together for most of the recording sessions.

 

Kevin- What do you think of the Jimmy Neutron spin-off Planet Sheen?  

 

Debi- Hmmmm....I think Jimmy should be in the show.

 

Patricia- What made you decide to sing songs for children?   

 

Debi- One of my relatives said I should record my kids songs.  So I just did!  I had no idea  my songs would hit the charts and that I would have a number 1 hit.  I love singing for kids!  My live performances are always early in the day so I can go to bed early!

 

 

Patricia- Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions. I really appreciate it. 

 

Debi- THANK YOU!

 

For more information, visit her official website at debiderryberry.com. Also follow her on Facebook and Twitter @debiderryberry. That's all for now. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Thanks for reading.

 

-Patricia and Kevin

Movie Review: Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

Around 2001, there were many changes when it came to the world of animation. People were getting into a brand new style of animation: CGI. There were a few cartoons, video games, and movies getting into this new style. It became increasingly popular when a fairly new company named Pixar were releasing CG animated movie such as Toy Story, A Bug's Life, and Monsters Inc. Another company named Dreamworks were also making CG movies such as Antz and their newest movie Shrek. Nickelodeon knew that they had to keep up with the times. Around the 2000's, one man was working on shorts that would eventually become a huge franchise. His name was John A. Davis.
























Around the 80's, Davis was working on a script named Runaway Rocketboy about a boy who had a love for rockets. That script was delayed until the 90's when he decided to rename it to Johnny Quasar. He presented his reworked script to a CG company named SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on GRAPHics) where he would eventually meet his partner Steve Oedekerk. They worked together with coming up with shorts for this new script to air it on Nickelodeon. Eventually, they renamed it to Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Similar to The Adventures of Pete & Pete and KaBlam!, the shorts became a huge hit. So much so that on December 21, 2001, there was a feature length film simply called Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

 

So does this movie still hold up after a decade later or has time not being kind for our boy genius? Here is Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. 

The movie starts in a secret government where an unknown item is entering the atmosphere. They send in their jets to find out what it is. What they find is Jimmy Neutron and Carl Wheezer heading to throw a homemade satellite to look for alien lifeforms. The spaceship isn't capable of going past the atmosphere so it ends up burning and with them falling. Jimmy and Carl activate their parachutes and land safely. They head over to school where show and tell is occurring. Jimmy is showing off his new invention: the shrink ray. It doesn't work and everyone is laughing at him, especially his school rival Cindy Vortex. After school, they hear about the grand opening of the theme park Retroland. They want to go, but can't since it's a school night. The cool kid in the school Nick Dean tells them to sneak out. Jimmy thinks it's a bad idea, but nonetheless convinces Carl and their other best friend Sheen Estevez to try to butter them up to take them out.



Jimmy's persistence doesn't work on his mother. Instead he gets punished and is sent to his room. Wanting to go to Retroland, he decides to sneak out. Jimmy, Carl, and Sheen have the time of their lives. Meanwhile in space, the satellite is picked up by an alien ship led by a kind named King Goobot. His assistant Ooblar activates the satellite and a video of Jimmy activates telling him about his parents. King Goobot finds Jimmy's parents delicious and heads over to Earth. Jimmy, Carl, and Sheen wish that there were no more parents to tell them what to do. The next morning, the kids find themselves alone with no parents and they start to celebrate. They party until the next day where they start missing them. Jimmy eventually finds out that the satellite he sent was picked up by the same aliens who kidnapped their parents.



The entire group of kids gathered together to built spaceships to head to the planet to get their parents back. While landing on the planet, they find out that their parents are being used to be fed by the aliens' god named Poltra. Thanks to the satellite that Jimmy sent, they were able to find the coordinates to find Earth and kidnap the humans. They're sent to prison feeling furious that Jimmy was the cause of this. Cindy cheers Jimmy and gets the confidence to rescue their parents before it's too late. Jimmy and the gang fight off the aliens and grab the controls to send their parents to safety. The aliens chase after them and Jimmy uses his shrink ray to make himself gigantic. He blows the alien ship away and they reign victorious. Jimmy apologizes with his parents and the movie ends in a happy note with everyone being safe.



When the movie first aired, it was a gigantic hit! The movie made over $100 million dollars, the second Nickelodeon movie to do so since The Rugrats Movie. It was even nominated for Best Animated Film in the Oscars that year, but it lost to Shrek. As much as I liked Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Shrek did deserve to win. As for how it holds up for today's modern audience, it's still really good. While the animation is a bit bulky, it's still colorful and bright. It's really funny, the characters are memorable, and the story was really original. While most people compare Jimmy to Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory, Jimmy acts more like a kid than a genius. That's actually really relatable and likable. That is until we hit the TV series. We'll talk about it another time. I highly recommend checking it out!

That's all for now. Tune in next time as we have a short, but special interview from one of the voice actors behind Jimmy Neutron. Hope to see you around Old School Lane soon. Take care.

-Patricia