Saturday, January 06, 2007

MY DINNER WITH ANDRE (ACTUALLY JOHN & KALI)

I'll explain the pictures later. I thought I'd start by describing a real "My Dinner With Andre" meal that I just had at the local barbeque restaurant. Nothing special, just an average lunch. In attendance: myself, Kali and John Kricfalusi.

John and Kali arrive and sit in the booth opposite me. Kali's feet graze mine and I look under the table to see if my feet are in the way. John: "I don't believe it! You just looked up Kali's dress!" Me: "No, I didn't! I was just..." Kali: (laughs uproariously). "Yes you did! I saw it! Good old Eddie, always sneaking a peak!" Me: "But... but..." John: "I'll bet you look into blouses too (he acts it out in the air)!" Me: "Wait a minute, that would be a great cartoon character! It's something Reggie would do!" John: "Reggie? It's something Uncle Peekaboo would do!" Uncle Peekaboo!? At this point the waitress takes our order.

Kali asks what book I have with me and I say it's "Romancing the Opiates" which claims that heroin is not highly addictive and withdrawal from it is not medically serious. Kali reacts with skepticism, John is still mulling over Uncle Peekaboo. Somehow the conversation drifts to Clampett, which it frequently does, and I mention that Clampett got a chance to direct because Leon was keen to compete with other studios and was therefore looking for "fighting generals" rather than the more sedate types who rise to the top in peace time. Modern American studios are more laid back, more business-as-usual, even though we face a serious threat from anime and 3D. John sends his meat back because it's tough and Kali starts drawing caricatures of me (below).

I bring up something Milt Grey said earlier, that a young Scribner would have a hard time learning his trade today. Few employers want to pay for funny animation so a young Scribner would have to have to do it at home like David Gemmill does and post his stuff on YouTube. This immediately jolts John out of his Peekaboo reverie. "That's true," shouts John, "you should do a blog about that!!! The best way to learn funny animation is to work your way up in a studio loaded with other funny geniuses! In fact the very best way would be to start in a rubberhose studio like Clampett did! You can make your mistakes there but the medium is forgiving and rewards gutsy ideas!" That's a terrific insight. If only some studios were still doing funny, fully-animated rubberhose what a terrific training ground it would be! I say that John ought to write it up on his own blog where he can really expand on it. John says no I should do it on mine. Yours, mine,yours,mine, etc.

While we're quibbling Kali is drawing another caricature of me on the doggy bag. This reminds John all over again of Uncle Peekaboo, which he proceeds to draw on the other side of the doggy bag (above, topmost). In case you have trouble figuring it out, that's an under-the-table shot of me looking at Kali's legs from the P.O.V. of those legs.

So that's my dinner (lunch) with Andre (John & Kali). I left out some stuff but that captures it OK I think. Later that hight we all met at Mike's where he had a plush doll that looked like me and Kali photographed it having sex with other plush dolls...but that's another story.

13 comments:

  1. Remind me not to wear a skirt whenever I have dinner with you, Eddie. ;)

    In fact the very best way would be to start in a rubberhose studio like Clampett did! You can make your mistakes there but the medium is forgiving and rewards gutsy ideas!"

    I haven't been fortunate enough to be in an animation studio like that (not yet anyway) but I think I am in something similar. I and a bunch of other Regina artists get together and put out an independant comic book every few months. There's no corporate sales rep telling us "what will sell" or "how to read the market" or anything like that. Someone just picks a theme for the comic book and we all contribute stories or even just one or two page ideas based on that theme. Then they're photocopied, put into book form, and then sent to local comic book stores. (Most of the issues are purchased by University students). All our triumphs, mistakes, but best of all our own pure vision is out there for the public to see. We'll learn as we go and see where this takes us.

    Whether this building becomes a skyscraper or not, it still feels great to be on the ground floor of something.

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  2. So, do the curtains match the drapes?

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  3. "and I mention that Clampett got a chance to direct because Leon was keen to compete with other studios and was therefore looking for "fighting generals" rather than the more sedate types who rise to the top in peace time"

    hey Eddie,

    I think it was actually because Clampett left for a year to work on a pilot for a a failed "John carter of mars" series. Leon didn't want to lose one of his best employees, and lured him back with the promise of becoming a director. I think leon was looking for fighting generals though, which was why he hired Avery.

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  4. All the girls love Uncle Peekaboo!

    Studios today have their fighting generals - they're called "Creative Executives"

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  5. HEY- you forgot to explain the antenna that we drew you with!

    -That's how Eddie receives his theories- through an antenna of hair that interpret God's message.

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  6. Ah, I see.
    I thought that was an Easter egg dipper he was balancing on his head. (Uncle Eddie is a man of many talents.)

    BTW - "Reggie" is Eddie-ese for "cad", the opposite of a "Fenwick" - which is Eddie-ese for a little Lord Fauntleroy-type.

    I hope my other toys don't get pregant and have randy little Eddie babies.

    Ha! You scamp, you!

    Mike

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  7. Mike was the mastermind behind those pervy set-ups, I was merely the photographer. Mike is in rut.

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  8. I was an innocent bystander - it was the TOYS that were in rut!

    Don't listen to Kali, she was drunk.
    (She carries a hipflask full of rotgut and a bottle opener in her purse. OH, for shame, for shame!)

    Full disclosure: my rut started in 1974 and hasn't stopped yet. (I have to make this quick, there's a Sophia Loren movie on Turner...)

    Hastilly,
    Mike

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  9. Mike watches Sophia Loren in slow motion- I saw it!

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  10. I can't reply in detail...
    It's hard to type with one hand.

    Mike

    P.S:
    The couch is still wet where KALI sat - she said something or other about "spilled iced tea".
    (Harrumph! A likely story!)

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  11. WOAH!!! that cartoon of you by Kali is really great, hilarious! like that pube on your nose.

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  12. Marlo: Where are you? Hurry up and come out of seclusion!

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  13. Yeah! Where are you, Marlo?? Everybody misses you like crazy.

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