Episode 57 - TINY TOON ADVENTURES

They were tiny, they were toony, and--rumor has it--each of them were at least a little loony. More than just a remix of classic Looney Tunes characters and humor, Tiny Toon Adventures was a colorful comedic world unto itself and helped launch a golden age of Warner Bros. animated television series.

In this episode, special guest Sam Stovold contributes to our survey of all things Tiny Toons, from the pilot originally broadcast by CBS in prime time, to fondly-remembered segments from the TV show, to the feature-length VHS favorite Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation. Come and join the fun! (And now this post is done.)

Tiny Toon Adventures (1990-1995)
Created by Tom Ruegger
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, and Kathleen Kennedy
Starring Charlie Adler, Tress MacNeille, Joe Alaskey, Don Messick, Cree Summer, Danny Cooksey, Kath Soucie, Maurice LaMarche, Gail Matthuis, Rob Paulsen, Candi Milo, and Frank Welker

Episodes/segments featured in this podcast:
"The Looney Beginning" (aired 9/14/1990)
Istanbul and Particle Man from "Tiny Toon Music Television" (aired 2/1/1991)
The Potty Years from "Henny Youngman Day" (aired 11/22/1991)
Going Up from "What Makes Toons Tick" (aired 9/17/1992)



Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992)
Directed by Rich Arons, Ken Boyer, Kent Butterworth, Barry Caldwell, Alfred Gimeno, Art Leonardi, and Byron Vaughns

Produced by Tom Ruegger
Written by Paul Dini, Nicholas Hollander, Tom Ruegger, and Sherri Stoner
Starring the voice talents of Tiny Toon Adventures plus Jonathan Winters, Edie McClurg, and Sorrell Booke



Hear more of Sam Stovold on his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine podcast "Reopening the Wormhole"!

Episode 21 - SPACE JAM

"The customer is always right. The. Customer. Is. Always. Right... ALWAYS." This is the philosophy advocated by antagonist Mr. Swackhammer, as he mugs for the camera, within the first few minutes of Space Jam. His evil plan will consist of exploiting both the Looney Tunes and basketball legend Michael Jordan to be made attractions for his intergalactic amusement park, Moron Mountain. Are the filmmakers openly acknowledging the fact that Space Jam is ultimately an extended plug for Bugs Bunny, "His Airness," and its own merchandise? Were we the morons back in 1996?

Daren Sprawls, creator of our infectious theme song, finally joins us on the podcast to answer that question, dissecting our conflicting feelings of alienation from such a blatant commercial maneuver and unabashed nostalgia for the very things the movie advertised, namely that stellar soundtrack. Speaking of which, Daren tops it all off by treating us to a slam-dunk cover of R. Kelly's classic hit, "I Believe I Can Fly."

Welcome to the Jam. 

Space Jam (1996)

Directed by Joe Pytka

Produced by Ivan Reitman, Joe Medjuck, Daniel Goldberg

Written by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, Herschel Weingrod

Starring Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, Bill Murray, Billy West, Dee Bradley Baker, Bob Bergen, Bill Farmer, Maurice LaMarche, June Foray, Kath Soucie, and Danny DeVito