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Chunky Puffs! YUM! YUM! YUM!
Holy Fruits! It's Mike R. Brandon!
Ed, Edd n Eddy
1999-2009
June 11, 2016
JXP: What got you interested in animation and drawing in general? And how was the idea of Sniz & Fondue born?
MIKE: I always drew, since birth. And I write. I write all of my own materIal. The best bits of Sniz & Fondue DID get “excised” due to, either being too (as they claimed) "lofty or clever” for the target age group,
or a bit too adult-themed. I went to SVA (School of Visual Arts) and had amazing teachers there. Harvey Kurtzman (a true friend and champion of mine) Will Eisner ; even Robert Crumb taught some of Harvey’s classes. Thing is, I never should have taken “Cartooning” as a major. I did not learn anything that wasn’t inherently / already inside me. I simply express myself as a writer who also draws silly characters.
My first comic books were (the adult) “Amy Papuda” and, an all-ages (ish) series called: “Puppy Action!” Both comic book series only ran 2-3 issues, as the publisher was a dishonest guy, and - I got a call from Nickelodeon. A very cool (Nick) woman, she found “Puppy Action!” (issue # 1) and they seemed to dig it, hence, that fateful call. My first pilot was called: “Psyched For Snuppa”
Oh, and yes, my name used to be: “MIke Pearlstein”. I am “Mike Brandon”, now, for personal reasons. Sniz and Fondue. I realized that they were the strongest characters in the pilot, so they eventually morphed into Kablam! Although I wrote every episode, so much of the best gags were cut by S&P and You can clearly see the ones we did (in NY and Canada) vs. the awful, off-model episodes. MTV wanted to save $, so they farmed S&F to an amateur studio in Israel. Compare “Crustacean Sensations” to “Mod Stylin” or “Stuntbike Sniz” and you might see why I went off the rails. I was offered S&F as a half hour. Steve Hillenburg (yes, I knew him) , he recieved the time slot that I was offered. This was because I was very young / in love with my characters / “went crazy from being overworked” etc. After “The Israel Debacle”, I eventualy quit. I am currently working on a new show (I hope) for PBS Kids. After the surreal, past, 9 years, I’m ready to get back IN.
JXP: What are your influences in your work? Both artists and works?
MIKE: Bob Fingerman (a close friend) was a main influence on me, as was Crumb and European comics ; never really cared for American stuff nor superheroes. I always did my own thing ; drawing and writing, together.
JXP: Where did you study? Did you use anything applied from school to your work?
MIKE: As I said, I went to School of Visual Arts. Although I wish I had taken animation or computer programming as my major, heck, even film! I do not believe you can teach a person how to “write funny” or even draw. I think it’s the same with ALL of my (myriad) musician friends, esp. the UK ones. They just picked up instruments - zero training- and are now some of the greatest songwriters on earth.
(Why I wish) I took ANY other major, anything BUT Cartooning? I was not taught much. I was already doing it. Had I learned about computers, I could have had more knowledge about the video game industry. After “Red Dead Redemption” and “The Last Of Us”, I realized that the game world has true, high-art to offer. Yes, it’s only a fistful of games that warrant the “art badge”, but, color-me-impressed. Rockstar, CD Projekt Red and Naughty Dog (studios) have given creedence and merit to a once-maligned “hobby”. I only play games with amazing narratives, BTW! As fun as Halo and COD might be? I go where the story and characters shine. Even Splinter Cell (Michael Ironside-voice = only!) I met my lifelong friend, Paul Komoda, at S.V.A. Look his work up and prepare yourself! Awesome!
JXP: What was your first work in the art business?
MIKE: This is painful. My best friend (who died a few years back) John Andrew Walsh. Funniest man alive-ever. He got me published first, aged 18, in men’s magazines. Back then, magazines actually ran cartoons and something called “hand-drawn Illustrations” , on actual paper! : ) Indeed, Penthouse, Screw (not proud!) and endless “Girlie Mags”, I was a gag (one-panel-cartoonist) and actually made some money from it. A small comic book publishing company called “Northstar” discovered my work, called me, and “Puppy Action! (and Amy Papduda) commenced. Northstar were cult-popular at that time, for a comic series called: “Faust”.
I couldn’t stand to look upon it, personally. Not my bag. Seemed like a precursor to “Spawn” Maybe Faust came after? No tengo idea, sir! Dan Madsen, the publisher of Northstar, absconded with ALL of my original artwork. This put a very sour taste in my mouth, so I was ready as hell to do the Nickelodeon thing, once they called me.
JXP: What species were Sniz and Fondue?
MIKE: Sniz and Fondue were basically? “Puppy Action” pups, just turned into, ummm…”Ferrets?” Ba-BOOOOOM! Change the ears, elongate them = now you have Polecats! : )
JXP: Was Sniz a reference to vagine because the name sounds similar?
MIKE: Can we KEEP # 6 a secret, please? OH, man. I loved the name, after seeing it on a “Screw Magazine” cover that I drew. The top banner claimed: “First in the Sniz Biz!” And yeah, that one TOTALLY got by the S&P “team” at Viacom. I am honestly not proud of doing that. I live for making up names; I could and should have done better.
JXP: What was your work involved in the Sniz and Fondue (e.g. writing, storyboarding, animating) and what were the steps and how long did it take to make a 7-minute cartoon?
MIKE: Igor Mitrovic. a HERO of mine. An animation director I worked with and became allies with. Unlike the unhinged, John Dilworth (who made my Snuppa Pilopt look like his own style ; all curved roofs and angled walls etc. Igor taught me as much as he could and made sure (until Israel) that everything remained on-model. I cannot find him, now. It’s as if he dropped off the earth! Igor won 2 Emmys for his animation work. “Caroline In The City” intro etc. Where is he now? I need him. The internet is like a bloodhound trail that went cold.
I wrote all the Sniz and Fondues. I did all of the (frankly, endless) model sheets, animation (clean-ups)….I was basically doing the work of 5 people, yet only being paid as “The Creator”. I was the designer, writer, model sheet maker , etc. I was involved in EVERY facet of S&F, and it burned me out. Sleeping in my 1515 Broadway office. Now: The good times. I hired John Walsh to work with me and John Stewart was a buddy, then. Stewart (pre-Daily Show) had an office next to mine. He had a night time talk show on MTV. Wonderful man. KIndred soul, so to speak. At one point? my office was that huge window space, where "TRL Live" was eventually filmed.
I’d say each S&F (total) took about 30 days to complete.
JXP: Sniz & Fondue had a pre-cursor called Psyched for Snuppa which was produced at Stretch Films. How did that came across and what was it like working with John R. Dilworth, who created Courage the Cowardly Dog?
MIKE: I will not hurl invective nor cast aspersions, but, Dilworth seemed to be an envy-fueled, angry soul. That’s all I will say. We made the “Snuppa” pilot at Jim (“Doug”) Jenkins Jumbo Pictures. I did have some fun with John D. I was 100% “green” at the time, in regards to animation.
JXP: Any fun experiences working with Nickelodeon?
MIKE: Yes. Fun. Back at 1515 Broadway. John Walsh. John Stewart…. Being allowed to roam my office, utterly shirtless, like I owned the place. Heck, I was 23 and madly in love with a fun and brilliant girl. ; ) My synapses were firing- on all cylinders. As long as you met deadline? MTV didn’t care how “Roman” you made your work space.
JXP: Why did the animation change from Season 1 to Season 2? It's like new studios were used for something.
MIKE: The one…ONE! “key” to all animation? S.O.M.! “Stay….On…Model”. Too simple: Viacom wanted to cut some corners and save money. Hence, the farming out of my characters to a phoney studio; my contact in Israel, he was telling me: “They are literally pulling untrained kids, off the streets, Mike." Yes, had I just “stuck with it and waited” I would have ( likely) had the “Spongebob time slot for S&F , but…I never would have met the glorious bastards that are now my lifer-friends (in London). I’m creating a record label in exchange for the musical gifts they have bestowed upon me. A form of payback for poetry. Poetry, and how it helped me. That is as honest as I can be. I begged them not to farm it to Israel. Anywhere! but Israel. Eventually, it moved to “Funbag Studios" in Canada (as the main animation company), but I was already half-gone, by then.
JXP: Did you do any voices for Sniz and Fondue? If so, who? Did you get any of your closest friends to do voices?
MIKE: I did ALL the little kids voices. Male and female. Example: The late night food vendor girl who is selling her: “Never Closed Foods….Plus Popular Board Games” stand, in “Crustacean Sensations”. Same goes for the tiny kids in: “You Dummy!” (the party scene) John Walsh and I.
JXP: Was Oscar "Fondue" Riba Hispanic because reports said he voiced Big Bird in Spanish-dubbed resource videos of Sesame Street? And what was it like working with Rick "Sniz" Gomez?
MIKE: Oscar had a good vocal tone, but could not read my lines (at all) he definitely struggled. I had to give him line readings, as his inflections were a million miles away from how Fondue should have acted. I begged to voice Fondue, but for whatever reasons, the producers claimed: “we don’t want you TOO close to your own creation.” What did THAT even mean? Conversely , and even though I wanted John Walsh to voice Sniz, , Rick Gomez , the bully, "Endless Mike” from “Pete & Pete”, he did a killer job as Sniz (even if! It took me a while to accept that high pitch)
I have no idea what Oscar Riba went on to do, post Sniz & Fondue. I liked him, I just felt (endlessly) frustrated with his readings. It was akin to teaching English as a second language to someone.
JXP: Why is it that Sniz and Fondue often sing?
MIKE: You mean, when Sniz sings: “The Bee Gees” (“Night Fever”) in the woods? Sniz and Fondue = 2 different halves of my psyche. Control and chaos. I sing. I change lyrics to my fave songs. Pervert them, even! I needed a LOT of singing. It’s part of my immature style. Besides, who doesn’t love a good ditty?
JXP: Was the big tear drops that they always make when there sad a reference to anime? Opinion on anime in general?
MIKE: Anime was never my bag. I know little-to-zero about it. Manga, too. Pequeño! I’m a sad clown, deep down. I use humor as a deflection tool. I just wanted reflective tear drops and to “over-emote” whenever Sniz
became lachrymose.
JXP: What was it like working with Will & Chris who were the brains of KaBlam and Action League Now? Have you ever met or seen the other creators besides Will and Chris like Mo Willems of The Off-Beats?
MIKE: I liked everyone. But Nothing was easy, esp. because of the mad, mad deadlines. I have nothing but respect for Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi. Mo Willems? He was a “Hipster” waaaaaay before anyone even created the term! That’s all I’d like to say about the folks I worked with.
Igor? Igor understood me, inside and out.
JXP: Have you ever met other Nickelodeon creators like John K of Ren & Stimpy or Steve Hillenberg of Spongebob?
MIKE: I met MIke Judge (briefly knew him) and I spent some time at Spumco. John K. = no comment.. Bill Wray = awesome. Viacom was considering having me (maybe) do S&F at Spumco in CA, but I got deathly ill over there ( crazy, high fever) and begged to do S&F in NYC , near my friends and family, so I was tossed that bone. And yes, I met everyone, at some point.
I recall trading scuba tales with Steve H. or did, at the time. A fine man.
JXP: I always wondered why Fondue wears a blue hat. Is he a professional chef because he does cook very often?!
MIKE: Fondue is not a chef. He embodies the “gentler / feminine" side of my psyche. No idea why I made his outfit so outlandish. True, he loves to cook. The outfit was not intended as: “Chef Regalia.” I went with myvery first design. Everyone seemed to like it. Sniz’s Mohawk? That represents poseur-rebellion! “Wannabe.”
JXP: Were there any adult humored stuff that you manage to sneak into the show without Standards and Practices getting in the way? Any stuff that S&P have found out and forced you to remove or any episodes you couldn't make all together?
MIKE: Indeed. Although I never, ever went overboard (I was making a kid’s show, after all! I was not out to corrupt young minds) but, as a mostly “Underground Artist”, the sensibility breeds the “no-no” jokes that
WILL get combed out by Standards and Practices. I was amazed that the shot of S&F, when they touched heads - aerial view- looking like a pair of shorn testes (“Mod Stylin’) even made it in.
JXP: Were there any adult humored stuff that you manage to sneak into the show without Standards and Practices getting in the way? Any stuff that S&P have found out and forced you to remove or any episodes you couldn't make all together?
MIKE: Indeed. Although I never, ever went overboard (I was making a kid’s show, after all! I was not out to corrupt young minds) but, as a mostly “Underground Artist”, the sensibility breeds the “no-no” jokes that
WILL get combed out by Standards and Practices. I was amazed that the shot of S&F, when they touched heads - aerial view- looking like a pair of shorn testes (“Mod Stylin’) even made it in.
JXP: Did you have an initial thought of what you thought Sniz and Fondue would sound like? Did you have a say on who you wanted them to be voiced by?
MIKE: I wanted to be Sniz OR Fondue. And I wanted John Walsh to be the voice that I was NOT. I did, however, get my brilliant friend Nondor in for a ton of voices. He was the delivery guy (diminutive) in the “CD Club” episode. Nondor was up for a vocal Emmy(was it?) but lost to Robin Williams (Alladin). Not a bad man to lose to! My producer, Bob Mittenthal, he was intransigent, about not letting me “too close” (meaning, not allowing me to voice , basically, myself!) Too close is HOW you get results. That is my belief. That situation was another trigger that ultimately sent me packing.
JXP: I always liked the Battlestar Shapiro song. Is there a full version to this mix?
MIKE: Indded there is! And it was sung by the NYC Gay Men’s Choir. Oh man, do I wish I had the FULL song!!!!!! Epic. “SHAPIRO! SHAPIRO! Warp speed tennnnnnnn — Snorching hyper-space, again and again….”
“Snorch” = a MIkey word for “stealing”.
JXP: Favorite episode of S&F?
MIKE: I loved “Rage Against the Vending Machine.”Nondor was “Sinclair” the tiny despot of old-school toy machines. Sadly, the greatest gags and scenes (as per usual) hit the cutting room floor. I also loved “Cinema Sins?” was that it? When Sniz became the “Multiplexer?” jumping from movie-to-movie, “and not getting caught” (riiiiiiiiiight). I voiced : “Misty Dewbreeze” in the brief film that Sniz was watching.
JXP: What was the pay in doing Sniz & Fondue?
MIKE: Pay was good, but should have been better. Other shows had 5 people doing, what I did, solo, on S&F. My lawer was (also) The Wu Tang Clan’s attorney, so he did not know much about cartoonists and TV writers. He was too much of a “Raging Pit Bull” during negotiations. Too much HEAT! “back off, Dog!” Ah, well…. My cousin Robert Smigel (Triumph the Insult Dog / Conan O’Brien / SNL / etc..) suggest Mike Selverne to me. I did love MIke Selverne. He was not neceessarily the right lawyer or me. I got “nixed", on “ancillary” etc. If we can be candid? why is Kablam! the ONE show never on DVD? Bootlegs-only!
You also have to understand. The (wonderful) woman who first discovered me, she left for Cartoon Network , just as I was starting out. Had she stayed at Nick, I know I would have been “protected” / gotten what I needed to make S&F 100% of what it was meant to be. Not 25%.
JXP: Any modern cartoons you may like nowadays?
MIKE: I know nothing about modern comic books or animated cartoons. Music is my passion, but I still do my best to keep up with pop culture, “communicating?” with pen, paper and dumb-assed puppies!
JXP: You also gained interest in UK music. What is your favorite English band and why do you appreciate the English music medium? Ever enjoyed the KaBlam! ska theme song by The Toasters?
MIKE: I dug the Kablam! song, yes! BTW, my pal Bob Fingerman did 2, great “Toasters” LP covers.
In 2006, I went to see London to see “The Band Of Holy Joy” reform, after a 15-year “hiatus”. I had nooooooo idea I was about to befriend (not only) BOHJ, but other , previous “idols" of mine. I spent a few years (all-tallied) in London, going on tours, helping release CD’s ; I would not trade that time for anything. I have always been a bit of an Anglophile, in regards to music. 1976-1986. Punk, Post Punk, Sarah Records, Factory, Crepuscule, Rough Trade (early) 4AD. I love guitar pop / punk music. Melody! As long as the lyrics hit me in-the-heart, I am an obsessive! Music (and pets) are “therapy”. Gaming can be, as well.
JXP: To your perspective, why did Sniz & Fondue end or got cancelled? The short deserves it's own series, it even has it's own TV.com.
MIKE: I do not know, sir. I sort of lost my mind and pulled a “Hejira” to my family’s Key Largo home. I was asked (a few times) to “come back”, but I knew I couldn’t. I felt betrayed. Honestly. Had I stayed? Sure, my life would have very different. I also would (likely) look 10 times older, instead of the way I look today. I have no real regrets. I am, as I said earlier, hoping to get back in. I would (hopefully) be working with the woman who first discovered me. This is a very special, real person. I’ve had roadblocks that many cannot fathom, but…I am going to be back on the horse(so to speak) and NOW. It re-starts, now.
JXP: This maybe a stupid question so forgive me but were drugs any major part of your/other artists creativity?
MIKE: Only doctor-prescribed, pain meds. I was in some awful accidents and situations. Too grim to bring up. Can we leave it at that? No recreational drugs. Not really. I do not need chems to write. In fact! I do my best writing, 100% sober.
JXP: I remembered the two characters "Snuppa Doogers" and his girlfriend, Bianca who were roomates of Sniz and Fondue. Are they roomates or relatives. They suddenly vanished after Season 2. Why is that?
MIKE: They were roommates. John Walsh voiced Snup. The “less is more” approach , meant slimming it down to two characters. Two sides of the same coin: Super Ego (Fondue) vs. ID (Sniz) How would that play out? Answer: it almost wrote itself.
JXP: Is Fondue's real name, Squeaky Fondue? What's Bianca's last name?
MIKE: Yes. His full name = “Squeaky Fondue” Another (too) ugly “reference”. I justify it by being younger and bouncing off the walls, so to speak.
Bianca? Ready? (urrrrgh) her full name was: “Bianca Lo Bianca.” When you are (basically) a kid? You think "subversive is the way to go." It is not ; not for children. NO.
I learned. I guess I dodged some editing bullets. Nobody ever caught wind of those “sneaky names”. Phew!, right? Time and a place / audience for everything. Has the internet not torn those walls down for us, though? If you write CLEAN, and can still be funny to both kids and adults - That is a feat. It is sooooooo easy to write “filthy”. Too easy. Is it purgative? Of course. I feel kids should not have to grow up too quickly. I know you understand what I am getting at.
JXP: Why does Nick own the rights to Sniz and Fondue if they aren't going to air it?
MIKE: I WISH I could answer this question. More than anything. I am bewildered. I know there is a demand for “Kablam!” I don’t even see it on the roster for their “new” 90’s / retro channel.
JXP: Why did you change your name from Michael Pearlstein to Michael Brandon?
MIKE: My real family is my step-dad, my mom and sister. They are all ”Brandons." My mother said: “Finally, become one of us, legally.” End of tale. My name changed 9 years ago.
JXP: Any projects your working on now?
MIKE: Many. I will keep you updated, if you wish.
JXP: If you had the chance to revive Sniz and Fondue, would you? Or if you wanted to make a new cartoon show, which studio are you considering?
MIKE: That is a great, great question. I would, if I could have my scripts (mostly) unedited. I’d write the best way possible, for a young audience. I think I’m about to attempt to speak to a much younger demo, with
what I’m working on at this very moment (and finally, after an insane “journey”)
JXP: Why do Sniz and Fondue use words like "sport nut", "oh fruit" and phrases like "Don't banish me now!".
MIKE: I used to call my friends “Sportnut” it had nothing to do with actual sports! I would just muss my male friends’ hair, like a douche-ey, emotionally-distant, 1950’s dad. I’d mess up their hair and exclaim: “Ayyyyyya, Sportnut! How’s my Champy? My Champy-Yonis?" or: “Sup, Sportbag!” “Yonis! Bronis! and Honis! all mean: “Bro” Holy Fruits , and all Fruitcup-related exclamations…just a thing I created for those 2 to say.
I have my own Lexicon. Indeed. It is LARGE.
JXP: Why did the title cards change in Season 2?
MIKE: That’s a fine question. I painted / drew them ALL….Maybe we just….I dunno. I …just….wanted to have options. Originally, I wanted different catch phrases to adorn every title card (“Holy Fruits, It’s.….", “Snap Me Down, It’s….”, “Holy Mama Cass! Introducing……”), ya know. “scampy variety”. make any sense? NOT to me! : ) kiddddddddding.
JXP: Which episodes of Sniz and Fondue didn't you work on?
MIKE: I did not do the solitaire addiction one (Fondue addicted to computer card game). I did not do “Hosed”… "The Water Wizard” hose-attachment episode. Wrote neither. Same is true of the home security / Swat team one. THOSE 3 I had nothing to do with. All written and animated without me and then they gave up. Simply because the S&F lexicon was evading them. Only I knew how the characters bantered. They ran out of “Mikey Slang”.
JXP: Any advice for a cartoonist like myself?
MIKE: Love what you do. Have FUN! Rip it from your soul. If you create characters that “bounce off each other” (they must all have their own peccadilloes and quirks….You will be on track!) Also? Do you want to do humor or sci fi / fantastical / adult work? Important to know your strengths. There is nothing wrong with finding a collaborator, if you struggle with either the writing or drawing “sides” of this medium.
JXP: Can you mail me a Sniz and Fondue drawing if that's okay with you?
MIKE: I will do that. After the weekend. PESTER me! DO IT! And you will get any drawing you want. OK? I mean it. All the best!!!!!!!!!!
OK, Allow me to eyeball-scan this. I assume my typos = egregious! (Yeah, son! How we doooooo it, in Brooklyn! Typo-craaaaaaazy!) ; ) Nah, think it’s just MIkey.