Article: Bob Camp Interview 11/12/92
Thomas Tatum
This is an article that will enlighten you (I hope) to some of Bob Camp's views
on John K. and R&S. Read on--its very 'Steeeeenky'
The article is from the Omnibus, a weekly insert in UNC-CH's
newspaper, The Daily Tarheel. The Omnibus comes out every Thursday, and is
weekend/arts oriented. It is produced by students. Note: he is speaking on
campus next Monday (the 16th).
Title: New 'Ren & Stimpy' director ready to take control
interview with Bob Camp by John Staton.
If you still haven't tuned into the Ren and Stimpy show, the cult
Nickelodeon cartoon series about a scrawny, violent Chihuahua and a dolt of a cat
that resembles a "fat bloated EEEE-DIOT," your chance is coming up.
And if you're already a big Ren and Stimpy fan, you'd probably like to
see something other than the six episodes that have been endlessly run and rerun
on Nick.
In either case, a free presentation by Bob Camp--the head writer and
director of the show that combines jazz, Three Stooges- and Looney Toons style
violence with large doses of bathroom humor--in memorial hall next Monday at 8
p.m. will provide a graphic glimpse into regions of Ren and Stimpy that your eyes
have never seen.
Camp who took over the show about two months ago after creator John
Kricfalusi was fired for missing d In either case, a free presentation by Bob Camp--the head writer and
director of the show that combines jazz, Three Stooges- and Looney Toons style
violence with large doses of bathroom humor--in memorial hall next Monday at 8
p.m. will provide a graphic glimpse into regions of Ren and Stimpy that your eyes
have never seen.
Camp who took over the show about two months ago after creator John
Kricfalusi was fired for missing deadlines, bristles at suggestions that the show
might not be able to survive the loss of the man known in the animation community
as John K.
"I think that is horseshit," he said. "John wasn't the only person
writing the shows. What some people seem to forget is that was there at the
inception. I wrote most of the shows."
Indeed, when Kricfalusi sold the Ren and Stimpy show to Nickelodeon in
1990 to get money fore his own studio, Spumpco, Camp was right there at his side,
even directing a few episodes.
But when Kricfalusi didn't deliver to Nick the promised 13 shows, the
kid's cable network removed him from his creation. Camp said that Kricfalusi's
style wasn't suited toward childrens programming anyway.
"he should be doing stuff on adult cable television," Camp said. "He has
to hold back to do stuff this tame."
But what will be the biggest difference in Ren and Stimpy now that
Kricfalusi is gone? "The main difference is he's not here," Camp said, adding
that "the shows will come in on time and on budget. You'll see less reruns."
One of the highlights of Camp's presentation will be the showing of
several scenes from Ren and Stimpy that never made it past the cutting room floor
because Nickelodeon executives thought some of the duo's antics were
inappropriate for children.eadlines, bristles at suggestions that the show
might not be able to survive the loss of the man known in the animation community
as John K.
"I think that is horseshit," he said. "John wasn't the only person
writing the shows. What some people seem to forget is that I was there at the
inception. I wrote most of the shows."
Indeed, when Kricfalusi sold the Ren and Stimpy show to Nickelodeon in
1990 to get money for his own studio, Spumpco, Camp was right there at his side,
even directing a few episodes.
But when Kricfalusi didn't deliver to Nick the promised 13 shows, the
kid's cable network removed him from his creation. Camp said that Kricfalusi's
style wasn't suited toward childrens programming anyway.
"He should be doing stuff on adult cable television," Camp said. "He has
to hold back to do stuff this tame."
But what will be the biggest difference in Ren and Stimpy now that
Kricfalusi is gone? "The main difference is he's not here," Camp said, adding
that "the shows will come in on time and on budget. You'll see less reruns."
One of the highlights of Camp's presentation will be the showing of
several scenes from Ren and Stimpy that never made it past the cutting room floor
because Nickelodeon executives thought some of the duo's antics were
inappropriate for children.
Not making any promises, here are a few things you might see Monday: Ren
washing his mouth out in a toilet; Stinky the Chicken bathing in Stimpy's soup; a
Dr. Leech who explodes after attaching himself to Ren; Ren cleaning Stimpy's
armpit (with his tongue); and much, much more.
Camp doesn't seem to mind that alot of his work doesn't make it to the TV
screen. "I'd like to see more gags get in," he said. "But it's their (Nick's)
job to make sure I don't get outta hand and it's my job to get out of hand."
Camp also said that Nick allows more latitude than the big networks where
cartoons are "produced by people who aren't good at what they do. They wouldn't
know a good gag if I rolled it up and stuffed it in their nose."
Camp says he has a specific idea in mind when he creates episodes of
Ren and Sitmpy. "It's a comedy team, like Jackie Gleason and Art Carney. It's
based upon the personality of characters."
Camp describes Ren as "psychotic, paranoid, and insane. But he is really
feeble so he can't really hurt anybody, so, he is frustrated."
How about stimpy ? "Stimpy's retarded. He's really retarded, and he
loves Ren. He's only got one nerve ending in his whole body, so he lets Ren beat
up on him all th time. He think's that's Ren's way of showing affection."
According to Camp, those who come to Memorial to show affection for Ren
and Stimpy Monday will be in for some of the violence that occurs on the show.
He plans to "throw some fireworks into the audience, maybe a few bowling balls."
Seriously, however, this is Camp's first such "gig," so there is no
telling what to expect. Just don't sit too close to the stage
End of Article
There is a picture of Bob at the drawing board with a stopwatch in his hand
and you can see scetches of Ren and Stimpy on the board. The caption says.."Bob
Camp is short on time as he works on a sketch of Stimpy the Cat"
If there are flames about the content of this article please don't flame my
mailbox.
Thomas Tatum
ta...@cs.unc.edu
Thomas Tatum
Fred Ochs
this isn't really a flame about the article, but what happened to it?
Was it my site, or was the article all chopped up? There was one place
where it was talking about John K not meeting d . then it went on to
something else completely different. Later on, in the middle of another
sentence, it said eadlines. and continued on with what it was talking about
before. I also noticed a few sentences in there several times.
oh well, like I said, not a flame, just curious as to what happened to the
article.
Fred Ochs
BogusMan
as Ren, even if Camp did everything else. And again he is contradicting
statements that he made just before John K. was fired.
Oh well, he can have the new "StabCo". Hope he makes a lot of money, since
he betrayed his partner.
--Judex--
Jeffrey P. Elbel
> but I just don't
>think Camp would be so eager to continue work on R&S if it wasn't such a
>smash hit, whereas I think John K would have stuck with our favorite cartoon
>duo through thick and thin as long as they'd let him.
My sentiments exactly.
Jeff "No original thought" Elbel