Channel Frederator Blog

Mike Bell

“Super Santa” creator and director Mike Bell took a moment to answer a few questions for us and give us a history lesson on the reason for the season: Egg Nog.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation?

Mike Bell: California Institute of the Arts.

CF: Who or what has influenced your work the most?

MB: Jay Ward and Bill Scott are my biggest influence. Monty Python is way up there also. There are many but these are some of the biggest.

CF: What is your favorite holiday animation?

MB: Can’t pick one. I like all the Rankin-Bass stuff and of course A Charlie Brown Christmas which has the best Christmas sound track of all times.

CF: Are you on the “naughty” or “nice” list this year?

MB: I’ve been naughty in nice ways.

CF: Can you please explain egg nog to me?

MB: Let’s see. I believe it came from England where it was enjoyed by people who could afford to drink their eggs and cream with brandy. It came over here to the colonies where they drank it with rum from the Caribbean which they could get cheaply. Around the 50s they started to sell non-alcoholic versions of the drink. But traditionally it is served with the make-merry-ness of the booze.

Thanks for the answers, Mike. And Happy New Year to you.

Watch the original “Super Santa” right here, in Channel Frederator episode #159:

– Bailee DesRocher