Whenever I get a little free time (like now, on vacation) I pull crap off of my shelves and scan it for posterity. Like these two Hanna-Barbera Cartoons calendars from the 90s (I posted 1995 on last summer’s vacation).
Over the years I’ve collected all sorts of stuff that have pop culture images printed on them (skateboards, glasses, calendars, et cetera) and when I got to Hanna-Barbera it seemed to me the studio was in need of some image repair. Calendars were my obsession of that moment, so we put together some incredible design talent and photographers (SpotCo and Mark Hill for 1994, HB in-house talent in 1995) and spiffed ourselves up a little.
It’s no small thing when a political candidate can not only inspire millions of people to vote for the very first time, but can also motivate the notorious cynical and skeptical communities of artists, musicians. and writers. You’ve all seen the famous Obey poster from last spring supporting Barak Obama’s candidacy. Maybe you’ve even caught some of the other great graphics his historic role has galvanized.
Obey, Manifest Hope, and MoveOn.org are sponsoringa new art contest for fresh, sharp, Obama graphics. 2D and 3D art, from painting to photography to sculpture, no matter what you’re talent there’s room for you.
One of my favorite projects back in the day was one few people have ever seen. It started out as a TV network branding assignment, our agency’s specialty, for HA!: The TV Comedy Network. And it led to one of our favorite cartoons that not enough people have seen. Cartoon creator Bill Burnett was at the center of it all. Viacom’s HA! was their answer to HBO’s Comedy Channel. They both lost the competition and merged into Comedy Central. Some of Fred/Alan’s best work for the network, the naming of Comedy Central, and the conception and writing of the cartoon were all done by Bill (also the co-creator of ChalkZone).
Once our agency helped name HA! we went to work on its branding, figuring out the belief system of the channel. Our creative director, Noel Frankel, designed the distinct shouting logo, with various illustrators and models depicting the shout. Bill led the effort to write dozens of promotional spots, including What is Funny?.
Bill takes it from here:”It featured Marc Weil–a member of England’s legendary Madhouse Company of London, asking the question “Is This Funny? I don’t Know, I’m asking” in the face of increasingly bizarre events: For example, he’d be dressed in Judges Robes holding two squealing piglets; then two Mexican banditos would emerge from his robes. Then he’d be chased and lassoed by men in diapers, smoking cigars, and so on. The series was directed by Cliff Fagin, produced by Noh Hands Productions. The recurring What Is Funny? Chorus was performed by Bill Burnett, Suzy Williams and Lori Jacobson. Edited by Chris Strand.”
The spots ran in 1989 and that was the end of that though they never left my mind. Fast forward about eight years and I was starting my latest set of cartoon shorts for Nickelodeon, Oh Yeah! Cartoons. Bill was one of our early creative signings and I kept bringing up What is Funny? I reminded him that Nick’s owner Viacom already owned the original spots, so why not take a flyer on creating a balls-to-the-wall funny cartoon character based on the same concept. Bill selected former Spumco artist/director Vincent Waller (now a key part of the SpongeBob team) and they were off to the races.
Nick production chief Albie Hecht loved the cartoon. So did CEO Herb Scannell. But I guess it didn’t have the typical cartoon hero at it’s center or something and we could never get series traction. It’s too bad. It’s a damn good cartoon.
As my Mom was leaving last night she pulled this out of her purse, saying she had a drawer full of my things.
My band in high school was called, obviously, The Neglekted Few (you know, the Byrds, The Tymes, The Elastik Band, The…). We played soul and pop covers of the day. Like many back in that day I was infatuated with psychedelic typography (even though my aversion to anything actually psychedelic was constantly, amusingly noted) and I was always trying my incapable hand at my version of the art. (Who knew at 15 that I’d spend a lot more of my future on the graphics than on the music itself?)
Phil Alexander, “On guitar!”, Ray Frisby, “On drums!”, Rodney Johnson, “On vocals & tambourine!”, Brian North, “On bass!”, and I were the band. Rodney was my best friend from 10 on and our truly so special lead singer. Don’t know if this ‘card’ was my attempt to see if we’d do better as a led combo (a la Freddie and the Dreamers or Sam the Sham & the Pharohs) or whether –just possible– Rodney was asking for a better billing.
John Sykes is a collector. That is, aside from being one of the most influential media executives of the last quarter century; he was a charter member and critical force in the original MTV launch team, the VH1 president who originated Behind the Music, and the Chairman of Infinity Broadcasting.
But, to me, he’s my hero for saving this t-shirt. Manhattan Design was Frank Olinsky, Pat Gorman, and Pat Rogoff, and they designed the original, innovative, and revolutionary MTV logo. They were the sole employee-owners and their company was small enough to fit in a room behind a tai chi studio in Greenwich Village.
John has saved every t-shirt from the first five or ten years of MTV, (he must drive his family crazy), and he must be cleaning his closets out, because he just sent this over.
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