What Happened to Ren & Stimpy (1991-96)?

I’m pretty lucky, I have lived through some major pop culture events. The Tim Burton Batman films changed comic book media, the birth of Image comics, seeing how Star Trek The Next Generation birthed a new fandom. But one of the biggest events was seeing how, in a few short years, animation would change forever. The Simpsons is one example of how cartoons started to break new ground. Yet there was one cartoon that broke the world of American animation. It was gross, it was crass, it was unlike anything we had ever seen. If the Simpsons were an explosion, Ren & Stimpy were the atomic bomb. Today many popular cartoons can all trace their origins back to an insane Chihuahua and a stupid big-nosed cat. It is undeniable Ren & Stimpy changed the face of animation. However the story behind the genesis of the show is full of rebellion, arrogance, and sadly…. pain. It’s a long and fascinating tale, so put on your Stupamatron helmet and get ready to learn about the origins of Ren & Stimpy in this episode of Gone But Not Forgotten.
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#RenAndStimpy #JohnKricfalusi #gonebutnotforgotten

[@JoBloOriginals]

Hey guys! This episode of GBNF was made from suggestions from fans who emailed us demanding this show be covered on this series. If you want to make suggestions for future episodes of GBNF then e-mail [e-mail] and maybe we’ll cover your show!

[@BrandonWheeler-wp1ge]

So your In to predators sad buddy hope you end up In jail with me cuz we have a special place for people like you!

[@Arroyo2099]

@@BrandonWheeler-wp1gegot to love it when people don’t watch the video

[@mikelfrance-l6x]

I worked on the Merch for the show. Met John K in Santa Monica with our team of designers and marketing people. I think he showed us the Rubber Nipple storyboard and read through both Ren and Stimpy's part. I remember 2 things. 1) It was really funny. 2) we all left thinking there was "something wrong" with him. We all left with a bad feeling where this was headed.

[@RDJ134]

Ren & Stimpy still hold a soft spot for me, loved it :)

[@wstine79]

🎶 "Don't wiz on the electric fence."

[@boydoesititch]

“It’s our favorite game in the whole wide your-old!”

[@thomastrosper6766]

That’s the first thing I think of when I think of the show. lol.

[@memitim171]

As a kid I thought this was the funniest thing ever, it's how I learned "laugh until it hurts" was not just a saying... 😆

[@MorrWorm8]

I came in the comments just to write that!

[@iwanebbing2642]

When in Dutch you are in doubt about what to do, you say 'wat is wijsheid' meaning 'what would be wise'. Don't whizz on an electric fence is my standard answer still...

[@enotdetcelfer]

Ren and Stimpy + Pinky and the Brain made me feel less alone in my brain during the mid-90s for sure...

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

In a world that just wanted you to get a boring mainstream job it was a relief.

[@TeddScheckler]

@@user-yv2cz8oj1kyeah, maaaannnn. Fight the system! 🎸 ✌️

[@emilyadams3228]

What if you combined the two? Pinky: What shall we do tomorrow night, Ren? Ren: De SAME THEENG we do AYYVRY night, you EEEdiot! TRY TO TAKE OVER DE WOOOORRRLLLLD!!!!

[@paulsarnik8506]

At least P and the Brain was funny.

[@anthonyhall4427]

Pinky and the brain!!! Man that was the shhhhiitt!!!I I forgot about that one 😅

[@Theggman83]

"no, sir, i don't like it." 😂🤣

[@deadbeats4894]

"Call the police"

[@danielhance1467]

That’s often one of most quoted quotes from that show

[@jordanbridges]

​@@danielhance1467Because it's funny

[@hollygolden9673]

Filthy cat box! Lol

[@glazdarklee1683]

I still say this.

[@xenos_n.]

My mom hated that I loved this show. It was my favorite show as a kid and is such an integral part of my childhood. It takes me right back to the early 90's.

[@CoopCooper.]

I graduated highschool in 96. So I wasn't quite a kid but I was always into R&S.

[@Deyas786]

​@@CoopCooper. You must be ab 46? I'm 25 and I'm in that weird part of my life where I'm young to most adults but I'm ancient to my teenage sister for example.crazy how fast time flies..

[@CoopCooper.]

@@Deyas786 45, but your close. I was 2nd youngest in my graduation class. Back then you could start kindergarten at 4.

[@darkangel_1978]

Really ? My Mom loved Ren and Stimpy. The first car my brother bought, had a Ren sticker on it (my brother put it on), and we referred to it as The Ren Mobile. She had the Ren doll, who would fart, if you squeezed him.

[@esh_414]

I was about 14 or 15 when I discovered the show in the early 90's, so I don't think that my mom had any idea of it until I was watching a marathon that MTV aired once. I was already about 18 at the time and I guarantee I was stoned and having giggle fits while watching. Her reaction to just a few minutes of the show was pure comedy gold.

[@amandapike2477]

The "Log" bit was a parody of the jingle from old Slinky commercials.

[@donalds980]

Its still catchy

[@robgraveson]

00Log

[@darkangel_1978]

I had to teach my husband the words to Log

[@Thrashaero]

It rolls down stairs and over in pairs.

[@darkangel_1978]

@@Thrashaero "What rolls down stairs, alone or in pairs, and runs over the neighbor's dog. What's great for a snack, and fits on your back, it's log, log, log. It's log, it's log, it's big, it's heavy, it's wood . It's log, it's log, it's better than bad it's good.'

[@JohnnysChingaderas]

Those close up Detailed shots were the fucken best 😂😂😂

[@Thrashaero]

like the glistening snot running out of ren's nostrils that have skin so red and dry they crack off...perfect depiction of the misery of being sick 🤮😆

[@YolandaAnneBrown95726]

Proud backer of the doc "Happy Happy Joy Joy". Loved the show.

[@RajaReign78]

Ren & Stimpy are what I refer to as lightning in a bottle. It was brilliant for its time, but would never have a long shelf life.

[@StevenEveral]

John K landed that show on Nickelodeon at the exact right time. If it came out in the late 80s or after 1995, it wouldn't have made it. Ren and Stimpy could have only been successful in the early 90s.

[@jerryrichardson2799]

I remember when _Ren and Stimpy_ debuted: Disgusting, hilarious, and refreshing in an odd way. Thanks for posting.

[@caldodge]

The delays in production were poked fun at in a Simpsons episode. IIRC it involved a video awards show, but the clip from Ren & Stimpy was replaced by a sign stating it wasn't available due to production delays.

[@miltonmilton5695]

What I liked most about Ren & Stimpy were the depictions of insanity and madness, both visually and audibly. John K. and Billy West did outstanding and memorable voice acting. The screams and slow-burn mental breakdowns were chef's kiss levels of perfection. John K.'s youthful indiscretions are unfortunate but those kinds of...how should I say.....eccentricities, usually come with the territory of great talent.

[@Thrashaero]

my favorite was the AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HAHAHAHAAHUHUHOHUHAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@orangeslash1667]

@@Thrashaero Billy West said the screaming he had to do was pretty difficult, because of John's high standard.

[@cadillacdeville5828]

I had this game on Sega Genesis 😅. It took me FOREVER to complete 💯🎯🎮♾️✅

[@adampellett4917]

You got to admit it, it has great animation, adult content, disgustingly tasteless jokes even brutal cartoon violence but it has some charm. In the 90's, cartoons for kids won't be too kid friendly. Like Rocko's Modern Life: lots of innuendos and adult concepts, Animaniacs just got many adult references even content in which the parents were stunned from it. To me, I don't mind at all. I loved cartoons either kid friendly or not. The 1990s were awesome to see that in animation. Great vid, JoBlo. HORSE: NO, SIR, I DON'T LIKE IT!

[@Arroyo2099]

thanks

[@greenytaddict]

Love Rocko's Modern Life. The movie is on Netflix.

[@benmcreynolds8581]

I loved how this show blended in those unique scenes that had grotesque vivid detail of the weirdest things or people.. They had the perfect mixture of chill, mundane and absurd and psychotic lol it was a good animated escape from reality kind of cartoon

[@zackisrael7372]

Thank you for reminding me that I know the words to the Log song

[@ctcards2636]

Its big its heavy its wood ! :-)

[@robgraveson]

It's better than bad it's good !

[@jamesbounds]

The first two seasons is the best of the Ren and Stimpy series.

[@kenwheeler3637]

Ren & Stimpy was such a blast. My friends and I had a great time with it. Good memories.

[@ColonelKlinck]

I spent some mad nights watching this on acid and mushrooms when it first came out. Still love the show, its a classic.

[@uverpro3598]

Sounds horrible

[@ColonelKlinck]

Of course hallucinogenics always have the potential to go bad but it was actually amazing. @@uverpro3598

[@emilyadams3228]

This show is so weird, I'd think watching it on shrooms would make it come around and out the other side as the most normal, boring shit you ever saw. You know, like how multiplying two negative numbers results in a positive number. Weird show x weird drugs = normal show.

[@falcon048]

One of the more interesting tid-bits is that Weird Al had commissioned Kircfalusi to do an animated segment for, "Close But No Cigar" on his album Straight Outta Lynwood. This was right before any accusations had come out. One thing of note, is that despite Kircfalusi's proclivities, it would be wrong to ban the show as other people worked on the show do aren't deserving of the level of disrespect Kircfalusi earns.

[@DirtyDovi]

I still have every single R&S episode [and extras] saved. This was one of my favorite cartoons of all time! You did a killer job of putting this all together, and it was fun to watch! Again, Great job, and Thanks For sharing! 🤘 Sam -

[@deadbeats4894]

Frank Zappa voiced the Pope. Hard to choose a favorite episode, nerve ending fairy, rubber nipple salesman, space madness, powdered toast man.. The artwork was incredible imo. The Last 2 seasons it def fell off. Brings back a lot of good memories of my childhood.

[@deshazo_henry]

My favorite line that shocked me as a kid and still cracks me up was the walrus "hanging out" with Mr Horse when he whispered "call the police"

[@Thrashaero]

😬😆

[@stevedenis8292]

Can't harvest my yearly firewood with out reminiscing about the Log song..

[@glazdarklee1683]

I remember watching these with my son and thinking that they were a classic case of pushing out the envelope. You see this a lot. Something that can only be fully appreciated by what they make possible for those who follow. The other thing I realized while watching this is that it is a great example of the importance of people with disparate outlooks working together. Every Lennon needs a McCartney.

[@caldodge]

It's log! It's log! It's big, it's heavy, it's wood! It's log! It's log! It's better than bad, it's good! (Clearly inspiring the "Brick" ad in "Phineas and Ferb")

[@tonep3168]

Stiiiiiiiiiimpy you FOOOOL!

[@emilyadams3228]

Yeeeewwwww...[WAP] FAT, BLOATED [WAP] EEEDIOT!! [WAP] You worm! [WAP] You BLOATED SAC of PROTPLASM!!!!

[@garyhall7867]

The Rubber Nipples episode is the high point

[@crashingatom6755]

Not the gangster babies??

[@ashirrelevent1062]

Gotta keep those knees warm😅

[@neoasura]

Do you have any rubber Walrus protectors?

[@robertherrick6703]

Call the poliiiiiice...

[@TheBigMclargehuge]

Nipples huh?

[@noth1ng5id]

I waited 9:36 to sing along with LOG! What rolls down the stairs Fits under chairs Runs over your neighbors dog It fits on your back It's great for a snack It's Log Log Log It's Log 🪵 It's Log 🪵 It's big It's heavy It's wood It's Log 🪵 It's Log🪵 It's better than bad It's good 😂😅😂😅😂

[@abyss9316]

Seriously growing up in the 90s was pretty crazy to look back on there has been nothing like Ren and Stimpy since then... some of the jokes over the top abuse definitely nothing like it glad to see your covering one of my favorite childhood shows... ❤ also on a side note the episode where Ren and Stimpy live in a dead whales carcass was pretty amazing ren's rant on kicking him out was EPIC.... he called him a communist among other things

[@RajaReign78]

Ren & Stimpy will NEVER BE GONE FOR ME!!! I own 4 seasons on dvd. That show was nuts.

[@charlessaints]

🎶 it's better than bad, it's good 🎶

[@Thrashaero]

come down and get your log. log log log log log log by blammo

[@slammingrann]

Ren and Stimpy & Pinky and the brain both have melted into one memory, I need to re watch these.

[@SmackdownMadness]

I also recommend Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures as well

[@CTEagleCeltic]

The log song still lives in my head RENT FREE…

[@hiddentruth1982]

The original mighty mouse show had mighty mouse getting his powers from a powder he snorted.

[@D4RKF4LZ]

I was in high school at the time and watched that show every chance I got because I KNEW some subversive mind was behind the wheel!

[@MazinGo-1972]

That's not true at all. The original Mighty Mouse cartoon where he was called Super Mouse has him gaining his powers from eating food at a Super Market.

[@jonahship5900]

I snuggle-up to my Croco-Stimpy every night to get me to sleep... or just, to stop the crying and screaming. Whichever comes first.

[@entertainmentpowerfuchs5744]

From the other 100 Nickelodeon Shows Ren & Stimpy is at least in my Top 10

[@joshhayes777]

My favorite line from that show an is in tha happy happy joy joy episode I believe is when tha singer says "I'll teach your grandma to suck eggs" ahahaha classic

[@mikedepue]

The problem I always had with Ren and Stimpy was the repeated bits of animation that seemed to drag on forever. Like the soap bar eating scene in "Space Madness." Those four bites seem like they're going at a snail's pace, when they totally couldve made the point with just one bite. It feels like there was just a lot of intentional padding in Ren and Stimpy that asa kid I didn't notice, but as an adult makes the show a snorefest to me.

[@jordanbridges]

Damn... that wig @1:55

[@anthonymerchant2597]

I have owned the original seasons of this on DVD not long after they became available. I was big into animation myself, and this show inspired me a lot as a teenager. I own Wizard on DVD, too. I definitely know Bakshi. I thought I was the only one who did that with my friends. Take it from me as an Army veteran. You are not alone. "No, sir, I don't like it" is a cultural line of humor that works on the generation who grew up with this. I do it all the time, too.

[@MorrWorm8]

Don’t whiz on the electric fence. OMG that was my favorite. It was so funny. I loved that show.

[@CraziBastid]

I could've sworn I recently came across an article saying Paramount was going to do another reboot with Billy West playing both characters and of course, excluding John.

[@thedude5295]

Sounds like a horrible idea. I hope not.

[@stevenramirezmistersmokes6379]

REN & STIMPY#1 CLASSIC 90'S CARTOON.

[@rocketmanVA703]

In late 92 and early 93 I lived with 3 other 23 - 26 year old male roomates, and we used to make breakfast on Sunday mornings and watch Ren and Stimpy... until the Tooth Beaver episode. We had to turn it off, and none of us finished our sausage and eggs...

[@alreedyalrighty588]

Holey smokes. I did the same with my roommates from college! We only liked the first season and didn't watch the others.

[@JayFingers]

6:37 “This series would focus on the adventures of Ren and Stimpy as they went on random adventures.”

[@JimTheCurator]

hell yeah it would.

[@djchaiwallah]

My parents wouldn't let us watch this show 😅

[@rudijoris9555]

Just ordered the adult party cartoon show dvd!! Can't wait! Little expensive but what can you do.

[@キラキラくりくり頭]

I also say "no sir, I don't like it" to this day. I'm always kind of sad that people don't get the reference.

[@curtiskretzer8898]

Same but I don't care that the normies are clueless

[@rhinox3474]

Ren and stimpy were on another level.

[@daniexists6]

I think what could be said on what John was like behind the scenes was said best by Billy West. For context, after John got fired, he led a campaign against Billy for years, weaponizing the diehards who felt angry about his firing against a lot of the folks who stuck around, including West himself, who ended up taking over as Ren from John because he had been cast as both Ren and Stimpy at first. And it led to him posting this at some point on a forum back in the day. "Genius is the twin brother of madness-both live in a world created by their own EGO. When I go to work for someone I NEVER bring my personal problems to the arena. The creators of most of the shows I've done don't seem to do that either. John K. wasn't a little bit difficult to work with. He was darn near impossible to work with. His abuse of actors including myself is legendary and was not so much about the search for perfection-it was about borderline sadism and control. His whole fixation with hell dads and boys and torture and punishment... well, I've made millions and millions of people laugh but I don't get what's funny about endless repititions of that crap that he dotes on. There's a difference between cries for help and comedy."

[@NoahSpurrier]

I want “Happy Happy Joy Joy” played at my funeral.

[@ty_sylicus]

Watched this as a kid and still remember the Log and. Happy Joy songs.

[@SirSmoldham]

Another sad example of admiring the art and not the artist. I lost my mind in a good way seeing this when it exploded on the scene. I even loved the new Mighty Mouse. So unfortunate. BAKSHI RULES!

[@squirrelgray945]

When Ren and Stimpy is burned into your soul yet you didn't know Stimpy was a cat.

[@Zancb]

Stimpy says he's a cat multiple times throughout the show. How did you miss that?

[@Dr_1212]

They were good 😆👍 Then they swerved a totally crazy direction 😳

[@laserbeam1620]

I was never a fan of Ren and Stimpy but I do remember the log commercial. Great advertising it seems lol

[@toddferguson7326]

I love this cartoon happy to say that I have all of the happy happy Joy joy series.

[@justinw7323]

Today's young adults under 25 won't know who Ren and Stimpy are because they're hardly talked about.

[@vixengypsy]

I'd love to see coverage of Animaniacs/Pinky & The Brain!

[@DourMessor]

Wby didn't you mention Bob Camp in this retrospective?

[@mechajay3358]

This show is a wild classic.

[@Ironstarfish]

It was ahead of it's time

[@krakelwok]

Chris Savino being interviewed on his experiences working for John Kricfalusi - hoo boy, you might say Kricfalusi attracted a certain kind ...

[@Arroyo2099]

Yep

[@scarletweb2106]

Yes

[@sammyspero3648]

Wow detail after details excellent job of the explanation of the show!

[@bluknight99]

The episode "Rubber Nipple Salesmen" is a GODD*MN classic!

[@scarletweb2106]

Call the police!

[@trekkieraccoon3343]

I will always remeber the log song and happy happy joy joy

[@Aramis75]

What a piece of work this guy is.

[@megadethmofo2001]

Space Madness was my favorite episode.

[@jamiemelquist8733]

Would love to see creator focused animation/shows again. It seem people want to click off boxes than tell stories.

[@PunkSadieLady]

Ren & Stimpy much like In Living Color is like lightning in a bottle. Can’t be recreated and honestly it shouldn’t be. They were perfect for what they were during the times they took place in.

[@woollywoolwoolz]

Ren and Stimpy was shown Saturday mornings in Australia, my sister and I used to get up and have cereal watching this show, great times!

[@battlezordfalcon]

It would be shown at 6pm on weekdays in England as they most have thought it was to racy for Childerns TV

[@jazcc]

I loveeeeee Ren and Stimpy

[@TheGoodShepherd117]

I can’t believe decades later I remembered and sang along with the log song. Those were the days.

[@Canuplease1974]

I loved the OG Ren and Stimpy!!! I only watched the First episode of the Spike TV series, and I absolutely hated it.The frequency of Nick to air basically only 5 episodes over and over always struck me as strange, but I didn't know about Jon K' s dark side.... I know he lost the show, and I knew that George Liquor was a Psycho, but this was very informative

[@toddburgess5056]

You ever check out Spike and Mike's Animation Film Festival ? 🤔

[@divinedelaware7541]

I gotta gbnf for you. The old pbs ghostwriter show. Loved that theme song

[@princesskristan]

I loved this show! My favorite characters are Mr. Horse, Powdered Toast Man, and of course Ren and Stimpy. I get the Log song stuck in my head once in awhile or Happy Happy Joy Joy, but knowing what we know now about John K, its kind of a hard watch for me because he is such a terrible person

[@Machtyn]

Before you get to it at 7:15 ... "No, sir. I don't like it." And I know you'll get to it. But this song is always recalled, "It's lo-o-og, it's lo-o-og! It's better than bad, it's good!"

[@EyeHeytEwe]

I still remember the Man's Best Friend episode! That one, the one where they were adopted by the husband & wife and Happy Happy Joy Joy are etched into my memory.

[@Gr1mm4]

The censored/banned/adult episodes of Ren & Stimpy were great, I was stumlbed across them sometime in the mid-2000's. Really enjoyed watching the show during the 90's, as well as Pink & the Brain and Rocko's Modern Life. There were some of the best cartoons back then. (The close-ups were always some of my favourite bits, some great animation and art went into the series)

[@johnmccombe6342]

I love Ren and Stimpy. Still sing the log song all the time and of course you can't forget Powdered Toast Man!!

[@OurDreamDrops]

Love it do one on THE MAXX

[@alf.6032]

I actually wrote my final university paper on "Postmodernism in The Ren & Stimpy Show". Memories.

[@CaptainCat101]

It's a fun show to look back on, but it's hard to ignore the fact that John is a bad person

[@derekyosi]

The worst kind actually

[@peachy_lili]

@@derekyosi at this point I've had 4 different creators I looked up to get outed for harassing, stalking, manipulating and/or abusing female creatives working under (or with) them. if I ever needed more proof I dodged a bullet not getting into these industries I'd just prefer not to have it, it's really getting to be a lot (Joss Whedon, John Kricfalusi, Warren Ellis, Dan Harmon, etc..) edit: oh and of course, let's not forget my former co-worker Vic Mignona. :/ so that's 5

[@peachy_lili]

@@matthewdaley746 see, there are ones I haven't even heard of. I forgot to even get into Nickelodeon at large... does Dan Schneider even count on the list at this point or does he just get a whole list unto himself? lol

[@tecpaocelotl]

Bad seems like you're downplaying it. It's worse than bad.

[@dedbeet5845]

Wasn’t hard for me to ignore. Had no idea about anything of the sort until I just read your comment. I still don’t know any details so I’ll choose to remain ignorant. Thank you for your service…

[@hollygolden9673]

I have a copy of that chihuahua in NY picture on my book case! I love that pic!

[@Mike-eo5jk]

"Man, that's some icky-tasting stuff". I use that line all...the...time..

[@MistaTofMaine]

Such a classic series. Ren and Stimpy still has some of the best backgrounds, they really captured that old school feel but made it modern. I can't see Sponge Bob without thinking about R&S.

[@DG_musician]

When I was learning the guitar as a teenager in the 90s, I learned to play the Ren and Stimpy theme. It's lodged in my brain, and 30 years later I can still pick up a guitar and play it without thinking.

[@oldschoolman1444]

Comparing brain and the wrestling bit was my favorite "I want to say the funny words"

[@wstine79]

I loved Ren and Stimpy. Although the season when the show went to SPIKE was when I gave up on it. It felt like they were crude without being funny.

[@16driver16]

That was a completely different show with just the one man in common with the original... the guy who was kicked off before the show was over so... not really the same show in my mind.

[@thedude5295]

I was all excited about it. I taped it on my VCR and brought it over to a friend's house to watch it. We didn't even make it through the first episode and I never watched the rest of them.

[@16driver16]

@thedude5295 the first episode that played was an old one, the George liquor one, uncensored, the second one was the first new episode they pulled a bait and switch

[@orangeslash1667]

@@16driver16 Spike asked John to make an adult show, and he did it in the worst way possible.

[@16driver16]

@@orangeslash1667 undoubtedly

[@Lolakitten78]

First Media Mementos, Then Saberspark now JoBlo

[@harryqueen8397]

This really tickled my nostalgic funny bone - we were college dharma bums, and of course, on top of everything... we were Nightbreed we were Lost Boys... I teared up a little remembering Mr Horse (and oddly Mr Jay my rubber snake)... Good Job Jo Blo PS. The "downfall" was an education, of which, until now, I was unaware.

[@Arroyo2099]

thanks

[@harryqueen8397]

Most welcome

[@backseatbroadcasting2356]

I have a vintage R&S shirt with Mr. Horse on the front with that catch phrase lol

[@crazyjaybe]

1:15 WHAT THE?! Is that The Critical Drinker??????

[@Blinkerd00d]

"Why did they bury the fireman" "Because he was DEAD!"

[@Thrashaero]

Ren to Stimpy: Let's see what the mailman brought you today....NOTHING!

[@ikarizadeh5032]

One of the most influence shows of all time❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@DuckReach432]

For me, the funniest episode was "Cousin Sven." The funniest short sequence, when they pilot their space-ship into 'sub-light.' Screaming hysterically with fear as they achieve it.