‘Ren and Stimpy’ Documentary in Final Stretch

Do you remember Ren & Stimpy? Well, TV and film industry veterans Kimo Easterwood and Ron Cicero want to make sure the world at large never forgets with their new documentary Happy Happy, Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story. What’s more, if you’re a fan, they’re asking for your help.

If you were a young person in the 90’s, then there’s a good chance that you watched Ren & Stimpy. Even now, nearly 26 years after the show debuted and 22 years after its demise, Ren & Stimpy is still spoken about with a sense of reverence and fond nostalgia that shows just how impactful it was to a generation of young people. The show, one of the first to air on Nickelodeon, revolutionized the animated series landscape with its black humor, sexual innuendo and surrealist overtones, paving the way for more adult-oriented animation like South Park and Beavis and Butt-Head. Simply put, the show is an important milestone in TV animation and comedy, and now Cicero and Easterwood are hoping to remind the world of that fact.

Cicero and Easterwood hold Ren & Stimpy in high regard, considering the creativity of series creator John Kricfalusi to be on par with that of artists like Banksy or Andy Warhol. To demonstrate that point, the duo made the feature length documentary Happy Happy, Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story, interviewing over 45 people, from network executives and directors to art historians and celebrities like Jack Black and Iliza Shlesinger, to discuss the effect that the show had on various fields and multiple generations.

The film is now in post-production, and the team is looking for donations to help them apply the finishing touches and pay all of the Ren & Stimpy artists who provided one-of-a-kind artwork or other services to the project. They currently have a Kickstarter campaign going, which at the time of this writing still has 24 days left to reach its goal. The team hopes to raise $289,400 by August 12th; They’re currently at $50,897. This is an all-or-nothing drive, meaning that if they don’t hit their goal, Cicero and Easterwood will refund the money back to their supporters. Falling short of the goal, however, will throw a serious wrench in the film’s post-production. So, let’s spread the word and try to help this unique documentary, one that tells the story of a milestone in comedy and animation, cross the finish line strong.

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Bill Tressler

Bill is a writer and comedy enthusiast from New York. An avid gamer and podcast fan, he strives to always toe the line between charming irreverence and grating honesty.
Bill Tressler
Bill Tressler
Bill is a writer and comedy enthusiast from New York. An avid gamer and podcast fan, he strives to always toe the line between charming irreverence and grating honesty.