The short-short version, which might leave out some important details:
Ralph Bakshi launched Jon Kidsfeelgoodsy’s career with a revival of the Jetsons and got him some major recognition working on Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures.
Using recognition from Ralph Bakshi projects, Jon K and a number of other animators formed Spümcø and created Ren and Stimpy. Ren and Stimpy influenced a lot of young animators who idolized Jon K and who were into a rather unhealthy (albeit, incredibly entertaining) style of animation.
After being fired by Nickelodeon, Jon K remained a cartoon icon for the obscure masses. Unfortunately, Jon K used his celebrity and the youth/weirdness of these aspiring animators to begin grooming and sexually abusing them as teenagers in the late '90s. Jon K eventually released a non-apology in 2018 admitting that he was a serial abuser but it wasn’t his fault because he has poor impulse-control.
Since 2006, Kricfalusi has maintained a personal blog dedicated to cartoons and animation. There, he popularized the term “CalArts style”, a pejorative which was later used by others to criticize a widespread 2010s cartoon aesthetic.
Huh, there’s a connection I never would have thought would be made.
The short-short version, which might leave out some important details:
Ralph Bakshi launched Jon Kidsfeelgoodsy’s career with a revival of the Jetsons and got him some major recognition working on Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures.
Using recognition from Ralph Bakshi projects, Jon K and a number of other animators formed Spümcø and created Ren and Stimpy. Ren and Stimpy influenced a lot of young animators who idolized Jon K and who were into a rather unhealthy (albeit, incredibly entertaining) style of animation.
After being fired by Nickelodeon, Jon K remained a cartoon icon for the obscure masses. Unfortunately, Jon K used his celebrity and the youth/weirdness of these aspiring animators to begin grooming and sexually abusing them as teenagers in the late '90s. Jon K eventually released a non-apology in 2018 admitting that he was a serial abuser but it wasn’t his fault because he has poor impulse-control.
Huh, there’s a connection I never would have thought would be made.
I was always really drawn to Jon K’s unique approach to animation and it really sucked to learn he was a piece.