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NARF--The Nifty Animaniacs Reference File


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Maintainer: Larissa Ranbom <lari35960@aol.com>, Lee Cremeans <lcremean@tidalwave.net>, Kane Leung <ap057@lafn.org>
URL: http://st-lcremean.tidalwave.net/~lee/narf.txt

See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge
=========================================================================
alt.tv.animaniacs -- The NIFTY ANIMANIACS REFERENCE FILE (FAQ) (11Aug1998)

=========================================================================
If you're a new reader in alt.tv.animaniacs, please read this file before
asking any questions.  You may find the answer right here!

==============================================
0.  INGREDIENTS
==============================================

1.  INTRODUCTION
2.  THE REALLY, REALLY FREQUENTLY ASKED FAQ'S
3.  DEAD HORSES
4.  SELECTED ANIMANIACS MERCHANDISE
5.  THE CAST
6.  OTHER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
7.  FREQUENT OBSERVATIONS
8.  FREQUENTLY REQUESTED LYRICS
9.  FREQUENTLY DISPUTED LYRICS
10. TRANSLATION DEPT
11. NEWSGROUP TERMINOLOGY
12. WHERE TO WRITE
13. RELATED FILES, LISTS, AND OTHER COMPENDIA
14. WARNERS VS. TWO-TONES & OTHER TTA STUFF
15. RELATED NEWSGROUPS
16. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

==============================================
1.  INTRODUCTION
==============================================

Alt.tv.animaniacs is a medium to low-volume newsgroup which is intended to
house discussion of the cartoon series "Animaniacs".  "Animaniacs" is a
cartoon from Steven Spielberg/Amblin Entertainment, and Warner Bros. -- the
same group that brought you "Tiny Toon Adventures".  Many of the people that
worked on TTA (Sherri Stoner, Tom Ruegger, Tress MacNeille, etc.) are
working on Animaniacs.  Animaniacs first aired on Monday, 13 September 1993
on Fox in what used to be the Tiny Toon Adventures time-slot.  Fox
Television aired the first season of 65 episodes and the second "season" of
4 extra episodes on its affiliates from 1993-1995.  Animaniacs now airs on
the WB, a rather new and not-universally-received network whose only good
programs are animated (have you ever _watched_ them??). A! just finished its
5th and final season. As with any other newsgroup, there are several
questions that come up repeatedly.  This document attempts to provide
authoritative answers to some of these FAQ's. This file was originated by
Will Bell, and is currently being maintained by WakkyMouse
(lcremean@tidalwave.net), the Narfcake (ap057@lafn.org), and/or Larissa
(lari35960@aol.com).  If you have questions, complaints, or are just really
confused, tell ... er, one of us.  We'll try to help. When we picked this up
it was really, really dusty.  And we're still cleaning it out.  Feel free to
make suggestions, suggest additions, additional information, or what have you.
 
==============================================
2.  THE REALLY, REALLY FREQUENTLY ASKED FAQ'S 
==============================================

Q.  SAY IT AIN'T SO! A! WAS CANCELLED?!!!?!?!?!?!

A.  When Kids WB announced its 1998-1999 schedule on January 12, no new A! 
    was on the schedule. One more episode is slated to air in the fall
    (A099, a retrospective on the series as I understand), then the
    direct-to-video movie ("Wakko's Wakko Wish") later this year...then A! 
    will be in reruns indefinitely, on weekdays only, in a morning time slot
    (but see below). WB says it isn't cancelled, but usually ceasing
    production implies that...so the answer, I guess, is both yes and no. If
    you want more A! past 1998, you may want to check out Louie Gonsalves's
    SAVE ANIMANIACS page at http://www.gfherald.infi.net/~gonzol/animaniacs.

    There are rumors floating about that the movie may indeed be released
    theatrically.  Also, Cartoon Network will be running the first 50
    episodes of A! starting this fall, with the rest slated to come in 2000.

Q.  Okkay, then what about Pinky and the Brain?

A.  It's been renewed, but the format is changing. In the new eps, ACME Labs
    is gone, and the mice are spending their days at---Elmyra's house
    (Elmyra, for those who don't know, is a character from Tiny Toons. She
    enjoys imprisoning animals and hugging and squeezing them to itty-bitty
    pieces.) Opinions are mixed on this...some say it may work, others say
    it'll be horrid, and some of the people who've worked on it say it's
    hilarious. We'll see...

Q.  Do you have the schedules for next season?

    Yes...here they are, in their entirety (as displayed on Keeper's site):

    Weekdays:
    
    7:00 a.m. -- Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures
    7:30 a.m. -- Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs
    3:00 p.m. -- Warner Bros.' Histeria!
    3:30 p.m. -- Steven Spielberg Presents Pinky & The Brain
    4:00 p.m. -- Batman
    4:30 p.m. -- Superman
          
    Weekend block:
          
    8:00 a.m. -- Warner Bros.' Histeria!
    8:30 a.m. -- Steven Spielberg Presents the Further Adventures of 
                 Pinky & The Brain
    9:00 a.m. -- BatmanBeyond (formerly Batman Tomorrow)
    9:30 a.m. -- Men in Black
    10:00 a.m. -- Batman
    10:30 a.m. -- Superman
    11:00 a.m. -- BRATS of the Dark Nebula
    11:30 a.m. -- The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries 
  
    
Q.  Where's the FELs for this season?

A.  Contacts at Warners will not release the information, using the
    argument that a schedule (2 weeks in advance) is being posted on The
    WB's area on AOL.  Brian Cruz makes them available at
    http://pages.nyu.edu/~bpc200/fels.html

Q.  Animaniacs isn't being shown on Fox anymore?!

A.  This is old news, but it doesn't hurt to know.  A! moved to WB in
    the fall of 1995. It runs on weekdays and Saturdays now, and it will
    only run on weekdays next season.

Q.  Where's the schedule for this season?

A.  It goes like this: (times may vary, check your local affiliate.)

    Weekend schedule: (started 8 December)

    8:00 AM  -- Pinky and the Brain
    8:30 AM  -- Superman
    9:00 AM  -- Men in Black: The Series
    9:30 AM  -- Batman/Superman Adventures
    10:30 AM -- Pinky and the Brain
    11:00 AM -- Animaniacs
    11:30 AM -- Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries

    Monday thru Thursday schedule: (started 8 December)

    7:00 AM -- Tiny Toon Adventures
    7:30 AM -- Captain Planet (SPEEEEEEW!)
    3:00 PM -- Bugs 'n' Daffy
    3:30 PM -- Animaniacs
    4:00 PM -- Pinky and the Brain
    4:30 PM -- Batman/Superman

    Friday schedule: (started 8 December)

    7:00 AM -- Channel Umptee-3
    7:30 AM -- Captain Planet (SPEEEEEEW!)
    3:00 PM -- Animaniacs
    3:30 PM -- Pinky and the Brain
    4:00 PM -- Batman/Superman
    4:30 PM -- Men in Black: The Series

    Brian Cruz also has this posted on his FEL page at
    http://pages.nyu.edu/~bpc200/fels.html
   
Q.  I don't get The WB, what can I do? 

A.  Only about 80% of the country has a local affiliate of the WB. Lesser
    locales can get The WB's programming on the cable superstation WGN.
    (Or you can get Dish Network which carries 3 WB channels, which leaves
    no excuse for missing it.)

    The weekday schedule goes as follows (all times Eastern, please
    adjust for your timezone.)
    
    8:00 AM -- M-Th: Tiny Toon Adventures
               F: Channel Umptee-3
    8:30 AM -- M-F: Captain Planet (BARF! RETCH!)
    9:00 AM -- M-Th: Bugs 'n' Daffy
               F: Animaniacs
    9:30 AM -- M-Th: Animaniacs
               F: Pinky and the Brain
    10:00 AM -- M-Th: Pinky and the Brain
                F: Superman/Batman
    10:30 AM -- M-Th:Superman/Batman
                F: Men in Black: The Series

    Weekend schedule goes as follows (Sunday morning, Eastern times,
    adjust for your timezone.)

    9:00 AM  -- Pinky and the Brain
    9:30 AM  -- Superman
    10:00 AM  -- Men in Black: The Series
    10:30 AM  -- Batman/Superman Adventures
    11:30 AM -- Pinky and the Brain
    12:00 AM -- Animaniacs
    12:30 AM -- Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries

Q.  What's all this about Freakazoid being cancelled?  I loooove that
    show!!

A.  The ratings weren't apparently as high as WB would like, due to their
    boneheaded "Big Kids Go First" schedule.  So this Emmy-winning
    program has been cut from the WB schedule, giving all of us the last
    shred of evidence that we needed to prove that the WB Television
    Network is only slightly less evolved than pond scum, and WBA should
    be revered as the near-end product of evolution.  Currently, the
    Cartoon Network is airing the show, on weeknights at 7 pm ET.

Q.  I just watched ED WOOD or "The Critic" and I just know I heard
    Brain's voice!

A.  Yes you did.  Brain's voice is a parody of Orson Welles done by
    Maurice LaMarche, who also does voices for "The Critic".  For ED
    WOOD, Mo's voice was dubbed in.  Someone else played the part of
    Orson in the movie.

Q.  The line "While Bill Clinton plays the sax" has been changed! I can't
    figure out what they're saying now!

A.  For episodes 66-69, the line is "We've got wisecracks by the stacks". 
    The bit of animation replacing Bill has been taken from a song break
    in "Taming of the Screwy".

    For episodes 70 on, the line is "We pay tons of income tax", and has
    new animation.  As well, the lines "Meet Pinky and the Brain who want
    to rule the universe" are replaced by "Meet Ralph and
    Dr. Scratchansniff, say 'Hi' to Hello Nurse".

Q.  What's the name of the kid who tells the funny stories about pillows
    and marshmallows and ... ?

A.  The kid's name is Colin.  The stories he tells are about his friend
    Randy Beaman, so sometimes he is listed in the credits as "Randy
    Beaman's Pal".  Other times he's listed as "Colin".

Q.  I've got to get some of this great Animaniacs gear, but there is no
    Warner Bros. Studio Store near me!  What can I do?

A.  All WBSSs will take orders over the phone and ship direct to you for 
    a modest fee.  Call the WB Catalog at 1-800-223-6524 and ask them the
    number for the store nearest you.  Keep in mind that the WBSS's only
    carry a small variety of PatB stuff now, and virtually nothing A!
    ... so look at all sorts of local stores.  Keep your eyes open, and
    you'll probably find A! stuff in the darndest places.

Q.  Does someone have a list of ...?

A.  YES.  Virtually anything related to this show that is listable has
    already been listed.  Keep reading.

Q.  Does someone have the lyrics to the theme song?  Does someone have
    the lyrics to ZYX song in episode Q?

A.  YES.  You want the Animaniacs Mega Lyrics File  (AMLF).  Check the
    site mentioned later in this document.

Q.  Can someone mail me the Purity Test / Drinking Game / whatever?

A.  There are at least 3 sites archiving stuff from this newsgroup.  One
    or more of them is bound to have what you want.

Q.  I just saw an episode with that Jerry-Lewis-like person and I can't
    figure out what the heck is a "Freunleven" ?

A.  Freunleven (spelling confirmed by "Mr. Director" himself, Paul Rugg)
    has no meaning in German, Yiddish, Lewisian, Martian, or any other
    known language.  It's just a parody in broad terms of what Lewis
    sounds like in his gibbering bits.  Rather like using "pastafazool!"
    to indicate Italian.  Or, to quote Rob Paulsen, "It's just a nutty
    word."

==============================================
3.  DEAD HORSES
==============================================

Please, please refrain from discussion of the following topics.  They
have been well-beaten into the ground over and over.  You will
definitely, definitely, not endear yourself to your fellow posters if you
discuss the following Dead Horse topics.  Unless they've started it, but
still... there's a difference between boredom and naivete.

1.  "What are they?"

    The Warners' species is unknown.  That's the point.  It's a joke, get
    it?  Discussing what they are is pointless.  All we know about them,
    is they're CUTE!!

2.  "Pay-for-play"

    It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the wording is
    "pay-or-play".  If you choose to believe otherwise then you are
    simply obstinate.  See "Frequently disputed lyrics" section later in
    this document.

==============================================
4.  SELECTED ANIMANIACS MERCHANDISE
==============================================

VIDEOS: Each Animaniacs video contains about 50 minutes of video and zero
 commercials!  As an added bonus, the box is made from 30% recyled fibre. 
 Catalog numbers are listed in the square brackets.

Animaniacs Stew [13539]:  Slappy Goes Walnuts / Operation Lollipop / Sir
 Yaksalot / In the Garden of Mindy / Baghdad Cafe / Yes, Always

Helloooo, Holidays!  [13543]:  'Twas the Day Before Christmas / Jingle
 Boo / Yakko's Universe / Little Drummer Warners / A Gift of Gold / A
 Christmas Plotz / The Great Wakkorotti: Jingle Bells / Nighty-Night Toon

The Warners Escape [13540]:  De-Zanitized / Temporary Insanity / Hello
 Nice Warners / Video Review

Yakko's World [13541]:  I'm Cute / Schnitzelbank / Make a Gookie / Our
 First Day of School / Wakko's America / H.M.S.  Yakko / Yakko's World /
 I'm Mad / Animaniacs / I'm So Sad We've No More Time Together

You WILL Buy This Video:  [13542]:  Puppet Rulers / Win Big / Battle for
 the Planet / Meet John Brain / Bubba Bo Bob Brain

Mostly In Toon:   The Senses / What Are We? / The Planets Song / A
 Quake, A Quake! / Be Careful What You Eat / The Presidents Song / All
 the Words in the English Language / The Tiger Prince / The Panama Canal
 / The Ballad of Magellan / Hello, Nurse / The Big Wrap Party Tonight

Spooky Stuff:   Draculee, Draculaa / Phranken-Runt / Scare Happy Slappy
 / Meatballs Or Consequences / Witch One / Hot, Bothered and Bedevilled


There is a different set of videos in the UK, which is in the PAL format:
(Not suitable for North America consumption)

Vol 1: Ups and Downs / Critical Condition / Wally Llama / SpellBound 

Vol 2: Drive-Insane / Cat on a Hot Steel Beam / With Three You Get
 Eggroll / Jockey For Position / Woodstock Slappy

Vol 3: Hooked on a Ceiling / The Big Kiss / Mezozoic Mindy / The Flame /
 Chicken Boo-Ryshnikov / Nothing But The Tooth

Vol 4: Cookies for Einstein / Hiccup / The World Can Wait / Wild Blue
 Yonder / Hurray For Slappy / The Three Muska-Warners

Vol 5: Draculee, Draculaa / Phranken-Runt / Scare Happy Slappy / Brain
 Meets Brawn / Hot, Bothered, and Bedeviled

Vol 6: Chairman of the Bored / Ta Da Dump / Smell Ya Later / Lookit the
 Fuzzy Heads / Where Rodents Dare

Pinky and the Brain World Domination Workout Video: Das Mouse / Of Mouse
 and Man


WARNER BROS. CATALOG: To order the Warner Bros. Merchandise  Catalog,
 write to: Warner Bros. Catalog / PO Box 60048 / Tampa, FL 33660-0048.
 You can also call 1-800-223-6524.  It even works in Canada!

ANIWEAR: Animaniacs cloth material is out now, in a number of patterns.
 Now you can do more than eat, sleep and breathe Animaniacs.  Of course,
 you may not be able to find it...

SHIRTS: The SLAPPY duly notes and nitpicks just about all the shirts
  that have ever been made between 1993 and present, including ones that
  you prolly haven't even seen.  It's available for your perusal at
  http://www.fuzzy.com/slappy/index.html

MUSIC:  Rhino Records has three Animaniacs albums on CD and tape. If you
 don't see it in your local store (it is available at many stores in North
 America) it can be ordered by calling Rhino directly: 1-800-432-0020
 toll-free inside continental USA or 1-310-474-4778 for customer service or
 foreign orders.  The wired set may prefer a more digital method.  Try
 telnet to one of cdconnection.com or cdeurope.com.  I've also been able to
 find these on the Web at amazon.com and CDNOW.com, I haven't checked
 Borders or Music Boulevard yet.

      Catalog Numbers:
           R2 71570 - Not-so Limited edition "blister" pack Soundtrack CD 
                      with temporary tattoos
           R4 71570 - " Pseudo-Rare "blister" pack Cassette
           R2 71571 - " Regular CD, nothing special
           R4 71571 - " Cassette
           R2 71762 - Yakko's World on CD (blister)
           R2 71763 - " Regular version
           R4 71763 - " Cassette
           R2 72180 - Animaniacs Variety Pack CD, regular or blister
           R4 72180 - " Cassette
           R2 72636 - Bubba Bo Bob Brain CD
           R4 72636 - " Cassette
           R2 72646 - Animaniacs Hip-Hopera Christmas CD, regular or blister
           R4 72646 - " Cassette

Your local music store should be able to place a special order with this
information if you don't want to order by phone.

    The complete lyrics to the songs on the album are included with both
    the CD and cassette.  The CD has some things that the tape doesn't,
    notably a Dot model sheet printed on the CD itself and some come with 
    a sheet of temporary tattoos!  Fun for the whole family, but why
    share?  :-)

    The first album (titled simply "Animaniacs") contains:

    Animaniacs * Yakko's Universe * Schnitzelbank * What Are We?  Yes,
    Brothers Warner We * Yakko's World * Wakko's America Video Revue * I
    Am The Very Model of a Cartoon Individual * I'm Mad * The Planets *
    The Etiquette Song * I'm Cute * The Senses * Be Careful What You Eat
    * Let The Anvils Ring * Animaniacs (instrumental)

    There have been complaints about low signal level. It is slightly
    lower than most other albums, but not significant at all.

    The second album ("Yakko's World") contains:

    Travelling Animaniacs * A Quake!  A Quake!  * Yakko's World * The
    Hello Song * Lake Titicaca * The Ballad of Magellan * Several Drops
    of Rain * Wakko's America * U.N. Me * Yakko's Universe * I'll Take An 
    Island * The Panama Canal * There's Only One of You

    (Note that some of these songs have not yet been seen!)

    The third album ("Animaniacs Variety Pack") contains:

    Variety Speak * The Monkey Song * All the Words in the English
    Language (Part 1) * Pinky & the Brain * Cheese Roll Call *
    Multiplication * Dot's Song * Dot's Quiet Time * All the Words in the 
    English Language (Part 2) * Slappy Squirrel Theme * Wakko's Two Note
    Song * The Presidents * The Anvil Song * At the Big Wrap Party
    Tonight * All the Words in the English Language (Part 3) * The
    Goodbye Song

    The "Faboo" Collection is merely albums 1 and 3 in a rather nice
    cardboard case.

    Bubba Bo Bob Brain is essentially a read-along storybook, and contains
    2 short songs - "Bubba Bo Bob Brain" and "A Lab Mouse Will Take Over
    the World".  Narrated by Dixie Carter.


OTHER STUFF:  Narfcake also "maintains" an extensive list of Animaniacs
 merchandise - email ap057@lafn.org for more details.

==============================================
5.  THE CAST
==============================================

 The important characters in Animaniacs are visible in the
 overhead shot in the credits where they are arranged in a semi-circular
 formation: (from left to right)

  Back Row:  Chicken Boo, Ralph (Guard), Minerva Mink, Newt (dog)
  3rd Row:   Hello Nurse, Bobby, Squit, Pesto, Marita, Flavio, Mime
  2nd Row:   Thadius Plotz (CEO), Runt, Rita, Skippy, Pinky, Slappy
             Squirrel, The Brain, Buttons, Mindy, Dr. Otto Scratchansniff
  Front Row: Yakko, Wakko, Dot

  Character                Voice                       [Parody]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Warners:
  Yakko Warner        Rob Paulsen (T)
  Wakko Warner        Jess Harnell               Ringo Starr
  Dot Warner          Tress MacNeille (T)

The Goodfeathers:
  Bobby               John Mariano               Robert DeNiro
  Pesto               Chuck Vennera              Joe Pesci
  Squit               Maurice LaMarche (T)       Ray Liotta

Common Pairs:
  Dr. Otto            Rob Paulsen       
    Scratchansniff 
  Hello Nurse         Tress MacNeille (T)

  Slappy Squirrel     Sherri Stoner (*)
  Skippy              Nathan Ruegger (T)

  Pinky               Rob Paulsen (T)            Eddie Fitzgerald
  The Brain           Maurice LaMarche (T)       Orson Welles 

  Rita                Bernadette Peters
  Runt                Frank Welker (T)           Dustin Hoffman in
                                                 _Rain Man_
  Mindy               Nancy Cartwright
  Buttons             Frank Welker (T)

  Flavio              Frank Welker (T)
                       Ray McLeod (singing)
  Marita              Tress MacNeille (T)
                       Wendy Knudsen (singing)

  Minerva Mink        Julie Brown (T)
  Newt                Arte Johnson

Others:
  Chicken Boo         Frank Welker (T)
  Colin               Colin Wells
   (Randy Beaman's Friend)
  Thaddeus Plotz      Frank Welker (T)
   (CEO)
  Albert Einstein     Paul Rugg (*)
  Mr. Director        Paul Rugg (*)              Jerry Lewis
  Narrator            Jim Cummings (T)
  Narrator            Tom Bodett

  (T) - Formerly worked in Tiny Toon Adventures
  (*) - Animaniacs staffer

==============================================
6.  OTHER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
==============================================

Q.  Is there going to be an Animaniacs feature film?

A.  The rumors that a feature film was being developed were somewhat true,
    in that production had entered the early stages, but the project was
    abandoned.  As fallout from this project, we got the short "Variety
    Speak" (and, to some extent, _Hooray for North Hollywood_).  A
    full-length direct-to-video movie, titled "Wakko's Wakko Wish", is now
    in the works, due late 1998, but there are rumors floating about
    (spurred on by the ad on the new direct-to-video "Dennis the Menace"
    movie tape) that it *will* be released as a feature. 
    
Q.  Where's the script for `Les Miserables'?

A.  `Les Miseranimals' appears to have generated some interest in the
    original play.  You can get more info on this at ftp.std.com in the
    dir /archives/RAT-archive.

Q.  What language is the theme song in when it's not English?

A.  French.   See the AMLF.

Q.  I think the AMLF is wrong; the closed captioning said ZYX instead of
    XYZ?  (Or:  the closed-captioning said "Pay-For-Play"?!)

A.  Closed captioning is frequently wrong because those words are typed
    in by someone who listens to the tape.  They do not come from a
    script, or any authoritative source.

Q.  What's the name of Wakko's gizmo?

A.  Wakko called it something like the Wakkoginified Transgobulator,
    although nobody is completely sure.

Q.  What is Dot's full name?

A.  Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bo Besca The
    Third.

Q.  But, according to Shirley Lee's song *The Name Game*, it should be
    "Fo Fesca!"

A.  Yes, it should be, but it isn't.  The foil stickers in the card set
    do that too... but they are WRONG!! They even have some misattributed
    quotes on them, so don't trust it as Gospel, okkay?

Q.  What countries does Yakko miss in `The Countries of the World' song?

A.  Rather a lot, actually. A few un-countries are mentioned too.  Ask
    David "Plato" Green (or better yet, don't) for the corrected version.

Q.  Who are the two flipped writers in the opening credits?

A.  Shakespeare is on the right, not Paul Dini. The person on the left is
    unknown, probably a generic writer-type.  Many people have suggested
    that the person on the left is Sherri Stoner, but it is not.  For
    further evidence, compare with the Sherri Stoner GIF.
    
    ftp://rasputin.fuzzy.com/animaniacs/info/Voice_Actors/sherrist.jpg

Q.  What does "Animaniacs" abbreviate to?

A.  There was tons o' discussion of this early in the newsgroup's life.
    No consensus was reached, though "A!" and "ANIMX" were popular.

==============================================
7.  FREQUENT OBSERVATIONS 
==============================================

A few "hidden" things are frequently noticed.

1.  In "Garage Sale of the Century" there's a number of non-Animaniacs
    characters in the brief mob scene.

2.  The "Wheel of Morality" is broken, much as Yakko suspected.  After
    being spun, it will spin to a random location when you're not
    looking.  This is because animation is reused liberally in the Wheel
    of Morality bits.

3.  Kathryn Page is, as listed in the credits, an assistant to the
    producer.  Each episode (episodes 1-69), there is a joke credit
    listed.  Look carefully and you might see something like: 

                            Scared of Internet
                             ----------------
                               Kathryn Page

    In episodes 70 and beyond, the Kathryn Page gag credit is replaced by 
    a different sort of gag credit, which says things like "You can't get 
    all the jokes--we didn't!" or ".surlaw eht saw okkaY --- surlaw eht
    t'nsaw luaP" In the Pinky and the Brain show, the gag credit is a
    word of the sort that they wouldn't even put on tests because they
    tend to be long and obscure and polysyllabic.  Luckily, they include
    the definition.  Brian (acmelabs1@aol.com) has a complete list, at
    http://members.aol.com/acmelabs1/index.html.  This is probably
    (no, it *is*)the best page out there for PatB in general, BTW.  And
    while I'm at it, the gag quotes in Freakazoid! are almost all related 
    to the mysterious Emmitt Nervend, usually a "Find Emmitt Nervend..."
    and an Emmitt Nervend gag credit similar to the Kathryn Page credits.
    Although I think that that's changed in recent episodes.

==============================================
8.  FREQUENTLY REQUESTED LYRICS
==============================================

Virtually every lyric ever sung in the show has been listed in the
Animaniacs Mega Lyrics File (AMLF).  See below for an WWW site. Because
the lyrics of the theme song are so frequently requested, they appear
below. These are taken from the lyrics included with the Animaniacs
album (except for new material in parens).  If you disagree with them,
tough. Stop reading the closed captioning.

"Animaniacs"
  It's time for An-i-man-i-acs
  And we're zany to the max
  So just sit back and relax
  You'll laugh till you collapse
  We're An-i-man-i-acs!

  Come join the Warner brothers
  And the Warner sister Dot
  Just for fun we run around the Warner movie lot
  They lock us in the tower whenever we get caught
  But we break loose...
  And then vamoose...
  And now you know the plot!

  We're An-i-man-i-acs
  Dot is cute and Yakko yaks
  Wakko packs away the snacks
    (While Bill Clinton plays the sax)    (shows  1-64**)
    (We've got wisecracks by the stacks)  (shows 66-69)
    (We pay tons of income tax)           (shows 70+)
  We're An-i-man-i-acs!

  (Meet Pinky and the Brain, who want to rule the universe)
          (shows 1-69, 75***)
  (Meet Ralph and Dr. Scratchansniff, say 'Hi' to Hello Nurse)
          (shows 70-74, 76+)
  Goodfeathers flock together, Slappy whacks 'em with her purse 
  Buttons chases Mindy, while Rita sings a verse
  The writers flipped, we have no script, why bother to rehearse?
 
  We're An-i-man-i-acs
  We have pay or play(+) contracts
  We're zany to the max
  There's baloney in our slacks

  We're An-i-man-ee
  Totally insane-y
  {Here's the show's namey} (*)
  An-i-man-ee-acs!
  Those are the facts.

(*) This line changes every show.
(**) Episode 65 had no theme.
(***) Episode 75 included a PatB short, therefore they put the line
      back. 

==============================================
9.  FREQUENTLY DISPUTED LYRICS
==============================================

"Animaniacs" -- "We have pay or play contracts" vs. "pay for play"

Reasons:
It is printed as "pay or play" in the CD booklet.

Sally Smith spoke with a director who said it was "or".

Wakko holds up a clear "PAY OR PLAY" contract in the short "Take My
Siblings, Please" (episode #66)

The point is made quite clear during episode #73's ad for the "Please
Please Please Get A Life Foundation" (which was based on arguments on
a.t.a.  Funny how those things happen...)

Chicken Boo" -- "You wear a disguise to look like human guys"
                                vs. "...look like human guise"
Reasons: 
"guys" makes sense: Chicken Boo is disguising himself as a person.
"guise" is not correct syntactically, or even logically. 

==============================================
10.  TRANSLATION DEPT
==============================================

A short line from "Space Probed":
   "Yaa, Yoda. Bokutachi wa Wanna Buraazasu da!"
    "Hey Yoda. We're the Warner brothers."

And for those who are not fluent in Japanese, here's Yakko's short
conversation with Mr. Kato:

   Yakko:  Tokyo wa tottemo omoshiroi tokoro desu ne?
             <Tokyo is an extremely interesting place, isn't it.>
   Investor:  Zehi irasshite kudasai.
             <You must go there.>
   Yakko:  Mada iki basho ga areba ne.
             <If there's still a place _to_ go, eh?> 

(Yakko's last remark appears to be an in-joke among Tokyo natives,
referring to the crowded conditions.)



==============================================
11.  NEWSGROUP TERMINOLOGY
==============================================

Official terms:

1.  Cold Opener:  A short animated sequence _before_ the opening song.
    For example, the `Flipper' parody.

2.  End Tag:  The closing or parting shot of the water tower and lines.
    This is the same as the "That's all folks!" from the Looney Tunes
    shows.

3.  Into Tower Closing:  The parting segment featuring the water tower
    door.

4.  Wacky Sack:  Wakko's incredible omnipresent all inclusive prop bag.
    Also called a "Gag Bag" by Yakko.

5.  Wraparounds:  Short segments placed between shorts and advertising.  

Local Terminology:

1.  The Variable Verse (TVV):  The line in the theme song which changes. 
    (e.g.  "How Urbaney", "Here's the show's namey")

2.  Filler:  Used to describe The Newsreel of the Stars and any other
    piece of animation not listed in the sacred FEL and assumed to be
    put in the show to kill time.

3.  Proof:  Something which is never presented, yet is supposed to prove
    the unbelievable.  Frequently not capitalized, as in "i have proof."

Some frequently used acronyms/abbreviations:
A!         - Animaniacs
AHEM       - Animaniacs Handy Episode Manual
AMLF       - Animaniacs Mega Lyrics File
AYPWIP     - Are you pondering what I'm pondering?
CB         - Chicken Boo
CRGA       - Cultural References Guide for Animaniacs
Dr. SNS    - Dr. Scratchansniff
DYN        - Did You Notice
F!         - Freakazoid!
FEL        - Future Episodes List
HN         - Hello Nurse
KP         - Kathryn Page
KWB        - Kids' WB!
LD         - Laserdisc
LT         - Looney Tunes
MM         - Merrie Melodies
NARF       - The FAQ for this newsgroup (i.e., this file)
NRotS      - The Newsreel of the Stars
P&TB, PatB - Pinky and The Brain
PPPGALF    - Please, Please, Pleese Get A Life Foundation
             (i.e., this group)
ROFLMAO    - Rolling On the Floor Laughing My [Rear] Off
ROFL       - Rolling On the Floor Laughing
ROTFL      - Rolling On The Floor Laughing (very appropriate)
ROTLF      - Rolling On The Laughing Floor (there's a specific floor,
             too.)
RR         - Road Rovers
SETSU      - Spielberg Eats This Stuff Up (Meatballs or Consquences)
SS         - Steven Spielberg or Sherri Stoner, maybe Slappy or Skippy
             Squirrel
ST         - Startoons
TMS        - Tokyo Movie Shinsha (animation studio) or The Monkey Song 
TTA        - Tiny Toon Adventures
TVV        - The Variable Verse (see Local Terminology above)
#wc	   - #warnercafe (IRC channel on CyNet/DALnet)
#wt	   - #watertower (IRC channel on WTnet)
WB         - Warner Bros. (i.e. Time/Warner)
WBA        - Warner Bros. Animation
WBSS       - Warner Bros. Studio Store
YW&D       - Yakko, Wakko and Dot 

==============================================
12.  WHERE TO WRITE
==============================================

    Warner Bros. Animation
    15303 Ventura Blvd., suite 1200
    Sherman Oaks, CA  91403
    (818) 954-6000 - Main Studio
    (818) 379-9401 - Animation Dept.

    Steven Spielberg
    Amblin Entertainment
    100 Universal City Plaza
    Bungalow 477
    Universal City, CA 91608

    Rhino Records Inc.
    10635 Santa Monica Blvd.
    Los Angeles, CA 90025-4900
    (310)474-4778 

==============================================
13.  RELATED FILES, LISTS, AND OTHER COMPENDIA
==============================================

Only lists which have been posted and which the author seems to be
maintaining regularly will be listed.  "Vapor" files (i.e., files that
were promised but never seen) and/or grossly obsolete files will not
be listed here, unless it's perceived they have value despite their
obsolescence, or unless I continue to forget to take them off.

All documents mentioned below are available.  Try looking at Keeper's 'toons
page (http://www2.cruzio.com/~keeper/toons.html) or read a.t.a. until you
see someone who looks informed and then write a "begging" letter or six.  If
you're trying to FTP, note that rasputin.fuzzy.com has replaced
rasputin.caltech.edu, that fabulously Animan-ey FTP site (in fact,
rasputin.caltech.edu has been gone since 1996; the name still resolves, but
don't let that fool you--there's nothing there). If you cannot FTP or have
any other questions, write to <ap057@lafn.org>, <lcremean@tidalwave.net>, or
<Lari35960@aol.com> and one of us will help you out (whatever you're asking
for; please give us some reasonable time to reply, of course). Will Bell's
old "docs-by-mail" server, as mentioned in the CRGA, is no longer up. If you
know exactly what file you want, you may want to look at Paul Vixie's
generic ftpmail server; send mail to ftpmail@ftpmail.vix.com with "help" in
the body for instructions.

1.  THE FUTURE EPISODE LIST (FEL):  A list of episodes and their scheduled
    air dates as determined by Warner Bros.  This has had a really
    convoluted adventure since Animaniacs went to WB, but now things are
    pretty "normal".  Maintained by Brian Cruz.
    http://pages.nyu.edu/~bpc200/fels.html

2.  ANIMANIACS MERCHANDISE LIST:  the FABOO.  Everything a growing/aging
    fan needs for their very own Animaniacs centered life, plus some
    stuff for the less devoted types.  Initiated by Marc Pawlinger, now
    maintained by the Narfcake, (ap057@lafn.org)

3.  THE ANIMANIACS NEW READER'S GUIDE (NRG):  Feeling down?  Feeling
    clueless?  Then run away...er, and get the Animaniacs New Reader's
    Guide. Originated by Jay B. Parker, now maintained by Lee Cremeans.
    http://st-lcremean.tidalwave.net/~lee/nrg.txt

4.  THE ANIMANIACS MEGA LYRIC FILE (AMLF):  A very extensive collection
    of lyrics to songs sung in Animaniacs.  Maintained by Ron O'Dell.
    http://www2.cruzio.com/~keeper/AMLF.html

5.  THE ANIMANIACS HANDY EPISODE MANUAL (AHEM): A quick summary of the
    episodes including detailed information such as character
    appearances, running times, and highlights of the episode credits,
    as well as the studios that animated each short (no, they're not all
    the same, silly new person.) Maintained by Ron "Keeper" O'Dell.
    http://www2.cruzio.com/~keeper/AHEM.txt

6.  THE CULTURAL REFERENCES GUIDE FOR ANIMANIACS (CRGA):  Many of the
    cultural references revealed and explained, plus random ramblings from
    the newsgroup alt.tv.animaniacs.  Extremely extensive for eps 1-69.
    Created by Will Bell (wbb@netcom.com), now maintained and databased by
    Rex Wheeler.  Suzanne Smiley handles the plain-text version.
    http://www.fuzzy.com/tooninfo/animaniacs/
    http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/2636/crga.txt

7.  THE ANIMANIACS PURITY TEST:  Modeled after slightly more risque tests
    you might have giggled over back in your k00L BBS daZE, the
    Animaniacs Purity Test is loaded with questions to help you determine 
    just how big a fanboy you are.  Well done and quite entertaining.
    Originated by Brendan Dunn, now maintained by David Kendall.
    http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/~weirdguy/afpt4.txt

8.  THE POINTERS ON INSIGNIFICANT TECHNICALITIES FILE (POIT):  A nitpickers
    guide to Animaniacs, full of details about animation styles, animation
    goofs, DYN's, and so forth.  Available as text and in an HTML-ized form
    for you web junkies.  Maintained by Brendan Dunn. [Brendan has changed
    ISPs, so the HTML version is apparently no longer available; I am not
    sure if it is even being actively maintained anymore.]

9.  A.C.M.E.L.A.B.S: The most comprehensive page available for Pinky and
    the Brain, it includes a complete AYPWIP list, the cultural
    references for PatB, the Pinky and the Brain Handy Episode Manual...
    and much other great stuff. Maintained by Brian Norman.
    http://members.aol.com/acmelabs1/index.html.

10. THE NEW ANIMANIACS CULTURAL REFERENCE GUIDE (NACRG): The
    continuation of the CRGA, for episodes 70 and onward. Maintained by
    Suzanne Smiley.
    http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/2636/nacrg.txt


11. OTHER LISTS AVAILABLE INCLUDE:
        Listing of all cast members shown in the credits
        Listing of all the various ending tags
        Transcript of all Good Idea / Bad Idea skits
        Transcript of all Dot's Poetry Corner skits
        Transcript of all Shakespeare-Interpretation skits
        Transcript of all Randy Beaman's Pal skits
        List of all Kathryn Page credits
        List of all morals from Wheel of Morality skits
        List of all Pinky's songs from "Spellbound"
        List of Pinky's replies to AYPWIP?
        List of Variable Verses from the theme songs
        The SPOT, every known acronym, including some not found here.
        The EHAP, Effects of Habitual Animaniacs Perusal
        The KATIE, Kellner And Things Incredibly Evil...
        ...and more, just ask for directions. 

12. GUIDES TO A.T.A.
    
    If you're finding this group confusing, we're not surprised.  There are
    two sources, the a.t.a. a.t.a. a.t.a. (aka that FAQ about all of the
    people on a.t.a.) and the CED (Current Events Digest), both of which are
    guaranteed to have been updated in the past year.  And a half.  And a
    three-quarters ... plus a bit more.  David
    "plato@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca" Green is responsible for them. BTW, if
    you don't always understand some of the words on a.t.a, you're not
    alone.  A short list can be found in the dictionary of Spotspeak, which
    I should say is really, really dusty (spot hasn't been active
    in anything Internet-related since late 1996) and really only of
    historical value now; Nicola "DitziWarner" Makela has a
    better, more up-to-date list at
    http://members.tripod.com/~Ditzi/the-aid.htm (which was inspired by the
    #watertower IRC community, mainly, but still useful for a.t.a).


13. SOUNDS & GRAPHICS FILES: Most FTP sites are no longer accepting or
    distributing sound or image files which have been taken (digitized)
    from Animaniacs because of the potential for legal problems related
    to copyright violations. Most of the newsgroups where these were passed
    around are gone now, so if you want them, you're on your own.  

==============================================
14.  WARNERS VS. TWO-TONES & OTHER TTA STUFF 
==============================================

The Warners are not to be confused with the Two Tones.  Here's a few
reasons if you still have any doubts:

The Warners:
  live in the Warner Bros. water tower
  are not a recognizable species
  have distinct ears and non-bushy tails
  wear coloured clothing
  are not black and white (Warners have red noses!)
  are zany
  are out of control 

The Two Tones (Foxy & Roxy):
  Live in Two Tone Town, a suburb of Acme Acres
  are foxes
  have fox-like ears
  were "drawn in shades of gray"
  are generally predictable
  are usually quiet 

The Warners do not fall into any general species category.  They are not
dogs, cats, llamas, puppy-children, or even skunks.  A complicated
explanation is that they are styled after the 1930's characters which
were not meant to be any species at all, only a humanized `inkblot' of
sorts.  If you want the simple explanation, they're Warners (or just
plain cute).  One thing's for sure: the Warners are very good at
irritating people in the show.

Animaniacs, unlike the Tiny Toon Adventures episode of a similar name,
does NOT end with an exclamation point (!).  Animaniacs is in no obvious
way related to "Animaniacs!".

Also, while "Two-Tone Town" may have hinted at A!'s existence, it's not
officially a pilot to the show in any conceivable way. 

==============================================
15. RELATED NEWSGROUPS
==============================================

alt.tv.tiny-toon.fandom --- A low-volume newsgroup where fanpeople [i.e.
 :-)~~] can post things about TTA or Animaniacs to an exceptionally tolerant
 and enthusiastic group.

alt.binaries.pictures.cartoons --- Cartoon images (GIFs or JPEGs) posted
 in uuencoded binary format.  Check with the alt.binaries.pictures.misc
 FAQ for general information pertaining to uuencode/uudecode and graphics
 formats/viewers, etc.

alt.animation.warner-bros --- Discussion of WB cartoons in general,
 mostly from the Looney Tunes or Merrie Melodies era.

rec.arts.animation --- Discussions about animation using a variety of
 techniques. Good for general questions, but remember that many
 newsgroups exist for specialized discussion (i.e. rec.arts.disney).

alt.tv.tiny-toon --- Discussion of another Amblin production, "Tiny Toon
 Adventures".  Several characters from TTA periodically show up in
 Animaniacs. (The last time I checked this group, it was dead, tho...)

alt.tv.freakazoid --- Discussion of Freakazoid and a lot of the same
 loony people from a.t.a being loony, but a little more focused.  Or
 something.

==============================================
16.  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
==============================================

A big NARF!  to the following who contributed to this document: 

Robert W. Armstrong, Paul Asente, Brian Bailie, Ron Bauerle, Will Bell,
Michael T. Benston, Ambrosio Blanco, Chicken Boo, Sean Brandenburg, Dave
Bryan, Andy Bryant, Neil Burrows, Brad Carow, Stewart Clamen, Lee Cremeans,
Steve Damiani, Brendan Dunn, Bob Eckert, Mike Farren, Timothy Fay, Dennis
Falk, Greg Fishbone, John R. Ford, Jon Daedalus Govoni, Paul Hendry, Wayne
B. Houseknecht, Ting-Yu Hsu, Wei-Hwa Huang, James Jacoby, Thomas R. Kettler,
David Kuhn, Matthew Kurth, Paul Lee, Kane Leung, Nicola Makela, Robert
Martin, Brett Middleton, Brian Norman, Ron "Keeper" O'Dell, Paula O'Keefe,
Jay B. Parker, Marc Pawlinger, David Poon, Larissa Ranbom, Victor Ramirez,
Kurt Reisler, Robert J. Repas, Niles D. Ritter, Rick Schwarz, Suzanne
Smiley, Jerry D. Smith, Sally Smith, Scott Tadman, Vince Taluskie, Emru
Townsend, Jaime Weinman, Sandi Wilkinson, Andy "Wolf" French, Jonathan
Woodward.

==============================================
17. REDISTRIBUTION RIGHTS 
==============================================

This document, or any derivative works thereof, may not be sold or
redistributed for profit in any way without express written permission of
the editor.  This includes, but is not limited to, translations into
foreign languages, mass archival as on a CD-ROM, inclusion in
commercially published compilations (books), and uploading this document
to non-USENET services.  This document represents the collective effort
of many USENET animation fans.  We appreciate your honoring of this
policy.

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Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:12 PM