Good Burger: A Movie Well Done - Ooze News - June/July (Summer) 1997

Ooze News - June/July 1997

(Summer Issue)

Good Burger: A Movie Well Done

Good Burger, based on the popular All That sketch, will sizzle on movie screens this summer. Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson star in the full-length feature film as employees of Good Burger, a run-down fast-food restaurant. The movie follows the duo's meatheaded adventures while they try and stop the competition, Mondo Burger, from stealing Ed's secret sauce recipe. Guest stars include Carmen Electra, Sinbad, and Shaquille O'Neal.

David Lewman grilled some of the cast about what makes a good burger and more.

Kel Mitchell (Ed, a Good Burger employee):

Do you eat meat?
Yes, I eat meat! I like meat. It's all right. First time I met meat, or me and meat met, it was neat.

What's the weirdest way you've ever eaten a burger?
When I was little, I'd put my finger through the middle of a burger and eat around it. I'd eat all the way around until the meat was small. I was a weird child.

Kenan Thompson (Dexter, a Good Burger employee):

Would you eat at a place like Good Burger?
Yes, maybe. But if I saw Ed, I might run.

Abe Vigoda (Otis, the oldest Good Burger employee):

What makes a good burger?
A good burger has to be made of very fresh meat, as opposed to a hamburger that is mixed with fillers such as bread and other ingredients. You want all of the patty to be meat, from a big cut of fresh beef. It should be cooked medium rare and juicy.

Josh Server (Fizz, a Good Burger employee):

Have you ever been recognized at a drive-through?
Yeah. I was driving Kenan home from work and the woman in the window at Astro Burger [a Los Angeles fast-food chain] said, "Excuse me, my friend wants to know if you're on TV."

Did she give you extra fries?
All I'm gonna say is, it's not bad being on TV.

Ron Lester (Spatch, a Good Burger cook):

What makes a good burger?
Love, man. When you're done and you realize you've just bitten into a hamburger that was made with love, it's so mmm good.

Would you ever eat at a place like Good Burger?
Oh, absolutely. The hamburgers are made with love.

What do you put on your fries?
Believe it or not, mayonnaise or ranch dressing or ice cream.

What's the weirdest burger you've ever eaten?
I went home to Virginia to see some of my cousins, and they fed me an opossum burger.

How was it?
Hairy.

Can You Figure It Out?

Nickelodeon's newest game show, Figure It Out, allows kids to show off their talents. Each show features two kids with special skills - such as the girl who can fold herself into the shape of a pretzel or the one who can play piano while lying on her back. A celebrity panel tries to figure out what the skill is by asking a series of questions. The longer it takes the panel to uncover the special talent, the more prizes the contestant wins.

Some of the celebrity panelists who'll rack their brains are Curtis Williams Jr., Reagan Gomez-Preston, Taran Noah Smith, and Michelle Trachtenberg. Other panelists include Nickelodeon stars Lori Beth Denberg, Josh Server, Amanda Bynes, Irene Ng, and Danny Tamberelli.

Summer Lovin'

Before becoming the host of Figure It Out, Summer Sanders (above) kept busy. In the 1992 Olympics, she won four swimming medals - two gold, a silver, and a bronze. She's worked as an NBC sports commentator and hosted MTV's Sand Blast. Lindsey von Busch asked Summer some puzzling questions.

Nickelodeon Magazine: Do you do a lot of puzzles?
Summer Sanders: Right before the 1992 Olympics [in Barcelona, Spain], the athletes spent a lot of time resting in the hotel. We'd do enormous jigsaw puzzles.

What's it like being a game show host?
I'm a cheerleader and a traffic cop. I really have to get psyched before the game. I prepare for the show as I would for a race - I jump up and down to build up my energy.

Do you find it hard to keep a secret?
Yes. In real life, I'm the worst. I always give presents early or give hints.

Do the panelists have to follow any rules?
Only one: Questions must be worded so that they get "yes" or "no" answers.

What was your favorite game show as a kid?
I used to watch The Price Is Right when I was little. I knew that show like the back of my hand.

Tune into Figure It Out weekdays at 6 PM, beginning Monday, July 7. On July 19, the show will move into its regular time slot, Saturdays and Sundays at 6 PM.

Show airs one hour earlier in central time zone. Show times subject to change.

Where It's SPLAT

This year, more than 8 million people will visit Nickelodeon's theme park shows and attractions. Here's a guide to the sights.

Totally Nickelodeon at Universal Studios Hollywood [USH] in California

An interactive show where kids control the action - from making a burger to collecting sweaty socks.

What to look for: The Sliminator, a contraption that sprays at least 36,500 gallons of slime per year.

Weirdest items used in the show: Six TV dinners (which are dumped on a couch potato).

Also at USH: Jurassic Park - The Ride.

Nickelodeon Studios Florida at Universal Studios Florida [USF] in Orlando

Nickelodeon's studio headquarters features a backstage tour that includes a peek at the taping of many Nick shows, such as Kenan & Kel and Figure It Out.

What to look for: A 17-foot-tall Green Slime geyser that erupts every 10 minutes.

Famous guest: Steven Spielberg, director of The Lost World, was once slimed at the park.

Also at USF: Terminator 2: 3-D.

Nickelodeon SPLAT Cities at Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara, California; Paramount's Kings Island in Cincinnati, Ohio; and Paramount's Kings Dominion in Richmond, Virginia.

A 25-minute interactive show based on popular Nick series, such as AAAHH!!! Real Monsters and Rugrats.

U Pick Nick at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri; and Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Kids selected from the audience help the hosts of this variety show, which usually features lots of smiling, sliming, and pie-throwing.

Hey, Herb!

Where you ask the president of Nickelodeon, Herb Scannell, anything you want.

Have you ever eaten any bugs?
Not that I know of, but I once ate rattlesnake at a restaurant. It tasted just like chicken.

How do your friends feel about your being the president of a kids' network?
My friends are very supportive of me and think I have a pretty cool job. I get to think about kids and think like a kid all day long...and get paid for it!

Then we asked Herb's friend, Steve Reynolds "Do you tease Herb about being the president of a kids' network?"
I can tease Herb about lots of things, but his job's not one of them. I make fun of him because he likes the New York Mets, who haven't won a game in, like, five years. And I tease him because his jump shot isn't what it used to be. And Herb is forgetful-if it weren't for his assistant, Dana Stern, Herb would probably forget when we plans to do stuff like watch a Knicks game.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO:
Hey, Herb!
Nickelodeon Magazine
1515 Broadway, 41st Floor
New York, NY 10036

NICK IS com.ING

This summer when you're surfing the Net, look for NICK.COM, Nickelodeon's website, where you can customize your screen, play games, and interact with pages based on your favorite shows. While you're there, be sure to check out the magazine's area, which features, among other stuff, "Behind the Zine," a sneak peek at the inner workings of NICKELODEON MAGAZINE.

Let It Beavers - Ooze News - May 1997

Ooze News - May 1997

Let It Beavers

The newest Nicktoon is The Angry Beavers, featuring Daggett and Norbert, beaver brothers trying to make it in the big world - or at least in the forest. We found out how an episode is made.

1. Getting Ready

Before work on a cartoon series can start, the creators need to agree on what the main characters will look like. The pictures below show early versions of Daggett and Norbert and how they ended up [final designs]. Among other changes, Norbert was given more hair so that it would be easier to tell the brothers apart.

2. All Aboard

A script must be written before production of an episode begins. It tells the story through dialogue and action descriptions. Then, using the script, artists create a storyboard (above), which looks like a comic book. The storyboard is the first visual guide for an episode, showing the characters' facial expressions and physical action.

3. For the Record

The actors perform the dialogue in a recording booth. Of the 300 people who auditioned, Richard Horowitz [Richard Steven Horvitz] and Nick Bakay were chosen as the perfect voices for Daggett and Norbert. "No one could play the characters the way they did," says creator Mitch Schauer. "They're just like Daggett and Norbert."

4. Black-and-White Beavers

The director figures out how long the action will take. Then the storyboards are filmed and the recorded lines are added to simulate the final cartoon. The result, called an animatic (right), is sort of a black-and-white comic book in motion. It has no color, music, or sound effects, but it shows how the dialogue and story will fit into a 22-minute episode.

5. In Living Color

The backgrounds for every scene are first sketched and then painted with colors selected by color stylist Geri Rochon (left), who also selects character colors. All the scenery is then finished without any characters. Later, Daggett and Norbert in action will be added on top of the backgrounds. That way, animators don't have to draw the same scenery again and again.





6. At Last, the Animating!

After these steps, which take several months, the storyboards, animatic, and backgrounds are sent to animators in Korea, who produce 26,000 cels. Cels are color drawings on clear plastic sheets. The cels are placed over a background and filmed one after another, which creates the illusion of motion. The whole animation process requires 250 people and takes about three months.

7. Fine-Tuning

When the film returns to the U.S. from Korea, the episode looks like a cartoon (left), but it still needs the sound effects and music. Adding these elements takes another three weeks. Finally, after nearly eight months of work, the episode is ready to air.

Furry Fact File

Do you know a Daggett from a Norbert? Here's a guide:

Daggett

Personality: An overeager beaver with a short attention span; can't stand Norbert's mellowness.

Fur: Brown

Nose: Red

Height: Shorter than Norbert

Hair factor: Slicked back and black

Stuff he would do: Convince himself he's a superhero; annoy other animals; watch weird old movies.

Stuff he says: "This is nuts!" "Easy peasy!"

Norbert

Personality: Laid back; talented; likes to tease his brother.

Fur: Tan

Nose: Lavender

Height: Taller than Daggett by a quarter inch, which annoys Daggett.

Hair factor: Spiky

Stuff he would do: Tease Daggett; calm Daggett down; tease Daggett again; watch weird old movies.

Stuff he says: "Bro" "Wolaboga!"

The Angry Beavers airs on Sundays at 11:30 AM, one hour earlier in the central time zone. Showtime subject to change.

Happy Human

The Angry Beavers creator

Cartoonist Mitch Schauer (left) has worked on shows featuring characters such as Freakazoid and Scooby Doo. We spoke to him about his latest creation, The Angry Beavers.

Nickelodeon Magazine: How did you come up with the characters' names?

Mitch Schauer: I found them in the book 35,000 Plus Baby Names, [which said that] in Scandinavian Norbert means means "brilliant hero" and Daggett means "bright." Although Daggett, the character, is the opposite of that.

Who are the beavers based on? Norbert is based on me, and Daggett is based on Karl Toerge, whom I used to work with at Warner Bros. Television Animation. Karl, like Daggett, is outgoing and enthusiastic. Plus, he wears his heart on his sleeve.

Are any of Norbert's expressions like yours? Norbert and I both use a lot of finger gestures. We both wiggle a finger back and forth to say no.

How did you come up with the idea for the show? I thought I'd do the opposite of what people expect from cartoon characters, which are usually happy animals. I made mine angry. Then I went down through a list of silly animals and decided on beavers.

Do you have any pets? I have a teddy-bear hamster, a dog, a love bird, and two guinea pigs. One of them, Psycho, has the same hair as Norbert.

Hey, Herb!

Where you ask the president of Nickelodeon, Herb Scannell, anything you want.

What is the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you at work?
One day, when I was working at another company, I bent down to pick something up and my pants ripped, just as my new boss was on his way to see me! Luckily one of my coworkers offered to sew them for me. In the meantime, I sat at my desk in my underwear. Fortunately, my boss didn't get to my office until right after I put the mended pants on.

Do you speak any languages other than English?
I learned a little Spanish from my mom, who grew up in Puerto Rico. As a kid, I always knew I was in big trouble when my mom yelled "Guillermo Heriberto," which is my full name in Spanish.

Send your questions to:

¡Hola, Heriberto!
NICKELODEON MAGAZINE
1515 Broadway, 41st Floor
New York, NY 10036

What's New on Nick

Mom's the Word On The Rugrats Mother's Day Special, the Rugrats try to find the perfect gifts for their moms - and they try to find a mom for Chuckie.

Get ready for the episode by doing this Rugrats puzzle. Read each of the clues below to figure out what the rhyming answer is. Hint: One word in each answer is the name of a Rugrat. Answers on page 56.

1. Fortunate Rugrat:

_ _ _ K _ _ H _ _ _ _ _

2. Tommy's five-cent coins:

_ _ _ K _ _ _ N _ _ _ _ _ _

3. Lil's brother's milk accidents:

_ _ I _'_ _ P _ _ _ _

The Rugrats Mother's Day Special airs on Tuesday, May 6, at 8 PM; Friday, May 9, at 7:30 PM; and on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, at 8 PM.

All shows air one hour earlier in central time zone. Show times subject to change.

Bonus article - Nickelodeon Magazine's exclusive interview with actor Vanessa Lee Chester (Harriet the Spy, The Lost World: Jurassic Park):

Jurassa Lee Chester

Twelve-year-old VANESSA LEE CHESTER has acted in The Little Princess [(also known as A Little Princess)] and Harriet the Spy. Now she's off to The Lost World as Kelly. We had a raptorvating conversation with Vanessa.

Nickelodeon Magazine: What's your character, Kelly, like?
Vanessa Lee Chester: She's just one of the kids. She's a lot like me. We're both kind of funky.

Did you travel for the movie?
We went to Hawaii. We also filmed on the Universal Studios lot in Hollywood.

Was the Universal lot fun?
Yes. On lunch breaks, I'd ride my bicycle over to stage 35, where they had free Sega games. I was in heaven.

Did you have a favorite scene?
All the dangerous, scary ones where we were chased by dinosaurs.

Was the Tyrannosaurus rex model as big as a real T-rex?
Yes. You can see a T-rex in books and think it's cool, but when you actually see how big it is, it's scary.

What scary stuff did the dinosaur models do?
The eyes could actually move. And some robots could even bleed.

What would you do if you saw a real T-rex?

I would look at it for a minute, then run the other way, because I'd want to live and tell my story.

Did the cast goof around?
Oh yeah. Once, Vince Vaughn put my hand into a dinosaur model that had intestines hanging out. It was so disgusting.

So you didn't feel like the only kid?
I felt like the only adult on the film. Everyone was always playing around, throwing grapes at each other.

How would Janie Gibbs from Harriet the Spy deal with dinosaurs?
That's where her science would stop. She'd just say, "Wow, dinosaurs."

Which role was more fun, Janie or Kelly?
It's hard to compare. In Harriet, I loved my wardrobe. I had some funky outfits. In The Lost World, I had one costume. By the last day, I was really sick of it.

Which dinosaur would you like to be?
Probably a raptor. They're sly and swift. They hunt in packs, and I'm always with my little clique.

But you wouldn't hunt other kids, would you?
No, that's where the line is drawn.

[Bonus Advertisement: Schering Corporation "Young Artists Against Allergies" Calendar Design Contest]

###

Additional source: IMDb.

Oozy Does It | Ooze News | December 1996

Ooze News - December 1996

Oozy Does It

Every year, the Cosway Company in Dominguez Hills, California, makes and packages as much as 500,000 gallons of Gak for Nickelodeon and Mattel. We went to the factory to find out just how they hack making all that Gak.

DAY ONE: BLENDING RIGHT IN

Gak is usually made in batches of 1,300 gallons, but a small sample batch of pink was mixed just for us.

Water, coloring, and powdered thickener are slowly mixed with a secret ingredient. (No one at Cosway or Mattel would tell us what the secret ingredient is, even though we are very good at keeping secrets.) The mixture is blended until it achieves just the right Gak texture and consistency. Then the Gak is poured into 55-gallon barrels, where it is kept until it is ready to be packaged.

DAY TWO: GET PACKIN'

The next day, a larger batch of Gak in the Dark was being packaged.

1. Twenty-pound blobs of Gak are placed into a funnel-shaped machine called a hopper.

2. Every three seconds, a four-ounce portion of Gak is pushed out the nozzle at the bottom of the hopper. It goes into a plastic "splat" container.

3. The splats are then weighed to make sure each one has the right amount of Gak inside.

4. The splats are then capped and wrapped in plastic.

5. The splats are then placed upside down in clear plastic cups that line slotted trays. One piece of pre-glued cardboard is placed behind each slot.

6. The trays slide through a machine called a blister carder, which uses heat and pressure to stick the clear plastic cup to the cardboard. The packages then slide from the trays, cool for 10 seconds, and go into shipping boxes.

Gak Faks

• Gak is 78 percent water.
• Gak contains guar gum, which is derived from guar seeds. Guar gum is also an ingredient in fat-free cupcakes and cookies.
• Gak's secret ingredient is also used in cosmetics.
• Nine million pounds of Gak have been produced since the first batch was made in 1991.

Top Toon Talent

We spoke to the very animated Craig Bartlett, creator of Hey Arnold!

Pulling strings: Craig Bartlett and Arnold (above).
Having a ball: An animator draws Arnold, his head, and its look-alike (left).

NICKELODEON MAGAZINE: Did you base Arnold on anyone you know?

Craig Bartlett: Yes. He's based on me, though I didn't grow up in a boardinghouse under an overpass with my grandparents, and I don't have a head shaped like a football. But Arnold is about how I felt as a kid.

NM: Why is Arnold's head shaped like a football?
CB: At first, Arnold was made of clay for short animated features. I melted clay in a pot and then poured it out on wax paper. When the clay cooled, I cut out a bunch of shapes, like cookies. The football shape was just one that I had cut to build him with, and it ended up being his head.

NM: Why did you pick a name like Helga for a character?
CB: It's because of the Seattle, Washington, neighborhood where I grew up. It was home to a lot of Scandinavians with names like Helga and Lars Larson.

NM: So Arnold's city is based on Seattle?
CB: Yeah. Arnold's neighborhood is meant to look like some of the neighborhoods I knew in Seattle. But it also has a little bit of Brooklyn, New York, in it.

NM: What were the easiest and hardest parts of growing up in a city?
CB: I liked that everything was right nearby. The hardest part, though, was that when I was little I didn't really have a sense of a larger world outside of the city. It's the same with the kids on Hey Arnold! Their whole world is just the few blocks between their school and their houses.

NM: If you could be one of the Hey Arnold! characters, who would you be?
CB: I'd like to be Grandpa. He's just a really fun character to draw and write dialogue for. He's also a good guy and a straight talker.

NM: Who do you think is cooler, Arnold or Arnold Schwarzenegger?
CB: Oooh. Tough question. Well, for now, Arnold Schwarzenegger. I'd like him to do a voice on Hey Arnold!

Trace elements: An animator draws Arnold in action (top).
The hard cel: A colorist paints Helga onto a cel, or plastic film (bottom). Her gloves keep the cel clean.

Little Big Talkers

by Lindsey von Busch

Adults provide the voices for most cartoon characters. But Hey Arnold! has real kids doing the talking. We asked a few of them to mouth off about their animated alter egos.

CHARACTER: Arnold, fourth grade
VOICE BY: Toran Caudell, ninth grade
HOW THEY'RE THE SAME:  "Arnold and I both have big imaginations, blond hair, and pet pigs."
HOW THEY'RE DIFFERENT:  "I'm very outgoing, while Arnold is quiet most of the time."
ODD JOBS: Guest appearances on Roseanne and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

CHARACTER: Helga, fourth grade
VOICE BY: Francesca Smith, seventh grade
HOW THEY'RE THE SAME:  "We're both artistic, intelligent, emotional, and dramatic."
HOW THEY'RE DIFFERENT:  "I'm very close to my family, but Helga doesn't like hers."
ODD JOB: Guest appearance on Blossom.

CHARACTER: Gerald, fourth grade
VOICE BY: Jamil Smith, ninth grade
HOW THEY'RE THE SAME:  "Like Gerald, I'm a loyal friend who's outgoing, creative, and soulful."
HOW THEY'RE DIFFERENT:  "My hair is only two inches tall, not twelve."
ODD JOB: Guest appearances on Sister, Sister.

Best Space Case Scenarios

Each kid on Space Cases has a special ability. Using the key to the left [below], figure out which character could help you solve each of the problems below. Then circle the correct letter (or letters). Answers on page 88.

CHARACTER   ABILITY

A = HARLAN - Leader and superathlete

B = SUZEE - Mind reading

C = RADU - Superhearing and superstrength

D = ROSIE - Radiates heat

E = BOVA - Generates electricity

1. You're on a camping trip, and all the adults have disappeared. There's complete chaos. Who can take charge? A   B   C   D   E

2. Your father is on the phone with your teacher, talking about your math grade. You can hear your dad just fine, but which two Space Cases can help you find out what your teacher is saying? A   B   C   D   E

3. A big winter storm has knocked out the power in your house. Which two Space Cases could help you? A   B   C   D   E

4. Your brother says he hasn't been reading your diary. Who can tell you if he is lying? A   B   C   D   E

5. Your parents are down the hall, talking about the family's surprise vacation destination. Which two Space Cases could tell you where you're going? A   B   C   D   E

6. You overslept, and now your oatmeal is too cold to eat. Which Space Case can warm it up? A   B   C   D   E

7. Halfway through a long car trip, your Gameboy's batteries run out. Who can give your batteries a boost? A   B   C   D   E

8. Your street hockey ball has rolled under your neighbor's car and is out of reach. Who could move the car for you? A   B   C   D   E

9. You're outside and your hands are freezing because you forgot your mittens. Whose hand do you want to hold? A   B   C   D   E

10. At a gymnastics fundraiser, Kerri Strug hurts her ankle again. Who can take her place on the coed team? A   B   C   D   E

Space Cases airs Saturdays at 8:30 PM*.

Hey, Herb!

Where you ask Nickelodeon's president, Herb Scannell, anything you want.

Do you like to play in the snow?
Yes, I love snow. I'll never forget the snowstorm we had when I was about eight years old. After the storm, a snowplow left a pile of snow that was taller than a house. The other kids and I turned the heap into a snow fort and played in it for three weeks - until it melted.

Do you like ice-skating?
No, I can't skate. And I think that's one of the reasons I'm not a big hockey fan.

What's the best present you've ever received?
When I was 10, I got a five-speed Sting-Ray bicycle with U-shape handlebars and a yellow-and-silver-speckled banana seat for Christmas. It was like getting a car. I scored big that year.

If you have questions for Herb, send them to:

Hey, Herb!

NICKELODEON MAGAZINE

1515 Broadway, 41st floor

New York, NY 10036

What's on Nick

HANUKKAH HIJINKS

The Rugrats save Grandpa Boris from the plans of his childhood rival Shlomo (also known as the "Meany" of Hanukkah) on the Rugrats Hanukkah special, which airs on Wednesday, December 4, at 8 PM*.

THAT'S THE SPIRIT

On The Secret World of Alex Mack, find out which is more important at Christmas - spirit or gifts - during an encore presentation of "The Gift" episode. The show will air on Thursday, December 12, at 8 PM*.

* Shows air one hour earlier in the central time zone. Shows subject to change. Check your local listings for details.

Bonus articles - Face To Face guess the actor challenge (see scan below) and BACKSTAGE BASH:
BACKSTAGE BASH

NICKELODEON MAGAZINE'S Michael Wickersheimer made some noise with stars backstage at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards.

Jenny McCarthy OF MTV'S SINGLED OUT
Do you ever sing while you're driving?
All the time! I have the Grease CD in my car and I sing along with it over and over.

Kurt Loder OF MTV NEWS
What instruments do you play?
I play guitar and keyboards.

Dolores O'Riordan OF THE CRANBERRIES
What is your favorite snack?
Cornflakes.

Chris Rock HOST OF THIS MONTH'S BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS
What did you eat for breakfast today?
A turkey burger. I ran around all morning and didn't get to eat until about noon.

Robin Goodridge and Gavin Rossdale OF BUSH
What do you think you'd be doing now if you weren't musicians?
Robin: We would be watching musicians.
Gavin: Or we'd be critics.

Additional source: Wikipedia.