Slimed!: An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden Age

A PLUME BOOK

SLIMED!

MATHEW KLICKSTEIN
is the author of
This Book Is Called Counter
,
Daisy Goes to the Moon
,
Back to Hollywood
,
My Dog Forgot How to Read
, and
Rag Doll
. He wrote Steven Seagal–starrer
Against the Dark
for Sony Pictures, cocreated National Lampoon’s
CollegeTown USA
, and directed the feature-length rockumentary
Act Your Age: The Kids of Widney High Story
.

Mr. Klickstein has also written professionally for the live theater as well as numerous news outlets.

He has grave difficulty finding steady employment.

PLUME

Published by the Penguin Group

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First published by Plume, a member of Penguin Group (USA), 2013

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

Copyright © Mathew Klickstein, 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this product may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS:
Insert page 1
: courtesy of Roger Price;
Insert page 2 (first)
: courtesy of Diz McNally;
(second)
: courtsey of Rita Hester;
Insert page 3
: courtesy of Bill Prickett;
Insert page 4
: courtesy of Jessica Gaynes;
Insert page 5
: courtesy of Will McRobb;
Insert page 6 (first)
: courtesy of Marc Summers;
(second)
: courtesy of Dave Rhoden;
Insert page 7 (first)
: courtesy of D.J. MacHale, photo by Jonathan Wenk;
(second)
: courtesy of Mitchell Kriegman;
Insert page 8
: courtesy of Heidi Lucas.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Klickstein, Mathew.

Slimed! : an oral history of Nickelodeon’s golden age / Mathew Klickstein.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-101-61409-9 (eBook)

1. Nickelodeon (Television network)—History. 2. Oral history. I. Title.

PN1992.92.N55K55 2013

791.45'72—dc23 2013016056

Michael Shotwell Jr., Stepbrother (1973–2012)
Tony Whitfield, Superhero (1967–2012)
Wendy Kale, Music Critic (1953–2011)

“It’s what I call my Fail-osophy: I start every project as a failure. That way, if it fails, it’s a success. And if it succeeds and is therefore a failure . . . well, then we can party anyway.”

—ORMLY GUMFUDGIN

About the Author

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

FOREWORD BY MARC SUMMERS

NOTE ON THE TEXT

THE TWEEN:
What was it like to grow up on Nickelodeon?

THE MESS AND IRREVERENCE:
What is green slime
really
made out of?

THE DESIGN, FASHION, AND TECHNOLOGY:
How did they get Nickelodeon to look so . . . Nickelodeon?

THE MUSIC AND SOUND:
What the
hell
is he singing about in the
Pete & Pete
theme song?

THE DIVERSITY:
Why were so many of the people on Nickelodeon white?

THE CHALLENGES:
Why did they kick the creator of
Ren & Stimpy
off his own show?

THE END OF AN ERA:
How has Nickelodeon changed over the years?

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM ARTIE,
THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CAST OF CHARACTERS

INDEX

PHOTOGRAPHS

ON YOUR MARK! GET SET!! STOP!!!

Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about one of the most amazing channels ever created. One that pretty much changed the landscape of kids’ TV, not to mention my fledgling showbiz career!

My first introduction to Nickelodeon was long before my
Double Dare
audition. It was our night-light, when our babies came home from the hospital and wanted that three-in-the-morning feeding. Cable was young, and we would catch the East Coast feed of a show that looked like something from the fifties:
Pinwheel
. The production, in my opinion, was horrible: the puppets were lackluster, and it seemed they reran the same six shows over and over. Yet I was mesmerized.

Fast-forward the tape to 1986. I was doing many things to feed my family. These included warm-ups on TV shows like
Webster
,
Star Search
, and
What’s Happening
Now!
 . . . and working as a stand-up comic and magician in clubs all over LA. A friend from Indianapolis—a ventriloquist—decided he was ending his performing career, moving behind the camera, and called to tell me about an audition I should attend instead of him. He said the network was Nickelodeon, and it was a kids’ game show. Hell, at that point of my life, I would audition for anything. Well, as we all know, it worked out pretty well.

The first day at the studio set the tone for what was about to come down. It was a bunch of young guys who were very bright and creative and yet had little experience in the world of game shows. I was the old man of the group at age thirty-four (although focus groups thought I was in my early twenties), with thirteen years of experience as a game show writer. I had crossed paths with some of the greats, including Bob Barker, Jack Barry, and Ralph Edwards. It really did not matter. We all had a sick sense of humor, were nostalgic for early TV references—and did I mention, we could do pretty much whatever we wanted?

Geraldine Laybourne was running the place and had a great philosophy: Hire people who know what they are doing . . . and then let them do their jobs. I miss her! That is why the joint was successful. We were allowed to be a little off center, think on the spot, and, in my opinion, play up to the audience. We never felt we were doing a kids’ show. We compared our humor to
Rocky & Bullwinkle
and
Soupy Sales
. It was kids’ TV that parents wanted to watch. It was one of the main reasons
Double Dare
took off.

Our success on
Double Dare
opened the floodgates. All of a sudden, kids had their own game shows, talk shows, variety shows, sitcoms, and dramas. They were all a bit raw in production values, but the casting was superb, as was the writing. The people on screen spoke like real kids and were not blue-eyed, blond-haired specimens from the perfect world of Disney. The audience could relate to what they saw on the screen. Finally!

Add to this contests that included romps through toy stores; Nick Takes Over Your School; arena tours with
Double Dare
,
What Would You Do?
, and
GUTS
 . . . and the best slogan anywhere: “The place where only kids win!” It was to kids of a particular generation the golden age of TV. Now, well into their thirties, these viewers look back fondly on the shows, characters, and music associated with these programs.

Why did it work? Was it the casting? The writing? The irreverence? Was it just timing? What you are about to read might explain it. Personally, I think it is like trying to dissect a joke. Why is it funny? Who cares? It worked, and we are all glad it did. Sooooooo . . .

On your mark! Get set!! Go!!!!

Happy Reading!

MARC SUMMERS
Host,
Double Dare
and
What Would You Do?