A Letter From The President About

Rugrats


The follwing is a letter from Herb Scannell, president of Nickelodeon, about Rugrats and their 10th anniversary. This letter was included in press kits for this event, distributed to newspapers and magazines.

© 2001 Viacom.


June 1, 2001

Dear Fellow Grown-up:

It seems like only yesterday they were babies. Actually, they still are babies! Where does 10 years go?

This year marks the 10th anniversary of a seminal moment in kids' television history and original, creator-driven animation. In the summer of 1991, the Rugrats were born and joined The Simpsons in inspiring an animation renaissance. Also that year, The Ren & Stimpy Show and Doug joined Rugrats as our first Nicktoons, pioneering the way for the additional 17 Nicktoon series and over 2000 hours of creator-driven animation to follow on Nickelodeon. From the moment Tommy Pickles squirted the TV screen for the first time with milk from his bottle, a revolution was signaled in the world of kids' animation.

In introducing Rugrats, its creators Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo and Paul Germain offered a new perspective in presenting the world from a toddler's point of view, with a sense of humor appealing simultaneously to both kids and adults. The unique animation style of Klasky Csupo has become their trademark, and they have followed Rugrats with such hits as Ahhh! Real Monsters, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power and As Told by Ginger. They are one of the pre-eminent hit-makers of kids' television.

Spanning generations in its popularity, Rugrats has evolved into an Emmy-winning series, a box-office blockbuster and a pop icon. On June 28, Rugrats will receive a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Indeed, in a fly-by decade, this pop culture phenomenon with few teeth gained a firm, long-lasting grip on kid audiences worldwide and a place in TV history .The perennially and appealingly immature Rugrats -- the number-one-rated kids' show on broadcast and cable for five years running --seized the spotlight from the likes of Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny. (The Rugrats characters outscore Mickey, Bugs and The Simpsons in "Q" tests.)

Over the past 10 years, the adventures of the Rugrats have ranged from the heart-tugging poignancy of Chuckie Finster learning about his late mom in a Mother's Day episode to the outrageousness of Angelica Pickles convincing the chicken pox-suffering babies that they would turn into chickens. To celebrate Rugrats 10th anniversary, we asked Arlene and Gabor to create a new adventure that kids could relate to and have fun with. And they came back with a great idea.

In a special hour-long, prime-time special titled "All Growed Up", airing Saturday, July 21 (8 p.m. ET / PT), the beloved, baby brigade will be viewed for the first time above rug level, on the cusp of teen-hood. Our viewers will get a peak at the creator's vision of what Tommy, Angelica, Chuckie, Phil & Lil, Dil, Kimi, Susie, Didi and Stu would all be like 10 years older. And what kid hasn't at some point longingly wished to be older for a day!

Over the years, Nickelodeon and Rugrats have become fatefully intertwined because the show literally embodies the Nick philosophy to always look at the world from a kid's point of view. But what has kept me a rapt fan for all these years is its heart. I hope you enjoy this special episode and join us in celebrating it.

The bottles are on ice, and the diapers are fresh! Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Herb Scannell

President, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, TV Land and TNN

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