Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

Spike TV (nope, no good either) (ex-TNN) (Ex-Nashville Network) has bought six new episodes of Ren and Stimpy from John Kricfalusi. They are going to be part of an adult-oriented animation schedule block and TNN has promised John K they would not attempt to censor his cartoons. R&S will appear in the 2003 season as Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon. That'd be the REAL Ren & Stimpy by Spumco not the sanitized Games Animation version.

Why John K got fired.

Man's Best Friend (the best Ren & Stimpy episode you've never seen) features the debut of George Liquor, American. George brings home R&S from the pet shop ("A man needs the companionship of lower life forms") and puts them thru rigorous training and discipline to make champions of them, a prequel to the Dog Show episode.

At one point George dons a attack dog training suit and enjoins Ren and Stimpy to attack him. Stimpy reels away ("But you are my kind and beloved master, I CAN'T!") while Ren grabs a boat oar ("BUT I CAN!!!") and proceeds to give George a savage beating -- not concealed under clouds of dust, we plainly see George being beaten black and blue in excruciating details (http://victorian.fortunecity.com/russell/105/mbf.htm). This particular scene shocked the studio execs and they pulled the episode. From then it was the beginning of the end for John K as he was pushed out and replaced by Bob Camp.

Source: Interview with John Kricfalusi at the 2002 Ottawa International Animation Festival, attended by yours truly. http://www.awn.com/ottawa/ottawa02/02retrospectives.php3
http://www.thenewtnn.com/shows/animation/ren_stimpy/index.jhtml
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=televisionNews&storyID=2922936