You know, there’s a lot more to the Internet than just plain old boring JimHillMedia.com.
By that I mean: There’s lots of great websites out there that also offer up fun stories to read about the Walt Disney Company and the entertainment industry. Take — for example — John Cawley’s www.cataroo.com.
Now Cawley’s name might sound familiar to some of you animation history buffs out there. But there’s probably a good reason for that. Over the past 15 years, John’s written a number of great animation history books: “The Animated Films of Don Bluth” as a solo work, and — in collaboration with former JHM columnist Jim Korkis — “Cartoon Confidential,” “The Encyclopedia of Cartoon Superstars” and “How to Create Animation.”
Mind you, Cawley isn’t just some animator-wanna-be who writes about stuff he can’t do. He’s actually an industry vet who’s toiled in Toontown field for years now. Don’t believe me? Then check out John’s resume: He worked in development for Disney Feature Animation on “The Fox and the Hound,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Rescuers Down Under.” More recently, Cawley has been hanging his hat over at the Cartoon Network, where he’s developed stories and outlines for “Dexter’s Laboratory.”
Given all the entertainment history that John’s has actually had a hand in creating, it’s not really all that surprising to find out that Cawley is one great storyteller. Take — for example — his yarn about befriending Joe Besser, the comic actor probably best known these days for temporarily filling the third slot in the Three Stooges after Shemp Howard passed away in 1955. The way that John remembers Joe, Besser was this sweet old guy — pretty much out of the Hollywood mainstream at the time — who really came to count on the company that Cawley and his friends provided.
That’s a fun little yarn. But then so is the tale about John’s trip to a Japanese fox farm. Or Cawley’s recollections of working as a Jungle Cruise skipper at Disneyland. That’s why — if you like reading well-told anecdotes — then I suggest you amble on over to www.cataroo.com ASAP and check out what John’s got to offer.
Now — as for our next suggested offering — I really don’t know how to describe www.laughingmouse.net. Other than to say that this wicked little website does a brilliant job of sending up pompous, self-aggrandizing Disney webmasters like … well … like myself.
I know that must seem like a strange sort of recommendation. But — trust me, folks — you’ll find some sweetly satirical stuff on file over at Laughing Mouse. Like that “Hangin’ with Chad Weaver” column where the author uses his pen like a stiletto and artfully fillets tempting targets like myself and Al Lutz. This is some funny, funny stuff, people. The site wittily sends up the whole Disneyana website culture.
So who’s behind Laughing Mouse really? Boy, I wish I could tell you. But these guys remain under deep, deep cover. Mind you, I have tried to flush them out. But — to date — all I have been able to do exchange an appreciative e-mail or two with the site’s spokesman, Chad Weaver. And the notes that Weaver (if that’s his real name) has sent me are often as funny as the stories that are posted over at www.laughingmouse.net.
Take — for instance — Chad’s convoluted explanation of what makes the website that he works for different from all the other Disneyana websites out there:
“We don’t need a single villain to beat like a dead horse every week. However, we’re willing to tell it like it is, pull no punches, put all of our cards out on the table, give it 110%, let the chips fall where they may, fighting for what we believe in and never giving up until the fat lady sings — without using tired, old clichés that everyone is sick and tired -sick to death- of hearing. If I had a dime for every tired cliché I’ve come across on some sites, I would be rich and I wouldn’t have to produce music.”
In the spirit of full disclosure, I guess I should mention that Laughing Mouse probably takes more pokes at Al Lutz than it does at me. But Chad and Co. still manages to zing yours truly pretty good. Both for my over-use of “Why for?” (which — in their universe — gets translated into “How gimme?”) and my nasty tendency to leave unfinished multi-part series scattered around the Web.
But do I have a problem with Chad and his friends making fun of me? Nah. It’s all in good fun, people. Besides, pompous windbags like myself HAVE TO be deflated every now and then. Otherwise our egos would eventually grow to be so large that they’d blot out the sun.
So — please — go check out www.laughingmouse.net, the funhouse mirror version of JimHillMedia.com and MiceAge.com.
Moving on to a somewhat more serious subject …
Many Disneyana fans were concerned about what might become of “The ‘E’ Ticket” after one of the magazine’s co-founders, Leon Janzen, suddenly passed away in September of last year.
Well, I am pleased to report “The ‘E’ Ticket” is staging a bit of a comeback. By that I mean, a new and improved version of the magazine’s website went live earlier this week.
And what a wonder www.the-e-ticket.com is to explore. Check out that great design. It goes on for pages and pages, people. With lots of witty touches tucked away in odd little corners. (Be sure to do some clicking around inside the “Issues” section to check out the clever graphics as well as hear some rather entertaining Disneyland audio snippets.)
As for the “‘E’ Ticket” magazine itself … I’m afraid that I don’t have any definitive information about that aspect of the business just yet. But I — like so many other Disneyana fans out there — have kept sending my good thoughts and best wishes in Jack Janzen’s directions. With the hope that — someday soon — he’ll once again be up to the task of cranking out some new issues of “The ‘E’ Ticket.” Here’s hoping, anyway.
But — for now — having the snazzy new version of the “‘E’ Ticket” website to click around in will serve as a welcome distraction. Be sure to check it out today by following this link: www.the-e-ticket.com.
But — while you’re out there cruising around the web, checking out all these fun sites — don’t forget about JimHillMedia.com. We’ve got some great stories coming up on tomorrow: The next part of our WDFAF Countdown series, the introduction of a brand new JHM columnist as well as another edition of “How Gimme” … er … “Why For.”
So — after you finish out checking out all these other sites that I’ve mentioned above — be sure that you find your way back to JHM, okay?