5. Tie: Fred Flinstone/Snoopy
In the end, I really couldn’t decide who I loved more. They’ve both had a significant impact on my childhood, they’ve both managed to garner more than a few chuckles out of me over the years, and they’re also interesting creations who have garnered a long shelf life thanks to the innovation of their creators. Snoopy was the much needed edge in the “Charlie Brown” cartoons always giving the characters a run for their money, even during hard times.
And I don’t know a single person who didn’t like the Red Baron. From his interaction with Woodstock, to his battles with Peppermint Patty, Snoopy is an enduring icon. Fred originally began as a spoof of Ralph Kramden and thankfully gained his own individual cult status in one of the funniest cartoons ever created. Fred has that particular personality to him that warrants the same laughs as Kramden did, but also revealed a sweet center that showed on more than one occasion. Even at its absolute worst, “The Flintstones” strived thanks to the combined comedy of Fred and Barney.
4. Freakazoid!
“Pull De Strings!” It’s with those three words that we’re introduced to the rabid, ridiculous, and often raucous Freakazoid, a mad monster of modern technology that was then just something of a foreign concept. Dexter Douglas is a computer geek who was transported in to the digital world after typing in a complicated secret code on his computer and became the blue maniacal superhero Freakazoid. Filled with Jerry Lewis impressions, absurd humor, and references to classic and obscure films, Freakazoid is a superhero who gets the job done.
He’s one part Spider-Man, one part Andy Kaufman, and one part the Flash who takes it upon himself to reduce his villains to tears of insanity from his thwarting of their evil convoluted deeds and is not above yelling at them if they’re insistent on turning beavers in to gold or something. He also loves to scare children by telling them the story of Candle… you know what… and will literally stop in the middle of an adventure to pander to the Emmies or explain what Toyetic means! Freakazoid is one of my favorite animated characters of all time.
3. Yakko Warner
Many people tend to prefer Wakko Warner because he’s the Harpo of the Warner brothers and sister Dot. He has the props, the dialect, his own language, his reckless sense of humor, his own special outfit, and his physical gags that know no bounds. But in the end I’ve always found Yakko to be the better of the trio for the fact that this smart ass tends to appreciate fellow smart asses. Yakko as a rule is a smart ass tried and true, and he’s definitely the Groucho of the Warner Trio, the young man who can drive anyone to the brink of insanity with his comebacks and elicit suicidal behavior on even the most stone faced villains only because he demands such stern attention whenever he comes face to face with a force of evil threatening to ruin the bond that he shares with his brother and sister.
He declares everything on the show setting the stage for the running gags on the series and yes, he even chooses who gets to be their “special friend” when a cantankerous presence calls for their brand of torture and pure demented antics. And who can forget his knack for voices and disguises? If this figure ever existed in real life I’d definitely have to have a conversation with him. After five minutes I’ve run off screaming of course, but that’s okay; it’s why I adore the fellow.
2. Homer Simpson
When “The Simpsons” first premiered on FOX, Bart Simpson was given the spotlight for a long time what with his youth, ability to get in to all sorts of mischief and his catch phrases. But when I was a kid, my loyalty always stuck true to Homer, because let’s be honest here: Even though Bart gets the focus, Homer is the prime character upon which all the best episodes are based on. Who vs. The Monorail? Who saw the alien in the woods? Who was a hippy? Who is featured in a heartbreaking episode where he meets his long thought dead mother after forty years?
Homer, that’s who, and as a legacy, he’s inspired a range of well meaning but oafish fathers with a heart of gold from Peter Griffin to Doug from King of Queens. Don’t deny it. Homer is one of my all time favorite cartoon characters and his unabashed take on everything he holds dear from beer to donuts to anything he can consume without dying, has been one of the reasons why I watch even the worst of the series episodes. I love the guy from his blank gaze, his salivating declaration of lust, and his “D’Oh!” that keep him number one in the Simpsons universe in spite of Bart always grabbing the attention in the end.
1. Bugs Bunny
Because of Bugs and his pals I learned about rag time tunes, show tunes, Broadway melodies, classical music, opera music, and even classic movie stars from the thirties and forties, and I’m not ashamed to admit that. And because of Bugs Bunny, I learned how to hone my impressions of celebrities and other people while also realizing that not everything needs to be taken so seriously. I’ve probably spent more time watching Bugs Bunny cartoons than I have watching anyone else’s (maybe Homer is tied) and that’s because of Mel Blanc’s timeless voice work with the combined talents of animation wizards who brought Bugs to life.
From Tex Avery’s trickster, to Robert McKimson’s surreal hero, to Chuck Jones’ sly little devil who always outsmarted the bad guy, Bugs Bunny was the epitome of a hero in his heyday. He could be anyone, he could live in any time period, and in spite of being an outcast in most social circles, he showed that he was smarter than the average Joe. Meanwhile he was also much of a prima donna, but we loved him for it anyway, because he had style and yes, he had the musical talents to really prove his worth in the animated world.
Outshining the likes of Mickey Mouse, Roger Rabbit, and some Tex Avery rip offs, Bugs could go toe to toe with anyone in the Warner Tooniverse and almost always come out ahead. Except for the Tortoise. You see Bugs was always too cocky to defeat him in the shorts. Bugs taught me so much as a character and he’s the primary reason I can sing or recognize most music from the thirties and forties. You have to love him, because he’s Bugs Bunny.