Eds. note: This story is about underage sexual abuse, and may be disturbing, or triggering, for some readers.
In a BuzzFeed News article published yesterday, John Kricfalusi, the creator of Nickelodeon’s seminal cartoon The Ren & Stimpy Show, was accused of systematic sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of teenage girls over the course of his animation career. (This follows news that another Nickelodeon mainstay, Dan Schneider, was forced out at the network among rumblings of multiple complaints of abusive behavior and after Schneider, on a number of occasions, tweeted photos of the feet of his young female stars; Chris Savino, the showrunner of another Nickelodeon show, The Loud House, was fired last year over allegations of sexual misconduct and threats of retribution.)
The story cites the accounts of multiple women who were groomed by Kricfalusi, recruited to work with him at his studio, Spumco, and then preyed upon. Multiple sources in the story—some named, some anonymous—alleged that they had seen child and teen pornography on his computer. The reporter, Ariane Lange, also makes clear that Kricfalusi’s behavior was an open secret within animation — so open that “a girl he had been dating since she was fifteen years old” was referenced briefly in a book about the history of Ren & Stimpy.” She added: “The male artists said stories of how Kricfalusi sexually harassed female artists, including teenage girls, were known through the industry.”
An attorney, responding to allegations on Kricfalusi’s behalf,called the period “a time of mental and emotional fragility for Mr. Kricfalusi.” He went on to note that “over the years John struggled with what were eventually diagnosed mental illnesses in 2008” and that “since that time he has worked feverishly on his mental health issues.”
The story is, to put it mildly, infuriating and nauseating—two words not infrequently used by many viewers to describe Kricfalusi’s most famous creation. In the coming days, many of his fans on the Internet are likely, in fact, to joke about the matter by making exactly that point. Some will tweet images crossing Ren with Pedobear or Stimpy with Pepe the Frog. Some will use Kricfalusi’s mental health, which is also a serious issue, as a way to excuse him. Some will say his talent outweighs his alleged behavior. Some will even say his art redeems him, no matter the damage he has done.
Needless to say, it does not. And it should not be surprising that the perennial boys’ club that is the animation industry is the latest in a series of creative disciplines to undergo a reckoning over its failures to protect its own. If it is to be believed that Kricfalusi’s behavior was known and tolerated—and let us be abundantly clear that The Dot and Line will always, by default, operate under the assumption that victims are telling the truth—it is inevitable that reports of his alleged abuses will not be the last in the cartoon world. If anything, they are just the beginning. And it is the responsibility of all who care about this medium and those who work within it to ensure that the darkness at its center is brought to light and abolished from its confines. That includes us.
If you are a victim of a predator in the animation industry and wish to come forward—in private, anonymously, or publicly—The Dot and Line wants to listen. We want to hear your stories. Feel free to get in touch with us directly at evbandjhm@gmail.com. And know we remain committed to protecting you, without question, on your terms. We believe you, and we want to help.
— John Maher and Eric Vilas-Boas, editors
For survivors and their loved ones, the National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1–800–656–HOPE. If you’re looking for more resources, click here to navigate to RAINN.
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