View source for George Liquor

{{short description|Cartoon character}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox character
| name = George Liquor
| image = George Liquor.png
| caption = George Liquor from ''[[The Ren & Stimpy Show]]''
| first = "[[List of The Ren & Stimpy Show episodes#Season 1 (1991–92)|Robin Höek]]" (1991)
| last = "[[John Kricfalusi#Cans Without Labels|Cans Without Labels]]" (2019)
| creator = [[John Kricfalusi]]
| based_on = Mike Kricfalusi
| voice = Harris Peet (1991)<br>[[Michael Pataki]] (1992–2010, 2019<ref>Pataki posthumously appears in the 2019 cartoon ''Cans Without Labels''; Kricfalusi recorded additional dialogue in the short.</ref>)<br>[[John Kricfalusi]] (2010–2019)
| species = Human
| spouse = Mable Liquor (Wife; deceased)
| gender = Male
| family = [[Jimmy The Idiot Boy]] (Nephew)<br>Slab (Nephew)<br>Ernie (Nephew)<br>Frank Liquor (Brother)<br>Mildrew Liquor (Sister-in-Law)
| religion = Christianity
| nationality = American
}}

'''George Liquor''' (often taking his [[epithet]] as '''George Liquor, American'''<ref name="story">{{cite web | last= Kricfalusi | first= John | author-link = John Kricfalusi |date=April 12, 2007 | title= George Liquor Storybible | url= http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2007/04/george-liquor-storybible.html | access-date= December 28, 2007}}</ref>) is a cartoon character created by [[John Kricfalusi]]. Liquor is most famous for his appearances on ''[[The Ren & Stimpy Show]]''. He is considered Kricfalusi's signature character and was a mascot for Kricfalusi's defunct animation studio, [[Spümcø]]. Kricfalusi portrayed George Liquor as a patriotic, outspoken, politically conservative blowhard.  Kricfalusi described Liquor as his favorite character to animate.<ref name="banned">{{cite web | last= Goodman | first= Martin |date=September 1, 2004 | title= "When Cartoons Were Cartoony:" John Kricfalusi Presents | url= http://www.awn.com/articles/drtoon/when-cartoons-were-cartoony-john-kricfalusi-presents | access-date= December 28, 2007}}</ref>

George Liquor was voiced by Harris Peet in his first starring episode of ''The Ren & Stimpy Show''.<ref name="bestfriendcredits">{{cite episode |title = Man's Best Friend (opening credits) |series = Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" |series-link = Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" |network = Spike TV |airdate = June 23, 2003 |season = 1 |number = Special}}</ref> Liquor was voiced by [[Michael Pataki]] until the latter's death in 2010 with his last voice work for the character posthumously featured in ''Cans Without Labels''. Kricfalusi has voiced the character himself subsequently.<ref name="voice">{{cite web | last= Kricfalusi | first= John | date= March 1, 2007 | title= Meet George Liquor – direct to video and online cartoons | url= http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/12/meet-george-liquor-direct-to-video-and.html | access-date= January 1, 2008}}</ref> George Liquor appeared in episodes of ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'', the episodes of ''[[The Goddamn George Liquor Program]]'', comic books, webcomics, internet cartoons, and advertisements.  According to Kricfalusi's blog, a new webtoon starring George was in development and to be sponsored by [[Pontiac Vibe]], but the series remained unreleased when the Pontiac Vibe was discontinued in 2009.<ref name="pontiac">{{cite web | last= Kricfalusi | first= John |date= March 20, 2008 | title= George Liquor Pilot Sketches | url= http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2008/03/george-liquor-pilot-sketches.html | access-date= April 14, 2008}}</ref>

==Personality==
Kricfalusi described George Liquor as "the greatest American"<ref name="story"/> who is so conservative "that he thinks the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] are [[Communism|commies]]".<ref name="name">{{Cite news | title= CLEFT-O-MANIA: Screen veteran Kirk Douglas is a big chin-spiration at Spumco Studios. | periodical= Film Threat| page= 34 | url= http://bp2.blogger.com/_mJ4lc_Q9Q6k/RvKaAeSh5RI/AAAAAAAAHz4/UT4bASa80ds/s1600-h/1403931279_c5abd637eb_o.jpg }}</ref> George harbors a deep antipathy for the [[Left-wing politics|political left]]; in one issue of Spümcø's ''Comic Book'', George Liquor becomes enraged after a fish calls him a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]].<ref name="dem">{{Cite comic | writer= Kricfalusi, John |cowriters= Richard Pursel | penciller= Smith, Jim  | inker=Glines, Shane | story=George Liquor's Fishing Show | title= Comic Book | volume=1 | issue=1 and 2 | date=1997| publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]] | page=50 | panel= }}</ref> According to Kricfalusi's "George Liquor Story Bible", George is a middle-aged, crass, religious, ultra-patriotic American who favors his nephew, [[Jimmy The Idiot Boy]],<ref name="story"/> and tries to teach Jimmy how to be a "real man".<ref>{{cite web | last = Turczyn | first = Coury | title = Looney 'Toons | date = January 25, 1996 | work = Metro Pulse | publisher = Pop Cult Magazine | url = http://www.popcultmag.com/obsessions/profilesingreatness/spumco/spumco1.html | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080214133613/http://popcultmag.com/obsessions/profilesingreatness/spumco/spumco1.html | archive-date = February 14, 2008 }}</ref>

Liquor lives in the fictional city of Decentville, USA.<ref name="pitchblog">{{cite web | last= Kricfalusi | first= John | date=October 31, 2007 | title= George liquor's cartoony type variety show | url= http://johnkpitch.blogspot.com/2007/10/george-liquors-cartoony-type-variety.html | access-date= December 30, 2007}}</ref> George strongly believes in discipline and [[corporal punishment]]; his motto is "it's discipline that begets love".<ref name="dem"/><ref name="bestfriend"/> In the two episodes of ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'' in which he starred, George treats Ren and Stimpy strictly and tries to make them as disciplined as possible.<ref name="bestfriend">{{cite episode |title = Man's Best Friend |series = Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" |series-link = Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon" |network = Spike TV |airdate = June 23, 2003 |season = 1 |number = Special}}</ref><ref name="dogshow">{{cite episode |title = Big Baby Scam/Dog Show |series = The Ren & Stimpy Show|series-link = The Ren & Stimpy Show |network = Nickelodeon |airdate = December 12, 1992 |season = 2 |number = 6}}</ref> In an issue of ''Comic Book'', Liquor questions how parents can love their children without [[spanking]] them.<ref name="dem"/>

==Creation==
George was created by Kricfalusi in 1979 immediately after Kricfalusi saw a building with a sign that read "George Liquor". Kricfalusi said that the name "George Liquor" was "the coolest name [he] ever heard".<ref name="name"/> According to Kricfalusi's blog, Kricfalusi's father greatly influenced the character's personality.  He said that both Liquor and his father are similar in that "George and my Dad believe strongly in discipline and order and rules. (Especially their own!)"<ref name="father">{{cite web | last= Kricfalusi | first= John | date=October 30, 2007 | title= Happy Birthday Dad! | url= http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2007/10/happy-birthday-dad.html | access-date= December 20, 2007}}</ref> Kricfalusi intended for George Liquor to be an integral character in ''The Ren & Stimpy Show''; Kricfalusi created Ren and Stimpy as Liquor's and Jimmy's pets.<ref name="master">{{Cite news | last= Rivera | first= Jason |date=April 2000 | title= An Interview with: John Kricfalusi | periodical= Chimera | issue= 4 | url= http://www.geocities.com/jasonchimera/Johnk | access-date= December 27, 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050517200704/http://www.geocities.com/jasonchimera/Johnk|archive-date=May 17, 2005}}</ref><ref name="whoswho">{{cite book| last = Lenburg| first = Jeff| title = Who's Who in Animated Cartoons| publisher = Hal Leonard| year = 2006| url = https://archive.org/details/whoswhoinanimate0000lenb| url-access = registration| quote = George Liquor unfunny.| isbn = 1-55783-671-X| page = [https://archive.org/details/whoswhoinanimate0000lenb/page/192 192]}}</ref>

==On ''The Ren and Stimpy Show''==
George Liquor's first official appearances were in episodes of ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'', a cartoon series that Kricfalusi created, sold to the television channel [[Nickelodeon]], and directed at his studio Spümcø. Liquor starred in the episodes "Dog Show" and "Man's Best Friend", and made brief cameos in the episodes "The Boy Who Cried Rat" and "Robin Höek".<ref name="name"/> According to Kricfalusi, Liquor only appeared in a few episodes because those in charge of Nickelodeon at the time hated the character.<ref name="master"/> ''Ren & Stimpy'' animator [[William Wray (artist)|Bill Wray]] described Liquor as a character that Nickelodeon "never liked" because the name "Liquor" both was a reference to [[Alcoholic beverage|alcohol]] and sounded like the words "lick her".<ref name=Wray93>"Bill Wray". ''David Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview'' No. 122. 1993.</ref>{{rp|7}} Wray said that Nickelodeon disapproved of George but did not forbid Kricfalusi from using the character.<ref name=Wray93 />{{rp|6}}

In one of Liquor's starring roles, in the episode "Dog Show", George put characters Ren and Stimpy through a painful process of making the two into perfect pets for a dog show.<ref name="dogshow"/> Before the episode was broadcast, it was censored so that George's last name, "Liquor", was cut from the soundtrack.<ref name="cut">{{cite book| last = Cohen| first = Karl| title = Forbidden Animation: Censored Cartoons and Blacklisted Animators in America| date = May 14, 2004| publisher = McFarland| isbn = 0-7864-2032-4| page = 149}}</ref> According to ''Forbidden Animation: Censored Cartoons and Blacklisted Animators in America'', Nickelodeon has not officially explained why the name "Liquor" was cut from broadcasting.<ref name="cut"/> Liquor's other major appearance, the episode "[[Man's Best Friend (The Ren & Stimpy Show)|Man's Best Friend]]", was banned from [[Nickelodeon]] and was not shown on television for years because of its content.<ref name="cut"/> In the episode, George makes threats and angry demands to Ren and Stimpy, and in the end of the episode, Ren beats George with an oar.<ref name="bestfriend"/> In addition to missing deadlines for Nickelodeon and making too many controversial cartoons,<ref name="fired">{{cite web | last= Houle | first= Zachary | title= John K on Montreal and Ottawa Locals and more... | url= http://www.tvparty.com/johnk.html | access-date= January 12, 2008}}</ref> Kricfalusi said that the episode "Man's Best Friend" was the episode of ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'' that got him and the Spümcø staff fired from the series.<ref name="banned"/> Kricfalusi said that "Man's Best Friend" was actually approved for broadcasting by both [[Standards and Practices]] and Nickelodeon administrators, but the Nickelodeon staff declined to broadcast the episode when network executives saw the finished product.<ref name="cut"/> Wray stated that the episode was "all finished and ready to go" before the cancellation.<ref name=Wray93 />{{rp|6}} The episode aired on Spike TV in 2003 as part of ''[[Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon"]]''.<ref name="banned"/> When Nickelodeon fired Kricfalusi, the network gave him the rights to use George Liquor because the network employees did not like the character.<ref name="master"/><ref name=Wray93 />{{rp|7}} The arrangement with the network also granted Kricfalusi the rights to Jimmy the Hapless Idiot Boy.<ref name="whoswho"/>

==In ''Comic Book''==
After Nickelodeon, George Liquor and Jimmy The Idiot Boy starred in '' Spümcø Comic Book'', a Spümcø-produced comic book series. The comic book series also had appearances of the various characters who regularly interacted with George and Jimmy.<ref name="comic2">{{cite web | title = Interviews: John Kricfalusi and Jim Smith | url= http://www.darkhorse.com/news/interviews.php?id=606 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061020000217/http://www.darkhorse.com/news/interviews.php?id=606 | archive-date= October 20, 2006 | access-date= January 1, 2008}}</ref> The series was launched at [[Marvel Comics]], but Kricfalusi decided to move the series to [[Dark Horse Comics]], as "Marvel wanted to maintain its corporate image, so we moved to Dark Horse, where they have no social conscience".<ref name="comic">{{cite press release| title =John Kricfalusi| publisher = DarkHorse.com| url =http://www.darkhorse.com/news/pressrelease.php?id=122| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20060103201227/http://www.darkhorse.com/news/pressrelease.php?id=122| archive-date =January 3, 2006| access-date =January 1, 2008}}</ref> The series was written and drawn by Spümcø co-founders Kricfalusi and Jim Smith and other members of the original Spümcø staff.<ref name="comic"/> While with Marvel, ''Comic Book'' was nominated for an [[Eisner Award]] for Best Humor Publication.<ref name="comic2"/> One story in the first issue of the Dark Horse's ''Comic Book'', ''George Liquor's Fishing Show'', was later made into a [[webcomic]] with sound that was featured on the Spümcø website.<ref name="webcomic">{{Cite news |date= December 1999 | title= Internet & Interactive | periodical= Animation World Magazine | volume= 4 | issue= 9 | url= http://www.awn.com/mag/issue4.09/4.09pages/4.09internet.php3| access-date= January 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020621113029/http://www.awn.com/mag/issue4.09/4.09pages/4.09internet.php3|archive-date=June 21, 2002}}</ref>

==On ''The Goddamn George Liquor Program''==
[[File:GeorgeLiquorTower.jpg|thumb|right|George Liquor being used in [[Adobe Flash|Macromedia Flash]] in a commercial for Tower Records.]]
George Liquor starred in the [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] Internet cartoon series ''[[The Goddamn George Liquor Program]]'', created by Kricfalusi.  Premiering on October 15, 1997,<ref name="wired97">{{cite news | title = In His Way, John K. Will Challenge the World | first= Jennifer |last=Sullivan |work= [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] | url = https://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/1997/10/7566 |access-date = January 1, 2008 | date=October 8, 1997 | archive-date= June 14, 2008 | url-status= dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080614213943/http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/1997/10/7566}}</ref><ref name="ads">{{cite web | title = John K's Guide to Surviving the End of Television | publisher = Cold Hard Flash| url = http://www.coldhardflash.com/2007/04/john-ks-guide-to-surviving-end-of.html |date = April 23, 2007 |access-date = January 1, 2008}}</ref> ''The Goddamn George Liquor Program'' was the first cartoon series to be produced exclusively for the Internet.<ref name="awardinfo">{{cite web | title = 27th Annual Annie Award Nominee Showcase: Goddamn George Liquor Program | publisher = AWM.com | url = http://www.awn.com/annieawards/george.php3 |access-date = December 14, 2007}}</ref> George appeared on the series with his nephew, [[Jimmy The Idiot Boy]]; Jimmy's cousins, Slab and Ernie; Jimmy's love interest, Sody Pop; and George and Jimmy's pet dog, Dirty Dog.  Without the control of a network, the series could be made as Kricfalusi wanted.<ref name="awardinfo"/> Spümcø produced eight one-minute shorts.<ref name="flashimation">{{cite web | title = Flashimation: The Context and Culture of Web Animation| url = http://old.siggraph.org/artdesign/gallery/S06/paper1.pdf |access-date = February 6, 2008}}</ref> In 1999, ''The Goddamn George Liquor Program'' won an [[Annie Award]] for "Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Interactive Production".<ref name="annie27">{{cite web | title = ASIFA-Hollywood's 27th Annual Annie Awards | publisher = ASIFA Hollywood | url = http://www.asifa-hollywood.org/annies99.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061206042542/http://www.asifa-hollywood.org/annies99.html | archive-date = December 6, 2006 |access-date = December 14, 2007}}</ref> The series spawned an online short called ''A George Liquor Christmas'', also starring him, Jimmy and Pop.

==In advertisements==
After being fired from ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'', John Kricfalusi used George Liquor in [[Adobe Flash|Macromedia Flash]] advertisements in hopes of creating a series with direct sponsorship without a network.<ref name="sponsor">{{cite web | last= Kricfalusi | first= John | date=December 11, 2006 | title= Direct Sponsorship 2  | url= http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/12/direct-sponsorship-2.html | access-date= January 1, 2008}}</ref> Kricfalusi began with free advertisements that he made for [[Tower Records (music retailer)|Tower Records]] in 1997.<ref name="ads"/><ref name="sponsor"/> George Liquor has been used in Kricfalusi's advertisements for [[Barq's|Barq's Root Beer]],<ref>{{youTube|ZqcEdU76M0w|<nowiki>You Want Some? | Barq's Root Beer | Spümcø</nowiki>}}</ref> the [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]], and the internet communication service Raketu. Recently,{{When|date=November 2019}} George Liquor has appeared in promos airing on [[Adult Swim]] advertising upcoming UFC fights along with other characters such as Slab N' Ernie and [[Hank Hill]].<ref name="ads"/> A series of cartoon commercials was developed by Kricfalusi in 2008 for [[Pontiac Vibe]] starring him,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2008/03/george-liquor-pilot-sketches.html |title=George Liquor Pilot Sketches |author=John Kricfalusi |date=March 20, 2008 |access-date=December 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105171445/http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2008/03/george-liquor-pilot-sketches.html |archive-date=January 5, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> but the series remained unreleased after [[General Motors]] discontinued the Pontiac Vibe auto line in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|first=Frank|last=Williams|date=June 18, 2009|title=Bye-Bye, Vibe|url=http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/bye-bye-vibe/|publisher=[[The Truth About Cars]]|access-date=June 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620051545/http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/bye-bye-vibe/|archive-date=June 20, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

==On ''Cans Without Labels''==
[[File:Cans_Without_Labels.webm|thumb|Here is a video of the short film ''Cans Without Labels'']]
George Liquor has a prominent role in the [[Kickstarter]]-crowdfunded short ''Cans Without Labels''. Originally intended for release in February 2013, production of the short was delayed up until its completion on August 6, 2017<ref name="web.archive.org">{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1056985656/john-ks-cans-without-labels/posts/1956205?ref=backer_project_update|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809040224/https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1056985656/john-ks-cans-without-labels/posts/1956205?ref=backer_project_update|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 9, 2017|title=John K's "Cans Without Labels" by John Kricfalusi — Kickstarter|date=August 9, 2017}}</ref> despite technical difficulties of the DVD mastering.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/annecyfestival/status/741632173049057280|title=Last minute: J. Kricfalusi has just informed us that Cans Without Labels won't be ready in time for #annecyfestival|first=Annecy|last=Festival|date=June 11, 2016}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=June 2020}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/john.kricfalusi.5/photos/a.342338955921402/1262671033888185/?type=3 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/342338899254741/1262671033888185 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|title=John Kricfalusi|via=Facebook}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=June 2020}} On May 27, 2019, John Kricfalusi announced the DVD masterings' completion<ref name="web.archive.org"/> and it is currently available on his MyShopify store online on DVD, with backers receiving the DVD's first shipments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://johnkstuff.com/products/cans-without-labels-dvd-1|title=Cans Without Labels – DVD|website=John K. Store}}</ref>
Based on Kricfalusi's childhood experience, the short details George purchasing unlabeled silver cans for a cheap price, and his attempts to feed them to his younger nephews, Slab and Ernie (voiced by [[Eric Bauza]] and Gabe Swarr). Despite believing that the can would contain beef stew, he opens it to find out that there was a face inside instead. In spite of Slab and Ernie's disgust, he still insists on feeding it to them. After some hesitation from the boys, George gives the two by the time he finishes using the bathroom to eat the entire face. Towards the end of the short, George appears with a belt, preparing to punish them, but notices the empty can (as a result of the two feeding the face to surprise guest Donald Bastard, a parody of [[Donald Duck]]) and congratulates them. To reward them, he offers to open another can, but Slab and Ernie run away at the last minute.

This short marked [[Michael Pataki]]'s final role due to his death on April 15, 2010, with the short being dedicated to his memory.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1056985656/john-ks-cans-without-labels|title=John K's "Cans Without Labels"|website=Kickstarter}}</ref> Because he was unable to complete his voice work before his death, Kricfalusi voiced the character for select scenes.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG2p3GuuzjU</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/ Creator John Kricfalusi's blog]
* [http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2007/04/george-liquor-storybible.html George Liquor Bible part 1]
* [http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2007/04/george-liquor-bible-2-more-characters.html George Liquor Bible part 2]

{{Spümcø}}
{{The Ren & Stimpy Show}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liquor, George}}
[[Category:The Ren & Stimpy Show characters]]
[[Category:Spümcø]]
[[Category:Nicktoon characters]]
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1991]]
[[Category:Animated characters introduced in 1991]]
[[Category:Fictional Republicans (United States)]]
[[Category:Male characters in animated television series]]
[[Category:Characters created by John Kricfalusi]]