Yakko's World/Cookies for Einstein/Win Big is the 2nd episode of the original Animaniacs. It originally aired on September 14, 1993.
Newsreel of the Stars
See also: Episode 1
- Animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co., Ltd.
Theme Song
Variable verse
Yakko, Wakko and Dot: Pinky and the Brain-ey!
Yakko's World
Animated By: Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Plot
Yakko sings a song set to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance about the nations of the world.
Crew
- Music: Traditional
- Lyrics: Randy Rogel
- Director: Rusty Mills
Songs
Trivia
- Rob Paulsen, Yakko's voice actor, recorded the song in one take.
- This song is a favorite Paulsen's, who performs it at various public events with rarely any mistakes. One notable performance occurred in the December 28, 2012 episode of his podcast Talkin' Toons, where he sung as Carl Wheezer from The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.
- The song misses over 40 nations, not including ones that were created after the song was written.
- "Yakko's World" has become a popular internet meme and arguably the most iconic song of the series, even being known by people who don't watch nor have heard of Animaniacs.
- Storyboard artist Brian Mitchell originally proposed to have Yakko wear a different hat for each country, to take the usage of the "Mexican Hat Dance" tune literally. Despite the research done and the finished boards, the idea was rejected in favor of just having Yakko point at the different countries.[1]
Goofs
Cookies for Einstein
Animated By: Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Plot
The Warners, in 1905 Switzerland, inadvertently help Albert Einstein discover the theory of relativity through their attempts to sell him cookies with The Acme Song.
Crew
- Written by Paul Rugg
- Directed by Alfred Gimeno
Songs
Trivia
- The theory of relativity that Einstein describes is actually the mass-energy conversion formula (e=mc2). This error is later referenced in the "Please Please Please Get a Life Foundation" cartoon.
- The Kid Scouts are a parody of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts (mostly Girl Scouts, due to the concept of selling cookies).
- This was the first short to feature the Warners in a different location and time period.
- When Einstein closes a window shade, the Warners appear on them, looking like Goombas from Nintendo's Super Mario franchise.
- In the first of the show's many Star Trek jokes, Wakko imitates Scotty saying, "I don't think he can take anymore, Cap'n."
- Clips from this segment were later used in the Arabic dub of the theme song opening.
Win Big
Animated By: Wang Film Production
Plot
The Brain wants to win $99,000 so he can finish his device to take over the world on the show Gyp-Parody with his human suit, but ultimately loses when he doesn't know what classic TV character was known for saying, "Bang! Zoom! Right in the Kisser!" (which Pinky does know).
Crew
- Story by Tom Ruegger
- Written by Peter Hastings
- Directed by Dave Marshall and Rusty Mills
Trivia
- This was the first Pinky and the Brain short produced and the first aired. Many of the familiar elements (such as the "are you pondering what I'm pondering?" and "Well I think so Brain" dialogue) were intended by writer Peter Hastings to be one-time gags, but supervising story editor Sherri Stoner convinced him to bring them back in future scripts.[2]
- This short is the first one in the series to not be a Yakko, Wakko, and Dot segment.
- This short introduces Pinky's nonsense words "Narf" and "Poit," as well as his exclamation, "Egad, Brain!"
- This would be the first Pinky and The Brain episode in which the plot focuses on the mice trying to finance their plan, as opposed to enacting the plan itself.
- Yakko, Wakko, and Dot make a cameo where they run on top of the taxi the Brain is taking, being chased by Ralph, beginning a literal running gag throughout the series.
- Gyp-Parody obviously parodies Jeopardy!
- This short features the first appearance of Brain's human suit, which was featured in various episodes of the spin-off. Writer Peter Hastings actually had a replica of the human suit in his office.[3]
- This episode is a parody of The Honeymooners episode "The $99,000 Answer", in which Ralph Kramden repeatedly tells Norton to stop playing the song "Swanee River," and then loses a game show over that song. Similarly, the Brain loses here over Ralph's famous catch phrase from The Honeymooners.
- Brain's Gyp-Parody answer about King Moshoeshoe I was largely historically accurate, and not just made up for the cartoon. There actually was a King Moshoeshoe I who ruled Lesotho.[4] However, he did not officially rule Lesotho by 1820 as Gyp-Parody suggested, with his reign beginning in 1822, the year Lesotho was officially united into one kingdom. However, Moshoeshoe I would become chief of Lesotho's Bamokotel tribe in 1820, which enabled him to establish a following. [5][6]
- Although Peter Hastings has stated that he always tried to have Brain threaten to hurt Pinky but never actually hit him (because he felt this was both funnier and truer to the character), Tom Ruegger and the other producers would often have Brain actually hit Pinky. Even in this very first short, the Brain does follow through.
- The shots of Brain opening the cage door, the mice walking across the table with Brain's folded behind his back, and the mice unfurling the blueprints would later be used in the title sequence of the Pinky and The Brain spin-off.
- This episode would be retold in the Animaniacs comic, but one difference is that Brain's human suit would be attired with a jacket and tie as opposed to the more formal tuxedo, which made somewhat better sense for going out in public during casual events.
Quotes
- Brain: Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?
- Pinky: I think so, Brain, but, where are we gonna find a duck and a hose at this hour?
- Brain: Honey, I'm home.
- Pinky: [Laughs] That's a funny joke, Brain!
- Brain: I am not devoid of humor.
Gallery
The plans for the Infindibulator.
Production Art
Animation cel
Wheel of Morality
Animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
The moral of the story is: "If at first you don't succeed, blame it on your parents."
Trivia
- This is the first Wheel of Morality segment.
- The Wheel of Morality is not just a parody of the Wheel of Fortune, but also a satire on the suggestions by the FCC to add some moral and educational value to children's shows.
Goofs
- Despite the wheel landing on the "2" mark, when the camera zooms out, it's shown to have landed in between the "Lose a Turn" and "1" marks.
Cast
| Voice Actors: | Character(s): |
|---|---|
| Rob Paulsen | Yakko Warner, Pinky, Alex Quebec, Announcer, Award Presenter |
| Jess Harnell | Wakko Warner, Alvey, Cabby |
| Tress MacNeille | Dot Warner, German Woman, Matilda |
| Paul Rugg | Albert Einstein |
| Maurice LaMarche | The Brain, Ralph Kramden, Announcer |
| Frank Welker | Narrator, Newsreader |
Transcript
References
- ↑ Brian Mitchell - "Yakko's World." Brian Mitchell's Sketchbook. Published October 25, 2007. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
- ↑ The Writers Flipped, They Have No Script Feature (Vol. 2 DVD)
- ↑ [citation needed]
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshoeshoe_I
- ↑ https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/king-moshoeshoe-i
- ↑ https://www.lesothoemb-usa.gov.ls/about-lesotho/