Tuesday, August 09, 2022

'Rugrats' Writer Recalls Origin of Angelica’s Iconic Catchphrase

Joe Ansolabehere explains how Angelica's famous quote in Rugrats was affected by co-creator Arlene Klasky and the use of a certain word.


Rugrats writer Joe Ansolabehere recalls the origin of Angelica's most famous catchphrase. The hit Nickelodeon animated series originally premiered back in 1991 and went on to become one of the network's longest-running shows, airing a total of 172 episodes across nine seasons. Following the day-to-day lives of a group of toddlers, Rugrats observes how life experiences can become adventurous through the imaginative point-of-view of children. After generating praise from critics, as well as popularity among audiences, it spawned three theatrical films, spin-offs, including All Grown Up!, and a Rugrats reboot series that debuted on Paramount+ last year.

Fans of the show are familiar with the character of Angelica Pickles, the spoiled older cousin of main protagonist, Tommy. She is oftentimes portrayed as a rival of the babies, constantly manipulating them, and she has become the center of one of series' most compelling fan theories, in which the rest of the Rugrats were all figments of her imagination. Despite the role she played, and that co-creator Arlene Klasky did not not care much for her treatment of others, audiences still enjoyed the character and all of her audacious remarks. The most well known of Angelica Pickles' many catchphrases is "you dumb babies," a line that she repeats frequently and that has gone on to appear in a number of Rugrats merchandise.

Now, speaking with /Film, Ansolabehere reveals that Klasky actually ended up affecting the memorable Angelica quote. He says that the co-creator was concerned about the children watching, including her own, and she was angry with the word "stupid" being used in a script. He adds that even though the word was written as part of Angelica's quote, Klasky would not let it happen. Read what Ansolabehere says regarding the origin of the character's catchphrase below:

"We knew 'You stupid babies' was going to be Angelica's catchphrase and something that was going to be on T-shirts and make millions of dollars. But Arlene didn't want it [...] Nickelodeon wasn't saying we couldn't use stupid, it was Arlene."

Fans of both the show and the character can see Angelica Pickles in Paramount+'s Rugrats revival, also created by Klasky, in which she returns to pester the gang and is voiced once again by Cheryl Chase. While the animation itself is noticeably different, the new show retains much of original's spirit, and after one season, Angelica still looks to be up to no good. Those who watched the reboot were likely entertained by the first mention of her catchphrase, and with more episodes on the way, its inclusion will only increase.

Fans of the 1991 animated series might enjoy seeing Angelica and others in the reboot and experiencing the nostalgia that provides. Also, it is interesting to know about the cause related to a catchphrase such as hers, and worth wondering about how it would've been perceived in its original form. Audiences who still love Angelica Pickles and her feisty nature can look forward to more Rugrats soon.

Stream the classic and the all new CG-animated Rugrats series on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

Originally published: August 09, 2022.

Original source: ScreenRant.

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