"The Garbage Can Man Show: Half A Decade in the Making.
"The Garbage Can Man Show: Half A Decade in the Making.
By Preston Hazard
By Preston Hazard
When I was around fourteen years old, I remember watching an episode of "Ren and Stimpy". The title characters were interacting with a character named Powdered Toast Man, a walking, talking, superhero, made completely out of toast. I don't remember much of that episode, just that he kept trying to "save the day" in classic superhero fashion, but things would always go awry.
When I was around fourteen years old, I remember watching an episode of "Ren and Stimpy". The title characters were interacting with a character named Powdered Toast Man, a walking, talking, superhero, made completely out of toast. I don't remember much of that episode, just that he kept trying to "save the day" in classic superhero fashion, but things would always go awry.
I remember thinking how brilliant it was to create a basically useless superhero who only existed as a positive contribution to the fictional world in his own mind.
I remember thinking how brilliant it was to create a basically useless superhero who only existed as a positive contribution to the fictional world in his own mind.
Thus "The Garbage Can Man" was born. I had originally intended for him to act as a secondary character in my then current YouTube based web series "Davey the Dolphin". But I later decided to create a universe around him and two other characters...
Thus "The Garbage Can Man" was born. I had originally intended for him to act as a secondary character in my then current YouTube based web series "Davey the Dolphin". But I later decided to create a universe around him and two other characters...
Cue Dick and Peter Johnson. Two characters my parents were not keen on at that point in my life. Nonetheless, they became my all time favorite characters to work with.
Cue Dick and Peter Johnson. Two characters my parents were not keen on at that point in my life. Nonetheless, they became my all time favorite characters to work with.
From there I began creating alternating episodes. One with Garbage Can Man "attempting" to save the day, but ultimately leveling everything in his path. Then every other with the Johnson Brothers making seemingly random and obscene innuendos throughout.
From there I began creating alternating episodes. One with Garbage Can Man "attempting" to save the day, but ultimately leveling everything in his path. Then every other with the Johnson Brothers making seemingly random and obscene innuendos throughout.
I quickly got bored with working on episodes with the Garbage Can Man, and thus dropped him altogether in favor of working exclusively with the Johnson Brothers.
I quickly got bored with working on episodes with the Garbage Can Man, and thus dropped him altogether in favor of working exclusively with the Johnson Brothers.
Around this time I began my sophomore year in high school, and was approaching my sixteenth birthday. At this point in my life, I had extremely high-hopes for my little YouTube series, and began pitching every storyboard to Prime Video. Via their "Amazon Studios" site.
Around this time I began my sophomore year in high school, and was approaching my sixteenth birthday. At this point in my life, I had extremely high-hopes for my little YouTube series, and began pitching every storyboard to Prime Video. Via their "Amazon Studios" site.
I must have been rejected by Prime Video over one hundred times before they finally green-lit my hand-drawn, series for a one-season distribution-only deal. This was it, I was finally a television producer! The moment I had dreamt about since I was eleven years old had come true, and I was still an underclassman in high school.
I must have been rejected by Prime Video over one hundred times before they finally green-lit my hand-drawn, series for a one-season distribution-only deal. This was it, I was finally a television producer! The moment I had dreamt about since I was eleven years old had come true, and I was still an underclassman in high school.
I remember word spread quickly throughout my small rural high school, and from there the show took off... and it took off fast! One minute I was the weird kid in the back of the class room, who liked to draw and over share his life. The next, I was the creator of a rising adult animated Television series.
I remember word spread quickly throughout my small rural high school, and from there the show took off... and it took off fast! One minute I was the weird kid in the back of the class room, who liked to draw and over share his life. The next, I was the creator of a rising adult animated Television series.
Over half a decade later, I still get blown away when people remember The Garbage Can Man Show". I will always consider it to be the project that got me my start.
Over half a decade later, I still get blown away when people remember The Garbage Can Man Show". I will always consider it to be the project that got me my start.
Regardless of who you are, or where you live, you can make anything happen. Never be afraid to dream up something big. It's up to you to make that dream a reality!
Regardless of who you are, or where you live, you can make anything happen. Never be afraid to dream up something big. It's up to you to make that dream a reality!
Preston Hazard