CHUCK JONES

I was one of those kids who didn't put up a struggle when it came time to wake up and get ready for school. I liked it. My brother and sister, however, did not. So while I waited for them to get ready, I'd sit in front of the television. What was on? News at first. Then Looney Tunes. That's what I dug. That's what my dad dug. Sure, he'd gander at the morning headlines. It was part of his duty as a grown-up. But as soon as they cut to the secondary stories, my dad and I would change the channel and laugh our sleepy asses off watching Bugs, Daffy and the gang outrun, outwit, and out-hit each other. It was simple enough to entertain my child mind, and mature enough to entertain my dad's adult one. Those Looney Tunes cartoons were a big part of my childhood. They contributed a great deal to who I am, and what I do. If it weren't for them, I might not be as creative-minded as I am, and I might not have this insatiable desire to entertain the world. And if it weren't for the man in the picture above, animation legend Chuck Jones, those cartoons might not have been as genius as they turned out to be. It makes me rather sad to write this, a tribute to this great man's life, which came to an unfortunate end Friday, February 22. I always hoped to meet him someday, and thank him for making me laugh so damn much. I'm sure there are a million people out there like me, who had hoped to do it, too.