Now that I’ve gotten old, not much. But when I was young I believe my main inspiration was wanting to eat. If you would like to know how I thought the gags, well it isn’t easy. The only part about cartooning was when I had to think. In the morning I would say to myself Oh God here we go again. I didn’t like the thinking part at all. People asked me if I got my ideas from the people around me. If I did it was very seldom. One trick that gag writers use is to think of an object or activity, a situation and certain characters, put them together and see what happens. I didn’t specifically do that too much, but, for example I’d think “What if Sid had to go to a psychiatrist?” ok, then, “Why would he go there?” then “Because The Piranhas talked him into it.” “Why?” “Because Sid did something very weird.” “What did he do?” “He put money in the Widows and Orphans jar” “Why did he do that?” The answer to each of the questions would be form the basis for the daily gag.
I once read an interview with Stephen King. He said that his darkness within was his inspiration.
What inspires you?
Now that I’ve gotten old, not much. But when I was young I believe my main inspiration was wanting to eat. If you would like to know how I thought the gags, well it isn’t easy. The only part about cartooning was when I had to think. In the morning I would say to myself Oh God here we go again. I didn’t like the thinking part at all. People asked me if I got my ideas from the people around me. If I did it was very seldom. One trick that gag writers use is to think of an object or activity, a situation and certain characters, put them together and see what happens. I didn’t specifically do that too much, but, for example I’d think “What if Sid had to go to a psychiatrist?” ok, then, “Why would he go there?” then “Because The Piranhas talked him into it.” “Why?” “Because Sid did something very weird.” “What did he do?” “He put money in the Widows and Orphans jar” “Why did he do that?” The answer to each of the questions would be form the basis for the daily gag.
The Geneva Convention?