Episode Details

From Fairly OddParents to preaching under a tree in a park — Butch Hartman's story is not what you'd expect. In this episode, cartoonist and animator Butch Hartman joins Greg Laurie for a conversation that moves between the drawing table, the studio boardroom, and the pulpit. Butch shares how he went from a chaotic childhood in Michigan to CalArts, Hanna-Barbera, and eventually creating one of Nickelodeon's longest-running animated series. We cover: - Learning to draw by tracing Disney films on a bathroom wall - The day Ted Turner turned Hanna-Barbera into Cartoon Network - Why Fred Flintstone has a 5 o'clock shadow (a real animation history lesson) - Coming to faith at 35 and what changed - Starting a church in a public park during COVID - Building his own studio and creating The Garden, an animated series for families - Honest thoughts on AI in animation Butch also talks about the pens he draws with, his favorite animated films, and the advice he'd give his younger self. Watch the full conversation and let us know in the comments which cartoon shaped your childhood. Timestamps 00:00 Prototype plush and the $8,000 Goofy maquette story 01:22 Meeting a fellow artist and Fairly OddParents' 18-year run 03:07 CalArts, Hanna-Barbera and the day Cartoon Network launched 05:16 How limited animation made TV cartoons possible 06:14 Discovering he could draw by tracing Peter Pan on a wall 07:41 Greg's chaotic childhood and the animator with the "magic pencil" 09:04 Butch's Michigan upbringing and retreating into cartoons 10:57 TV dads as father figures — Hugh Beaumont and Mike Brady 12:03 Yellow Dog, brush pens and Mad Magazine influences 16:17 Why caricaturing women is a bad idea 17:34 Drawing fast at Magic Mountain and switching to digital 19:13 First jobs: American Tail, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls 19:55 Seizing the pitch opportunity that changed everything 21:05 Writing letters to Charles Schulz as a kid 22:38 Getting saved at 35 at Crenshaw Christian Center 24:47 Starting Church in the Park during COVID 25:13 Preaching Esther on a whiteboard 26:24 The Garden: making a Christian cartoon nobody else would 28:52 Giving vs. the culture of self-worship 30:26 Why Nickelodeon won't touch overtly Christian content 31:50 Reaching unexpected people in unexpected places 34:42 Where Butch stands on AI in animation 37:27 Voice acting and playing Dr. Rip Studwell 38:49 Favorite movies and the greatest animated film ever 42:35 Human creativity, arrogance and the last days 44:47 Advice to a younger Butch: don't be afraid 46:13 Go-to Scriptures for anxiety and trust 47:01 An invitation to make Jesus Lord of your life 50:15 If God gives the vision, He'll give the provision 51:32 How Butch wants to be remembered___________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you for watching! Be sure to like and subscribe so you are notified as soon as a new video arrives. Get exclusive content on the Harvest+ Streaming App, including Harvest Films, TV shows and hundreds of messages from Pastor Greg Laurie. Available on Apple iOS, Android, Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Google TV, and Samsung TV! Watch here: https://watch.harvest.org/ To support the ministry of Pastor Greg Laurie and help us continue to reach people with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ, visit here https://harvest.org/donate/