Pepper Ann
Encyclopedia
Pepper Ann is an American animated series created by Sue Rose and aired on ABC
. It debuted on September 13, 1997.
Pepper Ann starred cartoon adolescents and charted their ups and downs at Hazelnut Middle School. It aired as part of the Disney's One Saturday Morning block. The character originated in a comic strip published in YM magazine
.
Pepper Ann's best friends are Milo Kamalani, a very eccentric, highly dramatic artist; and Nicky Little, a soft-spoken, overachieving aspiring violinist. Other fellow students at Hazelnut Middle School include rich and spoiled Trinket, German boy Dieter Liederhosen, popular airhead Cissy, gossipy twins Tessa and Vanessa, Nicky's boyfriend, the RC car
-racing "nerd" Stewart Walldinger, and the cool 8th-grader, Craig Bean. Pepper Ann has no real enemies except Principal Hickey, a tough disciplinarian with zero tolerance for Pepper Ann's shenanigans, Wayne Macabre, an annoying radio DJ, and Alice Kane, an uppity snob who refers to her as "P. Ann". As well, Pepper Ann usually receives advice from her conscience in the form of her reflection. She gets into mild vocal quarrels with her reflection and her feminist mother, Lydia Pearson, although Lydia usually gives the moral at the end. Pepper Ann's father is seen only in a few episodes in his entirety. We know, however, that he was English, and divorced Lydia (although the two remain on good terms) when the girls were young. Lydia, in turn, embraces her divorcee, single-mom identity with great gusto, and encourages Pepper Ann to be as proudly independent as she is, although she does keep a curfew on Pepper Ann. Further support is given by Lydia's sister, Janie Diggety, an ex-Green Beret, and Pepper Ann's tomboyish deep-voiced younger sister, Moose.
The show's plots were generally typical of the developing format that has risen out of federal E/I
requirements: Pepper Ann is presented with a moral dilemma, chooses the wrong decision, faces the consequences and learns a moral lesson. The series was mostly rated TV-Y. However, the Season 1 finale, "In Support of," raised controversy. In the episode, Pepper Ann is told she would need "support" to jump on the trampoline. Thinking the teacher meant "breast support," a paranoid, still flat-chested and seemingly unready Pepper Ann is convinced she now needs a bra
. When at the trampoline, and asked where her "support" was, Pepper Ann flashes the class
, (her bra) although it is only seen in shadow. (The gag is that by "support," the instructor meant a "support buddy
.") That episode was rated TV-Y7.
At the end of the opening sequence, she always finds something different under her desk (similar to The Simpsons'
couch gag), such as a mood ring or maracas (also the letter Q in the episode "Vanessa Less Tessa", a glowing green stick in the episode "Hazelnut's Finest", a singing Dieter doll in the episode "Presenting Stewart Waldinger", Mardi Gras beads, and her [Pepper Ann's] remote control in the episode "Radio Freak Hazelnut".) ; in season one, she always finds "five bucks
".
One of the original segments of "One Saturday Morning", Pepper Ann was a hit with audiences. Pepper Ann was formerly shown on Toon Disney
.
Pepper Ann and Lydia make a cameo appearance at the House of Mouse episode The Stolen Cartoons. They are the only Walt Disney Television Animation
characters to ever appear on House of Mouse, who only used characters from Disney's features and classic shorts (and sometimes comics). Lydia says "Don't touch the villain, dear," to Pepper Ann after Pete falls out of the sky after being kicked out of the club.
programming block in 2000. It then moved to the Disney Channel
, and eventually moved to Toon Disney
, now called Disney XD
. This is the last time Pepper Ann has been seen on any cable channel in the US. It returned to Disney Channel Portugal on April 11th, 2011. It is unknown at this time if it will return in the US. Disney currently has no intention to release "Pepper Ann" on DVD.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. It debuted on September 13, 1997.
Pepper Ann starred cartoon adolescents and charted their ups and downs at Hazelnut Middle School. It aired as part of the Disney's One Saturday Morning block. The character originated in a comic strip published in YM magazine
YM (magazine)
YM was an American teen magazine that began in 1932. It was published for 72 years and was the second-oldest girls' magazine in the United States...
.
Description
The show centers on the titular character, Pepper Ann Pearson, a 12-year-old girl whose emotions come out in fantasies. The show was designed to be a "different sort" of girl's cartoon, and features many strong-willed female characters who aggressively reject the idea of passive femininity.Pepper Ann's best friends are Milo Kamalani, a very eccentric, highly dramatic artist; and Nicky Little, a soft-spoken, overachieving aspiring violinist. Other fellow students at Hazelnut Middle School include rich and spoiled Trinket, German boy Dieter Liederhosen, popular airhead Cissy, gossipy twins Tessa and Vanessa, Nicky's boyfriend, the RC car
Radio-controlled car
Radio-controlled cars are self-powered model cars or trucks that can be controlled from a distance using a specialized transmitter...
-racing "nerd" Stewart Walldinger, and the cool 8th-grader, Craig Bean. Pepper Ann has no real enemies except Principal Hickey, a tough disciplinarian with zero tolerance for Pepper Ann's shenanigans, Wayne Macabre, an annoying radio DJ, and Alice Kane, an uppity snob who refers to her as "P. Ann". As well, Pepper Ann usually receives advice from her conscience in the form of her reflection. She gets into mild vocal quarrels with her reflection and her feminist mother, Lydia Pearson, although Lydia usually gives the moral at the end. Pepper Ann's father is seen only in a few episodes in his entirety. We know, however, that he was English, and divorced Lydia (although the two remain on good terms) when the girls were young. Lydia, in turn, embraces her divorcee, single-mom identity with great gusto, and encourages Pepper Ann to be as proudly independent as she is, although she does keep a curfew on Pepper Ann. Further support is given by Lydia's sister, Janie Diggety, an ex-Green Beret, and Pepper Ann's tomboyish deep-voiced younger sister, Moose.
The show's plots were generally typical of the developing format that has risen out of federal E/I
E/I
E/I, which stands for "educational and informative," refers to a type of children's television programming shown in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission requires that every full-service Terrestrial television station in the U.S. show at least three hours of these television...
requirements: Pepper Ann is presented with a moral dilemma, chooses the wrong decision, faces the consequences and learns a moral lesson. The series was mostly rated TV-Y. However, the Season 1 finale, "In Support of," raised controversy. In the episode, Pepper Ann is told she would need "support" to jump on the trampoline. Thinking the teacher meant "breast support," a paranoid, still flat-chested and seemingly unready Pepper Ann is convinced she now needs a bra
Brassiere
A brassiere is an undergarment that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting breasts....
. When at the trampoline, and asked where her "support" was, Pepper Ann flashes the class
Exhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within museums, galleries and exhibition halls, and World's Fairs...
, (her bra) although it is only seen in shadow. (The gag is that by "support," the instructor meant a "support buddy
Buddy system
The buddy system is a procedure in which two people, the "buddies", operate together as a single unit so that they are able to monitor and help each other.-Advantages:...
.") That episode was rated TV-Y7.
At the end of the opening sequence, she always finds something different under her desk (similar to The Simpsons'
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
couch gag), such as a mood ring or maracas (also the letter Q in the episode "Vanessa Less Tessa", a glowing green stick in the episode "Hazelnut's Finest", a singing Dieter doll in the episode "Presenting Stewart Waldinger", Mardi Gras beads, and her [Pepper Ann's] remote control in the episode "Radio Freak Hazelnut".) ; in season one, she always finds "five bucks
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
".
One of the original segments of "One Saturday Morning", Pepper Ann was a hit with audiences. Pepper Ann was formerly shown on Toon Disney
Toon Disney
Toon Disney was an American cable television channel owned by The Walt Disney Company. A spinoff of Disney Channel, it mostly aired children's animated series and some live action programming. Its format had similarities to those of Cartoon Network and Nicktoons...
.
Pepper Ann and Lydia make a cameo appearance at the House of Mouse episode The Stolen Cartoons. They are the only Walt Disney Television Animation
Walt Disney Television Animation
Disney Television Animation is an American animation studio that is the TV animation production arm of the Disney-ABC Television Group, owned by The Walt Disney Company, dedicated to creating, developing and producing animated television series, films, specials and other projects.Established in...
characters to ever appear on House of Mouse, who only used characters from Disney's features and classic shorts (and sometimes comics). Lydia says "Don't touch the villain, dear," to Pepper Ann after Pete falls out of the sky after being kicked out of the club.
Voice actors
- Kathleen WilhoiteKathleen WilhoiteKathleen Wilhoite is an American film and television actress, as well as a singer-songwriter. She also voiced the title character in the animated series Pepper Ann...
: Pepper Ann Pearson, the protagonist of the series - Clea LewisClea LewisClea Lewis is an American actress, best known for her television role as Ellen's annoying friend Audrey Penney in Ellen DeGeneres' sitcom Ellen.- Other notable roles :...
: Nicky Little, Pepper Ann's best friend - Danny CookseyDanny CookseyDanny Cooksey is an American singer, actor and voice actor. He has been in show business since he was very young and is best remembered for playing the roles of Sam McKinney on the last years of the TV show Diff'rent Strokes and Robert "Bobby" Budnick on the Nickelodeon program, Salute Your...
: Milo Kamalani, the other Pepper Ann's best friend - April WinchellApril WinchellApril Terri Winchell is an American actress, writer, voice actor, talk radio host, and commentator. She is the daughter of the late Paul Winchell.-Acting:...
: Lydia Pearson / Grandma Lilly / Ms. Stark - Pamela Segall: Margaret Rose "Moose" Pearson, Pepper Ann's young sister
- Don AdamsDon AdamsDon Adams was an American actor, comedian and director. In his five decades on television, he was best known as Maxwell Smart in the television situation comedy Get Smart , which he also sometimes directed and wrote. Adams won three consecutive Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Smart...
: Principal Hickey - Susan TolskySusan TolskySusan Tolsky is an American actress and voice actress, perhaps best known for her appearances on Here Come the Brides and The Buzz on Maggie.-Career:...
: Aunt Jainie Lilly Diggety - Tino InsanaTino InsanaTino Insana is an American actor, voice actor, writer, and film producer from Chicago, Illinois.Insana's highly-distinguishable voice has been featured in many animated television series, most notably Disney's Darkwing Duck as Dr. Reginald Bushroot and Bobby's World as Bobby's Uncle Ted...
: Uncle Jo Jo Diggety - Jeff Bennett: Dieter Lederhosen /Pink-Eyed Pete/ Craig Bean
- Jenna von OyJenna von OÿJenna von Oÿ is an American actress and country music singer best known for her roles as Six LeMeure on the NBC series Blossom, and Stevie van Lowe on the UPN sitcom The Parkers.-Early life and career:...
: Trinket St. Blair - Kath SoucieKath SoucieKatherine Elaine Soucie is an American voice actress. She is sometimes credited as Kath Soucie, Katherine Soucie, Kath Souci, Kath E...
: Cissy Rooney / Mrs. Little - Cree SummerCree SummerCree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
: Tessa & Vanessa James - Tara Charendoff-Strong: Brenda
- Cam ClarkeCam ClarkeCameron Arthur "Cam" Clarke is a prolific American voice actor and singer, well known for his work in animation and video games. Clarke is well known for providing the voices of Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 original English-dub of Akira. He often voices...
: Stewart Waldinger - Kimmy RobertsonKimmy RobertsonKimmy Robertson is an American actress best known for her role as Lucy Moran in the TV series Twin Peaks. She was married to John Christian Walker from January 18, 2003 to September 27, 2004....
: Gwen Mezzrow - Candi MiloCandi MiloCandi Milo is an American voice actress and singer. She voiced many different animated characters such as the voice of Jacobo on Disney's The Replacements, Coco, Madame Foster and Cheese on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Irma Lair on Disney's W.I.T.C.H., lead character Maya Santos on Maya &...
: Constance Goldman - Adam WylieAdam WylieAdam Augustus Wylie is an American television and motion picture actor, as well as a Broadway musical performer and a former Crayola spokesman.-Early life:...
: Crash - Karen DuffyKaren DuffyKaren Duffy is an American model, television personality, and actress.-Early life:Duffy was born in New York City, the daughter of Carol, a homemaker, and Phil Duffy, a developer. She attended Park Ridge High School in Park Ridge, New Jersey, graduating in 1979...
: Sketch - Jim CummingsJim CummingsJames Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal...
: Mr. Carter - Don LakeDon LakeDon Lake is a Canadian actor, film and television writer, and television producer. He is frequently cast by director Christopher Guest, and is also a close friend and the collaborative partner of Bonnie Hunt....
: Mr. Finky - Kathy NajimyKathy NajimyKathy Ann Najimy is an American actress, most notable as Olive Massery on the television series Veronica's Closet, Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act and the voice of Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill. Prior to her film work, she was best known for two Off Broadway shows...
: Coach Doogan - James AveryJames L. Avery, Sr.James L. Avery, Sr. is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of the patriarch and attorney Philip Banks in the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, whom Will Smith's character affectionately called "Uncle Phil." This character was ranked #34 in TV Guides "50 Greatest TV Dads of All...
: Mr. Clapper - Maurice LaMarcheMaurice LaMarcheMaurice LaMarche is an Emmy Award winning Canadian-American voice actor and former stand up comedian. He is best known for his voicework in Futurama as Kif Kroker, as Egon Spengler in The Real Ghostbusters, Verminous Skumm and Duke Nukem in Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Big Bob Pataki in Hey...
: Chuck Pearson - Brittany MurphyBrittany MurphyBrittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
: Tank the 8th grader
Season 1: 1997-1998
- Ziterella (Originally Aired 9/13/1997) - Pepper Ann has been noted for bad pictures every picture day. Worse, she gets a big zit on her face before picture day and is too embarrassed to even buy pimple cream.
- Romeo and Juliet / Food Barn (Originally Aired 9/20/1997)
- Old Best Friend / Crunch Pod (Originally Aired 9/27/1997) Pepper Ann's old best friend visits, but she realizes they have nothing in common anymore.
- Psychic Moose / Doll and Chain (Originally Aired 10/4/1997)
- Megablades of Grass / Family Vacation (Originally Aired 10/11/1997)
- The Big Pencil / Sani-Paper (Originally Aired 10/18/1997)
- Uniform Uniformity / Snot Your Mother's Music (Originally Aired 10/25/1997)
- The Environ Mentals (Originally Aired 11/8/1997)
- Crush and Burn / Soccer Season (Originally Aired 11/15/1997)
- Thanksgiving Dad (Originally Aired 11/22/1997)
- Sketch 22 / Manly Milo (Originally Aired 1/10/1998)
- Have You Ever Been Unsupervised / The Unusual Suspects (Originally Aired 1/17/1998)
- Nicky Gone Bad / In Support of (Originally Aired 11/1/1997 / 1/24/1998) / Pepper Ann gets a bra after being told to have support on the trampoline.
Season 2: 1998-1999
- Quiz Bowl / License to Drive (Originally Aired 9/12/1998)
- Cocoon Gables / Green-Eyed Monster (Originally Aired 9/19/1998)
- Hazelnut's Finest / Cat Scan (Originally Aired 9/26/1998)
- An OtterBiography / GreenSleeves (Originally Aired 10/3/1998)
- Vanessa Less Tessa / Peer Counsellor P.A. (Originally Aired 10/10/1998)
- A 'Tween Halloween / Mash into Me (Originally Aired 10/31/1998)
- Presenting Stewart Waldinger / Pepper Ann's Life in a Nutshell (Originally Aired 11/14/1998)
- Like Riding a Bike (Originally Aired 11/28/1998)
- Radio Freak Hazelnut / Framed (Originally Aired 11/7/1998 / 12/5/1998)
- Portrait of the Artist as a Young Milo / The Sisterhood (Originally Aired 12/12/1998)
- Impractical Jokes / Cold Feet (Originally Aired 12/26/1998)
- Doppelganger Didi / Pepper Ann's Day Off-Kilter (Originally Aired 1/9/1999)
- A No Hair Day / That's My Dad (Originally Aired 1/16/1999)
Season 3: 1999-2000
- You Oughta Be in Musicals (Originally Aired 9/11/1999)
- Dances with Ignorance / Girl Power (Originally Aired 9/18/1999)
- Beyond Good and Evel / One of the Guys (Originally Aired 9/25/1999)
- The Wash-Out / Def Comedy Mom (Originally Aired 11/6/1999)
- The First Date Club / Unicycle of Life (Originally Aired 11/13/1999)
- A Kosher Christmas (Originally Aired 12/18/1999)
- Effie Shrugged / Mom Knows What P.A. Did Two Nights Ago (Originally Aired 1/15/2000)
- The Spanish Imposition / Single Unemployed Mother (Originally Aired 1/22/2000)
Season 4: 2000
- Burn, Hazelnut, Burn / Career Daze (Originally Aired 2/6/2000)
- G.I. Janie / Miss Moose (Originally Aired 2/7/2000)
- Pepper Shaker / Flaw and Order (Originally Aired 2/8/2000)
- Baggy Bean Buddies / The Beans of Wrath (Originally Aired 2/9/2000)
- The Velvet Room (Originally Aired 2/10/2000)
- One Angry Woman (Originally Aired 2/11/2000)
- The Sellout / The Telltale Fuzzy (Originally Aired 2/13/2000)
- A Valentine's Day Tune (Originally Aired 2/14/2000)
- Sammy's Song / Permanent Record (Originally Aired 2/15/2000)
- Live and Let Dye (Originally Aired 2/16/2000)
- Remote Possibilities / Considering Constance (Originally Aired 2/17/2000)
- To Germany with Love (Originally Aired 2/18/2000)
- Bye, Bye Trinket / P.A.'s Pop Fly (Originally Aired 2/20/2000)
- My Mother, Myself (Originally Aired 2/21/2000)
- The Amazing Becky Little (Originally Aired 2/22/2000)
- The Untitled Milo Kamalani Project / Guess Who's Coming to the Theater (Originally Aired 2/23/2000)
- The Great Beyond / Jaybirds of a Feather (Originally Aired 2/25/2000)
- The Way They Were (Originally Aired 2/27/2000)
Season 5: 2000-2001
- The One with Mr. Reason / Sense and Senselessness (Originally Aired 9/9/2000)
- Dear Debby / Reality Bytes (Originally Aired 11/15/2001 / 9/16/2000)
- Complementary Colors (Originally Aired 11/4/2000)
- Searching for Pepper Ann Pearson / Forging Ahead (Originally Aired 11/19/2001 / 9/16/2000)
- Carmelo / Too Cool to Be Mom (Originally Aired 9/23/2000 / 11/20/2001)
- The Merry Lives of Pepper Ann (Originally Aired 11/5/2000)
- Strike It or Not / Moose in Love (Originally Aired 9/23/2000 / 11/23/2001)
- Two's Company / A is for Average (Originally Aired 11/26/2001 / 11/6/2000)
- The Spice of Life / Alice Kane Went Down to Calcutta (Originally Aired 11/12/2000 / 11/6/2000)
- T.G.I.F. / Zen and the Art of Milo (Originally Aired 11/12/2000 / 11/30/2001)
- The Word / The Perfect Couple (Originally Aired 11/21/2001)
- That's My Mama Destructo / Unhappy Campers (Originally Aired 11/27/2001)
- The Finale (Originally Aired 11/28/2001)
Reruns
While appearing on Disney's One Saturday Morning, Pepper Ann was syndicated on UPN's Disney's One TooDisney's One Too
Disney's One Too was a weekday and Sunday morning children's programming block on UPN, it was a spinoff of Disney's One Saturday Morning, and resembled The Disney Afternoon.-History:...
programming block in 2000. It then moved to the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
, and eventually moved to Toon Disney
Toon Disney
Toon Disney was an American cable television channel owned by The Walt Disney Company. A spinoff of Disney Channel, it mostly aired children's animated series and some live action programming. Its format had similarities to those of Cartoon Network and Nicktoons...
, now called Disney XD
Disney XD
Disney XD is a brand of children's TV channels worldwide targeting young males, owned by The Walt Disney Company. The channel was formerly known as Toon Disney and/or Jetix in most areas. According to Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, "XD" does not "stand for...
. This is the last time Pepper Ann has been seen on any cable channel in the US. It returned to Disney Channel Portugal on April 11th, 2011. It is unknown at this time if it will return in the US. Disney currently has no intention to release "Pepper Ann" on DVD.