The Man They Call J.Lu
When wading through the program of this year's Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation there was one short that stuck out. Mama I'm A Thug is a hysterically funny piece about suburban white kids who want to be "gangstas" until they are treated like "gangstas". The short is witty, insightful, and like very little I'd ever seen before. Although, it does remind one of Mike"Beavis and Butthead" Judge (who also got his start at Spike and Mike's), although partly in style, it's more in the air of success that exudes from the short. There's great things to come from this man. What follows is an interview with that short's creator, the man they call J.Lu.

Newmoanyeah:		Who are you, where were you born, and what do you do?
Jim Lujan:		Jim Lujan, born in Los Angeles (that's in California) and I make animated films, make music, and I'm a Virgo.

NMY:		Why do you make cartoons that are about these people? Lot's of wannabe's and neverwas's. What's the attraction?
JLu:		Easy Targets. The "thug life" cartoons are just a fraction of the stuff I've done (lots of them aren't online). I like making fun of all walks of life.... rich, poor, right wing, left wing, every kind of wing. Upper middle class wanna-be thugs are just fun to bag on.
NMY:		Of course. So... you hate white people?
JLu:		I'm Mexican but I'm such an Oreo, my name should be Double-Stuff.
NMY:		So.. you hate cookies?
JLu:		Not the Fig Newtons. I'm ok with the Newtons.
NMY:		Fig Newton's not a cookie. It's a Fig Newton, dawg. Who are your idols?
JLu:		I really like Andy Kaufman, Peter Sellers, Will Ferrell... Chris Elliot's funny, too. That Quentin Tarantino... that kid has a future. He should keep it up, one day he'll break through.
NMY:		What about in animation?
JLu:		I think that Samurai Jack is the best animation on TV right now Genndy Tartakovsky is the man. But, as an influence, I'd say Mike Judge. I saw his stuff in Spike and Mike's a few years back, and was completely motivated to create my own animation. I love his work. Simple animation is the best.
NMY:		And you've followed in Judge's footsteps, what with getting your big shot with Mama I'm A Thug at Spike and Mike's. How's that feel?
JLu:		Feels good. The audience reaction was great... I was really happy. It makes me want to do more cartoons and play more fests.
NMY:		So what about your music? You seem to have been quite prolific in that art form as well.
JLu:		Yeah, I write the songs and play the instruments on most of my stuff. Nissim Leon, is my movie theme song singer. He's a longtime collaborator of mine. He's my superstar. I'm the Captain and he's Tenille. If we were Simon and Garfunkel... he would be Garfunkel... except he's not the tall one.
NMY:		Like Reuben and Clay.
JLu:		Yes, exactly like Reuben and Clay ... except we don't sing songs from Grease.
NMY:		Yet. So what's gonna happen from here for you? What're your goals (aside from the singing songs from Grease)?
JLu:		I want to be the pioneer that helps open up the American straight to DVD animated movie market for grown ups, like in Japan, doing the soundtrack for my movies too. I'm the P-Diddy of animation... I do it all.
NMY:		And then after that?
JLu:		I'm going to work on a project with Rerun, from What's Happening. Oh its going to be a big project. I can't wait.
NMY:		Dude. He's dead.
JLu:		... now crossing out one goal.

Jim Lujan's shorts can be found on his lower abdomen in the summertime, and online at www.jimlujan.com which is also where you can hear his music, read his blog, and learn more about him.

You can see Mama I'm A Thug at this year's Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation (Check the website for when it's coming to a town near you!) and of course online over at www.jimlujan.com.