Mike Lazzo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mike Lazzo is the senior executive vice president in charge of Adult Swim at Williams Street Studios, the company that makes the Toonami, Miguzi, and Adult Swim programming blocks on Cartoon Network. His superior is Mark Lazarus, president of the Turner Entertainment Group. During college, Mike Lazzo was roommates with Barry Mills, the creator of TNT's The Rudy and Gogo World Famous Cartoon Show[1]. Mike Lazzo began his career working in the mailroom of TBS. In 1994 he helped create the first animated late night talk show Space Ghost: Coast to Coast for the Cartoon Network. Then in 1995, Lazzo's newly-named production company, Ghost Planet Industries, produced the first spin off from SGC2C, Cartoon Planet which debuted on TBS but later moved to Cartoon Network the following year.
For the 1999 season of SGC2C Ghost Planet Industries changed their name to Williams Street and later produced more non-Space Ghost-related cartoons such as Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Sealab 2021.
Lazzo invented the concept of a late-night program block of animation designed for adults and titled it "Adult Swim". Keith Crofford, Mike Lazzo's co-executive producer for all these shows since 1994, now shares his office with Lazzo. Mike Lazzo vets all Adult Swim scripts and no other executives have veto power.
[edit] References
- ^ Space Ghost Coast to Coast Volume 2 "Sharrock" Episode Commentary
- Wired 12.04 2004 Rave Awards - Mike Lazzo chosen for television award by Wired
- The edge of night: Adult Swim draws youth by breaking rules - YoungMoney article on The Boondocks (TV series) and Lazzo
- Swimming Against The Tide - FastCompany article about Lazzo
- An Interview with Mike Lazzo - IGN interview of Mike Lazzo
- Roadtrip Nation: Mike Lazzo - Roadtrip Nation interviews Mike Lazzo
