Cartoons | Pop Culture | TV | 90s

12 Facts About 'Beavis And Butt-Head' That Will Take You Back To When MTV Was Great

During the heyday of MTV, the network began its "Liquid Television" lineup, full of cartoons for adults not unlike other big hits like The Simpsons. The best-remembered of these shows is definitely Beavis and Butt-Head, a show about two impossibly stupid teenagers who got into shenanigans.

The show was created by King of the Hill and Office Space director Mike Judge, and was one of the channel's most popular shows for years. We all love it, but did you know these 12 things about it?

The two lead characters are based on real people.

MTV

Mike Judge lived near a destructive 12-year-old who went by the title "Iron Butt" due to apparently feeling no pain when being kicked there. Judge and his friends nicknamed one of this kid's friends "Butt-head." A few doors down there was another boy named Bobby Beavis, who is apparently nothing like the character.

So is Beavis's laugh.

Mike Judge apparently based Beavis's hilarious laugh on a "nerdy straight-A student" he went to school with. The kid would apparently sit in the front of class and laugh with a grunt while biting his lip.

Someone who complained about the show inspired another Mike Judge character.

Fox

A man called to complain about the show, who apparently thought it was called "Porky's Butthole" and was talking so fast the creators couldn't understand him. This inspired the character of Boomhauer in King of the Hill.

Even politicians couldn't get its name right.

White House

During a 1993 U.S. Senate hearing on violence in television, Sen. Ernest F. Hollings infamously referred to Beavis and Butt-Head as "Buffcoat and Beaver." This was considered hilarious by fans, and was even mentioned in an episode.

It's Sir Patrick Stewart's favorite show. Really.

Paramount

That's right, Captain Jean-Luc Picard himself is a massive fan of the show. He's been quoted as saying "In time Beavis and Butt-head will become defined as a very, very significant part of American culture. It's brilliant. I've got all the tapes."

Keep reading for more crazy facts...

Their school is also based on Mike Judge's school.

MTV

Highland High School is based on the real Highland High School in New Mexico, which Mike Judge attended. Principal McVicker is based on his alcoholic band teacher.

The show ran into some legal problems.

MTV

The duo wear Metallica and AC/DC shirts in the original broadcast run, but this had to be changed in almost all the merchandise and re-releases because of copyright issues.

All of the things the opening narrator warns about actually happens to the duo.

Specifically, they get "hurt, expelled, arrested, and possibly deported," although Beavis is the only one who gets deported.

Burger World has a real-life inspiration, and a fictional one.

MTV

The logo for the chain is very obviously the McDonald's logo upside-down, but the name of the place actually comes from the Weird Al film UHF.

The duo actually delivered Judge's real criticisms on music videos.

Judge said he would amp-up the duo's intelligence for the music video scenes, and that their thoughts on them are his own. The worst review he could give a video was for the duo to stare in horror before changing the channel.

Their jokes actually rekindled the career of a metal band.

The British band Grim Reaper was featured on the show several times for their ridiculous music videos, which actually lead to a resurgence in the band's popularity.

And one band got so offended they became a recurring joke.

MTV

The band Winger complained about their portrayal on the show, so Judge introduced the character of Stewart, who is constantly bullied and ridiculed by the entire cast, and wears a Winger shirt.

What was your favorite part of Beavis and Butt-Head?

More Throwbacks

TV

'Beverly Hills: 90210' Revival Looks Like It Will Feature A Lot Of Familiar Faces

Who else remembers planning their entire week based on when Beverly Hills: 90210 was going to be on TV? It wasn't like we could record it easily, blank VHS tapes were pricey, so we had to watch it when it was on or miss out. Watching Brenda, Kelly, Dylan, Brandon, Donna, and everyone else hand out and get into all kinds of mayhem was the highlight of our weeks. When it ended, we were all a bit sad, but then they brought it back with a new spin-off.  The new show tried to catch that same teen spirit, but

TV

'SpongeBob SquarePants' Creator Stephen Hillenburg Dies At 57

It's a sad day in the world of cartoons, as Nickelodeon has confirmed the passing of SpongeBob SquarePants creator Steven Hillenburg. The iconic TV show writer and producer with a long career and a hand in creating a lot of our favorite moments in animation. Hillenburg actually didn't go to school for television writing, instead studying "Natural Resource Planning and Interpretation with an emphasis on marine resources" according to Variety. Obviously, this would come into play later in his career. He started working in television after going back to school to study Experimental Animation, and eventually became a writer and

TV

Netflix Is Bringing All Of Your Favorite Roald Dahl Stories Back In A New Animated Series

There are a few iconic storytellers we can all agree influenced our childhoods, and Roald Dahl is basically guaranteed to make everyone's list. His classic stories like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach have been loved by children for decades. It doesn't matter if you're reading the book or watching one of the many movies based on one of his novels, because Dahl's ability to create these magical little worlds manages to transcend format and remain enjoyable no matter what.Dahl's characters are nothing short of iconic. Whether it's the six-year-old Matilda who has

80s

Die Hard's Reginald VelJohnson Reveals How Al Powell Got Him Cast On Family Matters

Watching Die Hard is like watching a little piece of history. It truly has remained one of the greatest movies of all time no matter how much time passes. Maybe we didn't know how special it was when we first saw it, but as the decades go on, it has become clear that it's a true classic that is basically required viewing for every single person. Everyone obviously thinks of Bruce Willis when they think about Die Hard, which makes sense because he embodies John McClane in a way that makes him feel real, but he's not the only iconic

90s

Trailer For New Nickelodeon Documentary Has Your 90s Favorites Spilling All The Secrets

Nickelodeon wasn't just a television network, it was basically a generation. Kids all over the country were bonded in this weird little family, obsessing over shows that our parents just couldn't possibly understand. They were for us. They weren't made to appeal to our parents, they were made for our enjoyment and so we felt a special connection to them unlike any other shows. Nickelodeon is still going strong today, but it's hard to remember that there was a time before the iconic kids network came around. The company may be a juggernaut now, but how did it get started?

TV

Woman Surprised Her Mom With A Trip To 'Sesame Street' And It's The Cutest Thing You'll See All Day

"Sunny day! Sweepin' the clouds away! On my way to where the air is sweet! Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?" It's a song we all know off by heart no matter how old we are now because it was literally one of the most important parts of our days. Sesame Street was a staple in almost every household. Those Muppets were our teachers and our friends before we made our way into elementary school or daycare, and they gave us a lot of life lessons that taught us how to be a