Joanna Ferrone Explained

Joanna Ferrone
Birth Name:Joanna Ferrone
Known For:Fido Dido (1985)
Angela Anaconda (1996, 1999–2001)
Occupation:Writer, author

Joanna Ferrone, also known as Jo Ferrone, is an American writer and author. She is best known for co-creating the fictional character Fido Dido with Sue Rose. Ferrone and Rose also created Angela Anaconda, which Ferrone describes as a reflection of her upbringing.

Biography

Ferrone was the third of eight children, raised in the Catholic faith but Ferrone would later describe herself as agnostic.[1] She was raised in Oyster Bay, New York.[2] Growing up, she described herself as the "consummate tomboy".

Ferrone identifies as a lesbian, and her family's "only gay child". In an interview, Ferrone expressed her previous feelings that had she been born another time, she would have transitioned.

Career

Ferrone was heavily involved in the New York queer arts scene of the 1970s and 1980s.[3] She cited queer pop art influences such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring as central to her and Sue Rose's practice. At the time of Fido Dido's creation, Ferrone worked as the owner to a stock photo library.[4] Before that, she worked as a department store gift wrapper, waitress, receptionist, and the owner of a stock photography company.

Ferrone was the co-creator of the mascot Fido Dido alongside Sue Rose,[5] Ferrone's partner at the time. He was designed in 1985 with his appearance inspired by a mutual friend of the two, and the design was initially put on t-shirts, his design later caught the attention of Patricia Field. Three years following his creation, his design caught the interest of Pepsi's agency looking for a character to market 7-Up that embodied an energy that was "cool, identifiable and really liberal in its outlook".[6] Ferrone was responsible for naming and creating the personality of the character,[7] and served as his "business manager".

Ferrone co-created Angela Anaconda alongside Sue Rose, Ferrone described the series as a reaction to the premises she saw on TV while she was growing up and the questions she felt while comparing herself to the picture perfect families that were shown. Ferrone described Angela Anaconda as "very autobiographical, that was the most natural thing."[8] Ferrone revealed in an interview with YouTuber Alexandra Bender that she was not involved in Angela Anaconda eventual inclusion in .[9]

She served as the founder and president of Honest Entertainment,[10] which aimed to remaking Fido Dido for a modern audience.[11] In 2002, Ferrone was slated as the co-creator and co-writer to the show Family Values alongside Tom Brady.[12] [13] The series was described in Variety as "wholesome ’50s-style family living in the modern world" and "“Pleasantville” gone wild".[14] Family Values was to be produced by Honest Entertainment in collaboration with Mainframe Studios.[15]

Following the success of Angela Anaconda, Ferrone alongside Rose, were responsible for writing the Angela Anaconda companion books. Ferrone would later publish Julian Dickerson and the Higher Ups and Doreen by Doreen as an independent author.[16] In addition, Ferrone serves as the owner of the FIDO x CIRCULAR store in Wynwood neighborhood of Miami.

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: Meet Jo Ferrone . 4 August 2024 . CanvasRebel Magazine . 7 July 2022 . 4 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240804214514/https://canvasrebel.com/meet-jo-ferrone/ . live .
  2. News: Meet Jo Ferrone AUTHOR CREATOR ANIMAL LOVER . 4 August 2024 . SHOUTOUT MIAMI . 31 January 2024 . 4 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240804221518/https://shoutoutmiami.com/meet-jo-ferrone-author-creator-animal-lover/ . live .
  3. Cooley . Kevin J. . 2021 . Queer Beyond Here: Animated Sex and How to Get Used to It . Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Philosophy . . 2 August 2024 . 6 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240806035553/https://original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu/UFE0057459/00001 . live .
  4. News: Gross . Michael . NOTES ON FASHION . 5 August 2024 . The New York Times . 22 July 1986 . 4 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230404172448/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/22/style/notes-on-fashion.html . live .
  5. News: Freitag . Michael . STYLEMAKERS; Susan Rose and Joanna Ferrone - Entrepreneurs . 5 August 2024 . . 3 September 1989 . 7 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201107121002/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/03/style/stylemakers-susan-rose-and-joanna-ferrone-entrepreneurs.html . live .
  6. News: Chaudhuri . Arcopol . ‘Fido Dido has universal appeal’ . 3 August 2024 . DNA India . Zee News . 15 September 2017 . en . 18 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190518081636/https://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-fido-dido-has-universal-appeal-1148652 . live .
  7. News: ¿Quién creó a Fido Dido? . 3 August 2024 . Gràffica . 29 September 2021 . es.
  8. Web site: Cooper . Gina Pia . Angela Anaconda: Great Kid's TV 1 . Fashion Finds Magazine . Dan Cooper Media Strategies . 3 August 2024 . 6 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240806035925/http://www.dancooper.tv/fashionfinds_1999/feb00/pages/angela-anaconda-1.htm . live .
  9. News: Kelley . Shamus . Why Digimon: The Movie Had That Inexplicable Angela Anaconda Short . 3 August 2024 . Den of Geek . 10 February 2024 . 3 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240803025051/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/why-digimon-the-movie-had-that-inexplicable-angela-anaconda-short/ . live .
  10. News: Women In Animation New York . 5 August 2024 . Animation World Network . 18 March 2003 . en . 6 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240806035507/https://www.awn.com/event/women-animation-new-york . live .
  11. News: Connell . Mike . Honest builds a bona fide kids portfolio . 5 August 2024 . Kidscreen . . 1 June 2002 . 5 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150405114837/http://kidscreen.com/2002/06/01/honest-20020601/ . live .
  12. News: Godfrey . Leigh . Honest And Mainframe Entertainment Team For New Series . 5 August 2024 . . 29 April 2002 . en . 5 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240805062520/https://www.awn.com/news/honest-and-mainframe-entertainment-team-new-series . live .
  13. News: Creator of Angela Anaconda teams with Mainframe . 5 August 2024 . Proquest . Canada NewsWire . 29 April 2002 . en . 6 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240806035540/https://www.proquest.com/docview/453416273 . live .
  14. News: Zahed . Ramin . Hot cels at Mipcom Jr. . 5 August 2024 . Variety . 30 September 2002 . 6 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221106211434/https://variety.com/2002/scene/markets-festivals/hot-cels-at-mipcom-jr-1117873368/ . live .
  15. News: Longworth . Jocelyn . MIP-TV bounces back big time . 5 August 2024 . Kidscreen . Brunico Communications . 1 May 2002 . 31 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220831183749/https://kidscreen.com/2002/05/01/miptv-20020501/ . live .
  16. News: Stewart . Stewart . Stewart . Dena . JO FERRONE – Alive On South Beach . 4 August 2024 . Alive On South Beach . 1 August 2024 . 4 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240804220625/https://aliveonsouthbeach.com/jo-ferrone/ . live .