Browse by Tags

• 7 Classic Kid's TV Shows Clearly Conceived on (Bad) Acid

  #2: Slim Goodbody     Mr. Goodbody wants kids to learn about health by flashing his innards. Dear Mr. Slim, the average exhibitionist at least has the decency to travel in a trench coat. Okay, so maybe Slim Goodbody isn’t a pervert, he’s just a nude superhero. Read More... Posted Oct 02 2008, 09:00 AM by Cole Gamble with | with no comments Filed under: disney, cartoons, 70's, kids shows, cracked, saturday morning, 80's, slim goodbody, sid and marty krofft, wuzzles, the banana splits. hanna barbara, blues clues, h.r. puffenstuff

• 5 reasons it's a good thing I had boys

  I was going to say, "I'm glad I have boys" but that didn't sound quite right. That is, I would love girl-children just as much as I love my guys. But there are a few ways that having boys has made my life – mine, specifically – a little bit easier. Read More... Posted Aug 17 2008, 01:05 PM by Brett Singer with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: parenting, children, kids, television, Movies, games, video games, tv, music, mom, toys, Xbox, fathers, mothers, cartoons, girls, boys, film, transformers, hannah montana, Batman, Pink, Wii, dad, miley cyrus, billy ray cyrus, Nintendo DS, pokemon, lists, spiderman, playstation 2, xbox 360, ps2, Brett Singer, hulk, jonas brothers, playstation, ds, videogames, my little pony, the dark knight, boys will be boys, 5 things, girl stuff, trucks, psp, girl toys, boy stuff, 5 reasons, boy toys, putty in my hands

• More Kids Stuff I like that my kids don't care about

  Here's some more stuff that makes my kids say, "Daa-aad!" Read More... Posted Aug 01 2008, 11:00 AM by Brett Singer with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: television, youtube, entertainment, Movies, tv, music, PBS, sesame street, elmo, cartoons, MySpace, Google, transformers, john travolta, mr. rogers, grover, cookie monster, Brett Singer, Bruce Springsteen, classic TV, classic television, mister rogers, me lost me cookie at the disco, me lost me cookie in the boogie music, rubber duckie, sesame disco, me want it back, the bee gees, robin gibb, andy gibb, sesame street fever, born to add, kids stuff I like that my kids don't care about, sesame street unpaved

• Kid Food Is Mostly Crap, and It's a Little Shocking

  I doubt most parents would assume a box of waffles with a picture of SpongeBob on the front was necessarily health food. But what if the box also had a label saying, "high in essential nutrients for growing kids"? Even if you don't consciously think about it, you might soften in your approach to the waffles. Well, I've got news for you: That food is most likely crap. Researchers in Canada analyzed more than 360 products marketed to children. They did NOT include junk food, so there's nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide on this study. Instead they covered what is sometimes packaged as "fun food", products with cartoon characters and so on pimping the contents, such as prepackaged dinners. And guess what?    Read More... Posted Jul 23 2008, 03:02 PM by Kelly Mills with | with 8 comment(s) Filed under: food, research study, nutrition, parents, dads, sports, cartoons, obesity, moms, marketing, childhood, activity, characters, junk, grocery

• Video: Banned Pokémon Episodes

  We've established that the whole Pokémon thing is a little weird. But we didn't know just how weird. Some episodes of the popular TV show were deemed too bizarre or offensive to be shown outside of Japan. The episode that actually induced seizures is the most famous but there are others. And thanks to YouTube, you can see them without traveling overseas. I'm including explanations for the uninitiated. You gotta watch 'em all -- after the jump. Read More... Posted Apr 08 2008, 10:00 AM by Brett Singer with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: youtube, religion, cartoons, video, scientology, james, pokemon, pikachu, japanese cartoons, pokedex, cults, controversial, brock, meowth, misty, team rocket, banned, ash, jesse

• What Are Your Favorite Animated Flicks?

  Ask any three people what the "greatest" anything is and you'll typically get three different answers. (Except for "Greatest Live Action Network Television Series Superhero Spoof ", which is clearly this.) AMCTV asked three artists from DC Comics "What's the Greatest Animated Film?" They picked theirs, but what are yours? Read More... Posted Mar 29 2008, 12:00 PM by Brett Singer with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: charlie brown, television, tv, cartoons, animation, film, Bambi, iron giant, hobbit, fantastic four, monsters inc, brad bird, animated movies, incredibles, ralph bakshi

• Are Japanese Cartoons Better?

  We just recently received a screener of the Japanese cartoon Pucca (newly available on DVD), about a little girl with superhuman strength and a love of noodles, who's in love with a boy ninja-in-training. It's all very nonsensical and fun, in that distinctively adorable Japanese way. Which got us thinking about all the Japanese animation we've watched in our lifetime: Pokemon, Transformers, Totoro, not to mention some anime of a distinctly not-for-kids variety... So what's the deal? Do Americans only see the good stuff, or do the Japanese just do it better? Thoughts? — Gwynne Watkins Posted Mar 04 2008, 01:40 PM by editors with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: tv, cartoons, animation, japanese, pucca

• Apparently I've Been Missing Out

  Um...am I the last to hear about the Happy Tree Friends? In case I'm not, these amusing little cartoons are definitely NOT for little kids. This one's seasonal, so enjoy!   Posted Dec 13 2007, 05:46 PM by Karen Murphy with | with no comments Filed under: youtube, cartoons, blood, Happy Tree Friends

• Should Parents Grow Up?

  Some people have been suggesting that adults these days are too immature to be good parents. To that I say Nuh-uh. Ot possibly I know you are, but what am I? Yes, more 19 - 34 year olds watch Cartoon Network than MSNBC. There are adult kickball leagues. The most famous skateboarder in the world is 39 years old.  My husband and I play video games after our kids go to bed. I love cartoons. I like to stay up late and say bad words. I own a Hello Kitty guitar. The last time I got together with my blog friends I played drinking Chutes and Ladders. But that is neither here nor there.  I play games, I watch The Simpsons, I like moon bounces, but I'm a great mother. My kids know their alphabet and they are two years away from kindergarten. They eat well, and have very good vocabularies for their age. We read and exercise and they go to bed at their bedtime (usually). Sure, I'm immature. That is how I deal with spending my entire day every day with two three year olds. Or wait, maybe that is why I'm so immature in the first place. Posted Jul 12 2007, 09:04 AM by Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: parenting, cartoons, immaturity

• Strollerderby Playdate: "Simpsons" Movie Unites Parents Everywhere

  For the past seven hours -- or however long it's been since I tuned in to her recent and incessant natterings -- my wife has been strutting around the house singing, "Spider pig, spider pig -- does whatever a spider pig does." I knew it could only mean one thing. She had seen the new trailer for the "Simpsons" movie, and she would soon be dragging me to the theater to watch it. You may remember I wasn't too thrilled about the movie initially -- saying, essentially, that the show hasn't lived up in recent years to the early episodes that played across my childhood. (Yes, the show has been on for almost 20 years. Yikes.) Read More... Posted Jul 11 2007, 07:01 AM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: cartoons, Stroller Derby, Stroller Derby playdates, Strollerderby playdates

• German Cartoon Plots Slow Invasion

  A while back I wrote about a wee crocodile that was destined to take over the cartoon airwaves. And while I've seen no evidence of said Schnappi invasion, I can't fathom way. Just take a listen to this theme song and tell me if you wouldn't watch Schnappi every day. And sorry for getting the song stuck in your head for the rest of the day ...  Posted Jul 03 2007, 08:32 AM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: television, cartoons, cartoon network, television watching

• YouTube Goodness: In Soviet Russia, Winnie the Pooh visits YOU

  The crude, hand-drawn animation of this Soviet-era cartoon looks more like Connie the Cow than the glossy stylings of Disney. Pooh himself is brown and frankly, kind of rude. But even without the subtitles, there's no doubt that Vinni Puh Goes Visiting is the classic tale of a visiting bear who eats so much that he gets stuck in the door when he leaves. My four-and-a-half-year-old caught on the minute she saw Vinni and his friend Piglet, and though she can't read well enough to follow the subtitles, she offered her own running translation as we watched. She'd also like to note that bears don't really speak Russian, they speak Growl. I'd like to note that "Vinni Puh" would be a great name for a band. While I work on that, please enjoy:   (via quixoticals)  Posted May 03 2007, 08:28 AM by Patti with | with no comments Filed under: youtube, disney, cartoons, animation, Russia, Winnie the Pooh, vinni puh, soviet union

• Snoopy Fashion Show to Hit Runway

  Snoopy, the iconic beagle beloved by children all over the world, will be the subject of a colorful runway fashion show this September at th Bryant Park tents. Isaac Mizrahi and Betsey Johnson are among the designers that have signed on thus far to design Peanuts-inspired couture for the fashion show, proceeds of which will benefit the non-profit charity Dress for Success. Apparently, this isn’t the first time Snoopy has been besieged with a vast designer wardrobe.  According to the article in Fashion Week Daily, in 1988, Chronicle Books released Snoopy in Fashion, a photo-heavy based book that featured the chic pooch and his sister, Belle, modeling canine couture by 95 of fashion’s biggest names, including Karl Lagerfeld, Mary McFadden, Issey Miyake, Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, and even L.L. Bean. Personally, I always thought Snoopy was more of a Hilfiger man.  And for more formal occasions, I kind of pictured him in a Brooks Brothers outfit. Shit, I can't even believe we're having this conversation. What has my life come to that I'm now actually thinking about the fashion choices of a stuffed dog? Good grief! FYI...in the above photo, Snoopy and his lady friend are chilling out in some Miyake.    Posted Apr 14 2007, 11:31 AM by MetroDad with | with no comments Filed under: fashion, toys, cartoons, peanuts, Snoopy

• Ninja Turtles Kick Butt, Take Names

  A few weeks ago, I wondered why on earth the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had a new movie -- considering the show last saw massive popularity when "Alf" was eating cats and molesting that boy. Or whatever it was Alf actually did. The point is, I was wrong. Turns out the turtles are a big thing, and they just beat the crap out of the box office competition - making the cartoon the hottest movie in America and bringing millions of people back to their childhood for two hours at a time. Producers said the turtle movie tapped into the nostalgia young people have for those pizza-eating, Da Vinci clods (oh that's just bad). A lot of people grew up on turtles and they wanted to check them out one last time. That makes sense. Who doesn't want to remember the glory days? So when's that "Silver Spoons" movie coming? Huh? Huh!  Posted Mar 27 2007, 10:08 AM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: entertainment, Movies, cartoons, children's TV, nostalgia, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

• Berenstain Bears New Lesson? You Don't Want to Know

  I'm beginning to rethink the whole don't-let-your-kid-watch-TV thing. You can miss out on some pretty funny stuff. Sure, it might involve your daughter kissing her brother -- but coming from Cynical Dad, it sounds hilarious. It turns out he caught his kids playing spin the bottle -- and where did they find such a valuable life lesson? The Berenstain Bears. The infamous video was put of reach, though Cynical Dad wondered whether he might yet have use for the bears in the future: I'm sure we'll eventually cross the Bears' path again when we're in need of such titles as The Berenstain Bears: Sister Bear Is A Heather, The Berenstain Bears And The Creepy Instant Messaging Guy, or The Berenstain Bears And Brother Bear's First Spliff.  The post left me wondering about other not-practical-until-middle-school lessons floating around the cartoon world. What's the worst "lesson" you've encountered on children's programming? Posted Mar 11 2007, 05:16 PM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: children's books, cartoons, children's television, children's products, berenstain bears, cynical dad

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie? Aren't They 40 By Now?

  My younger cousins loved, LOVED the TMNT -- to the point that they dressed up like little reptiles and paraded around the house shouting something about Michelangelo eating all the pizza -- whatever the hell that meant. But that was more than a decade ago. My cousins -- the prime TMNT viewing audience -- are almost done with college now and have officially switched from dressing up like cartoon turtles and eating pizza to, um -- OK, fine, they're still eating pizza. But they've also started drinking beer and seem to not be able to dress themselves at all. I'm guessing that unless you can lick them and get a good contact high, turtles are the last things on their minds. So I found it odd to see a commercial for a brand-spanking new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. Are those things still around? Or has every child in America officially flushed them down the toilet? I'd totally get behind a "Snorks" movie if Hollywood is going retro -- but Turtles? Really? Posted Mar 07 2007, 04:49 PM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with 10 comment(s) Filed under: Movies, toys, cartoons, children's television, children's TV, chilldren, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

• Kim Possible Returns to Disney Channel in February

  Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle, the creators of the Disney Channel animated series Kim Possible, about the show's upcoming fourth season. This year, I have the pleasure of waiting just a few more weeks for the long-awaited, never-supposed-to-exist fourth season of KP to hit the air. Yes, I know. I'm too old to be addicted to my kids' cartoons. Sorry, Charlie, but you can't take the animation geek out of me just because I'm a dad. Just the opposite: with all the cartoons my kids watch, I've developed an intimate knowledge of which shows are enjoyable for the married-with-children crowd, and which ones are so crappy that I won't even let the toddler watch them. Kim Possible falls into the former category. Kids shows have vastly improved in quality since I watched Saturday morning cartoons. And in everything from voice talent to dialog to animation quality, KP shows it. Read More... Posted Jan 25 2007, 06:39 PM by thezeroboss with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: television, tv, cartoons, animation, disney channel, bob schooley, mark mccorkle, kim possible

• "Ellen's Acres" Debuts on Cartoon Network

  "Ellen's Acres", which premiered earlier this month on Cartoon Network, is described by its producers as "Eloise At The Plaza, set in a motel". The premise should certainly be ripe for the type of imagination-driven stories that have made Eloise a favorite for decades: five-year-old Ellen's hipster parents decide to drop out of the Los Angeles rat race to run a Nevada motel in the middle of the desert. While her parents run their new business and give her as much attention as they can spare, Ellen entertains herself by spinning vivid stories that also feature the motel's staff and guests. Read More... Posted Jan 25 2007, 08:41 AM by Patti with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: websites, cartoons, animation, ellen's acres, cartoon network

• New Kids' Cartoon Invades America: Be Warned

  Damn Schnappi. You'll try to forget him. Or her. Whatever. You'll try to get his horrible, hackneyed siren song out of your head. But you won't be able to. And you'll just keep pressing repeat. Over. And over. And over again. And to top it all off, unless you were raised in a house where beer steins outnumbered plates or actually paid attention in German class, you won't have a clue what he's saying. But you'll still love him. And you won't be alone. Schnappi, "The Little Crocodile" made popular by a German TV show, topped the music charts in Germany, in Austria, in Switzerland and the Netherlands -- in too many countries to count (seven). Now, thanks to Frederator, Schnappi has begun his invasion of America. If our kids see this wee reptile waging a Charlie vs. Lucy battle against a pesky fly or offering a spot-on impersonation of The Bangles, it's all over. They won't be singing along with the "Wonder Pets" anymore. They'll be singing along with this interloping antelope eater, and you'll be dragged on a musical journey that will make Raffi sound like The Shins. So word to the wise, if your kids see a Schnappi video and ask what the cute little button is saying, offer a hand in comfort and give it to them straight: "He's saying he's developed a taste for humans, he lives under your bed and he's hungry." Posted Jan 09 2007, 02:00 PM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with no comments Filed under: children, Celebrities, youtube, music, children's music, cartoons

• Australian Animation Saved My Babies!

  Sometimes, during the long holiday breaks, my parenting fails me. And then a few days later--well, I don't want to scare you, but this really happens sometimes--Tivo fails me. But as hard as that truth may be for you to bear, there is one universal truth that might help you get over it: the Internet never fails. And today, the Internet brought me World Tales, and brothers and sisters, I am here to testify. A project from Australian media companies SBS Digital and Film Victoria, World Tales is a collection of short animated films by several different artists, featuring interpretations of classic fairy tales from around the world, including Donna Kendrigan's Uroshima Taro, pictured at right. Created with the objective of celebrating Australia's diverse culture, these stories are universal in their appeal and endless in their artistic variety. Along with animation, World Tales includes text-based stories, games, super-cool interview features with the animators, and educator resources to help you make your cartoon watching a little less of a veg-out. Internet, I love you. (via Metafilter)   Posted Jan 03 2007, 09:00 AM by Patti with | with no comments Filed under: activities, cartoons, animation, internet