Kill the purple dinosaur

[TonyG]

I had to watch my cousin's 2 year old son last Saturday for a few hours and we wound up watching a "Barney" movie. Actually, I should say I endured the movie.

My kids grew up on Sesame Street and I think the purple dinosaur should be hauled away. Also, at the same time they should trash the Teletubbies. Interestingly, it seems that mostly men want to get rid of the purple guy. Women appear to think the character is great.

I see more value being offered to children via Sesame Street than Barney. What do you think?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Careful here. Kids shows are not meant to be for all ages.

Babies, infants and early toddler love Barney and Teletubbies because they're exactly right for them. They show constant support and love, which young, young children crave as much as food.

Teletubbies is for the youngest, and does everything babies love: They show other babies, they speak in high pitched tones, they REPEAT things frequently, they show simple shapes and uniform colors, they show tremendous visual content, etc. etc. Teletubbies is just fine, if you're under 3.

Barney is the most annoying goddamn thing in the entire frickin universe, but only because they don't even try to involve parent viewers or hire kids who can act. BUT, Barney is perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners, because Barney and his friends do exaclty the same sort of things that they do in their classrooms. It's perfect for them, if you under 6.

So before you trash an annoying kids show try to see WHY the show is the way it is. They aren't spekaing to you, but to specific age groups, and they're often very clever at knowing what's good for kids.

Some suck, yes, but those two are right on the money about what they're doing.

I just go in the other room.

 

[Whispersecret]

Dixon is spot on.

On the other side of the spectrum, I can't stand "Angry Beavers" or "Spongebob Square Pants." I actively discourage my kids from watching those two shows, but I have to admit that they're probably meant for older kids, say ten or eleven years old.

I think Barney and the Teletubbies, and especially "Blues Clues" are valuable assets to television. In addition, as an adult, I'd rather watch those shows than a lot of the junk on Fox.

 

[TonyG]

Originally posted by Dixon Carter Lee
...Barney is the most annoying goddamn thing in the entire frickin universe, but only because they don't even try to involve parent viewers or hire kids who can act.

Good points. I love the above comment though...

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

Not for grown-ups that's for sure.....

Don't know exactly when it happened to me, but.......

Except for the Simpson's which I didn't force myself to finally watch in it's 7th season - I detest nearly all "cartoon like" stuff.

No funny papers, no comic books, no Saturday morning cartoons, no Road Runner of Daffy, certainly no Mickey (I fucking hate Disney) no computer shit, no Japanese shit - nothing.

I still get into the 3 Stooges but you know, B&W film.

I simply can't get into it.

As far as the kids go - hey - ya know I'm sittin' here right now and my son's watchin' Sesame Street.

Oh well.