More Cartoons

If you did not get it from the previous post, I still watch cartoons. In secret and alone, you see. Well, until I tell everyone about it on the blog, but I am relying on the time and media cushion divide in these posts.

Unfortunately, our current TV line up does not feature as many awesome cartoons as I was used to. "

Hey, it is 5 in the afternoon! Where is Toonami? Saturday nights!? No fair! I actually do stuff on Saturday nights now! I have a fiancee! And a local sports team to root for!"

With much less awesome things to watch, I am forced to learn how to read all over again with the line-up on PBS. Previous to recent weeks, my only exposure to PBS was Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? Unlike the commercial network affiliates, Puerto Rico did have both national PBS stations and homegrown ones as well. The national ones were weird with English language broadcasts of Nova and the kids show, but then Spanish language local shows. I guess there is some wacky whimsy in all of that. You capture Carmen San Diego in the North America map and then learn how to make tostones! Still, my exposure to PBS was limited.

Actually, that is one of the minor culture shocks I ever experienced in moving to the U.S. mainland. PBS and all other public broadcasting play a huge role in American culture. Even immersed in commercial broadcasts, we recognized public touchstones. Embarrassingly enough, the first time I ever heard of Frontline was during the classic David Chappelle "Black White Supremacist" sketch from his TV show. Hey, I was raised by cable TV. It is a true status symbol in PR and I used to dread going to my grandmother's house because she only had local TV! The Simpsons and Fresh Prince of Bel Air dubbed into Spanish! And the kind of Spanish they speak in Spain! Castillian*! What the hell does vosotros mean!? Hee hee, bicho means penis Homer, not insect.

I am watching PBS from now on and one kids show is particularly wacky and wonderful to blog away...

Go ahead, judge me!

I first discovered Arthur in an episode where he decides to watch the popular kiddie show Love Ducks over the Batman-inspired Dark Bunny show. Art really does imitate life! Or at least my fall asleep on the couch at 1:30 PM and make yourself a sandwich just in time for kids show kind of life. I did tell you it was OK to judge me, right? I take that back.

Today's was particularly mind-bending. Remember that this is a fictional city full of anthropomorphized animals. Keep that in mind when everyone seems just a bit too excited that the second (Better watch out KFC. Two of 'em!) location of the Lickin' Chickin' fast food joint coming to town. Do aardvarks, monkeys, rabbits, and moose eat chicken? The kids need PBS to help them learn to read, but the food chain and basic biology, well we better hope the kids find a dead millipede on the playground asphalt and that those ants come a coming. Or that there moms tell them where Happy Meals really come from!

Of course, Elmwood City can't have its improved sales tax parcel and keep the kids happy. The new location will be right over the beloved Sugar Bowl restaurant where all the kids gather for ice cream and sodas. Do third graders really spend that much time hanging out at local establishments. When I was in the third grade, I didn't have enough money fill a jar of instant coffee much less buy those monster sundaes.

Bu the kids are wish to them chicken folks. They know that corporate chains often promised increased tax revenues, more jobs, and better markets, but then move out to the other friggin municipality once your assessments go up or the school district needs to be bailed out! Or that there strict zero tolerance policies on minor crimes like loitering or petty theft burden the already over-worked police force! Oh, and that the kids will really miss their ice cream.

Anyway, one of the kids learn from her diplomat parents (So I am guessing Elmwood City is close to the Arthur equivalent of NYC, DC, or LA, right?) that she should try something like a letter writing campaign or a protest.

So, Sue Ellen, who I guess is some sort of 2-D Muppet enlists the help of the local kids to make a difference. "5-6-7-8, keep your chicken off our plates!," goes the second half of their chant. The kids do pretty well getting ready. The last time I went to a protest, we had a hard time getting 19-year old college kids to get up for a 7am bus to DC. Buster Bunny does mess up a sign when he writes "Safe the Sugar Bowl," which Sue Ellen quickly corrects in Arthur-world Sharpie (A Pointy?). Isn't this show about reading? Way to go Buster!

The Anarchist Cookbook! With illustrations by Richard Scarry!

I am no Arthur-pro, but I have to admire its sense of self-awareness and tongue-in-cheek attitude. They have a Sopranos knockoff called the Altos and Arthur gets to run the "bleep" machine! If there is anything else you could want from a kid's show then it must not be legal.

With that said, the protest does not go too well. The rich girl, Muffy, tries to sway Sue Ellen to not protesting and letting her father set-up a rival taco franchise in the space. Muffy even tries to bribe her! "Oh, look what someone left behind [on the floor of her limo]! A Brand New Polly Princess Pocket watch!" Or, "Want to go around the block in my limo. It is so comfy and toasty here with some hot chocolate!"

Pretty sneaky, Muffy. But Sue Ellen doesn't bite because she realizes that she should wait for the hard cas...err...I mean she is the heroine and teaching the kids a lesson. No candy bars and plastic trinkets can stop her!

And there are only about five kids at the protest. Every animal in Elmwood City seems set on feasting on the fried flesh of fellow animals. It reminds of that Pizza Hut commercial where Ms. Piggy eats a sausage pizza. Hey, kids! Ever hear of the ouroboros! Wait, don't run! There is more Arthur to talk about! Maybe a bit too much Arthur. Hmm, I would go cry in my car if I had a car. And I just sold my bicycle on Craigslist! WAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

By the end of the episode it looks like the Sugar Bowl will close. However, it is saved when GASP, the local citizenry begins to support it again! The same phenomenon happened in Ithaca with a great local bookstore. People racked up purchases on Amazon and the Barnes and Nobles on Route 13 and did not frequent the local place. When it announced a going out of business sales everyone and everything from dark energy to Dick Cheney was blamed. The store drummed up some sales and continues today and, hopefully, into the future.

I will keep this all in mind when donating to the local PBS station.

Peace!

*Hey, Spain. Hey ,Spain! Spanish and Castillian ARE THE SAME THING!!!!!