For today’s parents who like dressing their children up like hip, designer mini-me versions of themselves, children’s entertainment appears to be catching on to the times. The sweeter days ruled by Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street seem to be behind us. Well, I’m not a parent, but lately I’ve been coming across videos of some of my favorite artists and performers “gettin’ random” with kids and hopping up and down in front of the camera for reasons yet to be understood. I’ve been revisiting the first video throughout the day. I just can’t grasp the concept of Yo Gabba Gabba, a Nickelodeon show that features a lot of big names in show business. The second video is just bizarre and makes me say “why?” a lot. I don’t think there is a particularly good answer to that question.
Children’s TV or Life on Other Planets?
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I don’t understand the second video.
Well, I don’t think it’s particularly informative or it teaches kids anything useful, but hey, it’s M.I.A.! I tried to look up the website of the people who run the show and I’m not too clear what they do as well or if it’s a real channel! I just came across it on youtube…
i think that it has always been thus. when the smiths appeared on eurotube to sing “panic,” they had a boy dressed in a school uniform – who can’t have been more than 10 years old – singing the “hang the dj” chorus. rem did a version of shiny happy people for sesame street and missy eliott’s sci-fi/bollywood/gothic music videos usually feature at least one breakdancing child.
Wow! I don’t get it? If just anyone’s older parent was dancing like that they’d be considered an “old coot.” But since these people are considered “cool,” it’s suppose to be cool? Just wait till their toddlers are teens then they’ll be just down right embarrassing.
I saw Philip Pullman in concert last year (okay, in discussion with a vicar) and he was off on one about how the modern establishment patronises children. I’m certain that this isn’t what he was talking about, but I’m pretty sure that if you showed it to him he’d just smile wryly to himself.