“The Muppet Show”: A Kids’ Show?

Posted on by frankwmcarr

Oh, those lovable Muppets!  They are quite some characters, especially to my American readers.  But does Jim Henson’s immortal trademark really mean kid-friendly?  Think again!

Of course the over half-century-old “Sesame Street” shares only one Muppet with the mainstream Muppets (Kermit the Frog).  And the late 80s cartoon “Muppet Babies” has corresponding Muppets to those presented in the “Muppet Show,” except, of course, as babies.

But the real Muppet Show?  That can easily be adapted to both juvenile and adult audiences, and indeed is a genuine family show.

Spoiler Alert

/I will tell you a few elements of the Muppet Show clips that, by definition, are “adult humor,” but understated enough to bypass the limited sense of humor of kids.  Among them are:

-Mocking the elderly (in this case, the “grumpy old Muppets” who played as judges for the skits and were posed as being unwise, unlike real senior citizens.

-The tension of feminism and misogyny, in the form of a soap opera sketch, in a hospital operating room!  Miss Piggy played a doctor, along with Rowlf and another Muppet.  A very good reason why doctors shouldn’t practice on loved ones, i.e., Miss Piggy on Kermit, especially if it’s surgery.

-The Swedish Chef’s animal cruelty.  (Kids would just laugh at his obvious antics.)

-The word “queer.”  I’m not sure if it was an LGBT umbrella term or not at that time.  Prior to this linkage, it just meant “strange.”

-Bunsen, the Muppet scientist, unfairly treats his assistant Beaker.  Childlike analog:   When Beaker takes the whole bottle of “shrinking pills” Bunsen invented, kids would not.  For many adults familiar with chemistry instruments, Bunsen burners may be needed to heat things to put in beakers!

-Strikes.  Kids don’t know jack about strikes and the unions that cause them.  Their teachers have strikes once in a while, but the teachers obviously don’t tell them the details.  Their own parents (yep, many viewers of the show) may also be part of unions, and ditto for that regarding their children.

-And last but not least, race and racism.  Kermit’s melancholy classic, “It’s Not Easy Being Green” counter to his overall playful nature, actually concerns this topic.  I never knew about this years ago, but the kid analog to this is just simply because he’s a frog, and wishes to be a differently colored frog or not even a frog at all.

Bar none, the Muppets are an American icon, and a show that we all have come to enjoy.

The Simpsons – TV’s Greatest Primetime Cartoon

Posted on by frankwmcarr

In the early 1960s, cartoons came to primetime TV, for instance, the Flintstones. Today these shows are cherished as wholesome (and funny) family shows. But not then. It was sponsored by Winston cigarettes, after all! (Tobacco commercials were banned in 1971.)

The 70s and 80s offered little adult animation. Come until the very end of 1989, though, a show called “The Simpsons” premiered on the Fox TV network, only a few years after its 1986 inception.

Being an adult animated sitcom, while tame by today’s standards, still can be off color, citing places in their town of Springfield such as a sperm bank and a burning tire mountain.

Homer and Marge Simpson are the parents of the three Simpson kids. Homer, a nuclear plant operator, is yet quite dimwitted (and loves doughnuts to death). Marge, the mom, wears an towering blue hairdo. Bart, the eldest Simpson child, was a 10 y/o smart-Alec par excellence. Lisa, the middle of the three Simpson kids, is a 8 year old sweetie who is a whiz at the saxophone. And the youngest? Maggie, who is just a baby with a pacifier.

Given this is a cartoon, nobody ages or dies. And the Simpsons are always likely to change phone numbers, addresses, and similar communication details.

While it’s adult humor is more modest today (it probably will be tough to make it to TBS or Adult Swim, a late-night adult cartoon block), it remains for over 3 decades of laughs among adults, teens, and older children.

Also, if you want, check out the 2007 Simpsons Movie. (PG-13). It’s supposed to be good, with mild adult humor.

Episode 92: Faith in the Marketplace – John Venhuizen, president of Ace Hardware

Posted on by frankwmcarr

You may have heard that businesses like Chick-Fil-A and Hobby Lobby (among others) were founded by Christians, but believe it or not, Ace Hardware is run by one as well.  And Ace Hardware has never had moral controversies!

If you get a chance, listen to this roughly 40-minute podcast for details.

Source: Episode 92: Faith in the Marketplace – John Venhuizen, president of Ace Hardware

Globetrotting with Google Maps

Posted on by frankwmcarr

On a tight budget?  Afraid of planes?  No worries, you can see the world with Google Maps!

I’ve looked at some European lands already, including the Nordic lands of Denmark and Sweden.  Due to a dream about traveling through what was (supposed to be) Mexico, I went to Google Maps, and I pulled up the state of Chihuahua (and there were no dogs running around!  LOL)

Chihuahua, MX
A desert road in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

Since I was traveling through the desert in the dream, I thought it was more appropriate to showcase such in this blog post today rather than an urban scene.  From what I remember from the dream (remember, dream details, as usual, tend to fade quickly), the desert had commerce in certain pockets, with one chain restaurant, I picked a random rural road, and got as close to the dream as you can get.

Any other ideas for a virtual trip, be it foreign or domestic?  Just type it in Google Maps.

I must advise you, however, that this method is no substitute for going there.  You’ll see the region, but won’t experience it.  No social interaction, no cuisine, no folk dances, etc.  Overall, no cultural encounter.  And not only are some roads and streets not represented, some entire lands, particularly North Korea, are off-limits.  (I wonder if Cuba is, now that we’re getting more friendly with them.)

The trade-off is the same with Google Maps.  Of course, in keeping with that analogy, for business travel, Google Maps is not an option.  But, for pleasure, it’s up to you if you want a more superficial “travel” through Google Maps or a real trip to the actual destination.  And if you can’t do it, so be it, just like my own academic dabblings outside my intended major of Biology.  Since in either case, I’m “dabbling,” I’m content.

Don’t be a stranger!