nuh nuh nuh nuh... nuh nuh nuh nuh... Elmo's World

[Stink Fish Pot]

My daughter has discovered Elmo. I don't actually hate Elmo yet, although I can see where this relationship is heading. Right now, I'm excited that my daughter is happy to see and recognize the same muppet over and over. And Elmo has the added benefit of NOT being Barney, so there is value there as well.

BUT - Besides the annoying laugh and really annoying voice, Elmo does one thing which I truly can't stand. And in retrospect if I'm being completely honest, I could stand Elmo's daily intrusion into our home if this one particular item would go away. Why does Elmo speak in the THIRD PERSON?

It's one thing if it's a Bo Jackson or Ricky Henderson... someone so immersed with themselves that they don't have a real grasp of reality. But Elmo is a muppet, and I assume that The Muppets are there to teach lessons. Cooperation, communication, counting to 20 in spanish... all that stuff.

So why have Elmo speak in a way that is incorrect, and easily copied? Elmo isn't a side character, like Animal or the Manumanu singer. He's very popular and kids seem to love him. Why this weird speech? Stink Fish Pot wants to know.

[Mahaloth]

My daughter(2 1/2) loves him, too, and I have no idea how she even fell in love with him. We didn't show him on TV to her until she already knew who he was. She just liked his books and so forth.

Oh, and I have no idea why he speaks in the third person.

[WhyNot]

IIRC, Elmo is said by the writers to speak in third person because he's 3, and 3 year olds often speak in third person.

Wait 'til she discovers Caillou. You'll be all kinds of nostalgic for Elmo when you're inundated with that whiny little bastard.

[67java89]

IIRC, Elmo is said by the writers to speak in third person because he's 3, and 3 year olds often speak in third person.

Wait 'til she discovers Caillou. You'll be all kinds of nostalgic for Elmo when you're inundated with that whiny little bastard.

I agree. Caillou is a tv show devoted entirely to whining.

[cmyk]

I believe Elmo is 3 and a half years old. I know this, because when my kids were toddlers, I heard that freak tell them... oh about every other episode... "Elmo's three... and a half! Hahahaha!"

Suck it, Elmo. Learn how to use pronouns.

Another thing. We used to have this Elmo video called "Elmocize" or something, where the kids could exercise watch along as Elmo chanted "ELMOCIZE! ELMOCIZE!" over and over again, as the kids around him were basically just flailing around and looking lost. Apparently, this video's colors, patterns and noise must've been crafted like a crystal meth cook, cuz it certainly had the same effect on children's brains. After 30 minutes of this, my daughter would replay it until a blood vessel would inevitably burst in one of my eyes, and turn completely red.

Then I'D get to chant: ELMO'S EYES! ELMO'S EEEEEYEEEESSS!!!!*



*ok, that didn't happen. But a part of me wishes it did...

[WhyNot]

IIRC, Elmo is said by the writers to speak in third person because he's 3, and 3 year olds often speak in third person.

Wait 'til she discovers Caillou. You'll be all kinds of nostalgic for Elmo when you're inundated with that whiny little bastard.


Ah yes, here it is on the Sesame Workshop FAQ (http://www.sesameworkshop.org/faq?p_p_id=56_INSTANCE_6357&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-7&p_p_col_count=1&_56_INSTANCE_6357_cmd=view-by-category&_56_INSTANCE_6357_category=about-the-television-program&_56_INSTANCE_6357_categoryName=About%20the%20Television%20Program#):
Why does Elmo refer to himself in the third person? Won't this teach children improper English?

Elmo mimics the behavior of many preschoolers. Like 3-year-olds, he doesn't always have the skills or knowledge to speak proper English. Cast members and many of the other Muppets, however, do demonstrate proper usage of the English language.

[RickJay]

You might not like Elmo but he was a logical response by Sesame Street to the fact that their viewership got younger.

[VernWinterbottom]

My child is about to turn eleven. You will find that the "Elmo period" and the "Barney period" and the other early childhood television phases tend to pass pretty quickly. (Though it doesn't always seem like it at the time. . .)

Some programs we watched, like Bear in the Big Blue House, were enjoyable. Others not so much. Overall there is an amazing amount of decent children's programming on compared to my day when we had Captain Kangaroo, Romper Room, Gumby and Davey and Goliath (Not counting the Saturday morning cartoons.)

[Stink Fish Pot]

Ah yes, here it is on the Sesame Workshop FAQ (http://www.sesameworkshop.org/faq?p_p_id=56_INSTANCE_6357&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-7&p_p_col_count=1&_56_INSTANCE_6357_cmd=view-by-category&_56_INSTANCE_6357_category=about-the-television-program&_56_INSTANCE_6357_categoryName=About%20the%20Television%20Program#):

Thanks for the quote from the Sesame Street Website! I had no idea 3 year olds talked like that. But now that I'm thinking about it, I've never known ANY child of ANY age talk like that. It's not cute, it's not funny, and worse, it's not even accurate. Unless of course, I've been completely oblivious to every 3 year old around who has been speaking (quite possible).

I noticed that Sesame Street is a lot different than it was when I was a kid. Elmo is certainly a pain in the ass (why can't kids love Ernie and Bert like we did? And the Cookie Monster and Grover? etc, etc)

Big Bird's friend Snuffy is now visible, which I think is a good idea, even though it never bothered me as a kid. I can see why they changed it. I wish I could have seen the transition episode. That would have knocked my socks off.

Another weird thing I learned was that Mr. Hooper was jewish! Really? Let's start those stereotypes when they are young! The only merchant in town, the only one with a store front for 30 years is jewish. I thought that was so weird to find out. Maybe when he dies (I thought he was dead), the store will be sold to Muslims. Koom-bye-ahhhh!

Not that I care that he's jewish... in real life or on Sesame Street. But religion was never an issue when I was a kid on that show. And why should it be? What are Susan and Gordon (who still look pretty good considering - although if I remember, the REAL Gordon is long gone, this current one has been around a long time. I assume Luis and Maria are Catholic (aren't all P. Ricans? HAHA) And Bob? Hell, Bob still looks like he's in his 30's! I was amazed! (FTR, I have no idea if Luis is still around.) Can we wait to torture children with the non-visual differences of people until later in life? A 4 year old doesn't need to know about different religions. At least from Sesame Street. What is Oscar for goodness sakes?

Ah, childhood TV. You have all depressed me with Caillou, because I've seen it on the directory on Sprout. So I know it's coming.

But WTF are the Wiggles? 4 gay guys singing to our children? Why?

Oh, I forgot... my daughter LOVES Chicka (chicka's alright), but the Wiggles pop in and out all the time, and they also have their own half hour. Those guys freak me out. They remind me of grown Teletubbies.

[Taomist]

All that happened when I read the thread title was that I got stuck in my head. >.< (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV0bqASKAY8)

[maggenpye]

But WTF are the Wiggles? 4 gay guys singing to our children? Why?

Oh, I forgot... my daughter LOVES Chicka (chicka's alright), but the Wiggles pop in and out all the time, and they also have their own half hour. Those guys freak me out. They remind me of grown Teletubbies.

The Wiggles are fine, at least semi original music and credits to covered artists.

Remove all music players in your home before the kid discovers the bloody chipmunks if you value your sanity.

I wasn't keen on Elmo either, but I agree at least he's better than Barney.

I still love the Teletubbies, shh.

[Sally Mander]

You have all depressed me with Caillou, because I've seen it on the directory on Sprout. So I know it's coming.
I would suggest not letting her watch Caillou until she's about five. She'll watch one episode and haughtily proclaim it to be a 'baby show' (as only a five-year-old can do! ;) )and your sanity will be saved.


But WTF are the Wiggles? 4 gay guys singing to our children? Why?


The Wiggles aren't too bad, IMO. In fact, they're pretty cool. They can get annoying sometimes, but it's not as bad as Elmo or Caillou can be.

[C3]

Elmo's more fun when Ricky Gervais is around. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr9_5uZn6ds)

[whiterabbit]

I don't have kids.

That being said, a little Elmo is fine. Cute. More than about two minutes and I am ready to tear my hair out. No insult to the performer, he does what he does very well...but oy, I'm not sure how he can do it.

I banned Barney from my house preemptively years ago just in case. I can live with Elmo if I have earplugs.

[Erdosain]

I don't know where you're getting the religion stuff from (from the Sesame FAQ?) but it's certainly not part of the show (or at least any modern episode that I've ever seen).

Mr. Hooper is long dead and the store seems to be run by the young Asian guy and Leela runs the laundromat.

I feel sorry for Bob every time I see him. He looks like he's going to drop dead at any moment and yet they still make him do singing and dancing numbers. Gordon is amazingly ageless.

[Drain Bead]

There's also the Fix-it-Shop (now the Mail-it-Shop, because toaster repair isn't exactly a viable business model). Luis and Maria own those. Did you know Maria is in her 60s? She looks great.

If you think Elmo is bad, try Yo Gabba Gabba.

[RickJay]

But WTF are the Wiggles? 4 gay guys singing to our children? Why?

Because they're good at it. They put on terrific live shows.

Watching some people with talent who genuinely like entertaining children beats the hell out of a lot of the shit you'll see on TV.

[maggenpye]

Because they're good at it. They put on terrific live shows.

Watching some people with talent who genuinely like entertaining children beats the hell out of a lot of the shit you'll see on TV.
IIRC, the original four were all teachers before they formed the group. I'm not sure about the new 'yellow' wiggle.

[Shmendrik]

It's "la la la la", not "nuh nuh nuh nuh". You must be thinking of Batman.

[FrancisCastle]

If you think Elmo is bad, try Yo Gabba Gabba.

This. I was home with my 5 year old the other day and got sucked into watching this. It was like watching a train wreck.

[Fair Rarity]

I like Elmo and I like Caillou. I have even gotten dvds and cds of them both.

I do wish that Elmo's World didn't take up so much of Sesame Street every day. If he's the main character in the plot, then maybe a short or two, then Elmo's World, it's a little much. I'd like more of the other muppets.

Barney is almost never put on my tv. (I've turned it on and left the room to do dishes or something literally just once or twice).


I really like Sprout. We love to do Sprout stretches at night.

I don't know if I've seen Yo Gabba Gabba. Thankfully, I've gotten away with just PBS, sprout, and some Disney.

[WhyNot]

Yo Gabba Gabba is like a Saturday Night Live skit of a cable access children's show. It's totally cringeworthy.

[Stink Fish Pot]

It's "la la la la", not "nuh nuh nuh nuh". You must be thinking of Batman.

I hear nuh not la, but you are probably right. But unless you are thinking of Elmo, that 4 nuh pattern can fit a surprising amount of songs. I agree with the poster above that thinks Elmo is just too much.

As far as the Mr. Hooper being Jewish thing. It was weird. I thought he died a long time ago, so to see him on the show was odd. It may have been a Big Bird flashback or something, because he was in the clip. I wasn't watching it... it was more on in the background and seeing/hearing Mr. Hooper wasn't something that I stopped everything for.

But I believe (and I'm not positive on this) Mr. Hooper was closing his shop on a day that Big Bird didn't understand, and he told Big Bird he was jewish (or Big Bird told Snuffy he was jewish). In any event, it's no big deal. I just thought it was strange that it was even brought up. I'm not sure kids are all that aware of different religions (at least not until maybe 5 or 6?), and I thought it was a strange thing for Sesame Street to cover. I am not sure what the target age is for Sesame Street these days, but Elmo indicates to me that they have skewed even lower than the age when I found Ernie and Bert fascinating.

Enough of that. It doesn't matter, and if no one else saw it, maybe it was something they touched on but didn't focus on.

As for Gordon, Maria, Bob, Susan... I was amazed that they were all still on the show and they all look pretty good! When I saw Bob, he was sitting down, but he looked fantastic, not a worn out 60 year old described above. But maybe he is. I think the water they drink on Sesame Street comes from the Fountain of Youth.

Since there is such a groudswell of support for the Wiggles, I'll give them another chance, but I'm skeptical. Still, I'll do it. You all can't be wrong.... (or can you?)

I will check out the other shows mentioned on my own before my daughter gets to see them and/or become attached to them. She loves Ernie, which I think is a good sign (it seems ALL kids love Elmo, so the older characters are forgotten). She loves Ernie's laugh.

Oh, and she likes Bob the Builder because I sing along with the title song...

Bob The Builder! He can build it! Bob the Builder! He can fix it!

something like that. The show isn't bad. At least, it doesn't annoy me. And the train isn't bad, but I thought George Carlin did the voice for the train and he died a while ago... so did someone else take over or are all the train episodes repeats? (can't remember the train's name... I'm having a brain fart)

oh, and one question for all you veterans of childrens television... I haven't seen the teletubbies advertised at all. Have they gone away? That baby in the sun used to freak me out when my nephew watched that show.

[maggenpye]

Teletubbies 1997-2001. RIP. Here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletubbies) is the Wikipedia link. So much controversy over such silly fun characters.

A quick scan doesn't bring it up, but I remember someone getting a wedgie over Po occasionally counting in Cantonese ( I think it was, maybe Mandarin). Asian invasion! Bi-lingual infiltration of the pre-verbal set!

They were very, very popular so they had to be dragged down. Like the first guy in Blue's Clues, rumored to have died of a heroin overdose when he actually changed to a music career.

People are not always very nice.

[Erdosain]

As for your question about the voices for Thomas the Tank Engine, there have been at least five. Ringo Starr is the voice on the really old British ones and George Carlin is the voice on the older American versions. Alec Baldwin did a bunch but his are really poor, in my opinion. The newer ones are all computer-generated (instead of the stop-motion models) and have new readers.

The new guys are competent but no one is as good as George Carlin was.

[Sierra Indigo]

IIRC, the original four were all teachers before they formed the group. I'm not sure about the new 'yellow' wiggle.

Not Quite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wiggles)

Field and Fatt were members of the Australian pop band The Cockroaches in the 1980s, and Cook was a member of several bands before meeting Field and Page at Macquarie University, where they were studying to become pre-school teachers. A school project led to the recording of their first album and tour in 1991.

Two were pop artists, one of whom went to Uni to study to become a pre-school teacher, where he met the other two who were also studying.

[CCYMan]

As for your question about the voices for Thomas the Tank Engine, there have been at least five. Ringo Starr is the voice on the really old British ones and George Carlin is the voice on the older American versions. Alec Baldwin did a bunch but his are really poor, in my opinion. The newer ones are all computer-generated (instead of the stop-motion models) and have new readers.

The new guys are competent but no one is as good as George Carlin was.



These choices always cracked me up for being so completely dissimilar. I picture an agent shouting into a telephone, "Get me George Carlin! If he's not available then I want that Baldwin guy!"

[stpauler]

Of course, Elmo does get hungry. (http://www.wimp.com/elmobell/)

[Erdosain]

These choices always cracked me up for being so completely dissimilar. I picture an agent shouting into a telephone, "Get me George Carlin! If he's not available then I want that Baldwin guy!"

The first time I saw Thomas I hadn't known that Carlin did the voices. I kept waiting for Thomas to call Sir Topham Hatt a cocksucker.

Regardless, you can tell George put a lot of effort into it, where Baldwin sounds likes he's already cashed the check.

[Max Torque]

Just don't do DJ Lance's "Break it down!" thing along with Yo Gabba Gabba, or your child will come and get you to do it every time. I speak from experience.

One of the best kids shows that the little Torqueling got into was Oswald. I liked Oswald, because he was low-key and relaxed compared to most other kid shows.

Another one I liked was Peep (http://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com/), but it doesn't seem to be on the air here anymore. The shows were short, and usually connected to some kind of science or learning concept in a very subtle way. And at the end was a quick live-action segment of kids doing something science-related or exploring nature or something.

[Chessic Sense]

It's "la la la la", not "nuh nuh nuh nuh". You must be thinking of Batman.

I hear nuh not la, but you are probably right. But unless you are thinking of Elmo, that 4 nuh pattern can fit a surprising amount of songs.
Relevant (http://xkcd.com/851/).

[Gedd]

Yikes, Caillou scares me. Every time it’s on and I glance at the screen I think there’s a dream sequence going on or something. I try to avoid it. My son (2 ½) is kind of done with watching Elmo now. He still likes Elmo toys and he will watch it, but Elmo isn’t requested. I’ve never found him talking in third person like Elmo, but he definitely learned some things from the show.

Right now he’s on a kick with Dora the Explorer. I don’t have any major complaints.

The other he likes is Bubble Guppies which I like. It scored major points with me when they pointed out the difference between a tuba and a sousaphone (I’m a band geek). It also has catchy songs that I get stuck in my head and will have little gags that seem to be aimed at adults.

From an episode where they are at a construction site:

Worker: Get a helmet on this kid, pronto!
[Guy gets the kid a hardhat]
Worker: Thanks, Pronto.

OK, not the funniest, but most kids will miss it.

We DVR everything so we have pretty tight control at our house. Yo Gabba Gabba is banned, along with Sponge Bob. I see zero redeemable qualities in the latter.

[Barkis is Willin']

Just don't do DJ Lance's "Break it down!" thing along with Yo Gabba Gabba, or your child will come and get you to do it every time. I speak from experience.

One of the best kids shows that the little Torqueling got into was Oswald. I liked Oswald, because he was low-key and relaxed compared to most other kid shows.

Indeed, Oswald is a nice change of pace from the high-energy Yo Gabba Gabba. Plus, he's voiced by Fred Savage. I actually like both shows. As for Elmo, I'm not crazy about TV Elmo, but in talking-toy-form I can handle him. Strange.

[Markxxx]

Here's Elmo and Justin Bateman on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij71DXDgvz0) (penguin start at about 0:32)

It really has nothing to do with this thead, except that penguin in the first part is SO COOL. You gotta love how carefree and with it he is

:)

[Cheesesteak]

Yo Gabba Gabba is getting a lot of play these days for my 3yo. I don't mind it so much, especially since the wife and I rag on the characters, like that stupid narc robot, always telling on the others when they're being bad. Don't run in the street, don't bite your friends, put down that revolver, blah blah blah. The music on the show is pretty good, though, and the guest stars are fun, either being a character in the show or doing a "dancey dance".

I'm becoming a fan of Pocoyo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5uneG5OZy4) I mean, Stephen Fry does the voiceover, how can you go wrong?

[RTFirefly]

IIRC, Elmo is said by the writers to speak in third person because he's 3, and 3 year olds often speak in third person.

Wait 'til she discovers Caillou. You'll be all kinds of nostalgic for Elmo when you're inundated with that whiny little bastard.Truth.

The Firebug, who'll be 4 next month, seems to be finally moving out of the Caillou stage, and not a moment too soon. Can't think of anything else he's watched that I've been as glad to see him lose his interest in.

He was in his Elmo stage for a few months either side of his second birthday, and that wasn't so bad - Hell, I can still get into "Elmo and the Bookaneers (http://www.amazon.com/Sesame-Street-Elmo-Bookaneers/dp/B001PPLJJU)," which features Tina Fey as a pirate captain seeking treasure in the form of books.

But the 'Elmo's World' part of the show was pretty much a waste, no argument there.

[maggenpye]

Not Quite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wiggles)



Two were pop artists, one of whom went to Uni to study to become a pre-school teacher, where he met the other two who were also studying.

Meh, three of them were tarining to be teachers, close. I wiki'd the teletubbies and couldn't be arsed with the Wiggles, this says something about my personality that I don't care to explore.

My niece used to adore them as a toddler, now she's downloading them for her son. The Wiggles have gone intergenerational!

[cmyk]

Yo Gabba Gabba is a show that reminds me of what smoking pot is like. I wonder if watching while stoned would amplify it or cancel it out.

[Malthus]

Heh, my kid used to love a show called "In the Night Garden" narrated by, of all people, Derek Jacobi.

Appeard to me sort of like what was going through Claudius' head at the end of I, Claudius when he was dying of mushroom poisioning. :D

[maggenpye]

We've had that here recently, I caught it on a day off.

That's some odd stuff.

We've contributed the Wot Wots to the world, which we keep being told is a huge success story, anyone heard of it?

[Captain Amazing]

But I believe (and I'm not positive on this) Mr. Hooper was closing his shop on a day that Big Bird didn't understand, and he told Big Bird he was jewish (or Big Bird told Snuffy he was jewish).

This was revealed on 1978's "Christmas Eve on Sesame Street".

[Gyrate]

I bought the DVDs of the old Sesame Street shows from the first five years of the series. You know, back when you actually saw the street and everything looked properly grimy and Jesse Jackson turned up to do empowerment speeches (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTB1h18bHlY). Now it's all very sanitised and Elmo-heavy. Yuck. However, in Elmo's defense my daughter (who is almost three) does frequently speak in the third person and seems to struggle with proper use of the words "I" and "me" (although - believe me - she's got no trouble at all with "MINE!"). She does like the old musical animations, especially the pinball and the other jazzy counting ones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbGAaD0Owas) (huh - that link says that Grace Slick is singing the latter. Nifty!), as well as anything with Cookie Monster in it.

Pocoyo is awesome. I would watch Pocoyo even if I didn't have a child. There are loads of episodes on YouTube - I recommend them.

The daughter also likes In the Night Garden and Waybuloo. She's also a Peppa Pig fan which I hate because Peppa is a horrible role model, being a selfish, lying puffed-up twerp who abuses her father and makes her little brother cry in every episode. And she's the reason my daughter jumps in every damn muddy puddle she sees. Including ones in the middle of the street. Damn you, pig!

And Barney will never be seen in my house, not while I'm alive.


ETA: maggenpye, yes, I've seen the Wot Wots. Spotty Wot and Dotty Wot, yes?

[Gedd]

I mention the thing about kids speaking in third person to a friend who teaches kindergarten, and she says the major factor in if kids do that or not is (surprise) the parents. If they talk to their kids like that, the kids will talk to them like that.

If they say “Mommy is eating her vegetables” or “Come give Mommy a hug” (which is how some people talk to their toddlers and is in third person) then their kid will mirror them. So when Elmo says “Elmo loves his goldfish, his crayons too” he’s simply a reflection of how his parents talked to him.

Parents these days . . .

[diku]

It's amazing how quickly they change watching shows. I have a 3 yr old boy, Elmo went by pretty quickly. I was very glad of that. Of course, that happened when he discovered the movie Cars.

He's still on a Cars kick (this month has been torture with the new movie), but I'm glad he moved into a Phineas and Ferb phase. Of course, he still watches Max and Ruby (hate).

[lorene]

Another thing. We used to have this Elmo video called "Elmocize" or something, where the kids could exercise watch along as Elmo chanted "ELMOCIZE! ELMOCIZE!" over and over again, as the kids around him were basically just flailing around and looking lost. Apparently, this video's colors, patterns and noise must've been crafted like a crystal meth cook, cuz it certainly had the same effect on children's brains. After 30 minutes of this, my daughter would replay it until a blood vessel would inevitably burst in one of my eyes, and turn completely red.



Shit McGregor, that DVD bugged me. I thought it was fine and inclusive that they had a segment about how the kid in the wheelchair can exercise, too, but why did they have to have the chick who can't sing a note do that song? And it's such a bad song. Workout in a chair...it's a workout in a chair...You can do it anywhere...It's a workout in a CHAIR!



I don't know if I've seen Yo Gabba Gabba.

You would know if you'd seen Yo Gabba Gabba. There's no way to be basically unsure of that. Hint: It's the only kid's TV show that features a humungous marital aid as one of its characters.

As for your question about the voices for Thomas the Tank Engine, there have been at least five. Ringo Starr is the voice on the really old British ones and George Carlin is the voice on the older American versions. Alec Baldwin did a bunch but his are really poor, in my opinion. The newer ones are all computer-generated (instead of the stop-motion models) and have new readers.

The new guys are competent but no one is as good as George Carlin was.

He was great, but Ringo Starr was good, too. My kids were absolutely gobsmacked that the same Ringo Starr (and, for a while, one of them called him Wrinkled Star by mistake) was in the Beatles. Crazy!

[maggenpye]

ETA: maggenpye, yes, I've seen the Wot Wots. Spotty Wot and Dotty Wot, yes?

I don't know if I should be proud or not (wotwot) ... steampunk aliens? Yeah, I'm proud.

Love Pocoyo, too. The kid's way beyond it, but I could listen to Stephen Fry read the instruction book for my blender.

[dhkendall]

TIf you think Elmo is bad, try Yo Gabba Gabba.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Yo Gabba Gabba is Teletubbies on acid.

(I'll echo the comments that your kids will grow out of them fast - I have a 6 and 8 (almost 9) year old now, and the channel is rarely switched to Treehouse (the preschool channel in Canada), although sometimes the 6 year old sneaks a peek when he thinks his sister isn't around to catch him to make fun of him for watching "baby shows"

It's "la la la la", not "nuh nuh nuh nuh". You must be thinking of Batman.

Damn you, [b]Shmendrik[b]! Now I got "Nananananananananananananananananana Elmo!" going around in my head with Elmo wearing a Batman costume. I hope you are pleased with yourself, putting a fellow Doper through this.

[Sierra Indigo]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Yo Gabba Gabba is Teletubbies on acid.


Oh please, you want Teletubbies on acid? Check out some Boobahs my friend. Made by the same folks as made Teletubbies, but with a thousand times the psychotropic drugs.

Yo Gabba Gabba is like fucking Tolstoy compared to Boobah.

[WhyNot]

Oh please, you want Teletubbies on acid? Check out some Boobahs my friend. Made by the same folks as made Teletubbies, but with a thousand times the psychotropic drugs.

Yo Gabba Gabba is like fucking Tolstoy compared to Boobah.

Word.

[lorene]

Oh please, you want Teletubbies on acid? Check out some Boobahs my friend. Made by the same folks as made Teletubbies, but with a thousand times the psychotropic drugs.

Yo Gabba Gabba is like fucking Tolstoy compared to Boobah.

Oh, geez. I had blocked all traumatic memories of Boobah. But you're right. You are so right.

The episode I can't seem to forget is the one where they kept talking about Grandmama and Grandpapa play with the giant hot dog. They would not stop. Grandmama. Grandpapa. Giant hot dog.

::wimpers::

[Gyrate]

Damn you, [b]Shmendrik[b]! Now I got "Nananananananananananananananananana Elmo!" going around in my head with Elmo wearing a Batman costume. I hope you are pleased with yourself, putting a fellow Doper through this.
No no no - Elmo plus Ricky Gervais plus "Na na na na na na na na!" equals this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc20vMz0V7Q).

[Bad News Baboon]

My favorite episode of Oswald:
One of the characters is voiced by the guy who played Squiggy in Laverne and Shirley.
His cousin came to visit. The voice? Lenny! I thought it was classic ... And completely over my daughter's head.

As for Dora? Mom and I always laugh at that one. We think somebody nerds to call CPS.
Abuelita: I need some chocolate. Let me send the preschooler into a forrest filled with snakes... Alone!

[dhkendall]

Oh please, you want Teletubbies on acid? Check out some Boobahs my friend. Made by the same folks as made Teletubbies, but with a thousand times the psychotropic drugs.

Yo Gabba Gabba is like fucking Tolstoy compared to Boobah.

Oh, geez. I had blocked all traumatic memories of Boobah. But you're right. You are so right.

I hate to "this", but ... yeah. What lorene said.

No no no - Elmo plus Ricky Gervais plus "Na na na na na na na na!" equals this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc20vMz0V7Q).

Ricky Gervais is my new hero merely for fucking with Elmo. :)

[Stink Fish Pot]

I mention the thing about kids speaking in third person to a friend who teaches kindergarten, and she says the major factor in if kids do that or not is (surprise) the parents. If they talk to their kids like that, the kids will talk to them like that.

If they say “Mommy is eating her vegetables” or “Come give Mommy a hug” (which is how some people talk to their toddlers and is in third person) then their kid will mirror them. So when Elmo says “Elmo loves his goldfish, his crayons too” he’s simply a reflection of how his parents talked to him.

Parents these days . . .

Never thought about that, but then again, I talk to my child like she's a little person, not a baby. I never use the third person to describe me, but I can see how this could be the norm.

However, I don't see why Sesame Street would want to perpetuate this speaking faux pax by making one of their most popular characters speak in the third person. Combine that with that idiotic, possessed laugh of his, and I'd like to grab the little red bastard by the throat, yank him off the hand that's up his ass and sell him on ebay. Even his voice annoys me. Yes, I suffered major Elmo trauma today.