# Do Children's TV actors have a special responsibility? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978 "2006-07-25T16:47:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Verminary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/71e660/32.png) [@Verminary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Verminary)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/21 "2006-07-25T22:17:36Z")
To add to the examples of other actors and comedians who have taken prominent roles in children’s television without being disqualified from the child-oriented roles because of their previous roles: Probably the most notable one I can think of is George Carlin, who narrated _Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends_ from '91 to '98. This show is still airing on PBS Kids Sprout. I’m sure there are adults out there who haven’t the faintest idea what kinds of comedy routines George Carlin has done and is still doing to this day, but I’m guessing they number among the minority. I still want to take a baseball bat to that obnoxious little Star, but I think firing Martinez was a bit of a knee-jerk decision on Comcast / PBS / Sesame Workshop / HIT Entertainment’s part (or wherever in the partnership the decision-makers may be). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/22 "2006-07-25T23:03:31Z")
[QUOTE=Phase42] Heh heh heh hee! Ron Jeremy, from the IMDB: [/QUOTE] Hell, according to that, he used to to be a special ed teacher. Any parent that would let their kids watch hardcore porn and violence has more problems than said kid seeing Mister Rogers playing a pimp, anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/23 "2006-07-25T23:09:48Z")
The producers of a PBS show, that isn’t the sacred cow like Sesame Street, have a responsiblity to congress, (much of which is up for re-election right now) to not piss them off. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/24 "2006-07-25T23:20:09Z")
I watched the clips, and they’re not unlike something you’d see on _Comedy Central_. It’s not like she was strapped down and subjected to Boohbah Bukkake or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/25 "2006-07-25T23:31:02Z")
[QUOTE=Verminary] Probably the most notable one I can think of is George Carlin, who narrated _Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends_ from '91 to '98. This show is still airing on PBS Kids Sprout. I’m sure there are adults out there who haven’t the faintest idea what kinds of comedy routines George Carlin has done and is still doing to this day, but I’m guessing they number among the minority. [/QUOTE] Excellent example. And Ringo used drugs :eek: But wasn’t Thomas filmed in a more civilized country? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/26 "2006-07-25T23:31:25Z")
[QUOTE=Verminary] Probably the most notable one I can think of is George Carlin, who narrated _Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends_ from '91 to '98. This show is still airing on PBS Kids Sprout. I’m sure there are adults out there who haven’t the faintest idea what kinds of comedy routines George Carlin has done and is still doing to this day, but I’m guessing they number among the minority. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s the second thing I thought of in connection with this issue. The first being the movie _Death To Smoochy_. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/27 "2006-07-25T23:38:33Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] I watched the clips, and they’re not unlike something you’d see on _Comedy Central_. It’s not like she was strapped down and subjected to Boohbah Bukkake or anything. [/QUOTE] Okay. I’m going to send you the bill for the brain bleach I just ordered. Robin ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/28 "2006-07-26T01:09:02Z")
I just sent a complaint letter to Sprout: > [@Me](#): > > To whom it may concern: > > I was extremely dismayed to learn that Melanie Martinez was fired as evening host at PBS Kids Sprout. My son was a regular viewer and looked forward to watching Ms. Martinez each evening. > > However, this is the last straw as far as my family is concerned. Not because my son’s favorite host is now gone, but because this is a bizarre and hypocritical decision in light some of the performers on PBS Kids shows. For example, George Carlin, narrator on Thomas and Friends, has made a career out of blue comedy that began over thirty years ago. Sonia Manzano and Emilio Delgado of Sesame Street have both appeared on adult-oriented broadcast television shows. Are you going to drop both shows because of that? My son was not going to watch Ms. Martinez’s videos any more than he would listen to Carlin’s “Seven Dirty Words” routine or the “Law and Order” episodes Ms. Manzano or Mr. Delgado appeared in. > > Finally, I wish to complain about the commercials that have been airing on Sprout. One of the reasons I like PBS is because of the relative lack of commercials. I understand that Sprout, like most basic cable channels, needs to pay the bills. However, it is disturbing to find commercials on a channel aimed at preschoolers. > > I urge Sprout to re-consider Ms. Martinez’s firing. Until you do, you’ve lost a loyal viewer to Noggin. > > Sincerely, > > MsRobyn (Not my real name) Robin ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/29 "2006-07-26T01:58:04Z")
[QUOTE=MsRobyn] I just sent a complaint letter to Sprout: (Not my real name) Robin [/QUOTE] UM… why should PBS Kids / Sprout care that Noggin has lost a loyal viewer? I grant you Moose A. Moose and Zee may be upset, but they had nothing to do with firing Melanie. Unless there’s a corporate connection I missed? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/30 "2006-07-26T02:02:17Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] UM… why should PBS Kids / Sprout care that Noggin has lost a loyal viewer? I grant you Moose A. Moose and Zee may be upset, but they had nothing to do with firing Melanie. Unless there’s a corporate connection I missed? [/QUOTE] You misread the sentence. Sprout lost a viewer to Noggin, just as Coke may lose a customer to Pepsi. Robin ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/31 "2006-07-26T02:03:20Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] UM… why should PBS Kids / Sprout care that Noggin has lost a loyal viewer? I grant you Moose A. Moose and Zee may be upset, but they had nothing to do with firing Melanie. Unless there’s a corporate connection I missed? [/QUOTE] Go back and re-read it: PBS Sprout has lost a viewer TO Noggin. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/32 "2006-07-26T04:15:57Z")
Come on **Bricker** , admit you made a mistake! ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/33 "2006-07-26T08:28:50Z")
I always assumed that he appeared as Mr Conductor as community service for either DUI or drug possession. “What now, your honor?” “I sentence you to be taken to a shining time station, where dreams can come true, and your own imagination is waiting there for you.” “Bitchin!” ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978/34 "2006-07-26T12:16:54Z")
[QUOTE=DocCathode] I always assumed that he appeared as Mr Conductor as community service for either DUI or drug possession. “What now, your honor?” “I sentence you to be taken to a shining time station, where dreams can come true, and your own imagination is waiting there for you.” “Bitchin!” [/QUOTE] If that’s true, I haven’t seen anything about it. (Of course, I might be whooshed.) No matter the circumstances, he’s a shock comic who did kids’ TV. Can the two co-exist? Robin [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-childrens-tv-actors-have-a-special-responsibility/365978.md?page=1)