On Disney’s One Saturday Morning they have this “funny” guy in between the cartoons. I would see him doing some characters that I knew were supposed to be an imitation of someone, but I didn’t know who it was. So the first time I saw Steve and Terri Irwin I started laughing hysterically remembering these episodes of DOSM. (That’s one.)
Another show that my kids like to watch is Doug. Doug has this favorite band, (I can’t remember the name). I knew that they were supposed to be a punkish band, but couldn’t place who was being imitated. I just downloaded the Sex Pistols doing “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone”. I’ve never heard any Sex Pistols. I lead a sheltered life, I know. I kept thinking that it reminds of someone. Finally, it hits me! That’s who Doug’s favorite band is supposed to sound like!
I watch a lot of the older classic cartoons (Warner Brother Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes and the like). I just don’t get catch phrases like “Paging Mr. Ripley”, “I’m only t’ree and a half years old”, and “…I’ve been sick”.
As well, there are often a lot of celebrity caracatures that the audience back then would definitely know, but just leave me completely befuddled wondering who these people are: e.g. Daffy Duck in some sort of Zoot Suit with a large blonde pompadour singing some sort of jazz/scat to Little Red Riding Hood. Hanh? Obviously some singer worth satirizing, but who?
Seriously, you have to understand that some of these old cartoons made “timely” jokes. That is - jokes that persons up on popular culture then (be it the 30’s or 40’s or 50’s) would get, but you do not now.
Cartoons can be a lot older than the appear with all the technology we have now.
Now if you see a cartoon parody of the “Teapot Dome Scandal” then I wish to know ASAP, could be worth some cash.
This is what always confused me about the Animaniacs. I realize that the referneces were timely, but most of them had to go right over kids heads, even most teens. Jokes about Butros Butros Gali or Martin Scorcese, followed by “I have to go potty” gags? C’mon, pick an audience.
This is what always confused me about the Animaniacs. I realize that the references were timely, but most of them had to go right over kids heads, even most teens. Jokes about Butros Butros Gali or Martin Scorcese, followed by “I have to go potty” gags? C’mon, pick an audience.
There’s a visual reference in Bedazzled where Brendan Fraser (George of the Jungle) does a take off of Ryan O’Neal in Love Story. None of the younger people in our group got it.
I’m used to cartoon question marks appearing above peoples’ heads when I make offhand references to Eva Tanguay, Cap’n Billy’s Whiz-Bang or “Cohen on the Telephone.”
No one EVER knows what the hell I’m talking about, but for a few select friends as up on ancient pop-culture as I am.
That is meant to be a take-off of Danny Kaye. His act included scat and accents. The hair is supposed to be reddish, not blonde. A direct hint in that cartoon is that he comes out of a book titled “Danny Boy.”
When I first saw a Katherine Hepburn movie, I immediately realized that her speaking style was used for laughs in a lot of old cartoons.
Chu-Chin-Chow: The only place I’ve heard of this was an episode of “Upstairs, Downstairs,” and all I remember from that is that it was a very popular musical revue during WWI.
The old Warner Brothers cartoons were also big on spoofing Bing Crosby. Bugs and Daffy both do impressions of him at one time or another. Also Al Jolson. Not to mention Edward G. Robinson (the little gangster guy).
