Adult Comedy For Kids
Julie van der Wekken
Last night as a family we all watched The Simpsons together for the first time. My husband and I have seen pretty much every episode and really like the show, but I guess I never thought about introducing it to my kids (ages 8 & 4), thinking that the subject matter might not interest them. Boy was I wrong:) They both thought it was absolutely hilarious. Watching the show wasn't planned, we were all just sitting on the couch and I was flipping through the channels and stopped for a brief second and they both wanted to watch. Both of them love potty humor and fart jokes to no end. It's even that much funnier to them if there is a swear word or two thrown in the mix:) They've both watched the Family Guy on occasion and think it is also pretty funny.
In the car a couple weeks ago we were listening to an interview on NPR with Trey Parker & Matt Stone (creators of South Park), and just hearing the dialogue and the few audio clips they played on the show really interested & amused my 8 year old.
I don't believe in censoring media, trusting that my kids know what their comfortable with. That being said I have thought about introducing my 8 year old (which would also mean introducing the 4 year old) to South Park, full well knowing that the 8 year old would think it was hilarious. What are some opinions in introducing a show like South Park to such a young audience? I know the shows deal with a lot different subject matter than say The Simpsons, and am not sure how much he would "get". Maybe I'm already answering my own question in thinking that if he likes it enough to watch a full episode, then it doesn't really matter how much he "gets", just that it's enjoyable for him.
Just looking for some experienced unschooled opinions here.
Thanks,
Julie v.
http://lerendzonderschool.blogspot.com/
In the car a couple weeks ago we were listening to an interview on NPR with Trey Parker & Matt Stone (creators of South Park), and just hearing the dialogue and the few audio clips they played on the show really interested & amused my 8 year old.
I don't believe in censoring media, trusting that my kids know what their comfortable with. That being said I have thought about introducing my 8 year old (which would also mean introducing the 4 year old) to South Park, full well knowing that the 8 year old would think it was hilarious. What are some opinions in introducing a show like South Park to such a young audience? I know the shows deal with a lot different subject matter than say The Simpsons, and am not sure how much he would "get". Maybe I'm already answering my own question in thinking that if he likes it enough to watch a full episode, then it doesn't really matter how much he "gets", just that it's enjoyable for him.
Just looking for some experienced unschooled opinions here.
Thanks,
Julie v.
http://lerendzonderschool.blogspot.com/
Sandra Dodd
-=Maybe I'm already answering my own question in thinking that if he
likes it enough to watch a full episode, then it doesn't really matter
how much he "gets", just that it's enjoyable for him.-=-
You don't need to think of it as "introducing them" or even "exposing
them" to it. If you watch a little (just snippets, maybe) and they're
interested, or not interested, there it is. If they're interested,
find some more. If not, then do something different.
The thing that got me interested in South Park was my son Marty, who
was ten or eleven maybe, reciting a scene about rainbows. Cartman
says "I HATE rainbows!" and at the end of a little exchange, he says
"Oh, RainBOWS! Yeah, I like those..." or something. So when I
finally asked what he was reciting, and the kids showed me, I was
hooked.
Kids will like something altogether different from what the adults are
liking. That's how cartoons aimed at a broader audience are. I
enjoyed Rocky and Bullwinkle without getting all the jokes. Bugs
Bunny. The Flintstones. Same with The Simpsons and kids now.
Sandra
Here's that scene without video, the part Marty used to quote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIOGQyTFkm0
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
likes it enough to watch a full episode, then it doesn't really matter
how much he "gets", just that it's enjoyable for him.-=-
You don't need to think of it as "introducing them" or even "exposing
them" to it. If you watch a little (just snippets, maybe) and they're
interested, or not interested, there it is. If they're interested,
find some more. If not, then do something different.
The thing that got me interested in South Park was my son Marty, who
was ten or eleven maybe, reciting a scene about rainbows. Cartman
says "I HATE rainbows!" and at the end of a little exchange, he says
"Oh, RainBOWS! Yeah, I like those..." or something. So when I
finally asked what he was reciting, and the kids showed me, I was
hooked.
Kids will like something altogether different from what the adults are
liking. That's how cartoons aimed at a broader audience are. I
enjoyed Rocky and Bullwinkle without getting all the jokes. Bugs
Bunny. The Flintstones. Same with The Simpsons and kids now.
Sandra
Here's that scene without video, the part Marty used to quote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIOGQyTFkm0
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
C Johnson
If my children want to watch something I feel is questionable or has content they might need an explanation for, I watch it with them.
BB,
Chrissie
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time you have been given." Gandalf
BB,
Chrissie
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time you have been given." Gandalf
--- On Tue, 4/13/10, Julie van der Wekken <thewekkenfam@...> wrote:
From: Julie van der Wekken <thewekkenfam@...>
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] Adult Comedy For Kids
To: [email protected]
Date: Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 2:39 PM
Last night as a family we all watched The Simpsons together for the first time. My husband and I have seen pretty much every episode and really like the show, but I guess I never thought about introducing it to my kids (ages 8 & 4), thinking that the subject matter might not interest them. Boy was I wrong:) They both thought it was absolutely hilarious. Watching the show wasn't planned, we were all just sitting on the couch and I was flipping through the channels and stopped for a brief second and they both wanted to watch. Both of them love potty humor and fart jokes to no end. It's even that much funnier to them if there is a swear word or two thrown in the mix:) They've both watched the Family Guy on occasion and think it is also pretty funny.
In the car a couple weeks ago we were listening to an interview on NPR with Trey Parker & Matt Stone (creators of South Park), and just hearing the dialogue and the few audio clips they played on the show really interested & amused my 8 year old.
I don't believe in censoring media, trusting that my kids know what their comfortable with. That being said I have thought about introducing my 8 year old (which would also mean introducing the 4 year old) to South Park, full well knowing that the 8 year old would think it was hilarious. What are some opinions in introducing a show like South Park to such a young audience? I know the shows deal with a lot different subject matter than say The Simpsons, and am not sure how much he would "get". Maybe I'm already answering my own question in thinking that if he likes it enough to watch a full episode, then it doesn't really matter how much he "gets", just that it's enjoyable for him.
Just looking for some experienced unschooled opinions here.
Thanks,
Julie v.
http://lerendzonder school.blogspot. com/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Bob Collier
--- In [email protected], "Julie van der Wekken" <thewekkenfam@...> wrote:
I've watched the shows myself on occasion so I know enough about them and I've explained to my son why I don't like them and he 'took that under advisement', as the saying goes. Humour's a personal thing. Usually my son and I watch TV together, but any of those particular shows he watches on his own and I go off and follow one of my own preferences.
It's no big deal. I expect I will be doing a lot of watching TV on my own when the soccer World Cup arrives in June.
Bob
>My son thoroughly enjoys the humour of The Simpsons, Family Guy and South Park. He's been watching all three shows since he was about eight (his ten years older sister was a fan). He's 14 now. I don't like any of them.
>>
> I don't believe in censoring media, trusting that my kids know what their comfortable with. That being said I have thought about introducing my 8 year old (which would also mean introducing the 4 year old) to South Park, full well knowing that the 8 year old would think it was hilarious. What are some opinions in introducing a show like South Park to such a young audience? I know the shows deal with a lot different subject matter than say The Simpsons, and am not sure how much he would "get". Maybe I'm already answering my own question in thinking that if he likes it enough to watch a full episode, then it doesn't really matter how much he "gets", just that it's enjoyable for him.
>
> Just looking for some experienced unschooled opinions here.
>
> Thanks,
> Julie v.
> http://lerendzonderschool.blogspot.com/
>
I've watched the shows myself on occasion so I know enough about them and I've explained to my son why I don't like them and he 'took that under advisement', as the saying goes. Humour's a personal thing. Usually my son and I watch TV together, but any of those particular shows he watches on his own and I go off and follow one of my own preferences.
It's no big deal. I expect I will be doing a lot of watching TV on my own when the soccer World Cup arrives in June.
Bob
Julie van der Wekken
Sandra,
I love that Rainbow clip:)
I guess i used the wrong word "introduce", I was thinking more like strew, since he's interested in that type of comedy.
I clicked on the link below and we watched a few other South Park clips on YouTube, he thought some was funny, but couldn't understand the characters (in that they talk really fast), and then walked away after about the third one, so we'll stick with The Simpsons & Family Guy for now.
I wanted to put in a great quote I saw recently regarding comedy:
"I think it's the duty of the comedian to see where the line is drawn and then cross it deliberately" - George Carlin
My dad had records from George Carlin while us kids were growing up that we repeatedly listened to, very foul, and we thought they were hilarious. I'm thinking I was probably around 10 or older. I think it was intensified growing up in a very conservative suburb in Utah where we were one of the few in our neighborhood that were in the minority (religiously speaking).
Julie v.
http://lerendzonderschool.blogspot.com/
I love that Rainbow clip:)
I guess i used the wrong word "introduce", I was thinking more like strew, since he's interested in that type of comedy.
I clicked on the link below and we watched a few other South Park clips on YouTube, he thought some was funny, but couldn't understand the characters (in that they talk really fast), and then walked away after about the third one, so we'll stick with The Simpsons & Family Guy for now.
I wanted to put in a great quote I saw recently regarding comedy:
"I think it's the duty of the comedian to see where the line is drawn and then cross it deliberately" - George Carlin
My dad had records from George Carlin while us kids were growing up that we repeatedly listened to, very foul, and we thought they were hilarious. I'm thinking I was probably around 10 or older. I think it was intensified growing up in a very conservative suburb in Utah where we were one of the few in our neighborhood that were in the minority (religiously speaking).
Julie v.
http://lerendzonderschool.blogspot.com/
--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
>
> -=Maybe I'm already answering my own question in thinking that if he
> likes it enough to watch a full episode, then it doesn't really matter
> how much he "gets", just that it's enjoyable for him.-=-
>
> You don't need to think of it as "introducing them" or even "exposing
> them" to it. If you watch a little (just snippets, maybe) and they're
> interested, or not interested, there it is. If they're interested,
> find some more. If not, then do something different.
>
> The thing that got me interested in South Park was my son Marty, who
> was ten or eleven maybe, reciting a scene about rainbows. Cartman
> says "I HATE rainbows!" and at the end of a little exchange, he says
> "Oh, RainBOWS! Yeah, I like those..." or something. So when I
> finally asked what he was reciting, and the kids showed me, I was
> hooked.
>
> Kids will like something altogether different from what the adults are
> liking. That's how cartoons aimed at a broader audience are. I
> enjoyed Rocky and Bullwinkle without getting all the jokes. Bugs
> Bunny. The Flintstones. Same with The Simpsons and kids now.
>
> Sandra
>
> Here's that scene without video, the part Marty used to quote:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIOGQyTFkm0
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
Julie van der Wekken
Sounds like a great family dynamic. I know other families whose parents dislike those shows, so they won't let their children watch them either. Doesn't make for great relationships.
Julie v.
http://lerendzonderschool.blogspot.com/
Julie v.
http://lerendzonderschool.blogspot.com/
>
>
> My son thoroughly enjoys the humour of The Simpsons, Family Guy and South Park. He's been watching all three shows since he was about eight (his ten years older sister was a fan). He's 14 now. I don't like any of them.
>
> I've watched the shows myself on occasion so I know enough about them and I've explained to my son why I don't like them and he 'took that under advisement', as the saying goes. Humour's a personal thing. Usually my son and I watch TV together, but any of those particular shows he watches on his own and I go off and follow one of my own preferences.
>
> It's no big deal. I expect I will be doing a lot of watching TV on my own when the soccer World Cup arrives in June.
>
> Bob
>