Tuned In, TV Blog, Television Reviews, James Poniewozik, TIME

May 9, 2008 11:59

Dept. of Does Not Exactly Surprise Me

Posted by James Poniewozik | Comments (9) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This

ABC News reports that college students get high and watch Yo Gabba Gabba!, the most awesome kids' show on TV. (Via TV Tattle.)

Makes sense to me—I get high by watching Yo Gabba Gabba!, but same difference. It only takes a few minutes watching the show's surreal images, wacky monsters and talking food to draw a connection to it and certain enhanced states: last summer, I wrote, "You, grown-up you, need to watch Yo Gabba Gabba!, debuting on Nick Jr. and Noggin on Monday. At least once. Possibly even while sober."

The funniest thing about the ABC News piece is the perfectly straight voice in which it reports its Onion-like finding, followed by the comments in which readers note that, um, adults have been getting high and watching kids' shows since practically the dawn of television. I am certainly not the first to draw attention to the affinity between stoners and SpongeBob, for instance. I would not be surprised to find if, in smoke-filled living rooms in the Village, there were Beats toking up to Kukla, Fran and Ollie.

Not that I endorse any of it, of course. Kids, stay in school! The rest of you, take a hit of this.

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Reader Comments (9)

Keith:

@James: Hey dude, I'm like 50 dude, and I watch like the little yellow sponge dude and I've never taken any mind altering substances dude. Like for real dude. But I bet he'd be awesome while stoned.

Posted by Keith | May 9, 2008 12:58 PM

James Poniewozik:

@ Keith: With, like, a big plate of Krabbie Patties.

Posted by James Poniewozik | May 9, 2008 1:40 PM

shara says:

So ABC was asking folks: have you tried SpongeBob. . . on WEED? Hee!

Personally, I can't stand SpongeBob, and I can't imagine that any amount of herbage could help me out with that. But then again, I've never tried that particular combination before. I prefer my mind altering substances with an occasional sidedish of Eddie Izzard standup.

Posted by shara says | May 9, 2008 2:58 PM

shara says:

or Aqua Teen Hunger Force - always a winner.

Posted by shara says | May 9, 2008 2:58 PM

James Poniewozik:

@Shara: As Fox News' Shepard Smith once told us, ATHF is well known "stoner stuff":

http://www.time-blog.com/tuned_in/2007/01/breaking_mooninites_invade_bos.html

Posted by James Poniewozik | May 9, 2008 3:29 PM

Keith:

@James - With a side of Kelpos dude.

@Shara - What? No Spongebob? Spongebob was a bonding experience with my now 15 year old son. I still make him sit down and watch it with me occasionally. We drive Mrs. Keith crazy because we can still do SB scenes like some folks can do Seinfeld. She just shakes her head and does her best to ignore us, until she yells "enough". I think SB is kind of like the Three Stooges.....best enjoyed by folks who like farting, scratching and burping....men.

Posted by Keith | May 9, 2008 3:53 PM

Yes we can?:

Maybe I'm alone on this one, but green makes almost all good media better...

Or so I've heard.

Posted by Yes we can? | May 9, 2008 5:35 PM

snarkhunter:

Thank you for introducing me to Yo! Gabba Gabba! It's the sort of show i would expect from adult swim. Carrots crying because they want to be at the party--in his tummy! The perverse absurdity of it had me in hysterics!

Posted by snarkhunter | May 9, 2008 11:07 PM

Malcolm:

And don't forget Peewee's Playhouse.

Posted by Malcolm | May 11, 2008 4:14 AM

About Tuned In

James Poniewozik writes TIME magazine's Tuned In column, about pop culture and society. Tuned In, the blog version, is about the stuff we used to call "TV," whether it's in your living room, on your computer or--once the networks figure out the technology and line up the advertisers--in your dreams themselves.