Children's TV is a wasteland. Smarmy Barney is banned from our house. Caillou is nothing but an example of the whinging bad child. Clifford is a big red moralizing freak surrounded by little pink moralizing freaks banished to the Island of the impossible economy. Hidden within the chaff is a gem - Oswald the Octopus. A happy surrealist's dream, it is a bright cartoon about symbolistic New Yorkers. Henry the Penguin who is nervous about doing anything much. Weiner who is, in fact, a hot dog. Best of all, like Messrs Rogers and Dress-Up, is the music. Light hopeful themes in the style of a sloppy burlesque orchestra. Be glad. There is a CD. Don't trust me - read this review. Tony Orlando singing the Sammy Starfish tune in the style of Tony Bennett with a nod to Tom Waits is a treat. Put it in random rotation on the CD player with Brian Eno ambient music.
Canada's Favorite Blog
Almost Famous
Articles
- Articles for the sister station, A Good Beer Blog.
- Pick any day's tunes as heard on CBC Ottawa's All in a Day hosted by my personal emailing buddy, Brent Bambury. You won't find a better music selection on radio anywhere - certainly not on the deeply dowdy CBC.
- Another plume catches my eye.
- Stuff less serious than Stuff.
- From Jan to March 2006, I tried a group humour blog with others on the subject of Canadian politics. It did not last but the posts were worth keeping. #16 was banned. There were no comments. It was at www.shadowcabinet.ca.
- Some writings and other junk of little real interest unless you like law or are a Crow.
A display of hideous graphics focused on the goal of figuring out where the smokestack I can see to the south is sitting.
Comments
Kelly - January 6, 2004 10:11 AM
my 1 1/2 year old daughter Taylor-Marie loves Oswald. It is a gem on the tube, and really imaginative.
portland - January 6, 2004 11:27 AM
why is there such a fervid (is that a word?) hatred out there for barney. is it homophobia? it certainly isn't despisation (definitely not a word!) of mediocrity or people would dis a thousand other kid's characters to the extent that they go after barney. hey people, he's a big singing purple dinosaur. he doesn't sing well, and those dance numbers are certainly not up broadway standards, but i'll go on record as saying i'm for big gay singing purple dancing dinosaurs everywhere. would that osama bin laden had been parked in front of barney when he was a kid. oswald is excellent. barney is okay too.
portland - January 6, 2004 11:30 AM
and, oh yeah, i'd lock caillou in a closet if i had to look after him for a day. agreed.
Alan - January 6, 2004 11:30 AM
I think that given the availability of the myriad of children's show which to encourage or not encourage, Barney rates low. The character is poorly designed. The permanent smile is suspicious. The theme of love and importance, though very important, is banal. Our children deserve better. I wish Osama on Barney as well.
portland - January 6, 2004 11:32 AM
go to work
Alan - January 6, 2004 11:32 AM
Caillou is a curse. Pity the child encouraged to sit before the screen for that training ground for being the target of bullying.
portland - January 6, 2004 11:33 AM
the one that bugs me is franklin the turtle. hey, do we have time on our hands.
Alan - January 6, 2004 11:35 AM
Question not.
Mike - January 6, 2004 12:40 PM
My 5 year old nephew loves "Jimmy Neutron", and my brother and I love watching it with him -- it's hilarious.
Hollie - November 7, 2006 1:13 PM
Oswald is just as weird and could be considered a wasteland as all of the other shows you mentioned. Oswald is constantly worrying (not good for toddlers to pick up) the Penguin and Daisy are competing for Oswald's attention, sometimes to an extreme. The eggs! I mean come on! Could there be a more flamboyantly gay couple on children's television????? It is disgusting to me.
Alan - November 7, 2006 1:24 PM
I like my children's television to have warm and positive flamboyantly gay couples - if that were what is on Oswald as they are more like twins to me and certainly would be to a child - but find such mean opinions otherwise disgusting.