Thinking of The Children

I didn't like most kids' shows even when I was a kid because I thought most of them were stupid, especially the more didactic ones. Looking back with the eye of a cultural X-er, I realize my dislike wasn't completely unfounded and these things were indeed stupid and somewhat creepy.

Black and white aesthetic, confused depressives in a cold universe? No wonder a generation of young Norwegians raised on Pompel Og Pilt grew up to kill themselves, murder their bandmates and burn down churches (I'm kidding Randal). WFMU's excellent blog has more clips including a creepy baby and other delights.

Still, this is nothing compared to Jihad Bunny, complete with plastic key to paradise, because why grow up and do something good for the world or break the cycle of hate if you can die for Allah? Seriously, this is so creepy and evil I almost didn't post it, and it's hard to laugh at such blatant death-mongering to vulnerable kids. Spoiler: Jihad Bunny ends up getting bombed and replaced by Jihad Teddy Bear, 

Far more benevolent is Odisea Burbujas, which as far as I can tell is some Mexican lovechild of HR Puffnstuf and Captain Planet, described here as "a do-gooder scientist and his motley crew of animal friends who fly around in a solar-powered spaceship (made out of an LP, a teacup, and a straw), fighting the evil polluter, Ecoloco..."

 Along similar lines, but not embeddable is the Japanese straungeness of Kure Kure Takora, about an octopus and peanut in love with a walrus. Surrealness abounds.

And then this discovery of the morning, thanks to the Turkmen Golden Age site, full of tidbits about amazing horses, festivals of healing melons, and UNICEF/State-sponsored puppet shows like the one below. Not only does it look like it was filmed in a Parmastan kitchen in 1975, there are also creepy Gonzo-looking germ monsters, and multiple song-and-dance routines to kiddified folk music. Nice to know that the spare change The Kids collect on Halloween to give third world villages fresh water and food goes to such a worthy cause.