One of the more irritating elements of being a parent in modern society is putting up with the pablum inherent in children's entertainment. Sure, Sesame Street and Disney have done a good job of lacing their product with just enough inside jokes and references to make grown-ups smile. But for every good one-liner from Grover their are billions of references to just how useful Thomas the Tank Engine is or some other such nonsense.The target of my ire lately is the Wiggles. For those spared the insipidness, these are four Australian mates that sing songs and host a TV show for kids. While Tommy has not yet discovered the TV show, he does have a Wiggles CD. 
One of the characters on the show is Captain Feathersword.The Captain is apparently a "friendly pirate". He uses his feathersword to tickle people. He likes to sing and dance, cook, and has fun on his ship. But this got me to thinking: under what economic model does a "friendly" pirate ship operate successfully? I mean, if you take away the pillaging and plundering, how does a pirate operation stay afloat? The only thing I can think of is it must be the equivalent of public broadcasting in the nautical world. Perhaps the friendly pirate ship pulls up next to other ships a few times a year and asks for donations. I can see it now... "AArgh, matey! Surely ye knows the value of havin' a friendly pirate ship on the high seas! Do your part to help with a pledge, and we'll send ye a tote bag..."
My wife thinks it’s silly I think this seriously about the economics of a minor character in the Wiggles universe. But I think it’s a wonderful distraction from the lyrics to a Captain Feathersword song about dancing like a pirate or how the friendly pirate ship is, in fact, "rockin' on the sea." It's not like I haven't heard those songs 22,653,249 times this week alone.
And don't get me started about how Ernie and Bert can apparently afford an apartment in New York with no discernable form of income.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
How do they pay for the riggings?
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8 comments:
Wiggles songs are actually kind of catchy.
Unfavorite kids' show: Rugrats
Favorite: Arthur
No source of income for Bert and Ernie? Are you kidding? They make a fortune off their "home videos," if ya catch my meaning.
I think the boys are too modest to put anything like that on tape. Bert has always struck me as very uptight - he wears a turtleneck 365 days a year. And Ernie seems to be covered in bubbles even in his bathtub scenes. No, I doubt that would ever make video.
Bert and Ernie are the ringleaders to a major coke ring in Manhattan and are affiliated with the Russian Mafia. Their rent is under rent control, and Elmo is their front man.
No seriously, nice to see you have a blog now, I find it rather interesting.
About your picture, Jonathan... Are you dressed as Elvis?
Maybe Captain Feathersword and his crew are in marketing. They're the agency representing the folks who started National Talk Like a Pirate Day.
Jonathan ... have you ever seen Boohbah? I think it's meant for those in a chemically altered state.
Boohbah (particularly the toys we have) fascinates my younger son and frightens my older one.
PBS Kids Sprout has a great show called Pingu. It's about a penguin and his family and friends.
Not educational: Spongebob is always hilarious.
Remind me to copy our Veggie Tales CDs for you for Christmas so you can have a new flavor of mind-numbing in the new year. :-)
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