Adult Humor Hidden in Kids' Entertainment

     Ever since I can remember I was always watching cartoons as a little kid. Seldom did I ever watch TV at all by myself especially because of my parents’ fear of me venturing off into channels and shows that were “grown up shows”, as they would call them. I had no interest in said shows anyway; I just wanted to watch my shows. I would notice that my parents would sometimes laugh at parts of the show or movie that weren’t funny in the slightest and it always baffled me. Now, having watched a majority of those shows and movies in a sentimental “I can’t believe I graduated high school I’m so old” marathon of the classics, I noticed some jokes that I definitely did not pick up on or find funny as a kid.

     The creators of TV shows and movies that are targeted at little kids have just as much of a responsibility to make it entertaining to the parents as well as the kids. So how do you do that? Because lord knows that grown adults sure as hell do not want to watch a movie about talking toys or a sponge that lives in a pineapple. The answer: slip in adult humor that no six or seven year old is going to pick up on. This is exactly what the successful kid movies have in them: a healthy balance of material that is humorous to little kids and as well as adults. Let me provide some examples.

Toy Story and Toy Story 2

     I love these two movies. If you tell me either is on TV right now I’m going to demand you to tell me what channel it is on so I can go watch it.  If it is a marathon and they are on back to back? Even better. As a parent though (who has seen this movie probably a million times) and your kid is laughing hysterically at the stupid green aliens toys because they sound funny, is that going to keep you entertained? Not in the slightest. So naturally they have to slide in some adult humor in there.

Example 1: Buzz gets all “excited” when he sees Jesse do something badass

     As a little kid if you’re watching Jesse doing all these cool stunts that’s entertaining and seeing Buzz’s wings pop out is funny just because it is. As a kid you don’t get the sexual reference to Buzz getting all excited by seeing someone of the opposite gender do something badass. But adults, they will catch right onto that and find it humorous.

Example 2: All the way to work on a Saturday

            This joke isn’t sexual in the slightest but it really is only humorous to adults. Al has a can’t miss opportunity where he has to fax photos at work ASAP so he has to drive to work on a Saturday. His work is right across the street from his apartments. This connects to adults and how miserable it is to drive to work in general, especially on a Saturday. Yet, once they see his work is right across the street it is hilarious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie83EjPhFWg

SpongeBob Squarepants

            Let’s be honest for just a second. There is no idea in the history of dumb ideas that is so successful at the same time like SpongeBob Squarepants. The fact that a sponge that lives under the sea whose best friend is a star who lives under a rock is such a successful idea is mind-boggling. Anyways, this show is packed full with adult humor that completely flies over little kid’s heads.

            Example 1: SpongeBob’s choice of viewing entertainment

     This picture is pretty self-explanatory. I won’t go into details on it but obviously the message is pretty clear. A kid will laugh and think, “what a loser he is watching the nature channel”, while clearly this a hidden joke that SpongeBob was watching pornography.

Example 2:  Underwear on his head

     Now to a little kid this is right in the category as potty humor. They think it’s hilarious because his underwear is on his head and that doesn’t go there. LOL. But anyone with a middle school mind in the gutter or adult such as myself will notice that SpongeBob’s nose looks like something else. You get the idea. Again, right over little kid’s heads.

     So what does this all mean? Well it’s pretty simple. The writers of these shows and movies are masters of making the entertainment appeal to multiple age demographics. SpongeBob, according to adage.com, is over an $8 billion franchise. Not to be out done, according to The Numbers, the Toy Story franchise has grossed over $1.9 billion thus far, with a fourth installment on the way. Aside from a monetary standpoint, culturally they have created classics that will stand the tests of time as some of the greatest movies and shows ever created all because of their ability to implement jokes that appeal to multiple age demographics.

Works Cited

"Box Office History for Toy Story Movies." The Numbers. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.

"How Spongebob Became an $8 Billion Franchise." Advertising Age Media RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.

"Toy Story 2 (driving ALL the Way to Work)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.

"27 Adults Jokes In Cartoons That You Totally Missed As A Kid." BuzzFeed. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.