Strollerderby : tv

They Say: TV Impairs Kids' Speech

Madeline Holler — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:34:00 GMT

Here's one for the No Need to Panic files: TV impairs speech development.

A new study shows that for every hour a child spends in front of the television, parents speak 770 fewer words. That's both when the parents are watching the show with the child and when they've just plopped the kid in front of the set to take a shower. Also, when the TV is just on in the background.

So why shouldn't we panic?

Earlier studies show that babies who watch a lot of TV catch up to their more sanctimonious peers by 16 months.

Results of this study appear in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Researchers looked at 329 children, ages 2 months to 4 years, whom they rigged up with digital recorders one day per month for an average of six months. The number of words heard and spoken were counted. Analysts compared the number of words exchanged while the TV was one against the number while the TV was off. On average, adults speak more than 900 words per hour when the TV is off.

Good information and probably not all that surprising, considering most people's experiences when, let's say at a party, the TV goes on. All eyes turn to the plasma screen.

One of the lead researchers, Dimitri Christakis of the Seattle Children's Research Institute, said while this doesn't exactly show that TV is harmful, it also shows it's not helpful, which is one reason the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against TV for kids younger than 2.

Commenting on the study, Victor Strasburger, a professor of pediatrics at the University of New Mexico, leaves us with this guilt-inducing advice:

"We need to avoid parking babies in front of screens," Strasburger says. "Parents need to realize they need to be the primary entertainment for their babies. Parents are movie stars when their kids are babies. It doesn't last long."

Sure. But sometimes, super star Mom or Dad needs to take five in the Green Room, you know?

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Photo: futureofchildren.princeton.edu

Best of FameCrawler - Week of May 29th

Whit Honea — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Mike Tyson's 4-Year-Old Daughter Dies

Madonna Dishes on A-Rod and Kate Hudson

Confirmed - Gisele is Pregnant With Tom Brady's Baby!

Nicole Richie, Dad Lionel & Daughter Harlow (PHOTOS)

Sneak Peek! Jon & Kate Plus 8 Season Premiere

Kelly Rutherford, Lies and Videotape

Amy Mickelson's Breast Cancer Battle

Michelle Williams and Daughter Matilda Support Their Local Coffee House

Angelina Jolie: Madonna Adopts For Fame

Jon & Kate - Who Are The Kids Happier With? (Photos)

Slumdog Kids Finally Get A Home!

Brian Grazer's Prenup Still Makes Wife Rich

Jon & Kate Plus 8 Premiere Snags 9.8 Million Viewers

Brett Singer — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:00:00 GMT

So you know this Kate Gosselin we've been hearing so much about? Mother, reality show star, husband may or may not be cheating on her? Lots of backlash against her?

After all the sturm und drang that the Gosselins have generated in recent weeks, you might think that would hurt their ratings. But you would be wrong.

The season premiere of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" was watched by 9.8 million people. That's not only the largest audience for a cable show on Monday. It was the largest audience for ANY show that evening.

People, negativity sells. Big time.

Yes, it was Memorial Day. But "Jon & Kate" isn't even on a network. It's on cable. Which means that not everyone -- most people, but not everyone -- can see the show. To me, this was an astonishing feat.

I have a confession to make. I don't watch "Jon & Kate Plus 8." I don't watch any reality shows regularly, which isn't a judgment on those of you that do. It's just not my thing. (If they could make a reality show with superheroes in it, that I might watch.) But all of the tabloid news has been oddly fascinating to me. I read the People Magazine article. Someone left a copy of US Weekly in my house and I read the "Jon & Kate" article. (Well, I started it. But I'll finish it.) And I have to admit that I might just check out a few minutes of the show.

Did you watch the "JK8" premiere? Did the recent scandals surrounding the couple make you more interested in the show?

Source: Hartford Courant

Morning News - California Supreme Court Upholds Prop 8

Kate Gosselin - Mom or Monster?

Gosselins are Good for a Gander (big roundup of stories on Famecrawler)

Mom Arrested for Having 555 Pound Son

Morning News - Mike Tyson's Daughter Injured

PBS Launching Dinosaur Train for Science Kids

JeanneSager — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:01:00 GMT

For parents who have fallen in love with Sid the Science Kid (who hasn't?), good news! PBS is going prehistoric this fall with a new show aimed at expanding their offerings for our little scientists.

Dinosaur Train will let our kids hop onboard with Buddy, a young T-Rex adopted by a family of Pterandons

I haven't seen the show yet, but I'm A. loving that there's a show out there for all those dinosaur fans - and we all know there are many and B. digging the fact that there's an adopted kid on TV for adopted kids to relate to . . . even if it is a kid with two giant feet and two teeny hands!

Produced by The Jim Henson Company, the show will feature two eleven-minute segments daily with live-action interestitials featuring paleontologist Scott Sampson (you've seen him on Discovery Channel's Dinosaur Planet) dishing out dino nuggets (with no extra calories). The train alluded to in the name will take Buddy and his family and friends on adventures through time, chugga-chugga-ing to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

Can't wait? Set your Tivo for Sept. 7.

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Jon and Kate Season Premiere Countdown ...

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:01:00 GMT

So the Jon and Kate plus Eight season premiere is in a few hours, and already the news is in: Jon is having an affair. With Elmo. It's sure to be a very special episode. Bring the kids.

OK, so maybe not Elmo, per se, but someone. And Kate, too, apparently. On top of the affairs, there's paparazzi, nosy neighbors, drive-bys and people who literally stop at their house to walk up to the porch and peer into their windows, hoping, I suppose, to see Jon hunched in the corner, crying himself to sleep.

Why?

Not why as in why do these crazy gawkers do this? But why do Jon and Kate continue to let them? I'll get back to that in a moment.

It does, indeed, promise to be a very ... odd episode, as the couple tries to come to grips with all these rumors and accusations -- all while watched and critiqued by millions. I read an interesting inteview Karl posted over at FameCrawler the other day, and between the lines it seemed pretty clear that it sucks for the family to deal with this ... and yet, there's so much money involved, so much possibility. Eight kids cannot be easy to raise, financially speaking, and this show and media frenzy just seems to be, in their eyes, what they have to do to make their future work.

But what impact will this have on the kids in years to come? What impact is it having now?

It makes me wonder: If you had eight kids and the possibility of having everything they could ever want paid for (important things like college and hamsters, I mean), would you continue to put them through this very public ordeal?

Best of FameCrawler - Week of May 22nd

Whit Honea — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Gosselins are Good for a Gander

Katie Holmes Sets a Bad Example For Suri

Mormon Marie Osmond Supports Her Gay Daughter!

Stars Come Out For American Idol Finale: Brad Garrett and Kids Max and Hope

Barbara Walters To Interview John Edwards' Mistress Rielle Hunter!?

Bristol Palin and Son Tripp Cover People

Angelina Catches Brad and Jen Aniston Together!

Kate Gosselin Blogs Her Troubles Away

Matt Damon: Bourne to Be a Dad

Pregnant Lauren London & Lil Wayne Will Raise Baby Together!!!

Kelly Clarkson Looks Like She's Pregnant!

Caption This, Julia Roberts (or Don't)

Kate Gosselin - Mom or Monster?

SunnyChanel — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:30:00 GMT

Kate Gosselin, of Jon and Kate Plus Eight fame, doesn’t just have to defend her marriage now she has to defend allegations that she isn’t human. Yes, her hair does defy gravity and any style found in nature, but now the tabloid Us Weekly is asserting that the mother of eight isn’t just a mom but that she’s mutated into a monster.

This is the fourth week in a row that Kate has graced the cover of US Weekly. And this time it’s sure to sell some issues at the check stand. Here are some of the tidbits that US Weekly supposedly uncovered that support their monster like allegations:

From US Weekly:

– Fired one woman on the spot for washing her hands in the kitchen instead of the bathroom. “Kate flipped,” says baby nurse Angela Krall. “She thought it was cross-contamination.”

– Fired 40 nurses and nurse’s aides in the three months before Krall was hired. (She was first paid by Medicaid when Jon was unemployed since Medicaid provides limited assistance to premature babies.) “Kate said she feels society has a responsibility to help with the children, since modern medicine promotes the use of fertility drugs, which can lead to multiple births,” the AP reported.

– Her perfectionism tore her apart from her father, Kenton Kreider, a pastor, after he gave her cribs donated by his parishioners. “They didn’t match and Kate rejected them,” says a family source. “Things like that caused a rift.”

– Spent 21 out of the last 30 days on the road at paid speaking engagements

Do these things make her a "monster" or just really picky and busy?

Source

Also Check Out:

Jon Gosselin a Cheater, But a Good Dad?

5 Ways Jon and Kate Are Not Like Us

Best of FameCrawler - Week of May 15th

Whit Honea — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Tom Cruise Pressuring Katie For Another Baby?

Dirk Nowitzki's Fiance Arrested?

Comedian Wanda Sykes & Wife Alex Welcome Twins!

Jada Pinkett Smith a Lesbian?

Julie Bowen Welcomes Twin Boys

Mary Stuart Masterson Has Reason to Smile!

Manny Ramirez Busted!

Chyler Leigh Welcomes Daughter Anniston

Sean Penn Still Dating Natalie Portman, Robin is Pissed!

Kate Gosselin's Heartbreak: Jon & I May Separate

Look, Look, It's Another Octomom Story

Jon Gosselin Shelled Out Big Bucks To Buy Mistress Presents

Children's Television Workaround

editors — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:45:00 GMT

Today on Babble:

by Dan Oko.

Our kid's TV-free, as long as online video doesn't count.

Read it here.

They Say: Kids Who Watch Adult TV Have Sex Earlier

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital have found a link between the amount of adult television children watch and the age at which teens become sexually active.

Researchers tracked 754 children between the ages 6 and 18 at two stages in their lives, first to see how much adult television they watched over the weekend as young kids, and later to see the age at which they first became sexually active. According to Science Daily, “The study found that for every hour the youngest group of children watched adult-targeted content over the two sample days, their chances of having sex during early adolescence increased by 33 percent.”

It seems to me that this correlation may have more to do with uninvolved parents than with TV. Any six-year-old who is allowed to watch several hours of adult television in a day is not likely to have parents who will talk to him or her about sex later in life.

This point of view is enforced by a comment made by a lead author of the study, who said, "Television and movies are among the leading sources of information about sex and relationships for adolescents.”

That, to me, is far more disturbing than any correlation established between teen sexual activity and television. If parents and educators were talking to kids about healthy sexual behavior, they wouldn’t be nearly as likely to be influenced by the drunken promiscuity portrayed on shows like The O.C. and Gossip Girl.

I’m certainly no fan of the majority of mainstream television—particularly not as entertainment for six-year-olds—but it would be much easier, and perhaps more effective, to raise awareness about the need for parents to openly discuss healthy sexual behavior with their kids than it would be to substantially shift the entire foundation of popular culture.

It’s high time that more studies on teen sexuality activity focused on parent-child relationships, rather than just on the media.

Photo: saidaonline.com

What Burlesque Can Teach Your Daughter

Supreme Court Says Keep Cursing Off Daytime TV

JeanneSager — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:00:00 GMT

If you can't keep your sailor mouth clean, have heart. You can continue plopping your kids in front of the TV during the day for some curse-free entertainment . . . for now anyway.

The U.S. Supreme Court voted five to four to uphold the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) hold over "foul language" on television between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The issue came up in regards to "fleeting expletives," the one-off f-bomb dropped on a live show (rather than cussing worked into a scripted program).

So is this good for parents and kids? Maybe.

ABC, CBS and Fox, who have been trying to avoid fines for cussing on their networks, are headed back to yet another federal court to fight their fines on the basis of free speech. And Justice Clarence Thomas, who voted with the majority, has written an opinion regarding what he calls “questionable viability” of two FCC regulations that relate to this topic. Voting against the FCC, Justice John Paul Stevens went so far as to call it "ironic" that the FCC goes after words relating to "sex" and "excrement" (hmmm, wonder which words he's talking about there, don'tcha?) even as “commercials broadcast during prime-time hours frequently ask viewers whether they too are battling erectile dysfunction or are having trouble going to the bathroom.”

I try to reign in my potty mouth around my daughter (I try to reign it in period, but hey, life happens). But is a one-off dirty word on TV really that bad? They're just as likely to hear it in the grocery store or the school bus. I sat in our favorite deli eating grilled cheese sandwiches just last week while a group of four twenty-something guys one table over did everything but smear us in the s--t they couldn't stop bringing up.

And Justice Stevens, I'm with you. I don't want to explain erectile dysfunction to my three-year-old just yet. Somehow, explaining what flies out of a cow's butt doesn't seem quite as bad as that.

Image: WriteForBlogs

Wonder Pets! is Back With Eartha Kitt

JeanneSager — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:08:00 GMT

Still bummed that Jack's Big Music Show strummed its last dulcimer with no hopes of Dr. String bringing it back?

Sorry, can't help you there. But I still have good news!

The Wonder Pets! will save another day! Nickelodeon has approved a third season for Linny, Tuck and Ming Ming, set to kick off next month.

Beginning May 18 with an appearance by the late, great Earth Kitt as a cool cat signing smooth jazz, the first week of new shows will include a tribute to every animal teamwork has worked to save in the past. It's a special commemoration of the milestone "hundredth rescue," set to air Friday, May 22 at 10:30 a.m.

There's a reason this show has won a Daytime Emmy, folks. The hamster, turtle and little duck are the kind of team we want to cuddle . . . and then fill up with pieces of celery. Polite. Sweet. And cute enough our kids might one day convince us to get the real thing.

Try walking through a playground signing "the phone, the phone is ringing" and find a parent who doesn't chime in. They save us from some seriously bad TV.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles No Longer Teenaged

JeanneSager — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:21:00 GMT

Dude! Our kids are watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and we were around when they came out. Cowabunga, we're old.

The TMNT were on top of the Empire State Building this past week because apparently that's how turtles celebrate their twenty-fifth birthdays.

Wait, twenty-five? I know! Somehow, this one is really getting to me. It's only a quarter of a century, but I distinctly remember being sucked into my baby brother's TMNT sword fights (I was always April O'Neil, the grown-up, wisecracking reporter . . . go figure, huh?) and trying desperately to return the TV to something more my speed after he'd commandeered the VCR with yet another showing of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with an as yet relatively unknown Sam Rockwell.

A prankster to this day, his first "joke" came when he was three - about a turtle talking on his turtle-com. So unfunny it can ONLY be the stuff of family legend, it was rooted in his love of all things green and half-shelled.

So check out the picture gallery over at the Best Week Ever, and call in your kids. They'll be impressed when you can name all four . . . and their favorite food. Throw in a "cowabunga, dude," and you might even earn some serious street cred.

Image: Best Week Ever

Tina Fey Sesame Street Episode On DVD

Brett Singer — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT

It's a good thing Tina Fey seems so nice. Because otherwise people would have to hate her.

Consider: amazing career. Attractive. Insanely talented. Genuinely funny. And able to do an episode of Sesame Street with panache.

Of the few famous or semi-famous folks that I know, those who have appeared on Sesame Street list that as one of their top credentials. Even Gilbert Gottfried sounded excited about his episode, writing on his blog, "for the first time in my career, I can tell you how to get to Sesame Street!" The rest of the paragraph reads as follows: "You drive downtown during rush hour, go over the bridge, circle a few blocks without signs, park in an over priced garage and walk 11 blocks to the studio. Funny how they don’t mention that in the song." Hey, I wouldn't expect the guy to become warm and cuddly because of one encounter with Big Bird. (For many other great Sesame Street moments, including Robert DeNiro's brilliant impersonation of a cabbage, check out The Babble List: The 50 Best Sesame Street Moments.)

Tina played the leader of the Bookaneers, the pirates who love reading. Notwithstanding the fact that pirates aren't as much fun these days as they used to be, the episode was amusing and Tina (I imagine that she'd let me call her Tina, were we to meet someday) seemed to be very much into her role. It's no Sarah Palin impression, but it's still good. (Actually, Tina Fey doing her Sarah Palin impression on Sesame Street -- that I'd like to see.)

Sesame Street: Elmo and the Bookaneers will be released on DVD on April 21, 2009. List price is $14.93 but Amazon has it for $9.99. Such a deal! I haven't seen the DVD, just the segment with Tina Fey when it aired on regular TV. That's full disclosure, folks.

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Apple To Release iPhone For Kids

Beyonce Shines on Wubb Idol

JeanneSager — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:01:00 GMT

Forget Sasha Fierce. Beyonce's got a new alter ego - and she's blonde-haired and blue cheeked.

The songstress is lending her voice to a new character on Noggin's Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! and can we just say she shines in the role?

We've gotten a look at a sample cut from the show, set to air May 1 at 1 p.m. on Nick Jr. followed by a prime-time appearance Sunday, May 3, at 7 p.m. on Noggin. Heading up a three-part girl group (sound familiar?) Beyonce stars as "Shine," the lead singer for the Wubb Girlz as Wuzzleburg gets its sing on.

She'll debut the new "Sing a Song" on the show as part of Wubb Idol, the Wubbzy-ied version of American Idol.

Want a sneak peek? Call the kids over and click here (this will launch your Windows Media Player, don't be alarmed - that's what it supposed to do).

Playdate: How to Exploit Your Own Kids

JeanneSager — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:25:00 GMT

OK, we're not actually suggesting you exploit your kids. But this guy is!

Meet Mel Kane and his bad eighties era how-to on getting your kids into commercials. Fat kids (yes, he really said that), thin kids, short kids, tall kids! He sounds like a bad Dr. Seuss impression, only he's dead serious.

And what fun it is! He picks apart a kid who looks like she's acting ultra hard to be not interested in what's going on (and probably getting paid very well), and lets you parents of twins out there know you've got a hot commodity or two on your hands.

AdFreak dug this one up, and it's worth taking a look for the laugh at the giant glasses and poufy hair alone. And, you know, if you want to make money off your fat kid.

Have fun in Hollywood.

Also on Babble:

Bad Parent: Stage Mother

Abortion Ads On Television?

Brett Singer — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:00:00 GMT

British TV viewers may soon see "adverts" for abortions alongside the more typical commercials for tea and crisps.

According to ABC News, "the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practices [in the U.K.] is considering rewriting the TV rules regarding advertising as a way of tackling the problem" of an increased rate of teen pregnancy. Rules on condom ads would be relaxed as well; currently prophylactic TV pitches are only allowed to air after 9pm.

Groups like the British Pregnancy Advisory Service would applaud the changes, with chief executive Ann Furedi saying, "Why would we not want women to be able to know quickly and simply where they can get pregnancy testing and referral for abortion treatment or antenatal care, depending on what they decide is best for them?"

Speaking for the other side is Dr. Peter Saunders of the Christian Medical Fellowship. "This is like having the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff to deal with the casualties rather than putting up a safety rail at the top of the cliff to stop them falling off."

Well, not exactly. It's more like telling people the ambulance exists. While it's true that if there were no abortion clinics, there would be fewer abortions, is it really so wrong to actually let women know what their options are? Of course, cigarettes exist, and we don't allow television ads for those. (That's true in the United States at least; I don't know what the rules are across the pond.)

Should the rules be relaxed, and should ads for abortion clinics be allowed on television?

Source: ABC News, BBC (Video report)

Image: SXC

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'In the Motherhood' Gets Partial Cut

Jen Chaney — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:30:00 GMT

After all the hoopla about the "In the Motherhood" premiere, it appears that ABC isn't 100 percent confident in the show's long-term success.

According to the L.A. Times, the day after the one-time Web series's premiere on primetime television, ABC execs cut its episode order in half, from 13 down to seven.

"Motherhood" earned a 4.6 Nielsen rating and a 7 share, meaning 4.6 percent of U.S. households were tuned in, and 7 percent of all turned-on televisions were locked into ABC when the comedy aired Thursday at 8 p.m. That put it in third place for its timeslot, behind "American Idol" (shocker) and the NCAA Tournament on CBS.

Clearly going up against "Idol" and basketball put "In the Motherhood" in an unfair position. The "Idol" results show usually airs on Wednesdays (it aired Thursday this week because Obama's primetime press conference on Tuesday messed with the show's schedule), and the tourney is a temporary event. Which raises the question: Did ABC execs respond too hastily here? Does the show deserve to have more of an opportunity to grow over 13 episodes?

Or is the show just plain bad? I only caught a brief slice of it due to (irony alert!) parental responsibilities and the fact that I forgot to set the DVR. But I wasn't hugely impressed. Then again, as several commenters on Jeanne's live-blog of the premiere pointed out, pilots don't always give the most reliable sense of how solid a show will be in the long run. (Classic example: "Seinfeld.")

Those commenters seemed willing to give the show a chance. While I'm not sure if the series will get less contrived, I do think studio execs tend to cut shows far too quickly based on ratings results. Any good show does need a little time to develop.

If you want more "Motherhood," or if you think they have made the right call here, let the folks at ABC know by posting a comment.

Courting Controversy: Is Jon and Kate Plus 8 Done?

JeanneSager — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:49:00 GMT

More proof that even bad press is good press?

News that Jon Gosselin might be cheating on the mother of his eight kids, along with an expose that calls Jon and Kate out for a multitude of pandering sins that relate directly to their parenting, helped boost Jon and Kate Plus 8's TV ratings to the highest ever in their season finale on Monday night.

The episode got the most ever viewers of any one episode in its four seasons, and knocked out NBC, the CW, CBS, and Fox among women aged eighteen to thirty-four. In fact, of any ad-supported cable show in its time slot, Jon and Kate's finale had the most viewers in almost every demographic.

So why? Is it the controversy? Oh yeah.

There's rumor swirling that the Gosselins might be calling it quits on their show. Because of all the other rumors out there, from Jon's alleged cheating to Kate's harping prompting a divorce, the Gosselins have made it clear that they're starting to tire of the public eye.

But then again, maybe not. There are several episodes already banked, including a Gosselins go green episode set to air in April.

In a Q&A on their Website, the Gosselins have said they don't pay attention to negative press. "First of all, we don’t have time to worry about what people are saying and second of all, we know that our show is benefiting so many people that we need to continue. Any flack we receive is just typical stuff that anyone on TV on a regular basis receives. Furthermore, although this is the absolute hardest job (aside from raising 8 kids, that is) that Jon and I have ever had, it is also the most amazing blessing that we can be home with our children while working and when asked, all 8 of our children agree…for now, we need to continue on…and so we will!"

They're certainly not hurting for money now - not with a $1.3 million home, book deals and dozens of speaking engagements (part of the controversy in the expose). It's very possible they could stay home now - without the cameras - and be just fine.

Do you think they will call it quits? Or do you see another year of Jon, Kate and their six kids?

Image: Discovery Store

Kate Gosselin Dreamt Of A Husband and Children - Did You?

Also on Babble:

50 Moms We Love to Hate

Jack Black Drops In on Yo Gabba Gabba

JeanneSager — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:05:00 GMT

You either love Yo Gabba Gabba or you detest the H&R Puff N Stuff out of it.

Kind of like Jack Black, the over the top, goofball star of . . . pretty much EVERYTHING these days.

When we at Babble heard the two were coming together, we just had to have a look. Want to know what happens when Jack Black runs out of gas and lands in Gabbaland?

First, if you're a Jack Black fan, you're going to love the show on April 3. And if you're not, you might still love it. A surprisingly subdued Jack - with some equally surprising blonde highlights (what's that all about Jack?) limps his unleaded motorbike into Gabbaland to find the inner workings of DJ Lance Rock's boombox deserted.

Creeped out, Jack hops around like only a chunky guy with total and complete self esteem (and I mean that in the very nicest of ways - I dig his confidence) can, singing about the possible dangers lurking. Basically, kids, he lets you know it's OK to be scared, but Toodee, Plex, Foofa and the whole gang don't let scared last for long. They're inviting Jack to parties (outside of the tummy) and exchanging dance moves (think Travolta and do the disco roll).

This one should shut down the doubting Thomases who think the show tries too hard to play funky and misses the kid friendly mark. You can't go wrong with singing, dancing and solving real kid problems. Throw in the guy who voiced Kung Fu Panda, and you've got them hooked. Since we all know YGG plays it to the adults too, here's a few things to watch out for - 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer and Human Giant's Paul Scheer tell the knock knock joke of the day (which I refuse to spoil for you).

Oh, and Jack Black in DJ Lance's orange jumpsuit? PRICELESS.

Get a look at clips of the show over at EW and tune in to Nick Jr. at 1:30 ET/PT on Friday, April 3 to catch the whole thing.

Nickelodeon Asks Kids to Unplug - For a Minute that Is

SunnyChanel — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Nickelodeon is asking kids to unplug. Well, not from TV but all games and gadgets. Why would they do such a thing? They’re asking for kids to unplug for Earth Day to “symbolize a commitment to helping the environment.” But they’re not requesting that kids detox from media all day, heavens no. They’re asking for one minute, and that minute doesn’t include TV. And that minute is conveniently scheduled for 9pm on April 22, when most of their demographic will be fast asleep.

Really? One minute? Can’t our kids handle and hour, a day, or even a week?

But beyond the unplugged minute, they may also be urging viewers, as they have in the past, to go our and play for “three hours one day each year.”

What do you think would be a good length of a media fast?

Source

Four Creepiest Animals Turned Adorable Kids Characters

JeanneSager — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:05:00 GMT

Just the thought of the scene when the rats converge in the kitchen in Disney's Ratatouille gives me the willies. They're (shudder) rats. Uggggh.

Becoming a parent, I quickly learned, was setting myself up for dozens of movies/tv shows featuring the world's creepiest animals thrown onto a screen in the attempts to make kids think they're just as cute and cuddly as your average puppy.

Who are they trying to kid? Rats, spiders and cuddly tigers? Oh my.

Remy in Ratatouille: He can read! He can cook! Gotcha - but he's still a rat. And rats don't belong indoors, not to mention in a restaurant kitchen mixing up French delicacies. Since this comes from the folks at Disney, I can't help but ask, did they take a look in their archives? I hold the rat scene from Lady and the Tramp wholly responsible for my residual rodent revulsion.

Charlotte in Charlotte's Web: Another reader, with a talent for writing, Charlotte is the true hero of the movie and E. B. White's book that bear her name. She's still a spider! With big buggy eyes and larger-than-life chompers. And did anyone catch the tail end of the Dakota Fanning version, with the egg sack full of thousands of little spiders just waiting to scuttle off and settle in the corners? See Also: Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends.

Alvin, Simon and Theadore in Alvin and the Chipmunks: I will always remember the day a contractor left a door open at my parents house and a chipmunk snuck in. Total. . . and complete . . . pandemonium. Followed by plenty of cleaning up of little pellets of poop in my bedroom. Ewww. Another member of the rodent family, chipmunks carry disease and are best-known for storing their food in their cheeks so long they come close to bursting, followed closely by their "chirpy" chipmunk calls. Ever said, "say it, don't spray it," when your kid spoke with a full mouth? Try telling that to a chipmunk . . . or to the three singing sweethearts who hanker for hula hoops? That Dave lets these little guys live in his house and eat of his cereal bowls is giving me flashbacks. . . to poop cleaning.

Oswald: With the disarming voice of a Savage brother, how could anyone dislike the bright blue resident of Big City who tips his bowler to everyone he meets? Maybe the fact that octupi have been known to kill sharks, detach one of their eight legs to escape predators and shoot bright clouds of ink at anyone who gets in their way? Fish may be friends, not food, but the octupus is not the friendliest member of the ocean community.

Images: Disney, Flixster, Amazon, Parent Previews

We Hate Kids' Shows Too; Really

JeanneSager — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:31:00 GMT

One of my favorite celeb quotes ever came from Jane Pauley - back in the nineties. I'm paraphrasing here, but the newswoman once said of Barney, "where's an asteroid when you need one?"

Don't tell me you didn't snicker at that one. Barney and Friends got what for in a scathing article in the London Times over the weekend, along with a score of other kiddie favorites.

Most of the shows featured were British, and I've never seen them, so I can't weigh in on just how evil they really are. And I'm sadly not as vitriolic about Bob the Builder as the mom who wrote "Can we fix it? No we can't. Not ever." Although I had to laugh when she points out he never seems to make an honest woman of that Wendy.

Not hating on Bob, Scoop and Dizzy doesn't make me a model mom. I save my complete and utter loathing for Max and Ruby (or, as my husband has renamed it, Max and Doody - which my unwitting daughter has picked up on). Is there a better example out there of a reason NOT to have two kids? A worse spokesbunny for big sisters everywhere? The show is based on the books of Rosemary Wells, who has a few I've actually purchased for my daughter and LIKE - so where did this controlling bitch come from? And when is her little brother going to grow some bunny balls and stuff a box of Bunny Scout cookies down her throat?

Somebody tell me I'm not alone. What shows do your kids love and you wish an asteroid upon?

Image: LondonTimes

Jimmy Kimmel And The Octomom

Brett Singer — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Now that I'm a parent I find that I don't have time to watch late night TV, but Jimmy Kimmel seems to have gotten pretty funny while I was busy with my brood. Luckily I can catch it all in dribs and drabs online. (Note: these are only sort of safe for work/the eyes and ears of your kids, so proceed with some caution.)

Like the rest of us, Kimmel has been taking pot shots at Nadya Suleman, aka the Octomom. Unlike the rest of us, he has a staff of writers and video people. (None of these are examples of tremendously complex comedy but it probably helped to have, you know, help.)

This video is really all about the wax lips that Jimmy puts on (and eventually eats) when he "plays" Nadya Suleman on his late night talk show. So it's a cheap gag, but still kind of funny.

It is a little gross when Jimmy/Nadya pulls out a Mason jar of embryos and sits on them. But again, it's kind of funny in a Beavis/Butthead sort of way. I'm also not sure whether he's talking about Nadya or Dr. Phil when he says he wouldn't "give money to that lunatic."

Jimmy also has video of the birth:

The babies are flyin'. Look out!

And Jimmy looked at the video of Nadya and her mom:

That little edit at the end didn't happen. It's kind of like the scene in 'True Lies', where Ah-nuld imagines punching out the car salesman who was lusting after his wife. Wish fulfillment. Something tells me Nadya's mom wouldn't mind having a DVD of that clip to watch when things get tough.

Image: DailyTube

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YouTube for Kids - Tot LOL

JeanneSager — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:44:00 GMT

I'm not sure how I feel about a safe space for videos for kids.

I mean, yeah, sure, I'd love to know my three-year-old's clicking on a REAL clip of Thomas the Tank Engine, not Thomas Gets Tanked. But what's YouTube without poorly spelled titles and bad impersonations?

Don't worry, TotLOL has those too. But the site that bills itself as "a community-moderated video website designed specifically for children" has a lot of things going for it. Like no Thomas Gets Tanked, natch.

Oh, yeah, and all videos were submitted, screened and rated by parents - straight from YouTube. Using a TotLOL tool, parents browse YouTube and pick videos they think are appropriate for kids. They submit them for inclusion on TotLOL, and the TotLOL community votes on whether or not they're truly appropriate kid fare.

Plus, since the site is powered by YouTube, once you sign up for a free account you can rate videos and make collections of your favorites. The site includes parental controls plus the ability to watch private videos linked from another user's YouTube account, so you can save shots of the kiddies dancing naked for Grandma instead of spinning out a viral video.

Even without an account, you can search and watch, including the ripped from TV content your kids love (the much more appropriate Sir Topham Hatt Sing Along comes to mind).

The creator is a father of two toddlers (three and one and a half) who are both "avid fans of online videos." Do your kids watch online videos? If not, does this change your mind?

Image: TotLOL