I understand you have not heard from me since I tore your show to shreds in this post on October 8, 2008. I would like you to know that I have meant to post this apology for quite some time now and I the guilt has finally reached the deepest portions of my soul.
I'd like you to know that I never intended for you to actually see that post. Also, I had no idea my best friend was related to you all. Never in a million years did I think that I would receive comments on that post like this one from FOOFA HERSELF!:
"Oh hi. Wow. I never knew that the show disappointed people like that. I wonder if life has any meaning anymore. "
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And this one from Foofa's mother:
"I'm actually the mother of Foofa. She's quite talented and creative as is all her family."
After receiving this comment on my blog, I was very curious as to what Foofa's mother might look like. I googled it to no avail. However, I did find this picture and I am pretty sure it's her dad:
ANYWAY, time to get down to the real reason for my apology. You see, about a year ago, you aired this episode with guest star Jack Black:
This episode may be the greatest thing human life has ever known. I have watched this episode over 10 times. I am ashamed (and I am not ashamed) to say that I DVR'd it and would even watch it without my boys in the room. I am not sure if you meant for this episode to be hilarious, but it was more than hilarious. It was hilariosity at it's finest. Jack puts on the performance of a lifetime.
I guess what I am trying to say is that any show that can patch together a work of art like that episode with nothing more than a bearded idiot and an over-sized orange jumpsuit can't be all that bad. No, in fact, I'd say it's pretty darned good.
My apologies Yo Gabba Gabba. I had you all wrong. You are hip, with it and ultra cool. All it took was a rumbly, bumbly Jack Black to show me the light.
Bless you all,
Cheeseboy
33 comments:
While I'm not a fan of Yo Gabba Gabba, I did read somewhere that the creators were LDS & BYU graduates (I think, but don't quote me).
They are just a little to much weirdness for me. But still, better than Teletubbies, but worse than Chuggington who at least has a redeeming theme song.
I'm glad you have finally seen the error of your ways. Your first Yo Gabba Gabba post was actually the first post of yours that I ever read and I thought you were wrong- so wrong.
I have always loved YGG, but it's true, Jack Black can't help but make everything funner to watch. Yes, I said funner.
I just can stomach it. Even w/Jack Black.
And that big red phallic symbol looking thing, I hate it.
Oh.My.Gawd.
Where do I start??? Looks like DJ Lance has some competition, lmao!!!! I hadn't seen this Jack Black episode, but laughed almost as hard as his previous performance. This one really takes the cake.
Dude! Where's your career????
Yo Gabba Gabba is just weird. VERY weird. And of course The Bella loves it. Hopefully we won't be able to get it in Italy????
My fried wrote a blog post about Yo Gabba Gabba, and how annoying it was. It wasn't even mean.
Well, someone affiliated with the show wrote a comment on her blog about how they are Mormon and how could she not support her fellow Latter-Day Saints, etc. I guess they have someone who responds to all Google Alerts.
Really. They really think their show isn't annoying at all hell?
OK, I just read the original post and the comments.
It seems that the people affiliated with this show really need to have a better sense of humor about it and themselves. The show is WEIRD! But kids like it! And that's what really matters, right? Not everyone is going to love everything, and I think if you are in the art world, you probably need a thicker skin.
There are a lot of things I often think are lame and ridiculous that I do. I got a freaking unicorn painted on my face! I am lame!
My 3 year old nephew much prefers watching Yo Gabba Gabba to talking on the phone with his Auntie. Imagine that. Well, you've helped anlighten me, and my ego is restored.
Side note: Jack Black's family and ours went to the same Temple for a while. He is/was a nice Jewish boy. We joked that "Jack Black can eat no fat." I was quite young. That's the best I could do. I should've spent that creative energy chasing after him. Karma is a bitch! He is worthy of the fame, though.
My first experience with Yo Gabba Gabba was with their song "There's a Party in my Tummy." I was in complete shock that this was so popular...but look at teletubbies. I actually used that song to get some kids I was babysitting to eat their dinner, so it can't be all bad.
And, as for the people that are affiliated with the show...seriously, they never thought the show was at least a little bizarre?? Really, they are going to put themselves in view of the public eye and NOT expect criticism. Like Kristina said, they need thicker skin.
That video was just creepy. And Jack Black has a big ole gut!
This episode was my fave because I love Jack Black. My nephew's a huge fan of the show.
Visit me at FourthGradeNothing.com
I'm just thankful that my kids are past the Yo Gabba Gabba years. But I paid my dues with endless episodes/videos of The Wiggles, Barney, and Teletubbies. I paid with small pieces of my soul.
OK, I think I have missed out on this phenomenon and I think I am really, really, happy about that.
Is Jack Black a dad now? 'Cuz that makes me understand his gut. Not that you've got one, Cheeseboy and marathon man; I sure do, though.
Wow, to think I've been missing out on this just because my boys are too old to watch it now. I agree with you, that performance of Jack's is one of his best.
And I'm glad your original review didn't cause you to be excommunicated or anything.
@ Terresa - Chuggington's theme song? Hm. I'll have to pay more attention.
@ Lindsey - The music and guest stars make the show now.
@ Venessa - Are you talking about the phallic symbol on the show or Jack Black?
@ Queenie - There HAS to be an Italy version of the show! I'm sure Bella won't be disappointed.
@ Kristina - Yes, as you can see, the cast members were not very happy about my post (imagine that, I didn't even have any readers back then!) The quotes from General Authorities were just too much.
@ Rawkn (AKA "Mrs. Black) - that is AWESOME! I wish I could have hung with Jack Black as a kid. I can't imagine how much trouble we would have gotten into.
@ Mary- Ah yes, the Party in my Tummy classic. Great song.
@ Lisa - You think that video was bad, the entire episode was creepy. But in a very funny way.
@ Ally - Yes, I guess that episode has a bit of a cult following.
@ Tracie - Yes, I'd watch 20 episodes in a row of Yo Gabba Gabba over one episode of Barney.
@ Bossy - As you should be. As you should be.
@ Scott - He might be a dad, but he has always had a gut. I have a bit of a dad gut, but try and keep it in check. It's a losing battle I'm afraid.
@ Tammy - Haven't heard from my Bishop yet, although there was a message on my machine the other night...
I'm talking about the phallic symbol red thing that dances around. I hate him.
Venessa - Ah yes. Now I know of what you speak. Probably the least liked of the Gabbas.
Oh my gosh. I am stunned silent. Give me a minute here...
Okay...so that was well, pretty much... insane. I totally just read your first post the other day and thought people had gotten a little too into it. I thought the post was hilarious and spot on. My sister actually knows the people who created it too, I'll warn her to never criticize. (Although she thinks its pretty cool.) But man, did they really just tape 30 seconds of Jack Black dancing like a lunatic and replay it over and over and over and over again? Wowsers. I'm still stuck between shaking my head/sucking my thumb/and laughing hysterically.
So Steve sent me your new post and apology accepted. But I will admit I must apologize as well for the Anonymous comment I left before my sarcastic, overdramatic Foofa comment. How could I miss such a fabulous opportunity to lay on some good ole motherly guilt?
Believe me, yours was not the first nor the last slam I've heard about the show...I just had to save face in front of my new in-laws of course. What's a girl to do?
Most of the genuinely hurt comments were from people not working on set. So since they're not working in the creative arts that's ok for THEM not to have thick skins right? (Honestly? Let's punish all the artists for sharing their best with us and opening themselves up to vulnerability so we can feel better about our unfulfilled lives. Hey I'm guilty of it myself but I won't try and justify unfair cowardly nitpicking by saying thick skins are a requirement of creatives. If anything, lasting successful artists are even more sensitive/aware of public opinion. It's just easier for them to recognize nasty comments as short-sighted, ignorant or just a different taste level)
For the record, OF COURSE the show is bizarre! And yes unfortunately I've heard many times about certain phallic symboly characters which the creators would've never intended (even if they didn't go to BYU :( ). For every mockery I've heard from people not associated with the show, we've probably said the same one twenty times on set in fun.
You should check out the show's blog Yo Blogga Blogga if you still think we are at risk of taking ourselves too seriously.
But I feel bad for parents that can't even see much less find delight in it's oddball, stupid funny humor cloaked in a whole lot of color and audacious strangeness. The show was created with trensetting parents in mind after all--Heidi Klum, Snoop Dogg, Jason Bateman, Keri Russell, Brangelina to name a few seemed to sure appreciate it at the live shows.
As I said before, the fact that some people don't get it and don't like it is a compliment. And don't worry guys, I have found meaning in life once again....it's been hard to develop a thicker skin but the 2 inches of foam within the Foofa costume helps : )
Don't mean to be a jerk...I'm just stoked you guys care enough to write about the show...
Thanks again Cheeseman!
Emchillada, I love your name. It's adorable.
I stand by what I said. If you are going to in public, you DO need to develop a thicker skin. I am not excusing nasty, mean spirited comments.
I am not remotely in the same realm as this show and the people on it. But I have had to develop a thicker skin as a blogger, with a decent readership, because not everyone loves me. I mean most everyone does, but not everyone. :)
It comes with the territory.
And it also goes both ways. I have had several friends post about Yo Gabba Gabba, who have said fairly innocuous things, like, "My kids love this show and I am going insane having to watch it all day!", etc., and then get comments from people associated with the show about how they are not a good Mormon and are tearing their fellow Mormons down.
And that's just as ridiculous.
Great video! I'm not ashamed to say I enjoyed this too! It's weird and random and the guest stars are just a big plus in my book. Thanks for sharing!
Oh and I think the big red thing looks like, well, it looks like it would make women particularly happy. Just sayin.
Dear Emchillada:
I do like the song: Yummy in my Tummy. It is very catchy. My 3 year old loves it.
I guess I'm just a sicko and need to get my mind out of the gutter when it comes to the red guy.
Blogging=mean nastiness at times. I particularly enjoy when people google things about me and then click on my blog so they know i will see it. That is the best feeling ever.
So, the following is the e-mail "reply" I wrote to your comment over at my place, only to discover that it came in under the "no-reply-blogger" header.
I haven't read this post; my kids are so old I'm not sure I would have understood, and looking at the costumes gave me PTSD from the dark days of the H.R. Puffnstuff dominion. But I'm sure it's really great. Anyway, your reply...
------------------------
Thanks for the props on the whole "koi pond" schtick. You know how hard it is to write "funny", so it's great to have a fellow humorist catch the one visual you worked half an hour on!
Kurt Vonnegut's son said he would sometimes walk into his dad's study and see him surrounded by wadded up papers, many with just one word typed on them. That "spontaneity" that seems to come with good humor writing usually takes a lot of drafts, doesn't it? And Vonnegut was no different.
On the other hand, his son also said that sometimes he'd look into the office to see his dad doubled over with laughter at something he'd just written. Have you ever done that? Laughed right out loud at something you'd just typed? I LOVE those moments!
You're very good at this kind of writing, Mr. "Cheeseboy". I hope you keep doing more of it.
(And I remember Old Navy from when it really was an army/navy supply store. So that tells you how old I am...)
~DeNae
OK. So. Now I've read this post, and watched Jack Black at his sexiest, and linked over and read the other post, and read all the comments, and came to two irrefutable conclusions:
One, you are a very good sport to allow yourself to be told off by the mother of someone who makes their living wearing a sofa cushion in public.
And two, I am now forbidding my children to ever procreate. If they just can't keep it together and the babies start flying out, then they'll be entertained by Law and Order re-runs whenever they come to visit grandma.
And my primary fear used to reside in Teletubbies alone... *shiver*.
@ Melinda - Well, to be fair, I believe that that was actually an edited video that someone made of his dance specifically for youtube. However, "did they really just tape 30 seconds of Jack Black dancing like a lunatic and replay it over and over and over and over again?" is actually a perfect way to describe the episode.
@ Emchillada - Wow. Another celebrity guest comment FOOFA! Thank you for accepting my apology. My only question is this: Next time Snoop Dog comes on the set, can I come to the after-party? I'm a believer now. Your show rules. Especially Biz Markee's "Beat of the Day".
@ Kristina - yep.
@ Tgotte - yeah, they seem to get bigger and bigger names as guest stars.
@ Venessa - you only said what we were all thinking.
@ DeNae - Really, you are a much bigger celebrity than Foofa in my book. I am amazed at your skill in writing humor. Simply blown away. Yours is my new favorite blog and I look forward to every post.
I appreciate the comments. It means a lot coming from you. I read an interview with David Sedaris in which he said that humor writing is the most difficult kind. Easy for him to say - that's all he does. But I think there is so much truth to it.
@ Lindzena - I am pretty sure the Teletubbies would win in a fight between the two.
Over ten times? Really?
I know, I know, I'm always a day late and a dollar short!
My grandkids LOVE Yo Gabba Gabba. I was disappointed that the video clip on this post wasn't Jack Black driving away on his motorcycle singing "Gooodbye, GoooodBYE!" Or maybe I'm confusing that with "Sound of Music."
Anyway, the comment about the creators being Mormon and if there's criticism of the show, the criticizers aren't good Mormons? That's hilarious!
Gotta run. There's a party in my tummy.
I've never seen the show. I'm at work right now so I can't watch the video, but I look forward to seeing this work of art when I get home.
You sir now owe me 2 minutes and 6 seconds of life. That is how long I watched Jack Black dance waiting anxiously for the hilarious part.
Damn you and you sarcasm that in my obliviousness did not recognize before I wasted said 2:06.
You will be hearing from my lawyers soon!
;) :)
@ Hostage - Well, you have to see the whole thing. Jack has some great lines.
@ Connie - I sing that GOODBYE song to my boys almost every morning as I leave for school.
@ Mami - HA HA! You called the show "art".
@ Nerdy - Fine, but you should be warned I have the best lawyer a First Grade teacher can afford, which is no lawyer at all.
This is my first exposure to 'Yo Gabba Gabba.'
I have no idea how I feel about it just yet.
I'll first have to see if it induces nightmares. I'll have to let you know.
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