Do we even need the "kids'" qualifier here? It's not like there's a shortage of braindead, rote adult entertainment either. :P See Sturgeon's Law etc.
That said, maybe you're right that people tend to think they can get away with crap even more easily if it's aimed at kids. One more reason I'm increasingly interested in writing middle-grade: they also need and deserve quality.
1. In a last ditch effort to crawl his way out of debt around 2013 Drake Bell also participated in a diving reality TV competition called Splash- I only remember that nugget of information because my sister was a diver growing up and she thought it was funny.
2. It’s also a common Mandela Effect about how one of the lyrics in the Drake and Josh theme song is actually “it’s gonna take some time to realign”, not “it’s gonna take some time to realize.”
1. I kind of wish I had found that while doing research.
2. I had to look this up because I'd never heard of this either, and while it does appear to be true, I will now reject it and continue to believe it was and always will be "realize" because it sounds better and to concede otherwise would be to destabilize my already tenuous grip on the past.
Another excellent dive into the Bell's life, this time during and after Drake and Josh. As a kid, I was very into the show and watched it all the way through. It's a shame that they never really were that close after though, but I guess I can see Josh's reasoning. He didn't want to play second wheel to Drake for the rest of his life.
P.S. I find it interesting that Drake is so popular in Mexico.
It is disappointing to see that they were never close. I also understand why a lot of people were upset to learn it, since I liked the show too, but I agree that Josh had valid reasons to want to go his own direction in life.
As for the Mexico connection... keep it in mind. It'll come back in the last part.
Thanks for another fine write-up in the continuing saga. And with Bell's career, that must be another strange spot to be in: you almost break into this elevated, glamorous world, but then you flounder around on the outskirts of it rather than getting your big break. Not a failure, but not a real success either. Would have been better never to get your toe in the pool at al?
That Josh and Drake concept makes me scratch my head. From your description it seems insanely spiteful and passive-aggressive for no good reason. Did he seriously pitch a script like that, or was it an attempt to troll all along? It's not hard to understand Bell's reaction there. Why not poke some fun at the careers of both guys, instead of glorifying one as perfect and painting the other as a loser transparently modeled on his real failures? (And do we need yet another reboot, gritty or otherwise?)
A couple other random points: first, re. "Millennials being the generation most trapped by the markings of their youth": eh, I don't know, I'd say the Boomers are giving them/us a run for our money. These are the people who made the music they were growing up with as teens in the 60s the literal curriculum for us in music class when we were in elementary school 30 years later, to name one example. That said, I'm curious if the new younger generations are going to be as weird about it when they get a little older.
The Fairly Oddparents show was after my time and I have zero feelings invested in it, but I still think the decision to make a live-action version where he's an adult manchild was such a weird choice. Like, why? Of all the things they could have done with it? Were you the one who did a longer piece on that at some point, or did I read that elsewhere? Either way it's strange that it exists.
I can't help love that "Big Trip" poster. It's not even "the writers of Madagascar", it's just one singular person out of the whole writing staff, like that's such a huge sell, haha. While we're at it, I suspect the whole universe of crappy direct to video films would be an interesting and strange dive in itself.
Personally, when it comes to the first question posed, I fall on the classic words of the bard - "Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all." There's something to be said about not knowing what you missed out on, but, at the same time... well, it's complicated, but suffice to say that I think it's better to have it for a while, love it, cherish it, and enjoy it, but also know when it's time to hang it up and call it quits, if not for your dignity than your sanity. Which Drake apparently never got.
As for the Josh and Drake pitch, it is insanely spiteful and passive-aggressive. It is apparently a real thing, but do keep in mind that the only concrete details ever revealed were from Drake. Josh confirmed that it happened but never confirmed or denied the contents or details of it, so we basically only have Drake's word to go off of, as well as a few other minor accounts of people corroborating his story but without concrete evidence. Point is, I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility for Josh to have done something like that, especially as he continued to sour on Drake. I think that despite putting on a good face for the public, Josh harbored a lot of resentment for Drake, and had trouble letting that go.
As for the boomers... okay, yes, that's correct, they are very weird about their own nostalgia, but god damn are Millennials giving some stiff (and increasing) competition!
I've never written about The Fairly Odd Parents but, given its surprising popularity and longevity, there's been much ink spilled about the show. It was never my favorite either. As to why they would make a live action adaptation - laziness. Simply put, they were all looking for a quick paycheck and to keep the IP going just a bit longer. It is a strange, unpleasant, and awkward production (yes, I've seen it), and it only gets worse because there's, like, three more of them and each one is even poorer than the last.
Lastly, to your point about direct-to-video films... I've been thinking about it. That's all I'll say for now.
Isn't most kids entertainment really Arlo the Burping Pig deep down?
Do we even need the "kids'" qualifier here? It's not like there's a shortage of braindead, rote adult entertainment either. :P See Sturgeon's Law etc.
That said, maybe you're right that people tend to think they can get away with crap even more easily if it's aimed at kids. One more reason I'm increasingly interested in writing middle-grade: they also need and deserve quality.
Wake up babe Yakubian Ape just posted.
Two things:
1. In a last ditch effort to crawl his way out of debt around 2013 Drake Bell also participated in a diving reality TV competition called Splash- I only remember that nugget of information because my sister was a diver growing up and she thought it was funny.
2. It’s also a common Mandela Effect about how one of the lyrics in the Drake and Josh theme song is actually “it’s gonna take some time to realign”, not “it’s gonna take some time to realize.”
1. I kind of wish I had found that while doing research.
2. I had to look this up because I'd never heard of this either, and while it does appear to be true, I will now reject it and continue to believe it was and always will be "realize" because it sounds better and to concede otherwise would be to destabilize my already tenuous grip on the past.
Another excellent dive into the Bell's life, this time during and after Drake and Josh. As a kid, I was very into the show and watched it all the way through. It's a shame that they never really were that close after though, but I guess I can see Josh's reasoning. He didn't want to play second wheel to Drake for the rest of his life.
P.S. I find it interesting that Drake is so popular in Mexico.
It is disappointing to see that they were never close. I also understand why a lot of people were upset to learn it, since I liked the show too, but I agree that Josh had valid reasons to want to go his own direction in life.
As for the Mexico connection... keep it in mind. It'll come back in the last part.
Thanks for another fine write-up in the continuing saga. And with Bell's career, that must be another strange spot to be in: you almost break into this elevated, glamorous world, but then you flounder around on the outskirts of it rather than getting your big break. Not a failure, but not a real success either. Would have been better never to get your toe in the pool at al?
That Josh and Drake concept makes me scratch my head. From your description it seems insanely spiteful and passive-aggressive for no good reason. Did he seriously pitch a script like that, or was it an attempt to troll all along? It's not hard to understand Bell's reaction there. Why not poke some fun at the careers of both guys, instead of glorifying one as perfect and painting the other as a loser transparently modeled on his real failures? (And do we need yet another reboot, gritty or otherwise?)
A couple other random points: first, re. "Millennials being the generation most trapped by the markings of their youth": eh, I don't know, I'd say the Boomers are giving them/us a run for our money. These are the people who made the music they were growing up with as teens in the 60s the literal curriculum for us in music class when we were in elementary school 30 years later, to name one example. That said, I'm curious if the new younger generations are going to be as weird about it when they get a little older.
The Fairly Oddparents show was after my time and I have zero feelings invested in it, but I still think the decision to make a live-action version where he's an adult manchild was such a weird choice. Like, why? Of all the things they could have done with it? Were you the one who did a longer piece on that at some point, or did I read that elsewhere? Either way it's strange that it exists.
I can't help love that "Big Trip" poster. It's not even "the writers of Madagascar", it's just one singular person out of the whole writing staff, like that's such a huge sell, haha. While we're at it, I suspect the whole universe of crappy direct to video films would be an interesting and strange dive in itself.
Personally, when it comes to the first question posed, I fall on the classic words of the bard - "Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all." There's something to be said about not knowing what you missed out on, but, at the same time... well, it's complicated, but suffice to say that I think it's better to have it for a while, love it, cherish it, and enjoy it, but also know when it's time to hang it up and call it quits, if not for your dignity than your sanity. Which Drake apparently never got.
As for the Josh and Drake pitch, it is insanely spiteful and passive-aggressive. It is apparently a real thing, but do keep in mind that the only concrete details ever revealed were from Drake. Josh confirmed that it happened but never confirmed or denied the contents or details of it, so we basically only have Drake's word to go off of, as well as a few other minor accounts of people corroborating his story but without concrete evidence. Point is, I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility for Josh to have done something like that, especially as he continued to sour on Drake. I think that despite putting on a good face for the public, Josh harbored a lot of resentment for Drake, and had trouble letting that go.
As for the boomers... okay, yes, that's correct, they are very weird about their own nostalgia, but god damn are Millennials giving some stiff (and increasing) competition!
I've never written about The Fairly Odd Parents but, given its surprising popularity and longevity, there's been much ink spilled about the show. It was never my favorite either. As to why they would make a live action adaptation - laziness. Simply put, they were all looking for a quick paycheck and to keep the IP going just a bit longer. It is a strange, unpleasant, and awkward production (yes, I've seen it), and it only gets worse because there's, like, three more of them and each one is even poorer than the last.
Lastly, to your point about direct-to-video films... I've been thinking about it. That's all I'll say for now.
I love jellyfish, that whole album is incredible. Very entertaining account of this weird episode on the periphery of my early adulthood. Thanks
You're absolutely welcome. It's always a pleasure to encounter another Jellyish respecter.
I liked "Yours, Mine, and Ours" based on the book. Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda.