#but that's nickelodeon and they tend to get away with more than what disney shows can get away with on average

[mikurulucky]

The fact they thought "crud" was offensive is just hilarious considering that word was near CONSTANTLY used in SWAT Kats back in the 90s, and that was a kids' action show! XD

alex hirsch going rogue… king shit

[acelezz]

A Look Into My Life: Thoughts on Marcy Wu from Amphibia

Can we please talk about how important Marcy’s character development and backstory has been in Amphibia?

In “The Beginning of the End,” we see a brief backstory scene with the three girls at a sleepover back on Earth, obviously before the main events of the show. It was absolutely upsetting for me to see Marcy get ignored and for her friends to insult her interests like that. I have been in Marcy’s shoes before, in middle school actually. I can go on and on with how Amphibia really understands middle school friendships. It’s a time where you are straddled between the end of your childhood and the beginning of your adulthood. Around this time, kids tend to develop more unique and intricate personalities and their own interests. Suddenly, friends find themselves being different from each other and liking different things, which can lead to those friendships ending sometimes.

For me, specifically, I remember when in middle school, all of my friends started to watch reality tv shows like the bachelor. I still watched kids shows on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel (and never completely stopped) and suddenly, I felt like I couldn’t talk about the shows I liked anymore since all of my friends were watching these adult shows. I often felt excluded from these conversations, never really getting to add anything because I didn’t know what they were talking about. 

Oddly enough, there was someone recently in my life who made me feel like Marcy. And I say oddly because for most people, sometime during high school is when most fully realize that there is nothing wrong with liking something “different” as this is when I became more open about my interest in kids shows, and I was genuinely shocked by the amount of friends I had in high school who also liked the same kinds of shows and movies as me. With this specific person, I briefly mentioned how I watch the Owl House. They were weird about it and were like, “but it’s a kid show.” And when I tried telling them how they hurt my feelings, they told me that I cannot be so attached to shows and depend on them for my happiness. When I tried to tell them that wasn’t the case and that I was just tired of having my interests insulted by others, I was told I was being childish... Honestly, can we please make it mandatory for people 18 and up to watch kids shows again? Because apparently two 13 year olds know how to recognize their wrongs and take accountability for them than a fucking adult.  

Anyways, here is where I am different from Marcy. Instead of making my friends watch or hear about things they weren’t interested in, I just didn’t talk about my interests. I was ignored in a different sense because no one made sure I felt included in the conversation. It is perfectly fine to talk about something that someone is not interested in, but to have it be almost every conversation to the point where someone feels excluded is not okay. I wish someone would have noticed and changed the conversation more or asked what i wanted to talk about. But I was the stereotypical quiet and shy kid so my silence was not unusual, and you cannot expect middle schoolers to have that much emotional intelligence to always realize when someone is being excluded.

With that being said, I don’t think Sasha and Anne meant to ignore Marcy. They were just being middle schoolers who don’t have the most self-awareness. Still, I know what Marcy went through hurts. It hurt when I went through it. But when you’re in middle school, friendships literally mean everything. If a friendship breaks up, it literally feels like the end of the world. I think Marcy could feel the friendship slipping apart. Perhaps she felt herself slipping away in particular as her interests seemed to be different from Anne’s and Sasha’s. So when she found a music box that could supposedly transport them to another world, she decided to take it so that way, as the only beings of their species in this new world, they would be forced to stay friends forever. 

So in “All In,” I was thrilled when Marcy realized that the versions of Sasha and Anne were not real. It was very clear that she was pushing back her thoughts of Sasha and Anne ignoring her as this is something that could ultimately end a friendship, which she would never want. I am so happy that she recognized that she cannot hide from reality in this fantasy of her vision of a perfect friendship. Not only am I glad that she finally admitted that Sasha and Anne had been ignoring her interests, she realized that she cannot change them and make them like everything that she likes. I am so happy that she realized that she needs to find this happy medium where her interests aren’t being ignored and where she is not taking up the entire conversation or hang out with something that only she is interested in. Earlier, it is mentioned how Marcy made them watch that movie a bunch of times although she was the only one who was interested in it. While it is not fair for Sasha and Anne to ignore Marcy’s interests, it would also not okay to make them watch something they clearly aren’t interested in in an effort to force them to like it. 

Now with my instance with my one friend, I would have completely understood if it was the only thing I ever talked about and they were like, “Hey, you kinda talk about this a lot. The Owl House seems cool, but it doesn't sound like its for me. I feel like you don’t leave me enough room to talk about my interests enough.” But I literally only mentioned it once and they automatically insulted me for having that interest. Believe me, I have known people who can talk for hours about one thing and it sucks when you aren’t interested and they don’t leave any room in the conversation for you and your interests. That is why it is so important that in a friendship, to make sure that everyone’s needs and interests are being met. It is fine for someone to have a different interest, as long as their friends aren’t insulting or ignoring that different interest and they aren’t taking up whole conversations and hangouts with it. 

This ended up being way longer than I would have liked. I just love Marcy so much and saw so much of myself and things that I have went through personally in her. 

[thefudge]

what are your thoughts on the whole lindsay ellis raya/atla/cancelling buisness? also what are your thoughts on the whole “cancelling” discourse in general?

i think it's a self-defeating project, for sure. cancelling achieves little, these days, if it ever did. the truly powerful and culpable are rarely made to suffer any significant consequences, and so cancelling mostly affects small creators, usually people of color, and usually the same people that the accusers want to "protect". it never really punishes who it sets out to punish, and it stands to fail from the start because a punitive project like this one begs the question, who has the right to punish whom, and what should the punishment be?

historically, this has never yielded good results. people tend to form into vicious mobs, and hysteria and moral panic set in quickly after. twitter is no different than a gossipy town square where you can buy fish and also watch a live beheading at the same time. the problem is, the internet doesn't get to see the proverbial head fall in the basket, so it has to raise the stakes and come up with more inventive forms of entertainment and punishment, which is why, nowadays, people are "guillotined" for very niche and pointless things, like the self-evidently absurd crime of comparing a disney movie to a very popular nickelodeon show whose influence is very clear in the disney product.

the really fucked-up thing is, if lindsay had posted that opinion a few weeks later, nothing would have happened, because it's a pretty harmless take. at the time, ppl on twitter were trying to visibly prove that they are not anti-asian, given the atrocious killings in the news. they wanted to prove they're "allies", and so they ended up shilling for disney as somehow the champion of oppressed voices, and dumping on the white creators of ATLA, as if raya and the last dragon was not made by mostly white producers in a boardroom. (for more on this and why the ATLA discussion on whiteness is so much more complicated, check out this post by @irresistible-revolution).

it's the performativity of it all that got to me; how it took attention away from more important discussions on anti-asian content, in order for a handful of people to feel that they had done something for the "cause". like, imagine talking about disney as the "underdog" in this situation. i have to laugh. it's also worth pointing out that when a mini-mob is incited, you lose sight of who is there just to have fun and dump on someone they don't like, and who is there with a genuine grievance, whatever that may be. it's a model that doesn't work and never will.

[palmett-hoes]

wrote this at first to be a reply to this post by @annawrites but it got super long so i figured it would be better just to make it a standalone post

---

it’s a great post about how neil probably has a perfectly functional knowledge of popular culture and how continuously representing him as totally ignorant of it isn’t a fair read of his character or circumstances. neil has incredible street smarts and that involves knowing how to blend in and disappear in a crowd. his knowledge of popular culture is probably eclectic and not very american, so he may not know all the pop culture touchstones that his teammates know, but he definitely knows stuff

meanwhile there are several foxes it would actually make much more sense to have extremely limited or just similarly patchy knowledge of mainstream pop culture

(i’m using “mainstream pop culture” here to refer to a combination of movies, tv shows, celebrities, video games, entertainment and communication technology, music, fashion, pastimes, books, etc. each one has it’s own specific considerations but all together if it was new and popular and timely, it’s pop culture)

---

kevin, for one, i think definitely knows like, next to nothing, and i honestly think it’s weird that people decided neil was the “knows nothing about pop culture guy” rather than kevin. i mean, kevin was raised since childhood in an extremely insular and one-track-minded underground cult. he was literally raised under a rock! you think the ravens were taking the time to watch saturday morning cartoons and disney movies? absolutely not. like i truly do not believe that kevin has ever consumed media in his life. he does not know songs, movies, celebrities, video games, tv shows, nothing. and he also has absolutely no idea that he doesn’t know about these things. neil has a working knowledge of most things even if it has plenty of holes but he knows what the holes are. kevin genuinely does not know that the movie Titanic exists

(also i’m ragging a bit here but this is a genuine analysis and a fascinating way to view kevin’s character and i wish people took more time to think through and flesh out his influences and the effect they had on him)

---

nicky. son of a conservative christian pastor? his access to media was likely heavily censored to remove “sinful” and “ungodly” influences. the media he consumed probably had a heavy christian focus and there were probably tons of mainstream popular things he wasn’t allowed to even look at, like especially things that were maybe a little risqué or sexual, which a lot of 90s and 2000s pop culture was considered to be. i also wouldn’t be surprised if he went to a private christian school that would still keep his chances to access other influences limited even away from his parents’ immediate view. nicky grew up on christian rock and veggie tales. he was forbidden from going trick-or-treating because it was “satanic.” that vein. watch the movie Saved! (2004) to get a sense of what i’m picturing. obviously once he got away to germany he got the chance to branch out and experience a lot of things, but doing things as an adult is very different growing up with them as a child. i also think this feeds into like,, nicky’s enthusiasm and why he tries so hard to get everyone involved in things and get neil to hang out with him so much and it’s not because he pities neil for not knowing these things but rather that he himself is still enthralled by their novelty

---

dan. but also renee, seth, andrew, and possibly aaron to varying lesser extents. these foxes all grew up poor, and access to pop culture is heavily tied to having money, especially in the technology boom of the 90s and 2000s that the foxes came of age in. it’s common for kids from low-income families to be “behind” on popular culture because engaging with it costs money

dan and seth we know grew up in poverty. yes people need entertainment but money considerations have to take priority so what they had access to was probably very touch and go. it’s hard to pin down anything for sure because it just comes down to what their guardians prioritized, but i can say that i doubt they had cable (and it’s possible they didn’t have tv) so their tv influences would be public broadcast rather than like,, disney channel and nickelodeon. dan especially, as someone from the rural poor in north dakota is the one most likely to be out of the loop of mainstream pop culture imo

.

renee’s mother is implied to have also been involved with renee’s gang which makes it really hard to pin things down. gangs and other forms of organized crime tend to have a profit motive but because it’s mostly off the books it’s just,,, different. they may had some money but it’s,,, complicated, and she was still living in an impoverished neighborhood. i really can’t make any guesses about it because i just don’t have any context for it, but i think it’s fair to say her media influences wouldn’t have been entirely mainstream pop culture. then of course she spends a year in juvy and two years in the foster care system, which definitely has very limited access to pop culture

.

andrew being in the foster care system means that his influences were constantly changing. he could have been in houses from a wide range of economic means, but regardless he probably wasn’t treated well or given gifts or access to new toys or anything that requires an additional fee or tool to access. stories from kids who lived in foster care often reveal that even very wealthy houses enforce extreme limitations on their foster kids. the idea that andrew had a foster sibling with a gameboy, an xbox and a tv in their room while andrew himself didn’t even have a bed,,, isn’t outside the realm of possibility. so, probably no video games or internet. limited choice in what movies or tv shows he could watch. social services are wildly underfunded so what he had access to in group homes and “at-risk youth groups” was probably pretty dated

.

we don’t know much about tilda, especially things like her job, but we know aaron grew up in san jose which is one of the most expensive cities/housing markets in the world. this means that they were probably either rich or very poor. personally, i think they were probably poor, which means aaron would have been subject to the same sorts of things as dan or seth in terms of spotty or inconsistent access to a lot of things in popular culture

---

so yea, ig just remember that each fox comes from different and complicated circumstances, that upper-middle-class pop culture experiences are not universal, and it’s weird to think that neil has absolutely no concept of pop culture at all while every other fox is apparently highly in tune with it and all have the same up-to-date experiences

[thedeepestjunglequeen]

♛ M- My url? *runs away ahhhhh* XD

[♛] send me a url and i’ll tell you the following; - @thekingmickey  

my opinion on;

character in general: 

Honestly? Of all of the Disney, Mickey was one I didn’t really see much of, save in the mid 2000′s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I watched some of the House of Villains, though this was the time I started to not really follow TV anymore, as I was on and off able to afford it in my family. Funny, considering my father worked in WDW in the 1990s before I was born, as Goofy. Even despite, I just didn’t get as much, especially being a Nickelodeon/Cartoon Network person. I guess it was the shows that weren’t animated that got to me over the years.

how they play them:

I really enjoy Mickey! I think maybe I didn’t consider much of him before because he doesn’t exactly have a reason without Kingdom Hearts. He really took the fame from Oswald in the 1930′s and 40′s, and asides from marketing, really fell in the foreground compared to all. of. the. princesses. over. the. years. In either way, it was just great because he finally has a great purpose through a cross over, and have yet to see one that isn’t KH related that is as active and as in depth. 

the mun: We can definitely talk more! I am usually decently active on Discord, though shit that happens tends to be here, where I am pretty sure my muses prefer to be than my drafts on either of my blogs overall. You know the procrastination is bad when one stops the other from doing work.

do i;

follow them: Have for eons rp with them: Yep want to rp with them: No that’s why we interact ship their character with mine: As friends, for sure!

what is my;

overall opinion: What are you waiting for mate? Go look ‘em up.

[lovemesomesurveys]

Have you ever read the Hunger Games series? Yep and watched all the movies. I was really into it at the time. When was the last time you ran into something? Hmm. I don’t recall. Do you enjoy dressing up? Nah. Do you live in the city or a rural area? I live in the city. Would you say you have a sense of style? My sense of style consists of mostly graphic tees and leggings, but also some Adidas clothes. And shoes. 

What’s your biggest fear? This question comes up all the damn time. Have you ever been bitten by a wild animal? Nooo. Are you close to any of your cousins? Aww, I used to be close to a few of my cousins. Not anymore, though. :( That’s all my fault. I became really distant and withdrawn from friends and even family outside of my immediate family.  Have you ever been lost in the woods? No, thankfully. Where did you last travel? Disneyland back in February. Do you enjoy driving? I don’t drive.  What song did you last listen to? I mentioned this in a previous survey already, but I’ve had Savage by Megan the Stallion stuck in my head because of TikTok. If you have a job, how often do you work? I don’t have a job. What time do you normally go to sleep at night? For the past month I’ve been going to bed after 6AM. :X Do you watch a lot of movies? Hmm. Not a lot, no. I watch more TV shows. Do you like Tom Petty? ”Now I’m freeeeeee Free fallin’.” Would you rather have snow or rain? I love rainy days. It doesn’t snow here, but I wish it did. Do you own a lot of sweaters? I own a lot of sweatshirts. Have you ever tried rock-climbing? Well, no. For obvious reasons. Ever ridden in a police car? Nope. Favorite decade of music? That’s tough cause I like music that spans across decades, but I think the 90s and early 2000′s will hold a special spot. Have any of your best friends been your best friend longer than a year? My longest was my best friend of 15 years.  Ever witnessed a murder? Noooo.  Does your room have a ceiling fan? Yep. Have you ever tried blogging? Before Tumblr I had Xanga for a long time.  Favorite television channel? E!, MTV, The Hallmark Channel, TeenNick, TVLand, and the ID Channel. Have you ever lied under oath? I’ve never had to be under oath. What are your religious views? I’m a Christian. When did you last change your bed sheets? A week ago. Would you consider yourself a flirt? No. At what age do you plan to be married? I don’t plan on getting married. Do you eat a lot of junk food? Honestly, all I eat is sandwiches, ramen, eggs, and Wingstop. Sometimes pizza and pasta. When did you last go on vacation? I’ve answered this 3 times now tonight, but I went to Disneyland back in February. Are you resilient? I was when I was younger. Definitely not anymore. Have you ever failed a subject before? I failed one math course in community college and had to retake it again. I ended up doing a lot better the 2nd time. I honestly believe it’s because I had a better teacher. If so, what was the class? ^^^ Do you wear more bright or dull colors? Dull. Majority of my clothes are black. Do you know anyone who has attempted suicide? Yes. What’s your favorite quote? Blah. How many clocks are in your house? Like 20 including all the electronics.  Do you play any sports? Nope. What is your biggest life regret? I have a lot of those. Have you ever been injured in a car accident? No, thankfully. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? Well obviously right now I only want to be at home, but I look forward to the day I can go to the beach. Have you ever had highlights in your hair? Yeah, I had them for years. Favorite fast food restaurant? I’m not into fast food anymore like I used to be. I was a fast food junkie before. The only takeout I’m into is Wingstop. And pizza from a local place, but I haven’t had that in awhile. In what country were you born? US of A. Are your eyes more than one color? Nope, just brown. Have you ever caught something on fire? Something in the microwave once, something in the oven once, the tips of my hair.... What would you consider your biggest flaw? Oh boy where to start. What do you think your best quality is? I don’t know. Do you enjoy listening to others’ problems? I used to be the person people came to if they needed advice or just someone to talk to and I was good at it. I liked being there and helping any way I could. People told me they felt comfortable talking to me and I was easy to talk to. It could also be overwhelming and draining at times. Especially leading up to when I fell into a really low, dark place a few years ago. I couldn’t be that person anymore. I wasn’t in a good headspace. I pushed everyone away and became very distant and withdrawn. That was 4 years ago and I’m still out of that place. :/

Do you keep any plants in your house? Nope. What is your mother’s occupation? She’s a manager at Walgreens.  Do any of your friends like your musical style? My family and I share some musical interests. What are you most looking forward to? I wanna say this quarantine ending, but I know resuming life in the real world would also be making me anxious when the time comes. I guess I’m most excited for seeing Gabie again, because I haven’t seen March 7th. <<< SAME to the first part.  What was your favorite television show as a child? Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, PBS, Saturday morning cartoons on ABC, WB Kids... all the kid shows in the 90s, basically. Are you afraid of insects? YES. ALL of them. Are you cold-natured? I’m very warm blooded, I feel like I’m always hot. I like when I’m actually cold and can wear a hoodie/sweatshirt or curl up under a blanket. How old were you when you got your first pet? We had a dog when I was a baby. Did you / do you enjoy high school? I liked parts of it.  What would you say was your favorite age? Childhood. What annoys you most about social networking? Trolls, fake news, cancel culture.

Are you the center of attention most of the time? Nooo. I never want to be the center of attention. What are you currently reading? I’m starting the 2nd book in the Jack Ryder Mystery Series by Willow Rose. When did you last go to the library? Sometime back in 2014 when I was still in school. Are you ill at the moment? Not with a virus or anything like that, thankfully. I just always feel crappy for other reasons. Do people tease you about anything? How I’m too sensitive.  How late did you stay up last night and why? Last night I went to bed at 4 in the morning, which is really early for me these days. Have you ever written poetry? I dabbled with it when I was 16. I still have the diary I wrote them in and yikes they’re so cringe-y haha. Curtains or shades? Curtains.  How many people have you spoken to in the last hour? Zero, everyone in my house is asleep. Do you tend to text a lot? Nope. Ever lost a great best friend? Yes. What is your favorite kind of flower? Eh, I just say roses but I don’t really have one. Do you own any guns? No. What would you say is your favorite book of all-time? I could never choose. What’s your least favorite part of the day? Late evening always seems to go by really slow.

Have you ever won an award for a speech? No. Do you tend to curse a lot? Nah. Have you ever played on the Ouija board? Nooo. I don’t mess with that kind of stuff. Do you sleepwalk? Nope. Have you ever slept on the floor before? Yeah. Are you a fan of public displays of affection? I don’t care for like heavy make out sessions or groping all over each other, but I don’t care about a kiss, cuddling, or hand holding. When did you last attend a yard sale? When I was a kid. We had a family friend who had them often. What goals do you wish to accomplish tomorrow? I don’t have anything I want to accomplish tomorrow. When is your birthday? July 28th. What was the best part of today? It’s only 430 in the morning. Do you attempt to stay away from drama? Involving me yes, but I like celebrity gossip and drama. What liquid did you last drink? Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink. Do you ever prefer to be alone? Yeah, I need to have some alone time. Have you ever had a deadly animal as a pet? No. Favorite Disney movie? Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, A Goofy Movie, and Toy Story. Have you ever been to the beach? Countless times. I love the beach.  If you have, how many times have you been? ^^^^ What was your dream occupation at age ten? I wanted to be a teacher back then. Are you terrified at the idea of weight-gain? No. I’m underweight and need to gain some weight. Do you drink a lot of water? I only get like 2-3 glasses a day. :X Does your room have carpet or hard-wood floors? Carpet. Do you take naps daily? No.

Who were you named after? No one in particular. Do you plan on traveling this spring or summer? No, we’re still going to be dealing with all this. :/ Do you know anyone who is colorblind? Nope. Have you ever been a teacher’s pet? I guess so. I was always the good kid, the “pleasure to have in class.” Teachers loved me. What is your absolute favorite hobby? Reading, surveys, coloring.  Ever been to a tanning bed before? No. I have no interest in that. Are you satisfied with your financial stability? I have enough to pay my bills and a little extra for other stuff, so I’m grateful for that. Who is your favorite actor / actress? Alexander Skarsgard. Are your nails painted? Nope. Do you ever accidentally talk to inanimate objects? Not accidentally, but I talk to inanimate objects when they don’t cooperate. More like talk shit, but haha. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? Strawberry. Have you ever kissed someone of the same gender? No. Do you receive any hate mail? No. Have you ever sent a letter in the mail? Yeah. If you could, would you have a pen pal? I did in 3rd grade. It was fun. We even got to meet them toward the end of the year during a field trip. I wouldn’t want one now, though. What color are the pants you’re wearing? I’m wearing black leggings.  What is your life philosophy? Hmm. Who last sent you a goodnight text message? No one does. Do you own any clothes that are your favorite color? Yeah. One of my favorite colors is black and most of my clothes are black. I have a few items that are my other favorite colors as well. Have you ever been in a hot tub before? Once for a short time. I didn’t like it. What’s your favorite comedy movie? I have several, but the one that came to mind first was Bridesmaids.  In which year were you born? 1989.

[diloph]

If I may ask, what other Cartoon Network/Nickelodeon shows are you into besides Steven Universe/Invader Zim?

It’skind of difficult for me to answer that because I didn’t grow up withsatellite/cable TV back when I was a kid. I only had the UK’sterrestrial channels (BBC 1 and 2, ITV, Channels 4 and 5) and theyhad a mix of Cartoon Network shows, Nicktoons, British cartoons andcartoons made by external producers like Warner Bros. They’ve allsort of meshed together as a result, so the list is somewhat random.

I’dalso like to point out that while I watched and liked a lot of them,I wouldn’t say I was really a fan of most of the in-houseproductions for Nickelodeon. They were on when I wanted to watchcartoons and that’s pretty much it. Not that CN escapes; I didn’t getinto a majority of what I liked until I was a teenager/adult withinternet access and those ones are mostly shows that aired on thenetwork with two exceptions.

ForNickelodeon, sans Zim, the list is short: Rugrats, The WildThornberrys, Fairly Odd Parents and Spongebob Squarepants. Not muchto comment on there, I’m afraid. They were on and I liked them.

CartoonNetwork faired a bit better, but of the shows they actually madethemselves, I only really like two; Steven Universe and SamuraiJack..

Whileboth are excellent, Steven Universe means much, much, much moreto me than Samurai Jack does. The evidence for that is that most ofmy blog is comprised of SU stuff, even if that’s down to all of myother interests not churning out as much content, let alone goodcontent, as that show does. I’m hard pressed to find negatives aboutit as everything tends to be addressed or developed upon at somepoint in the show and it’s easily one of my all-time favourites.Steven Universe is just the one show that’s on the air that comesclose to making me feel the same, burning (and slightly worrying)passion that Invader Zim invokes in me and I love it.

That’snot to put down Samurai Jack, however. It’s also incredibly wellmade. I feel that it is equal parts a simple story and an epic,almost legendary fable and it’s made a lasting mark on animation tosay the least. It runs the gamut of action, adventure, comedy,tragedy, horror and so on; it has an opportunity to hit every markand it does so.

Movingon from that, we come onto the shows that CN didn’t make, but airedand so, either bled through to TV here in the UK or showed up on theinternet for me a lot later. The sheer number of them means that theymake up the most of my favourites list, but they’re all great showsin their own right and each one warrants watching.

Startingoff with one of the first shows I’d ever gotten into, Beast Wars wasresponsible for my introduction into the greater Transformers seriesand quite frankly, I’m not surprised why. Revolutionary in its day,it still holds up spectacularly due to the darker atmosphere andstrong core cast. Witty, charming, action-packed and a well-toldstory all around, Beast Wars stood the test of time.

Followingon from that, both Transformers Animated and Transformers Prime arealso solid favourites of mine. Similar to Beast Wars, they have acast of dynamic characters with which to draw from and go on to buildtheir universes in new and interesting ways than the G1 mythos thatBeast Wars drew on. Animated develops the Autobots from the ground upand Prime goes on an interesting reinterpretation of a familiarstory. Everything I could say about one of them can be said about theother and as a result, they are perfect complementary series.

Addingto that, I’m going to say the DCAU in almost its entirety. I sayalmost because I’ve yet to see Static Shock and watched only a fewepisodes of Batman Beyond, but honestly, do I even need to justifythe DCAU to myself like that?

Batmanthe Animated series, Superman the Animated Series, JusticeLeague/Unlimited… each one has their own great ways of telling astory, then ups the ante by building on one another within the sameuniverse. It’s insane! Before the MCU, the DCAU reigned supreme andin my opinion, still does. Every time, these shows go out of theirway to broaden the depths of their universe and take a mature (notadult, simply that they tell stories well and intelligently while notshying from darker parts) approach to their shows.

Slightlyseparate is Teen Titans. It’s also a DC animated show, but it standsalone with no ties to the other DC shows, other than perhaps sharingthe greater mythos. It easily pulls its own weight though, making itjust as interesting and engaging as the others and does not hesitateto take risks in storytelling or in tone. It had a well-rounded castof heroes, each one engaging and likeable.

I’mgoing to cap it off with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, given that as itshares its universe with the movie series, it begins to drift awayfrom what you’ve asked. Much like all of the above, it takes risks totell good stories, makes likeable characters great and even props upthe greater movie series as a whole. Granted, it’s technically now aDisney product, but it started off on CN and fleshes out the StarWars universe, convoluted as it is, into something a lot moremanageable and dare I say it, better.

Icould go on, but these are the shows that I’ve felt have stuck withme, given that the original ask was meant to stick to Cartoon Networkand Nicktoons. I’ve bent the rules a little bit to fit with what Iliked when it comes to cartoons and I hope that’s okay, but yeah, Ilove me some cartoons alright.

[ace-reviews]

Ace’s Top 3 Disney Movies

Yeah, only three. I was just about the right age for the Disney Renaissance, but (as I mentioned before) I was never as big a fan of Disney as I was of Warner Bros or Nickelodeon. At the time I couldn’t’ve told you why because I was a kid, but in hindsight, I think it’s at least partly because Nick and WB took their audience a bit more seriously. Which isn’t to say Disney doesn’t, but (as one of the titles on this list can clearly attest) they tend to worry too much about being “happy Disney,” and it shows.

But the main reason I didn’t do five is because I don’t own as many Disney movies as I used to and most of the good ones (as far as I know) aren’t on Netflix so I haven’t seen them recently. If I were to do a list of ones I’ve seen in the past five years or so, the only contenders would be the two on this list that I actually own, Frozen, Mulan, Moana, and Hercules, and while three of those are good it’s too limited a selection pool.

Anyway, enough crapping on Disney (for now). Let’s talk about some good Disney.

These are actually in order for once! Will wonders never cease.

3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Betcha can’t guess what inspired this list.

While this movie does have some serious tone problems (because happy Disney) and one or two “oh Disney” moments, the good stuff in it is just about the best stuff Disney has ever done. If it wasn’t for those goddamn gargoyles, this would probably be my number one.

Though there is something that I’ve been curious about ever since I was a kid. These are presumably Quasimodo’s biological parents, right?

So why’s he, uh...

did the character designer attend the anime school of inherited traits?

2. Alice in Wonderland

I showed this movie to my little cousin a couple months ago, and he was entranced. The kid normally has the attention span of a gnat, but he didn’t look away from the TV once throughout the entire movie. It was pretty amazing.

This is one of those movies that scared the shit out of me when I was a kid, and as an adult I adore it. It’s got some really fun and creative animation and is one of those rare episodic stories where even the weaker ones are still pretty good.

I’m not sure which is more boring: people claiming it’s about a drug trip (it's not. If anything it’s about math), or people making “dark retellings”. First of all, it’s already dark enough (remember the oysters? Cause I remember the oysters), and second of all, taking things that are happy and making them sad is just about as fake deep as you can get.

I not only have this movie on DVD, I also have the books! They’re great. You should read them. A baby turns into a pig. It’s weird.

1. The Great Mouse Detective

This movie was another contributor to The Traumitization of Baby Ace. It was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid (my favorite was Jurassic Park, which also scared the shit out of me. I’m beginning to detect a theme), and is still one of my favorite movies as an adult. I actually have two copies of this movie on Blu-Ray because I bought one for myself and then my sister got me the other one for my birthday. No, you cannot have one. They are mine.

I watched this one on Netflix a few years ago, and was incredibly relieved by how well it holds up, not the least because I watched a few others right before it and they, uh, didn’t.

So that’s my list. Weird how there’s no princesses on it. I don’t dislike the princess movies (for the most part), I just like these three better than any of them.

Whelp, I still don’t know how to end shit. Look at the shiny rat mouse.

[trendingnewsb]

Toymakers Are Targeting Your Children Via YouTubes Kid Influencers

One evening in June 2016, Isaac Larian lay in bed at his Malibu, Calif., home, unable to sleep. So the chief executive officer of the worlds largest private toy company, MGA Entertainment Inc., did what any insomniac toy executive would do to unwind: He watched viral videos of kids unboxing toys on YouTube. Dont laugh. Videos by youthful toy reviewers can get millions of views, and watching toys being freed from their packaging has become must-see TV for many fans. “I said to myself, How are we going take advantage of this phenomenon and make the ultimate unboxing toy?” recalls Larian. “I challenged my design team, and they came up with the idea.”

Five months later, MGA released L.O.L. Surprise!, a small plastic sphere concealing a miniature doll and its accessories. That a plaything so simple became a sellout hit in just two weeks isnt the only surprise. The toy is also noteworthy because it was marketed without a single television ad. That boffo reception wasnt a fluke. This year, MGAs newest product, the L.O.L. Big Surprisea bundle of 50 tiny items that kids can unwraphas landed at the top of many 2017 best toy lists. It sold out at both Toys “R” Us and Amazon.com on the first day it went on saleagain, without a single TV spot.

To Larian, whose company created such hits as Bratz and Lalaloopsy dolls, the success validates his decision several years ago to shift away from running spots during kids TV and cable programming and instead depend mainly on getting MGAs products into the hands of kid influencers on YouTube. “Everybody said, Youre wasting money, youre wasting time,” he says, recalling his late 2014 decision to have MGAs marketing go 90 percent digital. “At first we were, but then the tipping point happened.”

Hes talking about the continuing shift of toy-age children away from traditional kids TV programming to social media, where they can viewand share with friendsvideos about the toys they want. Since 2012, kid influencers on YouTube have increasingly captivated their peers by posting videos of themselves unboxing, reviewing, and playing with toys. And toy companies are following them online.

Nielsen reports 53 percent fewer kids age 6-11 watched the Disney Channel in the 2017 cable season than in 2008, and 54 percent fewer watched Nickelodeon. Meanwhile, 32 percent of kids said they prefer watching videos on a non-TV device in 2016, according to researcher EMarketer. Kids also ranked YouTube as their favorite brand out of 350 choices, according to a September 2017 survey by Smarty Pants LLC. “There was a time when you would put a product on TV and watch it sell, but kids arent watching Nick anymore,” Larian says. “So we arent wasting money with TV anymore. Were going with digital influencers viral marketing.”

That shift has provided a bonanza for YouTube reviewers, among them a family known as KidToyTesters. The group of five siblings from Omaha, whose ages range from 2 to 14, have made videos featuring toys from “everyone you could name or think of,” including Mattel Inc., Hasbro Inc., and MGA, according to their dad, Lee (who didnt want the familys last name used). Such companies send them free products. Theyve also produced sponsored videos for 17 brands, including Nintendo, Spin Master, and Wicked Cool Toys.

Members of the family during a video shoot.

Photographer: Madeline Cass for Bloomberg Businessweek

Right now, the family is in crunch mode. Lee says theyll make 70 percent of their annual revenue over the next three months as toy companies promote their products for the holiday season. During any given month, the kids work with two companies as part of a paid deal to pitch their toys. They expect to work with seven or eight companies this holiday season. By the end of the year, Lee says, the family will have made $140,000 from their channel.

Data show why companies want to pay up for YouTube talent. In its 2017 holiday spending survey, PwC LLP ranked YouTube the most influential social media platform for 72 percent of young Generation Z consumers, who said theyd be far more likely to buy a product if an influencer they follow shares a positive review or uses that product on social media.

Toy industry leaders attribute the efficacy of influencers to their authenticity. While celebrities are inaccessible to most viewers, kid influencers often interact with their fans by responding to comments and online messages. “Influencers are able to relate better to kids than a scripted or overly produced traditional TV advertisement would,” says Victor Lee, senior vice president for digital marketing at Hasbro.

Some YouTube channels, such as EvanTubeHD and Ryan ToysReview, have millions of subscribers. The big number of eyeballs watching toy review videos also means influencers can command big money for their endorsements. Industry experts say it can cost a company anywhere from a few thousand to $200,000 to get an influencer to feature a toy in a video, depending on the influencers social media footprint. “Its the Wild, Wild West,” says Justin Kline, chief operating officer of Markerly Inc., a company that matches brands with influencers.

Photographer: Madeline Cass for Bloomberg Businessweek

That doesnt necessarily mean companies look only to the channels with the most subscribers. For many, a more-valued metric is engagementeverything from comments, likes, and shares for the channels videos to how long a kid watches and the extent to which an influencer interacts with followers.

Captiv8 Inc., another company that matches brands with influencers, sells an analytics platform that allows companies to predict the engagement they will receive for a specific campaign. “We look at the social influencer space and help brands predict Oprah effects,” says co-founder Krishna Subramanian. “Oprah picks up a book, and its completely sold out. Thats a benefit of working with influencersyou get that potential for virality.”

As influencers climb in popularity, they can become so busy that its difficult to stay in touch with their fans. Lee says channels with smaller audiences have a greater capacity to respond to messages and comments and listen to feedback.

Isaac Quiroga, Mattels director for video engagement, says his company focuses strictly on engagement when assessing influencers. “Even though youre reaching a smaller audience, you tend to have a much more engaged smaller audience,” he says. “From there well see a lift with the rest of our products, and our engagement drives purchase intent.”

Photographer: Madeline Cass for Bloomberg Businessweek

Mattel, which has already invested four times as much on influencers in 2017 as it did last year, uses two database software programs to find influencers who are a good match. The company also has an engagement team thats built more than 100 direct relationships with key influencers, Quiroga says. He estimates Mattel has shifted 50 percent of its marketing budget to digital, which encompasses other social media platforms in addition to YouTube.

Initially, KidToyTesters made all its revenue from its share of the revenue Google got from selling ads around its videos. But because of changes made to YouTubes algorithm, fewer ads land on the channel, and now it depends heavily on company deals, Lee says. A sponsored toy video will earn his kids from $3,000 to $20,000, whereas ad-based revenue now fluctuates tremendously.

The kid toy testers receive two or three toy packages each day on their doorstep. Toy companies often simply mail free toys to influencers in hopes that theyll review the products. This differs from a paid brand deal, in which the kids must clearly state that the video is sponsored by a company.

While some may think that getting paid to play with toys in front of a video camera is effortless, Lee says it isnt easy money. “We have 15-to-20-hour workdays, and its seven days a week every day of the year,” he says. “Sometimes its three to four in the morning when we finish editing. A lot of times we dont see sunshine, because weve been shooting in the basement for a couple days in a row and wonder what day of the week it is.”

Photographer: Madeline Cass for Bloomberg Businessweek

The kids are home-schooled, giving them more flexible schedules. And Lee says hes spending only a half-hour a day on his marketing business so that he can devote more time to the YouTube channel, which he calls a “blessing” for allowing the kids to have a fun hobby thats morphed into a career.

As for MGAs Larian, hes convinced there will be plenty of work for the likes of the influencers in the years ahead. “We gambled to go digital instead of traditional TV advertising, and that has paid for us,” he says. ”So were going to continue to do more and more.” 

BOTTOM LINE – YouTube is the most influential social media platform for 72 percent of young Gen Z consumers. That’s helped it become a big venue for toy reviews sponsored by brands.

Read more: http://ift.tt/2gpI1Sc

from Viral News HQ http://ift.tt/2AXiI6M via Viral News HQ

[metawitches]

  Or, Why Do Little Girls have to Choose Between Being Good and Being Powerful?

I was never much for Disney princesses growing up. None of them ever spoke to me. I was more into characters like Simba from Lion King. I suppose, for whatever reason, I was more concerned with the personality and journey of the character than their gender. Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, Ariel…none of them did anything for me. I don’t even remember thinking they were particularly pretty. I liked Megara from Hercules a little, but I was more about Pegasus, Hercules, and Hades in that movie. The complex characters with clear goals and inner journeys were always the ones who appealed to me. (And animals. Being an animal makes a big difference to me.)

I can only think of one work that I loved as a child where the female characters were my favorites – Avatar: The Last Airbender. Katara and Azula were my goddesses, and I loved Mai, Ty Lee, Toph, and Suki. (I didn’t care for Yue, though I appreciate her a lot now. She was too soft and weepy in my eyes.) They’re still some of my favorite characters ever. So I did have female characters to look up to growing up, but they weren’t Disney. And the story wasn’t about them. They were real, complex people, but they were there to support the story, not the reason the story was happening. But most importantly, they were on a random little show (popular, but still not terribly culturally influential) on Nickelodeon, not in one of the iconic movies about and for girls by the company that helps define American, and much of Western, culture. Not one of the movies that functions as a vessel to teach girls about how to be a girl and provides them with the people they’re going to look up to and aspire to be like throughout their childhoods and probably into adulthood.

I wasn’t concerned with that as a child. All I knew was that I didn’t care about the same characters most other girls did and I wanted to be a waterbender like Katara, or an insidiously powerful acrobat like Ty Lee, or a commanding princess who could get anything she wanted like Azula.

I was 17 when Frozen the movie first came out. I wasn’t a little girl, but I was definitely a girl. I had no idea what I was doing with myself and I felt very isolated and I didn’t know who or what I wanted to be. Going into the theater, I didn’t know what it was about – just that it involved a snowman, a reindeer, and a winter. I didn’t know it was a princess movie or even that it involved humans. (Whether something involves humans is of little importance to me.)

Watching the first part of the movie, I was charmed by Elsa and Anna like everyone else. I thought Elsa’s powers were pretty. I was a little surprised at Elsa having that much power, a small girl, in a movie like this, but I didn’t think very hard about it or try to pinpoint why.

One of the moments that sticks in my mind from my first viewing is the first moment we see adult Anna, towards the end of Do You Wanna Build a Snowman. She walks into the frame, grown up, smiling, as a soft, pretty, subtly inspiring piano melody plays. I’m not sure what it was about that particular moment that struck me, but I found myself thinking she was so, so beautiful, so hopeful, so excited about life. I felt so warm towards her in a way that I don’t remember ever feeling about any other character. I tend to focus on Elsa more, because she’s more my kind of character, but in truth Anna was deeply important to me too, and still is. I felt sort of maternal towards her, and something about it made me almost want to cry.

I kept feeling that way through For the First Time in Forever. She was so hopeful and youthful, so eager to live her life. I was a little shocked when Anna sang “don’t know if I’m elated or gassy” – Disney acknowledging that women have bodily functions?! Where did that come from? I was really happy about that. She was so real in that way. Drooling, dreaming about boys while also stuffing her face with chocolate, imagining she was one of the women in the paintings. Dancing and running and jumping, moving freely and gracefully but also clumsily. In tune with her body, unafraid to do whatever she pleased with it, but also not perfect with it. Kristen Bell sounded so sweet and beautiful and happy to be alive. I think she’s underrated as a singer.

And then we cut to adult Elsa. I was surprised by how husky her voice was, and it immediately made me feel like there was a deep power to Elsa. Her quiet, intense singing combined with Anna’s bell-like (ha, get it?) joy touched something deep inside me, though I didn’t know what.

Then Let It Go happened. When Elsa started quietly brooding about her failure to do what her parents told her and how alone she was now, I figured that was all the song was going to be. When she sang “Well now they know” and let her glove fly away, I thought we were about to enter a remorseful chorus about what a failure she was and how she’d ruined her life and it was all her fault. And I wasn’t dreading that. It was just where I assumed we were headed. That would be the typical path.

When she turned around, smiled, made a small swirl of ice and snow and sang the simple words “Let it go,” it literally felt like a light bulb turned on in my head. Elsa had gone in the opposite direction from what I was expecting, and I instantly understood. Of course. She wasn’t stuck in her depression and loneliness anymore – she wasn’t trapped in her room. She had no one to pretend for, no one to protect. And she’s immensely powerful. *She* doesn’t need any protection alone up there. So the feelings of loss were there; that’s what comes with letting yourself feel for the first time since you were a small child, having lost your parents and now lost everything and everyone you’d ever known. But now, she could let go of that (pun partially intended). I still feel chills watching her send her power out into the world, fearlessly running up that staircase, knowing without a doubt that she can continue it as far as she wants to go, stomping on the ground and creating a huge snowflake with a thunderous smash. Rising up in the center of this huge structure, a tiny figure in control of it all. And then she threw her crown away, rejecting the rules and expectations that had been forced upon her. She let her hair out of its tightly restrained style and sensuously ran her hand over it, ice-burned off the restrictive clothes she’d been required to wear as Queen, and instead gave herself a light, clingy yet comfortable-looking dress that showed off her body, and a cape to make sure everyone knew how much power she had. She was still a Queen, but she was now the queen of herself, no more and no less.

This was the opposite of the song I was expecting. She didn’t crumple in despair. She didn’t sentence herself to living in a cave. She certainly didn’t think, “I have nothing to live for now, maybe I should just kill myself.” She built herself a palace that a hundred men couldn’t build, as the song Frozen Heart echoes in the movie. She raised herself up to the top of the tallest mountain. She belted out, her voice fragile yet transcendent in its power (hail Queen Idina). She reveled in her power and her body, its movements, its feeling, its appearance. She no longer moved like a girl. She now moved more like a woman. She wasn’t controlled and graceful with every step, but she was powerful with every step. She showed aggression with her stomping and forcefully flinging ice into the air, throwing her crown away. She showed how easy it was for her as she built a huge palace in minutes. She showed the strength and the delicacy of her powers with the thick turrets and the intricate chandelier. She didn’t worry about making her movements feminine, but when she was in the dress that she made for herself, the one that came straight from within her and thus represented her better than any other piece of clothing could, she let her hips move like a woman’s. She didn’t sexualize herself, but she didn’t desexualize herself. She just was. She was a full, complex human being, and she was pure joy and power.

Just these two songs probably would have done it for me. I was hooked on the sisters, especially Elsa – she’s more my kind of character (I like the dark and sexy ones). But I wasn’t at all expecting the ultimate thesis of the movie, which is that true love can be a platonic relationship between two women. Romance and sex and men don’t have to be involved. The love two women hold for each other can be just as strong. Anna and Elsa sacrifice themselves for each other over and over again. Their stories revolve around each other, and in the end, it’s the love between them that saves not only their lives, but their whole queendom. And not only did the act of true love not need to involve a man, but it was in opposition to two men – Anna defended her sister from Hans while also rejecting the love she shared with Kristoff in favor of her love for Elsa.

Seeing something like this in anything would have been great, but this was Disney. One of the greatest upholders of social norms. The major corporation that has, for almost a century, reflected and shaped our cultural attitudes. If Disney of all companies was making a movie about two powerful, complex women whose relationship is the focus of the story, who actively reject men in favor of each other, what did this mean for our culture? It meant that we had come very, very far since The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, just a couple decades before. Anna and Elsa didn’t have to give up their voices to achieve what they wanted. They didn’t fall in love with and forgive men who abused them. The story had nothing to do with how physically attractive either of them were. A brief speculation from one of the attendants of the ball about the beauty of the princesses is all there is, and it’s immediately contradicted by the narrative showing us Anna asleep in a very non-feminine position, hair wild and tangled, drooling. But at the same time, the narrative doesn’t tell us that Anna and Elsa are ugly. When the men start objectifying the women for their attractiveness, the narrative quickly shuts them up by pointing out that they’re people just like everyone else. They’re not always perfect and beautiful, but that also doesn’t mean they’re not attractive.

Later, I found a clip of Let It Go on youtube, and I watched it countless times. When I was alone in the house, and I started singing Let It Go to myself, I would burst into tears, because I felt what Elsa felt. That loss, that rejection from the world, but also the relief of accepting that you will never be what the world wants you to be. But also, the willingness to move forward with that knowledge, to live your life as you and to see where it takes you, since living your life as what society wants you to be has failed. I wasn’t ready to fully internalize that message and start living by it, or even trying to live by it, but it put that seed in my head. It gave me Elsa’s voice, Idina’s voice, echoing in the back of my mind, singing about her power. Celebrating it.

And this was our culture as a whole supporting that. Of course people on Fox and the like complained about the movie being anti-man and showing that men are either stupid or evil. (Really, who got the idea that Kristoff is stupid? He’s the one who guides Anna through the woods and he’s often the One Sane Man. But even besides that, yes boys, feels pretty rotten to have your whole sex reduced to a false dichotomy, doesn’t it?) But to me, that was a good thing. It showed that Disney of all things was pushing boundaries. If no one was offended by it, it wouldn’t be revolutionary. And amidst that, Frozen was the most successful animated movie of all time. I pretty much couldn’t leave the house without seeing a little girl, or even the occasional boy, with some Frozen merchandise. Those little girls were internalizing the messages that Elsa and Anna sent: You are strong. You are complicated. You are allowed to be imperfect. Your love doesn’t have to be romantic to be true. The things that others fear about you are often the best parts of you. The boys were learning these things about women, too, and sometimes identifying with them the way that I identified with male characters as a child. They were all receiving those messages, and so was I. I was much older than them, already through a lot of my development, but I still idolized powerful female characters just as much.

And that’s the thing about me, personally. I’ve never liked female characters for their beauty or their kindness or their dutifulness. I have always liked the ones who are powerful. And that’s where it stops. All I want in a female character is power. That’s why Azula was up there with Katara for me, and ultimately a little more inspiring to me than Katara was. I didn’t care that Azula was evil. At least she was in charge of herself. At least she had the power to command people and get what she wanted, and she never, ever apologized for it. Katara and Toph and Suki, the good female characters, were similar, but they routinely lost some of that power due to the accidental misogyny that was still prevalent in that show. They were strong while being kind, but their kindness could also be a weakness. That was never the case for Azula. Azula never compromised her own goals for the sake of anyone else. She never had to apologize for her anger and aggression or for shutting people out, like Katara and Toph did. She was never reduced to somebody’s girlfriend, like Suki and Katara were. She was in charge of her own story, she knew what she wanted, she had the power to overcome almost anyone, she knew she was powerful and reveled in it, she commanded respect from others, and she never let a man control her.

But she was evil. Her unyielding, unapologetic determination and power came at the cost of her morals. She never apologized or hated herself for losing her temper because she was a bad person, not because she accepted herself as a flawed human who’s allowed to defend herself or call other people out when they’re being jerks to her.

And in a choice between being good and being in charge of yourself, when I let go of my intellectual morals, I will always choose to be in charge of myself. If someone wants to take away my power, then they don’t deserve my kindness. That was the choice I, and every other girl, was presented with as a child. Be kind or be powerful.

The movie didn’t make Elsa choose – it let her be both. The musical adaptation made her choose.

Everything that the movie had done, every message it had sent to us girls and women, was negated. Let It Go is now disproven – now, after singing “let the storm rage on” in the first act, Elsa then sings “[what if when I’m gone] the storm rages on?” She realizes that empowerment is actually evil. Letting yourself be free and wild only feels like a good idea in the moment. Then the men come to take back control of you, marching up to your castle with their murderous weapons, to put you back in your cage, and you remember that you’ve been a bad girl and need to pay. And of course, she sings this while contemplating suicide – because she did a bad thing, so she should probably die, right?

The Duke now makes a long, pointed speech to Elsa about her being the most beautiful queen he has ever seen, describing how ugly other female royals he’s met have been. Now, the show makes sure that we know our heroines have the most important trait for a female character – beauty.

They made Elsa a one-dimensional mess of self-loathing and poor judgement. She’s wrong to sing Let It Go, because actually, you shouldn’t let the storm rage on. They directed Caissie to speak in a breathy voice, not to stand too straight, not to face people head on too often. Whereas movie Elsa spoke with an assured power, no matter where she was in her journey, and stood straight and tall and looked people in the eye, stage Elsa is a timid mouse. She doesn’t seem to believe in her power as queen, while movie Elsa always remembered that she was queen. They took away her sense of humor. She’s no longer mischievous. She doesn’t giggle and send Anna off to dance with the Duke with a twinkle in her eye. Instead, she stands there, flustered by a man speaking to her, and it’s Anna who cleverly saves Elsa from the Duke’s annoying comments. Which is ironic, because, in the stage show, Anna then becomes the stupid one who needs endless rescuing as soon as Kristoff shows up to put her on a leash and drag her to her beloved sister, who she keeps forgetting about in favor of dancing naked for no apparent reason.

Years later, watching the movie, I still feel those feelings I had the first time. The adoration for the sisters and their relationship and the way the men are portrayed. In this world, it’s important to let girls know that they can’t trust every man they meet, that their loyalties need to lie with each other, first and foremost, and that they can and should trust themselves and their own power.

We won’t be hearing any men complaining about the stage show. They’ll probably see it as an improvement.

The saddest part of all this is that so many women like this new version better. Specifically, that they think Elsa is more relatable now. Because most adult women can relate to feeling suicidal guilt over letting themselves have something of their own.

But little girls can’t relate to that. They haven’t had time to fully internalize the messages of our culture. The movie showed them, while they were still young and developing their sense of self and understanding of the world, that they could be real, complex people and they could have bodily functions and they could use their bodies however they wanted. The stage show stops that in its tracks.

It’s like the creators of the movie were trying to send a completely different message than the one most people got. It’s like they noticed that everyone was seeing it as a female empowerment story, when what they meant to show us was a story about “family.” I’m increasingly noticing how often “family” is used to mean that women aren’t important, it’s the husbands/fathers who are important. And now the word “family” is what is beat into our heads in the Frozen adaptation. Not the word “sister.” “Family.”

I suppose I got complacent over the Obama years. I was 12 when his administration took over. Now, at 21, the real world has come crashing back in. I used to think Obama’s election was an infallible sign of progress. Now I think it was more along the lines of a lucky coincidence. Things clearly haven’t actually changed. We have a known rapist for a president.

Then again, maybe women will win out in the end. After all, we really voted for Hillary.

    In honor of Elsa and Anna pre-bastardization by the stage show, here are some real-life women who are both good and powerful.

Malala Yousafzai (human rights activist and youngest Nobel Prize Laureate), Oprah Winfrey (built her own media empire), Martha Stewart (built her own corporate empire) and Benazir Bhutto (former prime minister of Pakistan/first female leader of a democratic Muslim majority nation)

Stephenie Meyer (misunderstood author of bestselling novels about being a woman), Carol Adams (author of highly influential books on the intersections between non-human rights and women’s rights such as The Sexual Politics of Meat), Taylor Swift (singer-songwriter, outspoken about her sexual assault, donated all proceeds from one of her music videos to help African animals) & Lena Dunham (creator, producer, star, writer and director of Girls, first woman to win the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series, best-selling author, confident bearer of a body that isn’t a size 2), Venus & Serena Williams (Venus is a hugely successful tennis player despite having a chronic illness and successfully fought for equal pay for female tennis players, both are largely vegan, Serena, besides being arguably the greatest female tennis player of all time, does extensive charity work and has her own fashion lines).

  Starhawk (author of many books on Goddess traditions and nature religion, longtime activist and teacher), Ellen Degeneres (vegan, animal rights activist, one of the first female celebrities to come out as a lesbian), Hillary Clinton (honorary President of the United States), Meghan Murphy (founder of the blog Feminist Current, endlessly insightful radical feminist, lover of dogs)

  Jane Goodall (gave us our understanding of chimps and primates, animal rights and environmentalism activist), Koko (gorilla who has been an experiment her whole life, believer in environmentalism and human stupidity, learned to speak English and communicates with people through a modified version of American Sign Language, mother of many kittens, representative of all of the female animals who have given their lives in the name of science and human safety), Francesca “Fannie” (one of the oldest of the Metawitches chickens, survivor of a serious dog attack, food and excitement enthusiast, layer of small eggs despite being the largest chicken, lover of pecking human body parts in an endless quest to find more food, in honor of all of the exploited female animals used as livestock who are never named and appreciated by those who use them and their children)

Role Models for Girls: The Good, the Evil, and the Frozen Or, Why Do Little Girls have to Choose Between Being Good and Being Powerful? I was never much for Disney princesses growing up.

[lovemesomesurveys]

Childhood

Did you spend your childhood time with mostly real or imaginary friends?: I spent most of my childhood with my cousins. Or with my Barbies, since I’d play for hours. Did people consider you an odd child?: I wouldn’t say odd, no. I was just a quiet, shy kid. Do you have memories that go back to when you were only a few months old?: Wow, no. It’s crazy to me how some people believe they remember being born. I’m like what? Do you remember any thoughts you had when you where very young?: No, not really. I have some memories from my childhood.

Were they intricate or simple thoughts?: Probably simple. I just wanted to play Barbies and watch cartoons.

If you answered “intricate”, give an example of one of those thoughts: Were you dreams very vivid as a child?: I have no idea. Kids are pretty imaginative, so possibly. What is the strangest memory you have from early childhood?: I can’t think of anything strange. Were you a child prodigy or did you display any gifts at a young age?: No. I mean I was able to read when I was 3, and reading and spelling has always been my thing, but I am no child prodigy. What was the most “grown-up” thing you ever said as a child?: I have no idea. What were your favourite TV shows in early childhood?: When I was really little I was obsessed with Barney. I also enjoyed Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Were you afraid of monsters?: I don’t think so, actually. Like I don’t remember being afraid of monsters under my bed or something. Did you believe that fictional characters were real?: No, I don’t believe so. Maybe I never really thought about it like that. Were you more quiet and artistic or loud and physical? I was definitely quiet, but not artistic. Issues and stuff Do you eat meat?: Yes, but I’m not like a big meat eater. I’m also very picky about it. If you do, what is your justification for it?: I don’t need to justify it. If you could legalize 3 things in the US, what would they be?: I’d say marijuana, but we’re already on the way with that. Do you believe in the death penalty?: I’m on the fence. Did Mumia do it?: Did who do what? If you had a choice, which country would you have chosen to be born into?: I’m very thankful to have been born in Sweden, obviously. <<< How cool! I want to visit Sweden someday. As for me, I’m an American and I am happy with that. What are your opinions of Michael Moore?: Eh. Describe your feelings about marijuana legalization: I think it should be. Red, White and Blue is a ghastly color combination, right?: No. What television news coverage do you detest the most?: I don’t watch a lot of news. I prefer to read the news online. What will you do if Bush is re-elected? Well, that can’t happen since he already served two terms. Wow, this is old. Which state do you think will drop off into the ocean first?: *shrug* Who do you consider “American Heros”? There’s so many, for various reasons for their contributions. Completely Obtuse And Silly Questions Have you ever taken something apart just to see how it worked? I wouldn’t be able to put it back together, ha. Do you ever yell at the television while you are alone? Reason?: Not yell, but I comment aloud on stuff I watch sometimes. Name a few things (if any) that you bought on Ebay recently: Not me, personally, but my mom asked me to order a few things for her that she wanted to get my brother for Christmas. Are the Muppetes sinister? Think about it.: I never thought of it that way. Do you watch the Science Channel (Discovery) on a regular basis?: No, I never do. Ever gotten into an “in person” argument with a total stranger? Discuss: No. Sugar or Honey?: Sugar. What’s on your desk right now?: I don’t have a desk. How many e-mails do you recieve a day?: Maybe like 10 or 15. I keep up with them and clean our mailbox regularly, so it’s never too bad. Do you think that time travel is a possibility?: No, but how cool would that be. Are you slightly addicted to online tests and surveys?: Now what would give you that idea? San Francisco or New York City?: I’ve been to San Francisco several times and love it, but I’d love to visit New York City. What are your favorite color combinations?: I love pastel combos. Close your eyes and type the first random image that pops into your head: Giraffes. Do you enjoy night or day better?: Blah. Favorite animal: Dogs and giraffes. Have you ever been to a protest?: Nope. Aggravated a cop on purpose?: No. Ever gone train hopping/ridden the rails?: No. If you could choose a time period in which to live, which would it be?: I’m fine with this one, but I’d love to be able to travel back to other periods. Ever put your hand through a window?: Yeah? List a few words you hate the sound of: The P word and the C word. I absolutely despise them. You won’t hear me say either one of them. And a few you like the sound of: Hmm. I don’t know. Are you sick of this survey yet? It’s fine. Emotions And Such Have you attempted suicide more than once?: No. Cutting?: Yes. Do you get violent when you are angry?: No. Which emotion are you most consumed by?: Sadness. Are you highly emotive?: Yeah. Do you discuss problems or keep them to yourself?: I tend to keep to myself a lot, or down play things if I do decide to talk about it. Except for on here. Do you fall in love easily?: I fall easily. What age/year was the most difficult for you?: I feel like I’ve been going through it the past few years, and I thought things were hard before. It doesn’t compare to now. How do you channel your anger/sadness?: I cry. Ever been addicted to alcohol or drugs?: No. Ever been homeless?: No. List a few simple things that make you happy: Coffee. When were you most recently your happiest?: Uhhhh. Do you consider yourself empathetic?: Yes. Friends Describe your best friend as if you were describing a character from a film: My best friend is my mom and she’s just awesome. Do you have friends that are drastically different from each other?: Yeah. List a few key traits that all of your friends have in common: They’re smart and driven, unlike me. Do you keep in touch with friends from high school?: I have a few on Facebook. Have you lost touch with many of your friends?: Yes. Are they mostly local or long distance?: Local. When you go out with friends, what kinds of things do you do?: I haven’t been out with friends in so long, but usually it’s out to eat or grab some coffee. Have you ever been betrayed by a close friend?: Yes. If yes, are you still friends with that person?: No. Are your friends mostly your age, younger or older?: My age and a year younger. Do you have a hard time making friends because most people bore you?: Ha, I’m the boring one. Do you like to hang out with friends one-on-one or in groups?: Groups. Small groups. Which of you online friends do you have the most in common with?: I don’t have any online friends. Family Are you close to your family?: Yes. What traits are you glad you inherited from them?: My mom’s sense of humor and love of reading. I wish I inherited her work ethic, her determination, her ambition, her drive, her ability to keep going when the going gets tough and push through...  What sitcom does your family most remind you of?: None. Does your family live locally or far away?: Most live locally. Have you ever stopped speaking to someone in your family?: No. We don’t see some family members much, but not because we stopped talking to them. It just happens cause life. Have either of your parents died?: No. Is your family very much like you or are you opposites?: A bit of both. How many siblings do you have?: Two. Has your family ever thrown food at each other?: No. Are the holidays a nightmare or a time of joy?: I love the holidays. Do you look like your parents?: I’ve been told I look like my mom. List one interesting fact about your family: Hmm. I don’t know. Lovers Gay, Straight, Bi-sexual or no idea?: Straight. Married/partnered?: Single. Ever gone out with someone you were embarrassed to be seen with?: Wow, no. That would be mean. Ever broken someones heart?: Yes. Not like to be spiteful, it just didn’t work out. I felt awful. How many serious relationships have you had?: None. Have you ever lusted obsessively over someone you knew you couldn’t have?: I wouldn’t say that, but I had really serious feelings for someone who I wanted to be with, and thought they wanted to be with me, too, but I was wrong. Do you believe in the theory of soulmates?: I don’t know. Ever cheated?: No. Been cheated on?: No. Thrown someones stuff out on the lawn/stairs/etc.?: Nope. Had your stuff thrown out on the lawn/stairs/etc.?: No. Most important emotional qualities of a lover?: I would like a caring, kind, patient, understanding, genuine person. Most important physical qualities?: That’s less important. Food & Drink Non-alcoholic beverage of choice: Coffee and Coke. Alcoholic beverage of choice: None. Foods you crave on a regular basis: Chicken tenders.

Salsa and Chips or Pita and Hummus?: Salsa and chips. I think hummus is disgusting. Meat or Tofu?: Meat. Never had tofu, but it doesn’t look or sound appealing to me. Soup or Salad?: Salad. Soda or Juice?: Soda. Can I get you anything else?: You didn’t get me anything. Favorite candy:: Reese’s and white chocolate. Mmm, white chocolate Reese’s. ha. Favorite food to make: Top Ramen?

Food brand that you hate?: Uhh I don’t know. Do you try to buy all organic?: No. Favorite quick food?: Chicken tenders. Final Questions Ever had a great song ruined for you after it was used in a commercial?: No. Ever yelled at an SUV?: No? A Hummer?: Nope? Ever faked being sick to get out of going somewhere?: Yes. I rarely had to because I usually really do feel crappy. If you could turn back time and change one thing, what would it be?: Oh so many things. Bambi or Nemo?: Nemo. List 3 things that are worrying you right now: Health, health, and health. It’s too fucking long, right?: It’s fine. Well, I’m just trying to help you pass the time.: Thanks. Do you think you’ll ever have children if you don’t already?: I honestly can’t see that happening. Do you think there is life on other planets?: I don’t knowww. Have you ever broken a leg or arm?: My leg. Would you rather stay in the house or do things outside: I’m a homebody, but I do venture out now and then ha. David Letterman or Jay Leno?: I liked Jay Leno when he was on. Last words?: Bye.

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Toymakers Are Targeting Your Children Via YouTubes Kid Influencers

One evening in June 2016, Isaac Larian lay in bed at his Malibu, Calif., home, unable to sleep. So the chief executive officer of the worlds largest private toy company, MGA Entertainment Inc., did what any insomniac toy executive would do to unwind: He watched viral videos of kids unboxing toys on YouTube. Dont laugh. Videos by youthful toy reviewers can get millions of views, and watching toys being freed from their packaging has become must-see TV for many fans. “I said to myself, How are we going take advantage of this phenomenon and make the ultimate unboxing toy?” recalls Larian. “I challenged my design team, and they came up with the idea.”

Five months later, MGA released L.O.L. Surprise!, a small plastic sphere concealing a miniature doll and its accessories. That a plaything so simple became a sellout hit in just two weeks isnt the only surprise. The toy is also noteworthy because it was marketed without a single television ad. That boffo reception wasnt a fluke. This year, MGAs newest product, the L.O.L. Big Surprisea bundle of 50 tiny items that kids can unwraphas landed at the top of many 2017 best toy lists. It sold out at both Toys “R” Us and Amazon.com on the first day it went on saleagain, without a single TV spot.

To Larian, whose company created such hits as Bratz and Lalaloopsy dolls, the success validates his decision several years ago to shift away from running spots during kids TV and cable programming and instead depend mainly on getting MGAs products into the hands of kid influencers on YouTube. “Everybody said, Youre wasting money, youre wasting time,” he says, recalling his late 2014 decision to have MGAs marketing go 90 percent digital. “At first we were, but then the tipping point happened.”

Hes talking about the continuing shift of toy-age children away from traditional kids TV programming to social media, where they can viewand share with friendsvideos about the toys they want. Since 2012, kid influencers on YouTube have increasingly captivated their peers by posting videos of themselves unboxing, reviewing, and playing with toys. And toy companies are following them online.

Nielsen reports 53 percent fewer kids age 6-11 watched the Disney Channel in the 2017 cable season than in 2008, and 54 percent fewer watched Nickelodeon. Meanwhile, 32 percent of kids said they prefer watching videos on a non-TV device in 2016, according to researcher EMarketer. Kids also ranked YouTube as their favorite brand out of 350 choices, according to a September 2017 survey by Smarty Pants LLC. “There was a time when you would put a product on TV and watch it sell, but kids arent watching Nick anymore,” Larian says. “So we arent wasting money with TV anymore. Were going with digital influencers viral marketing.”

That shift has provided a bonanza for YouTube reviewers, among them a family known as KidToyTesters. The group of five siblings from Omaha, whose ages range from 2 to 14, have made videos featuring toys from “everyone you could name or think of,” including Mattel Inc., Hasbro Inc., and MGA, according to their dad, Lee (who didnt want the familys last name used). Such companies send them free products. Theyve also produced sponsored videos for 17 brands, including Nintendo, Spin Master, and Wicked Cool Toys.

Members of the family during a video shoot.

Photographer: Madeline Cass for Bloomberg Businessweek

Right now, the family is in crunch mode. Lee says theyll make 70 percent of their annual revenue over the next three months as toy companies promote their products for the holiday season. During any given month, the kids work with two companies as part of a paid deal to pitch their toys. They expect to work with seven or eight companies this holiday season. By the end of the year, Lee says, the family will have made $140,000 from their channel.

Data show why companies want to pay up for YouTube talent. In its 2017 holiday spending survey, PwC LLP ranked YouTube the most influential social media platform for 72 percent of young Generation Z consumers, who said theyd be far more likely to buy a product if an influencer they follow shares a positive review or uses that product on social media.

Toy industry leaders attribute the efficacy of influencers to their authenticity. While celebrities are inaccessible to most viewers, kid influencers often interact with their fans by responding to comments and online messages. “Influencers are able to relate better to kids than a scripted or overly produced traditional TV advertisement would,” says Victor Lee, senior vice president for digital marketing at Hasbro.

Some YouTube channels, such as EvanTubeHD and Ryan ToysReview, have millions of subscribers. The big number of eyeballs watching toy review videos also means influencers can command big money for their endorsements. Industry experts say it can cost a company anywhere from a few thousand to $200,000 to get an influencer to feature a toy in a video, depending on the influencers social media footprint. “Its the Wild, Wild West,” says Justin Kline, chief operating officer of Markerly Inc., a company that matches brands with influencers.

Photographer: Madeline Cass for Bloomberg Businessweek

That doesnt necessarily mean companies look only to the channels with the most subscribers. For many, a more-valued metric is engagementeverything from comments, likes, and shares for the channels videos to how long a kid watches and the extent to which an influencer interacts with followers.

Captiv8 Inc., another company that matches brands with influencers, sells an analytics platform that allows companies to predict the engagement they will receive for a specific campaign. “We look at the social influencer space and help brands predict Oprah effects,” says co-founder Krishna Subramanian. “Oprah picks up a book, and its completely sold out. Thats a benefit of working with influencersyou get that potential for virality.”

As influencers climb in popularity, they can become so busy that its difficult to stay in touch with their fans. Lee says channels with smaller audiences have a greater capacity to respond to messages and comments and listen to feedback.

Isaac Quiroga, Mattels director for video engagement, says his company focuses strictly on engagement when assessing influencers. “Even though youre reaching a smaller audience, you tend to have a much more engaged smaller audience,” he says. “From there well see a lift with the rest of our products, and our engagement drives purchase intent.”

Photographer: Madeline Cass for Bloomberg Businessweek

Mattel, which has already invested four times as much on influencers in 2017 as it did last year, uses two database software programs to find influencers who are a good match. The company also has an engagement team thats built more than 100 direct relationships with key influencers, Quiroga says. He estimates Mattel has shifted 50 percent of its marketing budget to digital, which encompasses other social media platforms in addition to YouTube.

Initially, KidToyTesters made all its revenue from its share of the revenue Google got from selling ads around its videos. But because of changes made to YouTubes algorithm, fewer ads land on the channel, and now it depends heavily on company deals, Lee says. A sponsored toy video will earn his kids from $3,000 to $20,000, whereas ad-based revenue now fluctuates tremendously.

The kid toy testers receive two or three toy packages each day on their doorstep. Toy companies often simply mail free toys to influencers in hopes that theyll review the products. This differs from a paid brand deal, in which the kids must clearly state that the video is sponsored by a company.

While some may think that getting paid to play with toys in front of a video camera is effortless, Lee says it isnt easy money. “We have 15-to-20-hour workdays, and its seven days a week every day of the year,” he says. “Sometimes its three to four in the morning when we finish editing. A lot of times we dont see sunshine, because weve been shooting in the basement for a couple days in a row and wonder what day of the week it is.”

Photographer: Madeline Cass for Bloomberg Businessweek

The kids are home-schooled, giving them more flexible schedules. And Lee says hes spending only a half-hour a day on his marketing business so that he can devote more time to the YouTube channel, which he calls a “blessing” for allowing the kids to have a fun hobby thats morphed into a career.

As for MGAs Larian, hes convinced there will be plenty of work for the likes of the influencers in the years ahead. “We gambled to go digital instead of traditional TV advertising, and that has paid for us,” he says. ”So were going to continue to do more and more.” 

BOTTOM LINE – YouTube is the most influential social media platform for 72 percent of young Gen Z consumers. That’s helped it become a big venue for toy reviews sponsored by brands.

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