#sesame street... cartoon network... easy

[pipiandraws]

spent like a dumb amount of time yesterday trying to make a tiktok about how maybe instead of trying to remove all not kid friendly content off of youtube... we just remove the kids from youtube. but its hard to justify my reasoning when i prefaced it w talking about the gorey mlp videos lol. its just too easy for reactionaries to go.. erm acktually they shouldnt have made gorey mlp videos.. but idk maybe kids shouldnt have been there to begin w. so then it wouldnt be a problem to make the weird shit that inevitably ends up on youtube. its basically impossible to try to moderate something as giant as youtube so its just the better and easier solution for everybody involved. esp considering how too much screentime is impacting kids negatively (attention spans.. low reading scores and just bad behavior) so. is that so crazy to suggest

[why-does-this-happen-to-me]

It is late but whatever, I decided I was going to draw one of the characters I'm making sourcelists for and Blackhat Puppet was the easiest one, so here it is.

Okay, now that thing nobody asked for, me explaining the sources.

Blackhat Organization members and Cartoon Network, pretty self-explanatory. What may not be so obvious is that, through references, Blackhat canonically owns the FNAF animatronics and made a deal with Cthulu. It's not technically as canon as Mojo Jojo, but it's still there and I'm choosing to consider it canon for this thing.

Villains and evilness, again, pretty obvious. Necromancin Dancin is about taking over a city with zombies, VOID MOTHER is the track for the final boss in a game that doesn't exist (from Louie Zong's BOSS RUSH album, which is a really good album) and Don't Let The Bellhops Bite is about a horror game (the monkeys are evil? Idk, I just needed a third example and didn't feel like searching for more).

Mind control is really easy when you own someone's soul and shapeshifting may be one of Blackhat's most iconic powers (even if he's unable to use it right now). Possessed! is another Louie Zong song (what did I say? He has songs for any character. I didn't say it in this post, but whatever) and I feel like Blackhat would like how the ghost plays with his victim, I already discussed how I'm tired of not finding any song I like that fits shapeshifting better than Under My Skin in another post and Mind Control is literally called Mind Control, I don't have to explain that one.

Blackhat is OP, so he gets Overpowered Characters (yes, I stole the idea from Uncle Grandpa in ugfad, but it works for Blackhat too). Uncle Grandpa, Superman and SCP-682 are extremely powerful, so they're the examples.

Puppets, really obvious if you just read the name of the character. I chose TV shows centered around puppets as examples, so Sesame Street, The Muppets and 31 minutos (not really a fan of that one, but it has songs so it works as an example I guess).

The refugee from TV land trope is when a character goes to a world in which they are fictional and I would write it in a clearer way if it wasn't too long. SCP, Gravity Falls and Ducktales (the 2017 one, I don't know about the other) have examples of this. This source is because, when Alan is seen with the puppet, it is always treated as if it was the actual Blackhat, trapped in the puppet's body.

[cg-saturn]

as someone with a hard time voluntarily regressing, do you have advice?

the last time i tried it took me three hours and five coloring pages and a whole season of bluey </3

all the websites i looked at were like "get your paci" a=but i don't have any gear to make me feel small

Hey kiddo!

I know it can be hard to regress sometimes for whatever reason- maybe you've been too stressed, too busy, or just having a little block the same way artists or writers sometimes have. But I promise, you are still a valid little even if you struggle with regression at times.

Regression can come in so many different ways for people that it can be hard to give a definitive answer of how to make regression easier for you specifically, but I do know for some people who don't have the ability to own gear for any reason (living or financial situations) it can be even harder. So Star and I decided to come up with a little list of activities that can help with both! If anyone has any ideas or questions, please reblog and we'll add/answer what we can!

For kiddos who don't have gear because of living situations-

Legos- these are a great toys that can be bought in "adult" type sets, and many people don't question having Legos as a hobby no matter what age you are! Make yourself a little castle, or your own creations!

Magnets- I've always loved playing with magnets! You can get packs of bead magnets for fidgits and sounds, or even just play with the invisible force between two refrigerator magnets!

Playdough/slime - you can buy it or look up some easy at home recipes! Make it your favorite color, and add some glitter or beads to it for a textured play!

Tangles/figdgit toys- I've always loved fidgit toys, but some of them can secretly act as chewies/pacis too depending on textures!

Childhood movies- now that streaming is more avalible, it's pretty easy to access some movies from our childhoods! Personally I love the old animation of Disney movies, but there's also Scooby-Doo and all sorts of other cartoon network shows on hbo and Netflix!

Stuffie party- gather all of your pals and make a big circle on your bed or the floor, and enjoy their company! Ask them about their days, what did they get up to while you were out?

Kids apps- im planning to make a larger post about these in the future, but there are tons of apps that can help the regression process, and it's easier to hide if you're scared of people finding out.

Agere blogs- this one is kind of silly, but I think sometimes it can help a lot to scroll through some blogs that post outfit boards and soft little things! It can help to know you're not alone in your regression too, and maybe you can meet some friends who will help you in the future!

For kiddos who don't have gear because of financials-

Baby Einstein YouTube- if you don't remember Baby Einstein, it used to be a DVD series on learning for kids! They've moved to YouTube, and you can listen to various songs and watch different shapes and colors, it's very relaxing! You can do the same with clips from shows like sesame street.

Tell a story / madlibs- making things up and being creative is a great way to open your little mind. Telling a story about the unicorn who lives in the woods, or making up a silly madlib about the purple horse who jumped the tree. Make up the silliest story you can, don't worry about it making any sense, that's the whole fun of it!

Kids music- you can find playlists on YouTube and spotify for kids music! You can go from instrumental to learning songs like "wheels on the bus"!

Play with textures- at work we have sensory buckets for the kids. Put sand or rice or glitter in a bowl, mix in some beads, bells, cotton balls, or whatever other fun textured things you have around. Just put your hands in it and explore! Take time to touch every texture, try to focus on objects like it was your very first time seeing it!

Blanket fort- take the pillows off the couch, move your kitchen chairs around, take off your sheet if you need to! Make yourself a little oasis, snuggle up, and enjoy the small feelings!

I spy / where's Waldo games- you can play with books, apps, or even just with a friend in real life! I love to play with Star, it puts them in little space almost immediately as they frantically search for "something orange"!

Wear mismatched clothes- I've always believed that matching socks are bad luck in general, but I also think there's something about not having high fashion can help regression tons! Don't worry about the stereotypes of pigtails and overalls, wear those silly leggings and the oversized t-shirt with holes in it! Wear a sock up to your knee and one down to your ankle if that's what feels right! Clothes deserve to be a comfortable reflection of how you feel!

Remember, Littlespace is just like any other mindset. It doesn't matter what you do or don't have, as long as you're enjoying some childlike wonder again. You're just a lil kiddo! That's all it comes down to. Remind yourself that you're valid for healing your inner child and letting yourself enjoy things, you deserve to be a little angel again. Do things just because you want to, just because you're curious, just because it looks good, soft, whatever. Being a kid is learning everything for what feels like the first time no matter how many times you've learned it before. You deserve to experience things for the first time again, to relax, and to heal.

Sending love and always wishing you the best!

Pippi Saturn 💕

[bluevalleybreakingnews]

What do you think were the JSA's fav shows growing up?

This is a tough one! I'm just gonna do core four for now but if I come up with new ones I'll add a bit more in a reblog or something.

Courtney- Court strikes me as a Caillou baby. I mean that in the NICEST way possible, but S1 Courtney was exhibiting a lot of that sort of behavior. In elementary school, she switched over to being a Nickelodeon kid, so I'm gonna say she was a huge fan of late-season Victorious (the JSA and ISA kids very much have a Hollywood Arts energy about them). In middle school, she probably still watched Nick but kept it under wraps to sound cooler. She also watched an egregious amount of Chopped with Barbara. Now, in high school, she's watching through Gilmore Girls (again with Barbara, of course), and probably went through a Teen Wolf phase because she's imagining her and Cameron as Scallison (with a happy ending, though. Duh. She's adamant that things are going to be fine).

Yolanda- tbh I don't think that Yolanda's mom let them watch much outside of boxing. BUT as a baby she was a classic Blue's Clues kid, and at friends' houses in elementary school she loved anything Disney Channel (she didn't watch enough to have a favorite). Middle School Yolanda pegs me as an ABC sitcom girl, so I think she'd watch stuff like Modern Family with her parents. High School Yolanda has not seen a TV screen for more than five consecutive minutes since the end of her freshman year, but if she did, she'd be watching through the West Wing for the first time and constantly rewatching Parks and Rec.

Beth- The easy way out would be to say that Beth loved Arthur as a baby (which she did, until she saw the Jekyll/Hyde segment and got so freaked out that she never watched the show again I have no similar experience to that, what are you talking about), but she really was a Backyardigans girl. In elementary school Beth watched like every Brain Pop segment possible, but definitely also was watching Phineas and Ferb on the side. Middle School Beth's favorite show was Once Upon a Time, but she also frequented the Crash Course YouTube channel (which she still does). In High School, Beth is making her way through Psych, but she watches Jeopardy every night.

Rick- The Tylers put on the Muppet Show and movies like 24/7 when Rick was a baby (and Sesame Street, but he was much more entertained by Kermit and Co. In Elementary School (pre-crash) Rick adored anything Cartoon Network, especially Ben 10. Middle School Rick didn't watch much television outside of what Matt had on the TV (so a lot of sports and Nascar, I feel like). High School Rick pirates streaming services that he and Matt don't pay for and really enjoyed Invincible.

[theanimeview]

Comic-Con@Home - Warner Archive’s  Secret Origin of Saturday Morning Cartoons - Notes!

The Transition of Cartoons Into Television:

Warner Brothers started out as shorts and moved into television shows. New York television had a lot of airtime to fill, so they used copious amounts of cartoons all through the day and week. Not just on Saturday mornings. Then the networks got involved, noticing a regular audience they could captivate, realizing that Saturday morning was a “sweet spot” for viewership. Cartoons played on TV were originally using what was playing in theatres at the time. The “Bugs Bunny, Roadrunner Hour” that played on air for years and years wasn’t anything new. It was all repurposed from what was played in Theatres. The broad appeal to these cartoons, right up to present day. Because of the board appeal, Warner Bros aims never to talk down to a “kiddie” audience. It was and remains general, playing other movies (Betty Davis, etc.) that adults can enjoy in addition to the cartoons.

The Ritual of Saturday Morning Television That Is Lost Today:

A universal experience that children had early Saturday mornings carved out for them. An appointment to all watch and enjoy their favourite cartoons that they would otherwise not see at any other time because of school, extracurriculars, homework, or something else. These shows would be advertised in comics and magazines and children would be able to plan out a schedule as if they were an adult in college. They would talk about it with their friends and it created a sense of community. This also wasn’t anything their parents were involved in, they had their own schedule, usually the children would be the only ones awake to watch these cartoons. It was a special time and place just for them. Also, for those with siblings, it would either be a moment of bonding or a time of great negotiations as they try to figure out what they’ll watch at what times. And if something (like a broadcast, etc.) had interrupted the cartoons, it was soul crushingly devastating for the children. But today, that is no longer a ritual since we have so many streaming sites with the ability to watch what we want at any time.

The Timeline of Going From Black and White Into Color:

Most cartoons were actually made in color as color television was already around. However, most people had black and white television. So companies thought ahead, making their cartoons and such on color, knowing that they will be widely viewed over time. So when it came time to rerun the Flintstones, it was easy to transition since the series was originally made in color anyway. Though cartoons made between the 50s and 60s (yes they were made in color), they were still designed to play for and on black and white televisions. The designs were made so that the colors would still read in black and white. For example, making blues and such that are different shades to fit gray tones. While avoiding dark blues, as any color that was too dark would appear black on a black and white TV. As for the cartoons that were made in black and white in the 30s, such as Betty Boop--the older cartoons did need to be colorized and were in the 1970s and 1980s later on.

Only 13-14% of people could have color TV back then, and you had to live in one of the few cities to do it since it was broadcast in black in white in most markets. 

The Network Wars:

Companies were fighting over the content (and arguably sometimes still are). Each were trying to bring cartoons over onto their stations or rapidly coming up with their own cartoons to keep up with the trends of the time. They realized they could partner with toy companies to capitalize on their young audiences. However later on this strategy did receive a lot of backlash, making their ploy unsuccessful. Sesame Street had set a standard by not licensing their characters for toys. So you would see them as toys, but it wouldn’t be the original characters, making them “pure” as they were only for television and not trying to sell any kind of product. Causing people to see the issues of cartoons/children’s television and toys working closely together to market to their young, impressionable audience.

What Is Warner Archive Doing Now?

They are currently working on restoring the original Space Ghost series into an HD collection. Later in 2020, the remastering of the Flintstones will be released.

[dipulb3]

HBO Max review: Great TV and theatrical movies, but not the best streaming value

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/hbo-max-review-great-tv-and-theatrical-movies-but-not-the-best-streaming-value/

HBO Max review: Great TV and theatrical movies, but not the best streaming value

Sarah Tew/CNET

HBO Max, HBO’s entry into the streaming wars, is a slick app chock-full of popular TV shows and movies. It’s got HBO’s entire catalog, along with favorites such as Friends, Rick and Morty, Sesame Street, the Lord of the Rings movies and almost every Studio Ghibli film. It’s also the only service to debut first-run movies, including in 2021 Godzilla vs. Kong, Dune and Matrix 4, the same day they’re available in theaters for no extra charge. And HBO Max has a solid streaming collection for children too, with the ability to control ratings on kids’ profiles better than most other services. 

Like

Large, varied content catalog that includes all of HBO

New theatrical releases from Warner Bros. Studios

Simple, easy-to-navigate interface

Lots of children’s shows and customizable rating settings

Don’t Like

High price

Few original series beyond standard HBO

Can’t import watch history or personalized recommendations

If you already subscribe to HBO, HBO Max is a no-brainer upgrade that gives you a shiny new interface and loads more content for the same $15 per month. But if you’re a brand-new subscriber, that price is at the high end — especially if you already pay for Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus or all of the above.

At launch HBO Max lacked compatibility with the popular Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices and 4K HDR streaming, but now apps for Roku and Amazon are now easily available and the 2021 Warner Bros. theatrical slate is premiering on the platform in 4K HDR (as are other titles, such as Zack Snyder’s Justice League).

Read more: Everything you need to know about HBO Max

Aside from HBO’s original series, the Max slate of exclusives remains relatively thin, especially with the delay of the highly anticipated Friends reunion special and no breakout hit such as Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian and WandaVision. That shortcoming will likely change over time, but for now, it remains the service’s biggest disadvantage.

If you’re a big fan of HBO, Elmo or Friends, or are simply running out of good stuff to watch during lockdown, HBO Max is probably worth your money. But if you’re looking to save money on streaming, its high monthly fee makes it easier to cut than many of its tough competitors.

Streaming compared

HBO Max Netflix Disney Plus Hulu Monthly price $15 Starts at $9 $7 Basic $6 with ads, Ad-free for $12, Live TV for $65 Ads No No No Yes, with basic tier Top titles Entire HBO catalog, Studio Ghibli films, DC films Stranger Things, The Crown, Breaking Bad, The Queen’s Gambit The Mandalorian, WandaVision, Avengers Endgame, Toy Story, The Simpsons Handmaid’s Tale, Catch-22, Lost, Bob’s Burgers Mobile downloads Yes Yes Yes Yes (on Ad-free plan only) 4K available Yes Yes (on Premium plan) Yes Yes HDR available Yes Yes (on Premium plan) Yes No Number of streams 3 1 (2 for Standard, 4 on Premium) 4 2 (Unlimited with Live TV and a $10 add-on)

A high price ripe for sharing

HBO Max costs $15 a month, the same as HBO’s traditional channel when you get it through most pay-TV providers. At some point HBO says the service will expand to include another tier that includes advertising. We don’t know anything about when that would happen or what it would look like, but it would likely be cheaper, or even free. 

Some people who already have a regular HBO subscription or HBO Now will get Max for no extra cost — but not everyone. It’s confusing, but you can check out our full HBO Max FAQ for more information on how it all works. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

Despite the large catalog of movies and shows, HBO Max is at the expensive end of streaming services — Netflix’s basic plan costs $9 a month, Hulu’s plan with ads is $6 a month and Disney Plus costs $7 a month (soon to be $8 per month). Lots of people I know share account access with friends or family members and HBO Max executive Tony Goncalves told CNET that it will take a “fairly balanced approach” to this issue. 

With HBO Max you can have up to three simultaneous streams going at the same time. Plus, the addition of up to five user profiles, a feature not available on the HBO Now or HBO Go apps, makes it easier to share an account. 

HBO Max is available on Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Apple TV). It’s also on gear that runs Google’s Android operating system for phones and tablets, as well as Android TV devices, Chromebooks, Google Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices like Vizio TVs. Xbox and PlayStation consoles and recent Samsung smart TVs are also on board. As mentioned, Amazon Fire TV and Roku apps are now available. 

A strong stable of shows and movies

HBO Max’s biggest strength is its large, varied TV and movie catalog, with content for adults and kids. At launch, it had 10,000 hours of content to stream, including everything on HBO, plus a selection of high-profile TV shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Rick and Morty and South Park. 

HBO Max currently has just a handful Max Originals and the biggest are probably the romantic series Love Life starring Anna Kendrick and dark comedy The Flight Attendant starring Kaley Cuoco. Even a year after launch, nothing has stuck out or made the same pop-culture impact as Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit or Disney Plus’s WandaVision. And unlike Netflix, it will typically drop its originals once per week, the way regular cable HBO does. A number of originals — including the Friends reunion special, a spinoff of The Suicide Squad with John Cena called Peacemaker, a reboot of Gossip Girl and a revival of Sex and the City — are among the many titles in the works, so there should be more to choose from later in the year or in early 2022. 

HBO Max has six original series at launch — but the highly anticipated Friends reunion special has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sarah Tew/CNET

In the meantime, there are lots of movies, some new and many older. HBO Max has the full sets of The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings trilogies (though only two of The Hobbits), DC movies like Joker and Wonder Woman, classic films like The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca, and newer hits like A Star is Born and Crazy Rich Asians. Not to mention almost the entire catalog of Studio Ghibli anime films that have never been released for streaming in the US before. And if you’ve been clamoring for more of 2017’s Justice League, HBO Max will be the home of director Zach Snyder’s cut on March 18.

Though HBO is known for its adult content, Max has a lot to offer kids too, including new Looney Tunes cartoons and Sesame Street episodes, and the Cartoon Network catalog. It’s also home to Doctor Who and the Lego movies. 

Parental controls are robust. You can customize kids’ profiles to decide which rating levels they can access, and create a passcode that locks them into their account, so they can’t jump over to their parents’ to watch anything inappropriate. (Your kid might be savvy enough to figure that passcode out, but it’s something.)

Studio Ghibli films are available to stream in the US for the first time on the platform.

Sarah Tew/CNET

A visually appealing interface…

Scrolling through HBO Max is similar to the experience on Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services. When you open your profile, you’ll find Continue Watching and My List at the top of the page, followed by topics like Featured Series, Featured Movies and HBO Series: Editors’ Picks. 

I like the look of the menus better than many other streaming services. It has a dark purple and black theme that allows the text and images to pop, and shows fewer tiles on the screen at once with more breaks between them, to give your eye a rest. One downside, however, is that it can be tough to figure out at first what text is highlighted in the menus so you can make selections.

In the middle of the page you’ll see a mini hub where you can access movies and shows from each of its properties: HBO, DC, Sesame Workshop, Turner Classic Movies, Studio Ghibli, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, CrunchyRoll and Looney Tunes. It looks kind of like Disney Plus’s hub at the top of its page, but with less familiar names than Disney’s Star Wars and Marvel. 

The HBO Max mini hub, where you can access content from different networks and studios.

Sarah Tew/CNET

You’ll also find curated collections of movies around a theme sprinkled through your homepage, like rom-com favorites and blockbuster franchises. Hit Browse at the top left corner and you’ll have the option to search by categories such as Series, Movies, Originals, Just Added, Last Chance and Coming Soon, along with genres like Action, Comedy, Crime and Documentaries. You’ll also find the mini hubs in this panel, too. 

Unlike on Netflix, you can easily see what’s coming and going on the platform and watch accordingly. Mobile downloads are also available, and the app’s format is largely the same across TVs, phones and tablets. 

When it comes to searching, HBO Max lets you use abbreviations (like “GOT” instead of “Game of Thrones”). On my Apple TV, voice search worked pretty well — when I said, “Watch Rick and Morty,” HBO Max opened the series landing page, giving me the option to choose which episode I want. After starting an episode of Game of Thrones and closing out, when I said, “Watch GOT,” it jumped me back into the episode where I had left off. When I said, “Watch Jaws,” the Apple TV opened all of the different options across other streaming platforms at the bottom of the screen as well. 

Selecting a show will take you to its landing page, where you can find every episode available in a clean format, and have the ability to add it to your list. When you start a show, the rating appears in the upper left corner. 

…but human recommendations are still MIA

One of HBO Max’s promises was that instead of solely using a recommendation engine to surface new content for users, it would also have curated content from celebrities, to bring a more human touch. These recommendations are still not available, however. It does curate content in ways that can be helpful — for example, highlighting the episodes of Friends that track Ross and Rachel’s relationship so you don’t have to go digging for them. 

You’ll find every HBO show on HBO Max — but you can’t yet stream them in 4K HDR. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

Should you get HBO Max?

If you already subscribe to HBO Now (or, you know, have someone else’s login), the automatic free upgrade to HBO Now is a no-brainer — it’s lots more content for the same monthly price. Plus, you can make your own profiles now, which you couldn’t do on HBO Go or HBO Now. 

For brand-new subscribers, HBO Max is at the pricey end of the streaming service spectrum. But if you have $15 a month to burn and want to binge Friends, Game of Thrones or all of the Studio Ghibli movies, you’ll have plenty to choose from.

Here’s what HBO Max looks like on TVs, phones and tablets

See all photos

First published May 29, 2020.

[glenn7517]

Elmo's Magic Cookbook, 2001, Part One ... #Elmo's #Magic #Cookbook is a 2001 #Sesame #Street direct-to-#video #special, focused on #teaching #kids how easy it is to #cook. Prior to its release, the video aired as a special on the #Food #Network. #Elmo is exploring the attic of the #Carriage #House with two kids and #Telly. In the process, they discover a magic cookbook (which behaves like a CG puppy) and summon #Jean the #Genie. Though she grants #food-based #wishes, #Jean can only materialize #ingredients (and transport the cast to an undisclosed #kitchen location). The group must #cook the #food themselves, which results in #Telly spending most of the video #churning #ice #cream. In keeping with tradition, the ingredients are sentient #Muppets, who crack one-liners but express no concern over their eventual consumption by a #furry #red #monster, but do demand recognition. To provide the appropriate adult supervision and assistance, Jean summons #Alan (who shows them how to arrange food into animals or objects) and Emeril Lagasse (to make #pizza). Finally, Jean summons the Pocket Queen ( #Heather #Headley ) who explains the concept of #food #pockets and shows him how to make #Vietnamese #summer #rolls. The group finally enjoys their ice cream (and a last minute cameo by #Cookie #Monster, while the end credits feature #food #constructed #caricatures of the #Sesame #Street #Muppets. #Teaching #Video, #Learning #Video, #Preschool #Fun, #Jim #Henson ...     Baby Bear demonstrates the word "Hot".  Cartoon: "Wash Your Hands Before You Eat"; Artist: Bruce Cayard (EKA: Episode 2640) Animation: In stop-motion, #sandwich #ingredients #square-dance in a ring and arrange themselves into a #sandwich and #ends with a bite taken out of it. (EKA: Episode 3080) A pizza is made and the slices form the word PIZZA. (EKA: Episode 3408) Grover and Mr. Johnson: Speedy Pizza (EKA: Episode 3039) Cartoon: #Pizza #maker Original #Jay demonstrates how he got his name: his pizzas talk and dance. Artist: Mo Willems (EKA: Episode 3280) Cartoon: "The Girl Who Loved to Try and #Eat #New #Foods" (from #Elmo's #World: Food) VHS tape ...

[ladystylestores]

HBO Max is live: $15/mo for a massive library, significant headaches

Like it or not, another subscription streaming service has entered the chat.

This one—HBO Max—debuts across the United States on Wednesday, and it comes from the combined AT&T-Time Warner media empire. After taking shape in 2018, the new “WarnerMedia” cluster of film and TV content has since put together a streaming library of exclusive content—particularly by yoinking content away from Netflix and other partners, in apparent defiance of AT&T’s antitrust pledge to US Congress.

WarnerMedia didn’t make the service available to Ars Technica ahead of the launch, so I jumped into the fray by claiming a free seven-day trial on launch day and picked through its first day’s content and interface. I did so to answer the following question: has WarnerMedia pulled off a service worthy of a $15/month fee?

Not necessarily.

They’re still running three services simultaneously

The easiest sales pitch is for anyone who already happily paid $15/mo for HBO Now as a standalone service. HBO Max kinda-sorta replaces HBO Now, because the former has all the same content as the latter. Pay the same, get more. If you thought HBO Now’s selection of HBO-specific series and films was worth its high price, you’re the luckiest potential user. And if you were using HBO Now on Android or iOS, its app has simply turned into HBO Max. Easy peasy.

That makes us wonder: why does HBO Now still exist? One reason is that existing set-top boxes and services support paid subscriptions to HBO Now, sometimes as a bundled package. Another reason is that some set-top boxes, particularly every single Roku and Amazon Fire TV device, currently work with HBO Now, but do not work with HBO Max.

Confusing things further, HBO Go also still exists, but this is a holdover attachment to cable-TV subscriptions that offer HBO Go as a perk. WarnerMedia had to produce the following video to try and explain things, and the result is unintentionally hilarious:

HBO Max vs. HBO Now vs. HBO Go… yes, WarnerMedia officially made this video.

And the question of whether you might get HBO Max for free with your existing cable or streaming services remains a bewildering mess. HBO Now continues to direct users to the older apps, in spite of HBO Max being advertised as an included option from providers like Charter, Verizon, Cox, and (unsurprisingly) AT&T and its subsidiaries.

There’s also the matter of WarnerMedia’s last-minute announcement of a lower-priced, ad-supported tier for the service. But how much will it cost, and when will it arrive? The industry giant isn’t saying yet beyond a vague “2021” window.

Not quite the theme park we’d hoped for

The opening splash screen.

Sidebar.

More sidebar.

On its first day of operation, HBO Max already has a “last chance” page of expiring content.

The opening page for any series has a massive sample screen.

You have to scroll quite a ways to pick through more episodes, though at least the season-skipping interface is nimble enough.

When watching videos on a desktop web browser, the interface largely resembles HBO Now, complete with the “rewind 15 seconds” button. You won’t find that convenient toggle on every platform, however.

Once you actually get into the service, HBO Max looks like it germinated from a different era, when the streaming universe hadn’t fractured into a zillion pieces. Its landing page looks as simple as “Netflix, but with our exclusives.”

Comparatively, Disney+ showed up late last year with smart ideas about how to crash the streaming-subscription party. The most brilliant is its first-impression divide into five major categories: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Opening Disney+ feels like walking up to a theme park, seeing five enticing gates, and knowing they’ll each have a ton of content behind them. (Of all the companies to get that right, this one makes sense.)

HBO Max can’t make up its mind about whether to hew to that archetype or to the massive-dump-of-content standard seen on the past decade of most other streaming services. The top of the interface is an unsurprising scroll of “featured” content, and this sees HBO Max puffing its chest about major exclusives: the ’90s NBC series Friends (duh, it’s still one of the world’s most popular TV series), some HBO Max exclusives, and some HBO-produced series. Below those are some “featured” scrolls of TV series and films, arguably based on popularity, then a clever “every Harry Potter film in order” block—again, a hugely popular streaming exclusive, so that’s good for HBO Max to highlight.

You’ll need to tap your remote six times (or more if you’ve built any “previously watched” and “my watchlist” libraries) to scroll down and reach the “HBO Max hubs.” These massive buttons resemble Disney+’s intro splash, and they do a better job attaching a personality to the service… but not by the same margin. Small buttons are assigned to DC (as in, DC Comics), Sesame Workshop, Turner Classic Movies, Studio Ghibli, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, and Looney Tunes. “HBO��� gets a stupidly oversized button.

Hub hopping

HBO Max’s hubs.

The 25 series in the Cartoon Network hub, as of launch.

HBO

The 9 series in the Adult Swim hub, as of launch.

HBO

A visit to the Sesame Street hub reveals a peculiar organizational issue: categories that link to entire episodes. Those “spoofs and parodies” are tucked into longer episodes, and HBO Max doesn’t use timestamps to let watchers skip directly to the relevant bits. It’s an unwieldy attempt to guide viewers.

HBO

I created a “child” account to see what the interface looks like for kids under 13. It’s harder for them to find “hubs,” and they are instead shoved into age-gated clumps of content.

HBO

Clicking on HBO takes you to a less polished, less neatly organized version of HBO Now. Pick the “series” tab, and it’s an alphabetical dump of a most every HBO series with zero additional narrowing. If you’re in the mood for “every HBO comedy series,” you’re out of luck; you’ll have to pick through every drama and thriller on your way to find beloved comedic fare like Mr. Show and Silicon Valley, let alone to figure out which series count in which category. Curiously, stand-up comedy gets a dedicated tab within the HBO-specific interface, yet the “series” tab also includes a bunch of separate stand-up comedy.

The only genre-specific tabs generate a massive list of content from every hub. The overlap between bright-and-cheery Cartoon Network content and HBO’s darkest comedies feels less than ideal. (If you’re wondering, you can easily set parental controls to make sure Adventure Time isn’t a few clicks away from Barry.)

Some of the other hubs lead to clearly incomplete collections. Adult Swim is the worst offender at only nine series in all, while the DC button is HBO Max’s weirdest stumble. It has a plethora of content, sure, but what about recent, buzzed-out series like the Harley Quinn animated series or ’90s classics like Batman: The Animated Series? Sadly, those aren’t here, because they’re exclusive to one of WarnerMedia’s other streaming-subscription services, DC Universe. So much for corporate synergy. (Confusingly, Doom Patrol, a series that debuted on DC Universe, does appear on HBO Max.)

I can’t complain about the Turner Classic Movies or Looney Tunes selections, on the other hand, which are monstrous. The former, which at launch sports a whopping 454 films, borrows liberally from the Criterion Collection—enough that you could cancel that collection’s subscription service for a few months while picking through its HBO Max redundancies. (Be aware that TCM counts some interesting films as “classics,” but we’re not about to argue about the “classic” designation of flicks like Police Academy or Godzilla Raids Again.) The latter, meanwhile, includes hundreds of original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts throughout the years—but, gosh, HBO Max. It’s a pain to pick through the shorts as arranged in “seasons,” as if they originally aired on TV in a certain sequence, and the service only launched with three “collections” of classic shorts. Families could’ve used a hand to pick through more of this content, perhaps with more character-specific playlists? Or collections dedicated to beloved directors like Chuck Jones or Tex Avery?

I’m not an anime diehard, so I can’t speak to the seemingly anemic selection in the Crunchyroll tab. But at least the Studio Ghibli collection has nearly every one of its acclaimed films. (The holdouts are Grave of the Fireflies and the studio’s co-production work on a Lupin the Third feature-length film.)

Lack of 4K, lack of “skip opening credits”

Among the most boneheaded parts of the HBO Max rollout, however, is its utter lack of 4K content, let alone 4K combined with HDR. The same goes for Dolby Atmos surround sound. Why are these features missing? If history is any answer, the lack may be because HBO never built support for those standards in its other official apps.

That issue feels all the more glaring when HBO Max locks up films as exclusive content. If WarnerMedia wants new users to flock to its service instead of rivals’, guaranteeing 4K access to Wonder Woman, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and other 4K showstoppers would be a worthy, competitive move. But WarnerMedia has only suggested that 4K, HDR, and Atmos support are “on our roadmap,” which is as toothless a guarantee in the streaming-app landscape as they come.

On the other side of the resolution spectrum, HBO Max is careful not to aggressively crop older videos that were originally meant for 4:3 televisions. That’s great news for the video-ratio purists at Ars Technica. You don’t have to start an online petition to get the original, uncropped versions of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, folks.

Beyond those issues, HBO Max has a paltry selection of newly created, “only for Max” content: six short series, each three episodes or fewer. It’s unclear why the company even bothered with this selection, since it sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the dozens of films and series with a shiny red N on Netflix or the same kind of content found on the likes of Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Video, and even NBC’s soft-launched Peacock.

All of the above is to say: there’s a mountain of content on HBO Max, and quite a bit of stuff that counts as both popular and critically acclaimed, but the service does an awful job laying out a mat for new users to discover it. The hub-based spread of content is a pain to pick through, and so many selections (biggies like Friends and Harry Potter, plus content from Turner TV stations like Conan) don’t appear in those hubs. And it’s missing quality-of-life features you might come to expect from a streaming service, including a “skip opening credits” toggle or a “rewind 15 seconds” button-tap. (The latter tap option only appears when using HBO Max on a desktop Web browser.)

Thankfully, the basic experience of queueing and watching things you search for works just fine, and again, this library is massive—and includes multiple bottomless wells of beloved libraries. But many of these, particularly Looney Tunes and Sesame Street, deserved better. Instead of virtually leading fans into a neatly organized theme park, HBO Max asks its users to crash through the glass door of a badly managed Blockbuster Video.

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[fly-pow-bye]

Powerpuff Girls 2016 - “The Bubbles-Sitters Club”

Written by: Haley Mancini, Jake Goldman

Written & Storyboarded by: Jaydeep Hasrajani, Leticia Abreu Silva

Directed by: Nick Jennings, Bob Boyle

Cartoon Network's Not-So-Great Idea.

The episode starts with Bubbles reading a comic strip named Smarmaduke. Get it, like Marmaduke! I'll give them this: a talking, smarmy dog does have a lot more potential than a half of century of "Great Danes are big" jokes.

This leads to Bubbles wanting a dog. Her reasoning? Because her life is so boring without one! Blossom, eating her cereal, reminds her about the whole "saving Townsville" thing they apparently do offscreen in this reboot, but Bubbles finds that boring. Yeah, forget superhero stories, this puppy plot is where it's at!

The Professor explains further that it takes a lot of responsibility to take care of a pet, and Bubbles is not ready for it. Bubbles is shocked at this accusation, and asks the Professor three reasons why she isn't responsible. Cue a montage, complete with some wacky Sesame Street-inspired numbers. Because Bubbles is the childish one!

She left the water on, causing the house to flood! A very quick scene, unlike the other two.

Blossom tells Bubbles to keep an eye on a tied up Gangreen Gang while she goes and gets the cops, because the Puffs can't possibly deal with them themselves, but she ends up getting distracted by a butterfly! This leads to the Gangreen Gang escaping from rope, proving that they are stronger than the Reboot Puffs.

While a pirate goes to the "little captain's room", Bubbles wrecks his ship on an iceberg she was specifically told to avoid! Random!

Blossom finds a classified ad asking for a dog-sitter, no experience necessary. Seeing this as a test, they all agree that if she can pass it, she can have a dog. Bubbles promises the Professor that he can say goodbye to the irresponsible Bubbles he once knew. I got to used to saying goodbye to the Bubbles I once knew.

Bubbles gets her puppy from a strange old lady. This is the second hint that something can't be right, as the old lady just closes the door slowly. The first being, of course, "no experience necessary". Something's rotten in the city of Townsville, but Bubbles doesn't mind at all.

The episode uses Pauly's face as a transition throughout the episode. Very often, they use this transition between two scenes that take place in the same location. This is where you should have a "later" title card.

Blossom and Buttercup come home, Buttercup talking about how she licks ice cream off of bathroom floors, to a completely thrashed house. It turns out, Pauly isn't exactly well trained, and Bubbles isn't that good at training him. He eats up one of Blossom's favorite slippers, starts eating Buttercup's very stretchy hair, and he "makes a mess" behind the couch. That's pretty much a required joke with inexperienced pet owners.

The problem is that Bubbles just refuses to tell him "no", and Blossom tries to teach her.

Blossom: You have to tell him no if you want him to be good!

Bubbles: But he really likes being bad!

I wonder what the twist of the episode is. Suddenly, the dog keeps hitting his head on the couch. Seeing this as the dog having too much energy, Blossom tells Bubbles to take her dog for a walk. When she does, the dog keeps stopping at different stores. He stops at a pie store, but Bubbles tells him dogs don't eat pie. Pauly gives Bubbles those puppy dog eyes, and she allows him to go in. She eventually tells him that she won't buy anything else for him.

One dog transition later, and Bubbles buys absolutely everything for him. Even a treadmill to have him walk while they're walking, which she stops to lampshade. She even outright monologues about not being able to put her foot down. While she's talking to herself, Pauly starts robbing the diamond store she stopped by with a bat. What a twist, Pauly really likes being bad!

I know what some people might be thinking, and I'll answer that this is completely different from the original Cat Man Do. Get this, while that episode was about the Powerpuff Girls adopting an evil cat, this episode is about one of the Powerpuff Girls adopting an evil dog! It's totally different.

Also, this dog isn't an evil genius bent on turning man's best friend into the head of the house. He's just an ordinary robber, who happens to be a dog. Specifically, he reveals himself to be Pug-Faced Pauly, the greatest robber and criminal mastermind in Townsville. How does he reveal this?

By talking, of course. No, this isn't a "The Wild Thornberrys"-like way to show an animal talking to something with the gift of gab, Bubbles, and Buttercup later in the episode, outright says that he can talk. What use is the ability to talk to animals if every important animal seems to have human vocal cords? I wonder how Talking Dog feels about that.

In response, Bubbles does the thing she does best: tell the dog that he's a bad dog while shrinking her face. I didn't feel the need to screenshot it, because you can just look at the other 50 times I had to. She also threatens to take him to jail, without the help of those all important cops. The dog tells her that they put "bracelets" on her too for technically being his accomplice.

Oh, and he also says that Bubbles will never own a dog. Guess which one Bubbles is more worried about.

Not willing to lose her dog, Bubbles agrees to a new life of crime. We learn this from a bunch of alliterative headlines from the Town Enquirer. I guess Townsville doesn't think too highly of itself to put its name on the newspaper. Another difference from Cat Man Do: Hypnosis is not involved; Bubbles is just easy to force into these kinds of plots.

Blossom and Buttercup see Bubbles' head, covered with a mask, in the paper. Of course, Buttercup has to think about who it is for a while, because this show has to avert our expectations by making Buttercup the silly one in this episode. Blossom figures it out immediately, and they just somehow know where she is.

Before they get there, the dog is robbing another store. Bubbles is ordered to get the getaway car, which she brings by literally carrying it on her back. This plays both to the fact that she can’t drive and how she’s a superhero that can lift heavy things. Finally, another measure of her strength. A far less impressive one than the building full of people, but a little closer to her apparent strength in the rest of the reboot.

The rest of the Powerpuff Girls show up to stop Bubbles from obeying her dog. Buttercup tells him she's ready to knock off a few of his nine lives. Blossom tells Buttercup that's cats, not dogs. It's funny because Buttercup is the pinhead of the episode! Also, wanna guess how she says it?

Buttercup: KNOCK OFF A FEW OF YOUR NINE LIVES!

It's also "funny" because it's off-model and badly animated! That's still a gag they're going to return to. I was hoping it wasn't, but here you go. Pauly blows a dog whistle, and a bunch of dogs show up. Even that strange old lady shows up, and she reveals herself to be...a dog with a duck's body! There's good twists, and there's twists that are completely random. It never really goes anywhere, and it's not even worth a screenshot.

I was expecting some sort of copout on this. The Powerpuff Girls, with their car-lifting strength, should have no problem with these dogs. Even with the Reboot Puffs, while they get beaten up by giant monsters or powerful robots, these are just ordinary dogs with human vocal cords and sense of style. But, they can’t possibly show a bunch of dogs getting beaten up, right?

Surprisingly, that’s what happens. Blossom and Buttercup fight a bunch of dogs in the same way they punched bank robbers. They tie into the dog theme by covering up most of the impact with hit flashes with dog puns in them. Fitting!

Bubbles is still conflicted, though, because she can't possibly disobey Pauly. While Blossom and Buttercup is fighting the dogs, they tell her to join in, while Pauly tells her to keep on doing crime. Eventually, the bickering causes Bubbles to snap, and she throws the getaway car at the dog. Wow, that's kind of harsh. He was an evil pug, but still.

Nah, I'm kidding. Bubbles turns him in, Pauly only slightly bruised. She even gets all the credit, and doesn't have to go to jail despite being his accomplice, despite what Pauly threatened earlier. I would say Townsville realized having one of the reasons why their city isn’t a crater in the ground in "sing-sing" isn’t a good idea, but anyone other than Buttercup is kind of expendable in this reboot.

With the help of the Professor, who only appears in the beginning and end of the episode to tell the kids the moral, Bubbles learns that you have to be responsible for your pets, especially if they turn out to be criminals. She even reveals she got a new pet, who happens to be Reboot Jojo dressed like a cat! Is it Reboot Jojo in disguise doing a villainous plot, or is this another “Make Reboot Jojo the weakest villain” joke? It's the latter. Trust me.

Does the title fit?

Bubbles is a dog-sitter. While it's another "replace a word with a character's name" title, It's a little better because Bubbles and Baby both start with a B and have two syllables. That's how low the standards have to be with PPG 2016 titles.

How does it stack up?

I was worried this was going to be another “oh, Bubbles is so silly” episode, but it turned out to be just a boring evil animal episode. Sure, I do like that the Powerpuff Girls actually fight, but that’s like praising a dog for not peeing on the sofa. Sure, it’s pleasant, especially if said dog tends to pee on the sofa, but I should expect better.

The keyword, of course, being "should". After watching so much of this reboot, I fear that my mind is getting numbed. Not among the worst, not among the best. Closer to the worst, but not that close. I really need to higher my standards.

Next, Buttercup fights an evil adversary. Oh no, not Reboot Jojo, not Silico...it's math. Honestly, I think spelling should be PPG 2016′s mortal enemy. They've been a little better with that in Season 2, but not by much.

← Take Your Kids To Dooms Day ☆ Buttercup vs. Math →

[mexcine2]

               “More Fun Than a Puppy!” (Mickey Mouse Hand Puppets, 1949) 

Although I was once a child, I don’t have children of my own and I don’t associate with anyone who does. [That sounds as if I’m deliberately avoiding people with young children, which is not entirely true.] So I don’t know what “kids today” do for recreation.  Play video games?  Watch DVDs and television?  Go down to the old fishin’ hole with their pals?  Stage scorpion vs. ant fights?  I assume young children still play in groups, until they reach the age when they get a phone and start texting, says the grumpy old man (P.S.--get off my lawn).   So I guess it’s vaguely possible that kids still put on puppet shows and other amateur theatricals for and with their peers.

Today’s object of scrutiny is an advertisement for the“Amazing New Mickey Mouse Hand Puppets,” back in the day (1949) when children had to make their own fun, darn it.  Television was in its commercial infancy, “first” computer ENIAC had only recently been completed and—at 50 tons—was too large to be carried around in one’s pocket to play Fruit Ninja, and child labour laws had stripped kids (in the USA at least) of the opportunity to put in 12-hour days in factories, so they had a lot of free time that needed to be consumed.  Hey kids, let’s put on a show!

As has been mentioned before, the advertisements in comic books of the late 1940s and 1950s are not always appropriate for what one would perceive to be the intended audience of the publication.  This advertisement, seemingly aimed at children, appeared in the December 1949 issue of Romantic Confessions, a comic book whose readership was probably largely female and almost certainly teen-aged and above.  There are only 3 ads in the whole issue (the inside front and back covers, and the back cover): for the Mickey Mouse puppets, the “Dornol treatment” for acne, and a photo enlargement service.  On the other hand, perhaps the thinking was that adults (or older siblings) would purchase the puppets for children of the appropriate age to enjoy them.

[As an aside, Romantic Confessions was also where the “Giant Movie Cartoon Toy” ad appeared, discussed here.  It’s interesting to note that in less than a year, Romantic Confessions went from 3 pages of ads to 10.] 

There are many aspects of this advertisement worthy of comment. It’s loaded with art and text, requiring a considerable investment of time and effort on the part of potential buyers.  You’ve got to read a lot to learn about this product, but that’s only fair when you’re being asked to spend $1.95 per puppet (equivalent in “buying power” to $19.51 today). That’s alright, more content for us to snark on!

Let’s start with the art, shall we?  There are two basic visual components of this ad, the products themselves, and a comic-strip narrative.  The strip artwork appears to be by the same person who drew the famous “Shoots Like a Real Gun” ad, while the drawings of the puppet heads resemble those in another Rubber-for-Molds ad. In particular, the “Idiot” puppet is identical to the “Idiot” mask.  (As noted in the earlier article, this character somewhat resembles Alfred E. Newman and/or George W. Bush.)

The puppets themselves don’t look particularly interesting. Mickey Mouse is adequately represented, but Minnie has a glazed expression on her face. Thumper (from the film Bambi) is a grotesque cartoon rabbit, deliberately not resembling Bugs Bunny, while Donald Duck is not especially on-model (his head is too smooth, he’s missing his iconic cap, and his beak doesn’t look right).  And then there’s “Idiot,” that famous Disney character...?

In case you were wondering, these puppets “are the same type used on television.  Measuring almost 14 inches high, with a head the size of an orange...Extra thin, natural (not synthetic) rubber...hand painted in lifelike* colors.”  

*[In another part of the ad, the puppets are referred to as “flesh-colored”—I suppose that means mouse­-flesh, duck-flesh, and rabbit­-flesh, in addition to Idiot’s human-flesh?]

The comic strip narrative tells the story of Jimmy’s journey from social outcast to the envy of his peers in only three panels.  Jimmy reads an ad (just like this one) in a comic book (just like this one—spooky!) and learns he can “get puppets that really move!”  Not like those puppets that...don’t move?  Those are called “dolls,” Jimmy.  His little sister Babushka approves.

Some time later, “Jimmy’s Puppet Show” is a sensation, despite the outrageous ticket price of two cents.  Let’s see, he spent $3.90 on the two puppets we see, plus something for the sign, so he needs to sell approximately 200 tickets to turn a profit.  Good luck kid! But it seems he’s on to something—or the children in the audience are truly starved for entertainment—because there is “applause” for his puppet show which is “better than a movie!” (but is it better than...a Disney cartoon?)  We don’t get much detail about the content of the show, although in the scene depicted, Minnie appears to be demurely waiting for Mickey to kiss her, which he seems to be enthusiastically about to do.

“After the Show,” Jimmy is beseiged by admirers, one of whom offers to buy the Mickey puppet, claiming (rather obscurely) “It’s more fun than a puppy!”  Jimmy refuses to sell, realising that “the puppets have made Jimmy the most popular kid on the block,” and once he no longer has his puppets, he’ll return to his previous grim and friendless existence, hated and shunned by all.

There are also two pieces of artwork for those unclear on the concept of what a “puppet” is: you “slip them on like a glove and wiggle your fingers...Slip puppet over hand.  Move fingers.  He obeys every command...Come to Life When You Move Your Fingers.”  OK, I think I’ve got it.  Put hand inside puppet, move fingers.  Is that right?  I don’t want to miss a step even though you claim it’s “Easy as A-B-C.”  To be fair, it’s possible the copywriter wanted to distinguish these hand puppets from marionettes, and in fact the text emphasizes “No strings, nothing to break, wind or get out of order.”

The ad text reinforces the 3 basic themes introduced in the art: (a) these things are amazing; (b) they are easy to use; ( c ) they will change your life for the better.

How amazing are they?  “They laugh, cry and move like real!” Yeah, no they don’t.  These “Television Type Puppets”** can “’Talk’, Laugh, Practically Live” (notice “talk” is in quotes even in the ad copy).  “He laughs, moves, almost becomes alive at the slightest wiggle of your fingers.”  “Looks and acts so alive it’s uncanny.”  In fact, we advise you to securely lock up these puppets at night, to avoid...accidents, if you know what I mean.  Haven’t you ever seen those horror movies?  “Completely safe,” the ad reads.  Hmm...why did they feel compelled to say that?

**[Perhaps the most famous TV puppets were the Muppets (and the Sesame Street gang), Shari Lewis’s Lamb Chop, Howdy Doody, et al., but puppets were ubiquitous on television—local and network--from its earliest days.  Early television programs utilised puppets because they were cheap and simple entertainment: the “costumes,” sets, and so on were miniature, multiple “characters” could be interpreted by one or two people, and these factors allowed shows to create a fictional world (or bring fictional characters into the “real” world) for much less than live-action or animation.]

Alright, I agree these puppets are pretty amazing.  But aren’t they difficult to operate?  I didn’t major in theatre arts at university, after all.  Actually, “it’s easy to put on a puppet show in your home!”  “Just by moving your fingers, he will smile, laugh, cry, hide his head, put fingers in mouth, etc...Slips on and off hand in a jiffy. Even a child can work instantly. No experience necessary.”  “Over 1000 Different Movements!”  (Sorry, complete list of movements not available.) For those who are still insecure about their abilities, purchasers also receive “secret revealing pamphlets on ‘How to Become a Ventriloquist’ and ‘How to Put on a Puppet Show.’”   If there ever was something that deserved to be called “idiot-proof,” this product is it!

But wait, didn’t you mention something about these puppets changing my life?  Why yes I did, very observant of you.  If you put on puppet shows, you’ll “Cause a Sensation at the Next Party...Your Friends Will Scream with Delight and Amazement!”  [Unlike the last party, where you demonstrated how to slaughter & disembowel a hog. Your friends screamed all right, but probably not in Delight and Amazement.]  You’ll be “the most popular kid on the block,” if you don’t count Jonathan, Jordan, Joey, Donnie or Danny.

And don’t think your options are limited to backyard puppet shows only!  These puppets are “Ideal for shows or to carry in pocket or purse.”  Stuck in traffic? Waiting for a doctor’s appointment?  Killing time in a holding cell until your bail bondsman shows up?  Stuck with a  boring blind date?  Whip out your puppet and play with it!  “Pays for itself in fun and laughs first time used.”

Don’t think a hand puppet can make your life better?  Just watch Mel Gibson in The Beaver (2011).  I never saw the end, but I assume it worked out well for him. (hint: it sort of didn’t) 

Thanks Rubber-for-Molds!  I didn’t want that puppy anyway!

[glenn7517]

Elmo's Magic Cookbook, 2001, Part Five ... #Elmo's #Magic #Cookbook is a 2001 #Sesame #Street direct-to-#video #special, focused on #teaching #kids how easy it is to #cook. Prior to its release, the video aired as a special on the #Food #Network. #Elmo is exploring the attic of the #Carriage #House with two kids and #Telly. In the process, they discover a #magic #cookbook (which behaves like a #CG #puppy) and summon #Jean the #Genie. Though she grants #food-based #wishes, #Jean can only materialize #ingredients (and transport the cast to an undisclosed #kitchen location). The group must #cook the #food themselves, which results in #Telly spending most of the video #churning #ice #cream. In keeping with tradition, the #ingredients are sentient #Muppets, who crack one-liners but express no concern over their eventual consumption by a #furry #red #monster, but do demand recognition. To provide the appropriate adult supervision and assistance, Jean summons #Alan (who shows them how to arrange food into animals or objects) and Emeril Lagasse (to make #pizza). Finally, #Jean summons the #Pocket #Queen ( #Heather #Headley ) who explains the concept of #food #pockets and shows him how to make #Vietnamese #summer #rolls. The group finally enjoys their #ice #cream (and a last minute cameo by #Cookie #Monster, while the end credits feature #food #constructed #caricatures of the #Sesame #Street #Muppets. #Teaching #Video, #Learning #Video, #Preschool #Fun, #Jim #Henson ... #Baby #Bear demonstrates the word "Hot". Cartoon: "#Wash #Your #Hands Before You Eat"; Artist: #Bruce #Cayard (EKA: Episode 2640) #Animation: In stop-motion, #sandwich #ingredients #square-dance in a ring and arrange themselves into a #sandwich and #ends with a bite taken out of it. (EKA: Episode 3080) A #pizza is made and the #slices form the word #PIZZA. (EKA: Episode 3408) Grover and Mr. Johnson: #Speedy #Pizza (EKA: Episode 3039) Cartoon: #Pizza #maker Original #Jay demonstrates how he got his name: his pizzas talk and dance. Artist: Mo Willems (EKA: Episode 3280) Cartoon: "The Girl Who Loved to Try and #Eat #New #Foods" (from #Elmo's #World: Food) #VHS tape ...

[glenn7517]

Elmo's Magic Cookbook, 2001, Part Two ... #Elmo's #Magic #Cookbook is a 2001 #Sesame #Street direct-to-#video #special, focused on #teaching #kids how easy it is to #cook. Prior to its release, the video aired as a special on the #Food #Network. #Elmo is exploring the attic of the #Carriage #House with two kids and #Telly. In the process, they discover a magic cookbook (which behaves like a #CG #puppy) and summon #Jean the #Genie. Though she grants #food-based #wishes, #Jean can only materialize #ingredients (and transport the cast to an undisclosed #kitchen location). The group must #cook the #food themselves, which results in #Telly spending most of the video #churning #ice #cream. In keeping with tradition, the ingredients are sentient #Muppets, who crack one-liners but express no concern over their eventual consumption by a #furry #red #monster, but do demand recognition. To provide the appropriate adult supervision and assistance, Jean summons #Alan (who shows them how to arrange food into animals or objects) and Emeril Lagasse (to make #pizza). Finally, Jean summons the Pocket Queen ( #Heather #Headley ) who explains the concept of #food #pockets and shows him how to make #Vietnamese #summer #rolls. The group finally enjoys their ice cream (and a last minute cameo by #Cookie #Monster, while the end credits feature #food #constructed #caricatures of the #Sesame #Street #Muppets. #Teaching #Video, #Learning #Video, #Preschool #Fun, #Jim #Henson ... Baby Bear demonstrates the word "Hot". Cartoon: "Wash Your Hands Before You Eat"; Artist: Bruce Cayard (EKA: Episode 2640) Animation: In stop-motion, #sandwich #ingredients #square-dance in a ring and arrange themselves into a #sandwich and #ends with a bite taken out of it. (EKA: Episode 3080) A pizza is made and the slices form the word PIZZA. (EKA: Episode 3408) Grover and Mr. Johnson: Speedy Pizza (EKA: Episode 3039) Cartoon: #Pizza #maker Original #Jay demonstrates how he got his name: his pizzas talk and dance. Artist: Mo Willems (EKA: Episode 3280) Cartoon: "The Girl Who Loved to Try and #Eat #New #Foods" (from #Elmo's #World: Food) VHS tape ...