SeedSing Classic: Where the Hell are the Responsible Adults on "PJ Masks"?

Next season on PJ Masks, the police will lock up all the adults

SeedSing classic is a look back at our most influential articles. These pieces have been presented in their original form. No Star Warsesque special editions. Enjoy

Having children means having to watch shows you don't care for. I've watched stuff like "Doc McStuffins", "Team Umizoomi", "Handy Manny" and "The Octonauts". These shows I do not care for. They're boring and loud and dull. I've also seen stuff like "Wally Kazaam" and "Yo Gabba Gabba". I really like these shows. "Yo Gabba Gabba" has cool music and cool guests and there's always a good lesson. "Wally Kazaam" may be the most clever and best written children's show I've ever seen. There's been some jokes that have made me legitimately laugh out loud. "Wally Kazaam" is my favorite show that my son has watched.

Lately my son has been watching a show called "PJ Masks". This show is fine. It's not good, but it's not that bad. The show follows three young children that, at nighttime, become superheroes when they put their pajamas on. Sounds pretty cute, right? That's what I thought when I first saw this show, but then I actually sat down and paid attention to what was going on and I've got to say, the negligence of the parents on "PJ Masks" is downright criminal. I'd venture to say that they are worse parents than the parents from "Charlie Brown".

First things first, at least the parents in "Charlie Brown" are present. Sure, we can't understand what they are saying and the kids never take their advice, but we know that they are there. The parents in "PJ Masks" are non existent. And, when there is an adult around, they just leave when the situation turns sour. I'll tell you about a recent episode that had this happen. The kids were just regular kids and they were about to watch a puppet show. The puppet master, apparently one of their teachers, shows up and sees that the puppets are missing. All he says is, "My puppets are gone. I guess there will be no show today" and then he just leaves. Doesn't investigate the problem, doesn't tell the children he will be right back, in fact he doesn't tell the children anything except that the show is cancelled, and he just leaves, never to be seen or heard from again. That's insane! He's an adult and he just lets the kids deal with this problem on their own! WTF!

This leads me to my main problem with the parents of the three main kids. These children, maybe 7 or 8 years old, are allowed to leave their houses in the middle of the night and go fight crimes. The parents have no say and just let this happen. Where on Earth is this ever a good idea? Why would you let a child go out into the streets in the middle of the night. That is the whole point of the show. These kids turn into superheroes when they go to bed and put their PJ's on. I say again, this is insane! And the parents just let them go, I DON"T GET IT!

You are all probably asking the names of the three main kids, so I'll tell you. You have Owlette the girl, Gekko the shy one and Catboy the athlete. They fight villains, yes this show has children as super smart villains, Romeo, Luna Girl, Night Ninja and the Ninjalenos. It's so surreal. One saving grace, you never see actual fighting. They have races and they play party games and they use gadgets, but they never actually fight. I guess the parents at least gave them the proper rules that fighting is wrong. But, that doesn't excuse the fact that these kids are out in the middle of the night. Also, where are the police in this town and why aren't they doing anything about this? Now, I'm upset at not only the parents, but all the adults in the "PJ Masks" universe. Why do you all let children decide what to do? I'm all for letting kids figure things out for themselves, but there's a time and a place for that and it's not after midnight. I just don't get why there are no rules for these kids.

Also, what kind of parents do Romeo, Luna Girl, Night Ninja and the Ninjalenos have that these kids are super villains? Romeo is some kind of tech genius, but he hates the PJ Masks, and I mean hates the PJ Masks. He is some kind of tech wizard, going so far as stealing their voices in one episode. Are his parents some kind of tech wizards? If so, at least they taught him how to use technology, but he uses it for evil. How messed up is that?! Luna Girl just wants to stop the PJ Masks from having fun. That's straight up mean. She is the definition of a "mean girl", but she too is a child. Why does she have all this hate in her tiny soul? Night Ninja is a spoiled baby and he has the Ninjalenos answer his every beck and call. Why is he so spoiled and how did he train four little kids to be his helpers? What kind of family do these kids come from?

I guess, overall, I'm just disappointed in the adults in this world. I know, it's a children's show, it's a cartoon, it's fantasy, but my brain won't allow me to look at it that way. I want to know why the adults aren't involved at all. At least in "Charlie Brown" and "The Simpsons" the parents are there. They may not be the best people in the world, but they are there and that's more than I can say for the adults and parents in "PJ Masks". I'm sure this show will fade much like all the other shows my son watches, but I will still wonder, long after he stops watching, why weren't the grown ups more involved? What were they doing and why was that more important than making sure their kids were in their beds like they should be? I'm sure I'll never know, but I know that it will haunt me for the rest of my days. Shame on you adults in the "PJ Masks" universe. Take more interest in your children and maybe they won't go out in the middle of the night and argue about cake and toys and balloons. Get off your cell phones and take the time to get to know your kids.

You sicken me.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He thinks judging others is easy, and fun too. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

For Love of God, Do Not See "The Emoji Movie"

The only place "The Emoji Movie" Belongs

Today I'm going to give a review of "The Emoji Movie".

Now, it needs to said, I have not, and will not see this movie. This movie looks like an absolute piece of garbage, and by all accounts, it is terrible. This is also one of, if not the, biggest cash grabs I have ever seen. Has Hollywood really run out of ideas? Has it come to this? Is this what we, the viewing public, has to realize that we will get from big time movie production companies? Are there no new ideas, unless it is from an indie studio, a la A24? I'm flabbergasted that this movie even made it past the pitch phase. The fact that writers and actors, some well known, well regarded and very good, gave their voices to this movie is insane.

It should also be known to the readers that I don't use emoji's when I text or write or do anything that may involve an emoji. First off, I don't know what half of them mean. Second, I am not a high school student, so I know how to write full words and not waste my time with some stupid smiley face or a piece of shit. If I'm happy about something, I use the words happy, ecstatic, goofy, anything that portrays my happiness. If I think something is shitty, I say that it is shitty. I do not need a picture to get across what I am trying to say. Also, I have a hard time deciphering what someone is trying to say to me when they send me emoji's in a text. This includes family members, and my wife. My wife and my mom love to use emoji's, and I have to ask them all the time what they mean. Is that smiley face a sarcastic one, or are you serious? Why all the hand claps, did I do something good, or is this another sarcastic thing? What's with the heart? Just say love. These are all questions I have said to anyone that has sent me these particular emoji's. So, the fact that a 90 plus minute movie was made based on our lazy speech patterns as Americans is sickening to me. We have really fallen off as a country. I didn't think it could get any worse than what the archaic, and very stupid, electoral college did in November, and "The Emoji Movie" has made that horrifying act even more horrifying.

Where we sit right now, the movie is rocking a 3 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and I guarantee the 3 percent that like it are the same stupid ass morons that voted for that narcissistic pig who is dumber than a kindergarten student. I'm sure the people filling up theaters to see this piece of trash, the movie is not doing well, are either poor parents stuck with young children that haven't developed a sense of humor yet, or people that are just as dumb as that narcissistic pig that golfs more than he does anything else.

I feel bad for my mother because 2 of her grandchildren want to see this movie. One of them is my son. I am vehemently opposed to giving any of my money to this movie. My son knows this, so he went to his Mimi to ask her to take him. And since she is such a wonderful, selfless lady, she told him she would take him to see it. I have tried to talk her out of it. My son is only 5, he doesn't know what is funny or not. He still tells the same knock knock jokes. But, he wants to see this horrible movie. His cousin is in town, and they want to see it together. So, this week my poor mother will be taking at least one of them to see it. I think my dad has to tag along too. I can only imagine this is an absolute nightmare for them. But, they rule and are awesome parents and grandparents, so they will stick it out. I cannot talk them out of it either. I keep suggesting other, better movies to my son, but he won't have it. And his cousin, I think he just wants to hang out with Miles. And sure, tell me I'm a horrible curmudgeon of a father because I will not go see this movie with my son. I don't care. I've already heard about how unimaginative I am because I don't like "PJ Masks". I will say though, "PJ Masks" makes "The Emoji Movie" look like Shakespeare.

I am disgusted and annoyed that Hollywood has given up. There is nothing new. It is all remakes or cash grabs, for the most part. I don't care that my son is only 5, I'd rather he see "John Wick: Chapter 2", or "Baby Driver" than the god damn emoji movie. At least he would see some great action, and not a total waste of time. The fact that this got made is so sad, and maybe Hollywood will learn from this awful piece of garbage. Only time will tell. Until then, I say avoid "The Emoji Movie" as if it were the plague, because that is what it is for movies. This is horrible. I'm disgusted in Hollywood, and everyone that made this movie. And I will say it one more time, I have not, and will not see this movie. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He begged his parents to take him to see "Cool as Ice" many years ago and thought they had learned their lesson. Guess not.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Playing Ten Questions with a New Five Year Old

Nothing is off the record here

My son turned 5 yesterday, and I decided that I wanted to interview him. I wanted to know how he sees the world. I wanted the insight of a 5 year old because, honestly, I do not remember much, if anything, from when I was 5. I asked him 10 very simple, easy questions. He answered them all as truthfully as he could, and then he asked me the same 10 questions. I thought this was an interesting idea, so I'm going to go through each question, his answer, why he answered the way he answered and my response when he interviewed me. Here we go.

Question one: Who is your favorite superhero? As you all know by now, my son loves superheroes. His answer was, very quickly, Captain America. When asked why, he simply said because he has a shield. Nothing else, just that he has a shield. Short and sweet. My answer to this question, Wolverine. When asked why, I told my son that I liked his powers and his claws. Both of us needed little to no time to answer this question.

Question two: What is your favorite movie? Miles thought about this one and finally settled on "Captain America: Civil War". See the running theme so far? When asked why it was his favorite, he said because of the battle scene in the airport. Now, full disclosure, that is the only scene of the movie he has ever watched. He hasn't seen anything else in the movie. I thought it was an interesting choice. My pick, "Napoleon Dynamite". When asked why, I told him that it was silly and goofy and I've seen it over 40 times. He was unimpressed.

Question three: What is your favorite TV show? He quickly answered "PJ Masks". You all know how I feel about this show. But, my son loves it because of the "superhero" theme. Simple and plain. When I was asked, I of course said "The Simpsons". It's the best show ever and I will not hear of anyone not agreeing with me.

Question four: What is your favorite book? His answered spoke so much to his age and the time we live in now. Without hesitation, Miles said, "Captain America: An Origin Story", on his Kindle Fire. He reads books off a tablet now. I still read paperbacks, but this generation of kids, everything is digital. When I asked him why this was his favorite, he said because it tells him everything about his favorite superhero. When he asked me, I said "Lord of the Flies". He asked me what is was about, I told him, and he said he wants to read it someday. This was a very proud moment for me.

Question five: What is your favorite sport? Miles said baseball, baseball, baseball. When I asked why, he said it is easy, he likes to hit and throw and play first base. It was a very child like answer, and I loved it. I was the same when I was his age. I told him that, but when he asked me the same question, I told him basketball. It is my favorite to play and watch. He thought I was going to say football, which I love, but I surprised him with basketball.

Question six: What do you like about school? He told me he likes his teachers, the stuff they teach him and playing with his friends. I thought this was a perfect response from a 5 year old in Pre K. That is exactly what I'd expect most 5 year olds to say. When he asked me what I liked about school, I told him recess. He was confused because recess is so short, but I told him I looked forward to it everyday.

Question seven: Who is your favorite family member, grandparents and cousins included? This may sound like an odd question, but he's 5, and he said he loves everyone! I was floored. He was being completely honest too! Anyone that knows Miles knows that he loves everyone and everything. I know I'm biased, but he's a damn good kid. When he asked me, I said besides Mom(my wife), I told him my brothers. I've been through it all with my brothers and they have all made me a better person. Thanks guys.

Question eight: Who is your best friend? Now, this may have been an answer based on who was around, but I think this is true for most 5 year old boys, he said Mom(my wife). When I asked him why, he said she is the nicest and sweetest person he knows and he loves her so much. It was very nice. When he asked me, I did not have as quick an answer. I have lost touch with a lot of people I used to consider my best friend, but when it comes down to it, my father is my best friend. We go to shows, games, movies and just talk about everything. He has always been there for me and he's always kept me level headed. Not only is he my dad, he is undoubtedly my best friend.

Question 9: What is your favorite food? He answered just as I thought, saying mac and cheese. This kid would eat it everyday if I let him. He said he loves it because it is gooey and cheesy and that his Grammy, my mother in law, makes the best. I told him my favorite food was steak. When asked why, I told him that I love meat. That is it and that is all.

Final question: What is your favorite restaurant? He said Chuck E Cheese. I think this place is gross, Miles loves it. This is the most 5 year old answer imaginable. That place is made for young kids. He even likes the food, where I find it inedible. My answer, The Block. It's a local Saint Louis butcher block that has the best meat I've ever had in my life. It is really great. If any readers not from Saint Louis come to town, check The Block out. It's incredible.

So, that is the life through the eyes of the newly minted 5 year old son, Miles Kulik. I loved this idea and I'm glad my wife suggested it. I had a lot of fun doing the interview and even more fun writing it. This was great. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed doing it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man. The other great thing about having a new five your old in the house. The dad can spend the weekend playing at an indoor water park. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

You and Your Kids Should watch "Wally Kazaam"

No invaders, no dragons, no trolls. No I'm serious, those things terrify me

I've noticed recently that my blog I did on the children's show "PJ Masks" has been getting read a lot and there has even been some comments. There's one good one, but for the most part, people seem to think that I don't have an imagination. While that may be true when it comes to "PJ Masks", I mean, why are there no parents involved anywhere, It's insane, but, I do like a couple of shows that my four year old watches. I loved "Yo Gabba Gabba". I thought that show was super weird and really cool. I loved the lessons it taught and I thoroughly enjoyed all the musicians and bands that would make guest appearances. I also like older kids shows like "Sesame Street". Basically, I like shows that teach children some kind of practical skill that they will need when they start school. All "PJ Masks" teaches is to not go against your friends wishes. It's a veiled, and very poor attempt at lesson learning if you ask me. That show is lazy.

There is one children's show that I want to point out, that my four year old still watches and loves, that I too love, "Wally Kazaam". "Wally Kazaam" has about one thousand times more imagination than any episode of "PJ Masks", and they teach your children how to sound out letters and, eventually, how to spell. From watching "Wally Kazaam", my son knows the sound to every letter in the alphabet and he is even in the very early stages of spelling. He can spell his name, and with a little help, he can spell easy words like cat and dog. Some of that has come from my wife and I helping him and some has come from school, but a lot of it has come from "Wally Kazaam". My son gets amped when he hears the theme song for the show, and I do to. I know that both him and I are going to enjoy ourselves for the next 25 minutes, much more so than an episode of "PJ Masks". Where my son likes the colors and the animation and the goofy way the characters talk, I enjoy the joke writing and the story telling on the show.

First of all, we know we are in a fantasy world the moment the show opens on a troll finding a magical stick that helps him spell. "Wally Kazaam" doesn't try to hide that it's a possible real world situation, the kids are supposed to be real kids on "PJ Masks", they are openly letting you know that this is a cartoon. The main character is Wally Trollman, the troll with the magic stick that helps them spell and get out of sticky situations. But, we also get some great tertiary characters. Characters like Norvel, Wally's pet dinosaur. There's also Gina Giant, Wally's friend that is literally a giant, and she is the nicest person in the fake universe they've created. There's Ogre Doug, a big, but very friendly ogre that helps out the crew. There's a little singing fairy named Libby Lightsprite that is adorable. There's Stan, the old swamp creature that dislikes anything that's clean. He will only take mud baths to give you some perspective.

There are a lot of great characters on "Wally Kazaam, but the best character not named Wally is the wonderful Bob Goblin. Bob Goblin is the troublemaker, but he is also a good guy. He will get the crew in trouble, or try to get things from them, but in the end, he just wants to be part of the group, and like the good trolls and ogres and fairies and giants that they are, they always find a place for Bob Goblin. Bob Goblin is also always the best character in the episodes that feature him. There's been one when he wants to be in a rock band, but Libby Lightsprite loses her singing voice, due to something Bob goblin did, so they have to go through all these loopholes that Bob Goblin has setup, to get her voice back. They get through everything, with the help of Bob Goblin, and at the end of the episode, Bob Goblin gets a great drum solo. I love it. My favorite Bob Goblin episode is when he takes over the castle that Wally made out of magic for Norvel. He kind of walks in, plays with everything, then claims the castle as his own. It's so funny and so well animated and so well written. The episode centers around sharing and the way they talk about it, it's magnificent. The lessons learned and the spelling that goes along with the episode is great. But, the highlight is the song that Bob Goblin and Wally sing about the castle. It's so catchy, so imaginative and so well sung by the voice actors. To this day, I still walk around the house singing the song. My wife does too. So does my son. We all adore the song. I believe it's called "My Friend the King", and it's supposed to be about Norvel, but Bob Goblin turns it into his song. Wally sings about building the castle, loading it with pillows and toys for Norvel and letting Norvel stay there. But, after Bob Goblin takes over, he turns every chorus into his song. Wally will sing, then Bob Goblin will come in with the best line in a children's song, "no invaders, no dragons, no trolls". He doesn't want Gina Giant, the invader, Norvel, the dragon and Wally, the troll to get in. The end of the song even has Bob Goblin saying "and no cakes", because Wally thought he could trick him by giving him sweets, but Bob Goblin does not fall for it. As with most kids shows, they resolve the conflict and everyone gets to play and live in the castle.

Basically, "Wally Kazaam" is, by far, the best, most innovative and most imaginative children's show since "Yo Gabba Gabba". It's also the best written. It's so much better than "Paw Patrol", "Blaze and the Monster Machines" and, of course, "PJ Masks". So no, I'm not some curmudgeon with no sense of imagination or whimsy or wonder, I have all of that ten fold. I just prefer kids shows that don't talk down to the adults watching with their children and "Wally Kazaam" does not do that. The creators and writers of that show speak to both children and adults alike. I will take "Wally Kazaam" any day before I watch another episode of "PJ Masks".

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Does Ty lack imagination, you ask? Find out for yourself by following him on twitter @tykulik.

Where the Hell are the Responsible Adults on "PJ Masks"?

Next season on PJ Masks, the police will lock up all the adults

Having children means having to watch shows you don't care for. I've watched stuff like "Doc McStuffins", "Team Umizoomi", "Handy Manny" and "The Octonauts". These shows I do not care for. They're boring and loud and dull. I've also seen stuff like "Wally Kazaam" and "Yo Gabba Gabba". I really like these shows. "Yo Gabba Gabba" has cool music and cool guests and there's always a good lesson. "Wally Kazaam" may be the most clever and best written children's show I've ever seen. There's been some jokes that have made me legitimately laugh out loud. "Wally Kazaam" is my favorite show that my son has watched.

Lately my son has been watching a show called "PJ Masks". This show is fine. It's not good, but it's not that bad. The show follows three young children that, at nighttime, become superheroes when they put their pajamas on. Sounds pretty cute, right? That's what I thought when I first saw this show, but then I actually sat down and paid attention to what was going on and I've got to say, the negligence of the parents on "PJ Masks" is downright criminal. I'd venture to say that they are worse parents than the parents from "Charlie Brown".

First things first, at least the parents in "Charlie Brown" are present. Sure, we can't understand what they are saying and the kids never take their advice, but we know that they are there. The parents in "PJ Masks" are non existent. And, when there is an adult around, they just leave when the situation turns sour. I'll tell you about a recent episode that had this happen. The kids were just regular kids and they were about to watch a puppet show. The puppet master, apparently one of their teachers, shows up and sees that the puppets are missing. All he says is, "My puppets are gone. I guess there will be no show today" and then he just leaves. Doesn't investigate the problem, doesn't tell the children he will be right back, in fact he doesn't tell the children anything except that the show is cancelled, and he just leaves, never to be seen or heard from again. That's insane! He's an adult and he just lets the kids deal with this problem on their own! WTF!

This leads me to my main problem with the parents of the three main kids. These children, maybe 7 or 8 years old, are allowed to leave their houses in the middle of the night and go fight crimes. The parents have no say and just let this happen. Where on Earth is this ever a good idea? Why would you let a child go out into the streets in the middle of the night. That is the whole point of the show. These kids turn into superheroes when they go to bed and put their PJ's on. I say again, this is insane! And the parents just let them go, I DON"T GET IT!

You are all probably asking the names of the three main kids, so I'll tell you. You have Owlette the girl, Gekko the shy one and Catboy the athlete. They fight villains, yes this show has children as super smart villains, Romeo, Luna Girl, Night Ninja and the Ninjalenos. It's so surreal. One saving grace, you never see actual fighting. They have races and they play party games and they use gadgets, but they never actually fight. I guess the parents at least gave them the proper rules that fighting is wrong. But, that doesn't excuse the fact that these kids are out in the middle of the night. Also, where are the police in this town and why aren't they doing anything about this? Now, I'm upset at not only the parents, but all the adults in the "PJ Masks" universe. Why do you all let children decide what to do? I'm all for letting kids figure things out for themselves, but there's a time and a place for that and it's not after midnight. I just don't get why there are no rules for these kids.

Also, what kind of parents do Romeo, Luna Girl, Night Ninja and the Ninjalenos have that these kids are super villains? Romeo is some kind of tech genius, but he hates the PJ Masks, and I mean hates the PJ Masks. He is some kind of tech wizard, going so far as stealing their voices in one episode. Are his parents some kind of tech wizards? If so, at least they taught him how to use technology, but he uses it for evil. How messed up is that?! Luna Girl just wants to stop the PJ Masks from having fun. That's straight up mean. She is the definition of a "mean girl", but she too is a child. Why does she have all this hate in her tiny soul? Night Ninja is a spoiled baby and he has the Ninjalenos answer his every beck and call. Why is he so spoiled and how did he train four little kids to be his helpers? What kind of family do these kids come from?

I guess, overall, I'm just disappointed in the adults in this world. I know, it's a children's show, it's a cartoon, it's fantasy, but my brain won't allow me to look at it that way. I want to know why the adults aren't involved at all. At least in "Charlie Brown" and "The Simpsons" the parents are there. They may not be the best people in the world, but they are there and that's more than I can say for the adults and parents in "PJ Masks". I'm sure this show will fade much like all the other shows my son watches, but I will still wonder, long after he stops watching, why weren't the grown ups more involved? What were they doing and why was that more important than making sure their kids were in their beds like they should be? I'm sure I'll never know, but I know that it will haunt me for the rest of my days. Shame on you adults in the "PJ Masks" universe. Take more interest in your children and maybe they won't go out in the middle of the night and argue about cake and toys and balloons. Get off your cell phones and take the time to get to know your kids.

You sicken me.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He thinks judging others is easy, and fun too. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.