The Flintstones turns 50 today and an article in the Christian Science Monitor highlights the dumb things The Flintstones producers did over the years. It makes rather humorless observations like dinosaurs didn’t exist and the Great Gazoo was jumping the shark. OK. But it also points out the smoking:
It asks how the producers could have been so dumb to include it in a cartoon, accepting the fact that smoking was prevalent in 1960. What the author doesn’t know is that The Flintstones wasn’t entirely a kid’s cartoon; it was an animated version of The Honeymooners, one of the most popular shows of the era. It’s written by adults and there’s comedy in there that would be lost on children, but appreciated by adults. And it originally ran during prime time in an 8:30PM slot.
Of course, today, a prime time cartoon wouldn’t dare show characters smoking.
OK, this was where I was going to show Patty and Selma, but apparently Simpsons videos are not on the internet. Fox even keeps the clips off. The closest I could find was this, which I find absurdly funny:
I also learned that in Russia, dubbing means “talking loudly over the original dialogue, without removing it.” Exhibit A.
(I also learned that in Russia, dubbing means “talking loudly over the original dialogue, without removing it.)
If you tune your brain just right, you can block out the Russian and still enjoy the show in English. Try it.
I hate when people write parody songs the same way. The song sounds fine when there’s no singing, but then they make it quiet during the lyrics to sing the “new-funnier” parts over it. Weak.