If Beck and Deee-lite teamed up to make a kids show, it would probably be a lot like Yo Gabba Gabba. Featuring a freaky DJ named Lance Rock and a cast of colorful creatures who (seriously) live in his boom box, the Nickelodeon show is packed with references aimed straight at 30-something ex-hipster parents: a drop-in from the Shins, an extended riff on 2-Tone ska, regular segments featuring Biz Markie and Mark Mothersbaugh, etc. Today’s episode, which airs at 1:30 p.m. ET, is especially packed, with appearances from Roots drummer ?uestlove and SNL‘s Rachel Dratch, along with a performance from excellent ’80s R&B revivalists Chromeo (pictured).
My 2-and-a-half-year-old son is absolutely obsessed with the show (his favorite phrases, in order of importance: "No," "I want Yo Gabba," "I don’t like that"), so this morning I threw on a DVD of today’s episode and had him weigh in. Overall, his reaction was mixed. An early segment with some nasty-looking cartoon germs scared the hell out of him ("I don’t like that, Daddy. Turn it off!" he said, burying his head in the chair), but he went nuts for a hair-washing sequence with a talking shampoo bottle ("that’s funny, Daddy!"). As for the celebrity guests, well, he thought they were okay. ?uestlove’s drumming demonstration was short enough to keep his interest, and he managed to tolerate Dratch’s "dancey dance" (less so his father).
Oddly, he didn’t have much of a reaction to Chromeo, whose typically funky tune about hand washing — performed, naturally, inside a sink floating in outer space — was easily the episode’s highlight, at least for those of us less easily amused by animated bathing products. "Nice and Clean" boasts vintage beats straight out of a Klymaxx song and a funny breakdown moment when one band member chastises the other for forgetting to wash his hands before touching the keyboard. Maybe you had to have been into Midnight Star in 1983 to get it (did I just admit to that?). Or maybe my son’s just more interested in funny creatures than bearded old-school beat-crafters. Either way, it’s his loss. Now he’s downstairs throwing plastic balls at his mother’s head. I’m gonna go watch that Chromeo song one more time without him.
Who else enjoys Foofa, Plex, and the gang, with or without their kids as an excuse?
More ‘Yo Gabba Gabba’:
Jack Black rocks ‘Yo Gabba Gabba’ and more first looks
HA! my husband almost dressed up as one of these guys for halloween. He figured no one would know who he was. Other parents might have anyway. My daughter, who is four, is almost grown out of this show, but she still likes to catch it if it’s on.
This show is hysterical. My 3 yr old is addicted. we tivo it all the time. i am a teacher and i talk about the characters with my students all the time. My son remembers the lessons and the messages. He watches it over and over–tells me to be quiet when its on lol. I can watch it too- great music. We searched all over to find the Brobee t-shirt! We are addicted. Why does dj lance look familiar?
My 3 year old daughter LOVES this show! I have DVR’d about 21 episodes so far and she wants to watch them over and over again. I do enjoy some of the songs and that the kids are learning alot with these characters. It is a cute show and I love that they have guests like the Roots and Laila Ali on.
My 2 year old saw an episode last week and it kept his attention, but I hated it. I would rather watch Handy Manny anyday.
Our favorite, because it was available on demand for so long, was the one featuring Paul Williams, dressed in powder blue tuxedo, singing Rainbow Connection. My 2 1/2 year old son LOVES this show and has a book that opens just like DJ Lance’s boom box. He imitates the opening perfectly!
A post about Yo Gabba Gabba with no mention that it was co-created by a member of The Aquabats!?
this show creeps me out. i’m all for trippyness and good music in children’s programming, but those monsters, creatures, whatever they are, freak me out. i prefer the sesame street brand of cuddly-looking muppet monsters, not the kind that look like they lived under your bed and in your closet when you were a kid.
ever see the Elijah Wood episode– I still have that song in my head: “raise your kneee, raise your other knee, raise your foot, raise your other foot, walk in a circle, do the PUPPET MAAASTER!”
I’ll stick with Nick’s Backyardigan’s my 2-year old loves her daily Pablo & Tasha fix.
Haven’t tried this show on my 2 1/2-year-old daughter yet – but she’s currently enjoying a balanced diet of Pixar films, High School Musical and A Hard Day’s Night.
I hate that show but I will play it over and over again if it means that I can pee in peace.
“dj lance” is an old friend. not freaky, just the most wonderfully sweet man! and i LOVE the show!
My three year old princess loves Yo Gabba Ganba!!
You know, I’ve watched some clips of this on YouTube, and I want to like it, I really do, but I just don’t get it. I loved Sesame Street, I’m a college student. I should love everything it stands for but…I just don’t. It’s kinda boring and shrill and irritating. Am I right, or just uncool and missing some salient point that makes this show a work of genius?
anyone who hates this show is LAME. it’s funny, has cool music, and actually teaches kids without hitting them over the head with a message.