Yo Gabba Gabba Review
The National Institute of Mental Health defines Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder this way: “PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.” Yo Gabba Gabba easily fits into several of these categories. And while I have never experienced combat first hand, YGG gave me just a tiny taste of the organized chaos that is war.
Ever since my first encounter with the show I’ve been re-living the experience over and over. I find it impossible to focus; even writing this piece is difficult. In quiet moments at work, my mind will drift. I also become anxious around anyone wearing the color orange.
Yo Gabba Gabba first appeared in 2007, and has made quite a splash in the children’s television universe since then. It lies somewhere between Romper Room and Ken Kessey and the Merry Pranksters. It has even become the place to be seen for celebs of all sorts. Rappers, movie stars and country music artists have all had their fifteen minutes of Gabba time. Everyone from Jack Black, to Sugarland has been a guest on YGG.
The show has no real story line but consists of a host named DJ Lance Rock, (by far the weirdest children’s entertainer since Pee Wee Herman), cavorting with all manner of “Friendly Monsters.” Each stuffed “monster” / robot is placed in his or her, own little environment by DJ Lance, and comes to life in order to put on plays, sing songs or perform dances that teach a simple lesson usually on behavior. The most memorable theme would have to be “don’t bite your friends;” a lesson yet to be learned by many of the shows celebrity guests.
Had the existentialist philosophers known about YGG ahead of time, they could have pointed to it as completely validating the relativity of all things. (And yes, for those apologists who may be reading this, I do understand the fallacy of “completely validating relativity.”) If Kierkegaard is out there floating in the cosmos somewhere, allow me to tell him touché. You’re point is made!
The Kids
Despite the unsettling randomness and chaos of the show, it does teach some lessons. The children are taught about their colors, shapes and letters etc, and with all the musical numbers they may actually remember them. It will probably entertain them.
The Verdict: Cringe Worthy!
Whenever I give a show a negative review, I inevitably have parents and children insist that the program couldn’t possibly be that bad because “my children [or I] love that show!” Well unfortunately the kids loved the electric cool- aid too.
I never thought I’d see a children’s program that made less sense then the Banana Splits Show, but I never thought the Saints would win a Super Bowl either. While I understand that there is an educational side to Gabba, the lack of format is like having a woodpecker working on the back your head while you try to recite your multiplication tables. It’s both painful and confusing. I realize the Gabba clan out there is going to resent this, but I’m compelled to put YGG in the middle of Cringe Worthy. If you insist on watching Yo Gabba Gabba, take caution. You may not realize you’re going crazy until you’re already there.
These guys make me cringe. The big red one looks like a marital aid.
I just saw this while trying to find something for my 2 year old to watch while he is sick. I had to look and see if you had an article on it yet. It is very strange.