Ventriloquist Michael Harrison

[bumbershoot]

Maybe you can give feedback about just that ONE part of the act.

I just saw him for the first time, my 9yo was laughing so hard. That talking face bit was one of her favorite skits he did. When he did that sniffing routine, I saw her laughing, I turned to her and said, "I bet he eats paste too" to which she laughed and cringed at the thought of eating paste.

I never gave it much thought, then again, I've never seen one of my kids smell a marker. So I guess it didn't have the same impact on me.

But she obviously knows about the marker smelling good.

And that's the thing. This is something KIDS do. Even without being exposed to older people doing it, they just do it. How do they know? They open a marker and catch a whiff, and there's just something so weirdly nice about it they tend to keep it uncapped a bit longer than necessary.

My son, who is homeschooled, and has never been in a marker-using situation with other kids, LOVES Sharpies because of the smell. He found out that they smell good all on his own. So we talk about how it's chemicals and he shouldn't do that, and he knows it.

He would LOVE that joke (like sweetlovin's 9 year old) because he can relate to wanting to smell that Sharpie.

And then, just like what happened with me with a hippie mom, hearing GROWNUPS talking about doing something would turn him off from doing it himself.

I personally wouldn't complain, but I understand why others might want to.

 

[Jimbob22]

To me it's not unlike when Lloyd Bridges said that he picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.

There probably were some people that didn't like it--but I doubt that the jokes of Harrison or even the late esteemed Bridges prompted anyone to sniff things when they were not previously inclined to do so.

 

[fatfish]

I gotta ask - What did Bob Saget do???

 

[Ravenne]

I don't think it would bother me. I might...and it's a huge "might" think "oh well, that was unexpected" if it even crosses my mind. I'd probably think it's a good thing, actually. I think unexpected things like that makes for a great spring board to have those kinds of conversations with kids. Kids are going to learn about all sorts of inappropriate things eventually. I'd rather my kids learn some if not many of them when I'm around so that they can talk to me about it instead of getting the info from other, not-so-trust worthy sources.

 

[sweetlovin']

Maybe you can give feedback about just that ONE part of the act.




But she obviously knows about the marker smelling good.

And that's the thing. This is something KIDS do. Even without being exposed to older people doing it, they just do it. How do they know? They open a marker and catch a whiff, and there's just something so weirdly nice about it they tend to keep it uncapped a bit longer than necessary.

My son, who is homeschooled, and has never been in a marker-using situation with other kids, LOVES Sharpies because of the smell. He found out that they smell good all on his own. So we talk about how it's chemicals and he shouldn't do that, and he knows it.

He would LOVE that joke (like sweetlovin's 9 year old) because he can relate to wanting to smell that Sharpie.

And then, just like what happened with me with a hippie mom, hearing GROWNUPS talking about doing something would turn him off from doing it himself.

I personally wouldn't complain, but I understand why others might want to.

I just asked her if she had ever seen someone do that. She is home schooled but went to school through 2nd grade. She has never seen someone sniff a marker, I think she was laughing because it was a foreign concept. Almost like silliness than anything else. The "gets me through the day" completely went over her head.

As I said, I didn't give it much thought because my kids never did that. Definitely could see it having a different reaction if I had an issue with it ever. It would have been funny without the joke. 9 yo was more fascinated with how the paper was talking than the marker bit. She didn't even remember until I just asked her about it.

 

[disprincess4ever]

I gotta ask - What did Bob Saget do???

Anyone know?

 

["Got Disney"]

While I don't see it as being inappropriate for a family show, especially considering what's considered family friendly these days, you are free to let DCL know your opinion. Comedy is often about pushing limits, buttons, etc...

Could have been worse, could have been Bob Saget.

ROFL…DH and I to this day talk about how bad Bob Saget was… we were sailing when he was appearing…talk about parents mouths dropping


I don't see why he had to even take the time to smell the marker…and my teen would know exactly what he meant…..and we all know how teens are influenced so easily because they have Jello for brains How much ya want to bet the teens running around wanted to find a marker and try it just to act cool…UGH! TEENS

 

[lbgraves]

Here is a trip report with a little bit about what he did. He didn't appear for the late show.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=827782&highlight=bob+saget

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Here is a trip report with a little bit about what he did.

The link must not have posted?

 

[danfromca]

Right you can't please everyone. We have had problems with a group of preteens and young teens in our area huffing not so much sharpies but it was discussed with them about the dangers of sniffing sharpies. So as you can imagine my surprise that a show on our Disney cruise geared toward children had an act with a adult sniffing a sharpie. I have told my 14 year about the dangers of household chemicals and I will tell him again and again just like I do about alcohol, drugs and smoking. That is what we do as parents. I didn't mean to cause an uproar on here, no I'm not a troll as one poster implied.

And I think what you did - talking to your 14 year old about the danger's of household chemicals is exactly the right thing to do.

It's all about interpretation. Some might feel that seeing a joke like that is inappropriate because it could influence kids or teens.

Personally, I figure the younger kids won't even pick up on it, and at worst will get an explanation from their parents (which is a good thing). The teens will get it, and because they have been taught by their parents about the dangers will find it twice as funny.

As for uninformed teens following seeing this joke and being influenced by it to try it? Frankly, I don't think most of them will find Harrison that cool

Personally, I find the best kind of family humor is the kind that can work at two levels - with some jokes targeted at the adults that go over the youngest one's heads, and that the older ones struggle to understand because they don't want to be left out. The latter has all kinds of benefits, from the learning, to creating opportunities for parents to explain things (even though it's sometimes awkward). It's one reason I always liked Rocky and Bullwinkle (though not everyone appreciated the fact that it also taught me to pun).

 

[lbgraves]

The link must not have posted?

I was distracted by homework help. It's there now.

 

[rentayenta]

and as the saying goes, you can't please everybody.......

This.



It wouldn't bother me so I wouldn't complain, but if it was offensive OP, only you can decide if its worth complaining about.

FWIW, I like Bob Saget as Bob Saget. Didn't care for sappy, soupy Danny Tanner.