Nearly every child grows up face front of the television screen watching America’s favorite animated shows. But, throughout the span of popular cartoons – there have been some shocking moments, characters, and messages that appear in some episodes somewhere down the line. Here are the top ten cartoons not suited for children.
10. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
SpongeBob SquarePants, coming in 10th place due to suggestive punch-lines (or some may recognize the humor as “dirty jokes”) and censored cursing in an episode titled “Sailor Mouth”. In the very beginning of the episode, SpongeBob is told to take out the garbage by Mr. Krabs. He comes across some writings on the garbage can and begins to read them out loud stating “Mr. Krabs is a ___”. Nickelodeon censored the word with Dolphin sound effects; implying there had been obscene language in the place of it. A man appears next to SpongeBob and asks him, “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” grabs some trash bags and furiously walks away from the garbage disposal.
There is a scene in this episode of SpongeBob where he walks into work and greets everyone along with his best pal, Patrick Star by first saying the words “Hello, customers! Nice ___ day were having, huh?” later followed by the chocking of food and gasps by customers. C’mon SpongeBob, what’s up with the language?
As for dirty jokes, we are all aware there’s a lot of them. I mean, judging by forum talk and angry parents who wish the show was off the air. Unfortunately parents, I doubt this will happen in the near future. You’ll have to settle for your kids watching an old, mermaid-man in a woman’s bra. A phrase is said in an episode called “Gary Takes a Bath”, where SpongeBob hands Gary two soap bars simultaneously saying the famous line, “Don’t drop the soap”. This was a line that is linked to prisoners’ fear of actually dropping the soap in the shared showers of a jail.
9. BETTY BOOP
Betty Boop, a well-known cartoon that spiraled in the 1930’s has been allegedly “banned” from television due to drug use in an episode. Betty Boop has also been portrayed as a sex symbol because of her promiscuous dancing, flirty personality and hooker-like sexy attire. A video surfaced on the internet (and also found in the animation archives) of an episode named “Ha Ha Ha”. In the animation a clown gets a toothache and starts whimpering around until Betty forces laughing gas down his mouth until he is laughing hilariously. As for the cartoon being banned because of this episode, it is a more a myth than a fact.
Boopa-doopa-doopa-doop, boo-doop-boo-doop, footage of Betty smacking her butt and breast being embraced has been shown in a video of footage from the show called “The Origins of Betty Boop” This might sound too scandalous indeed for a cartoon….But, hey! It’s good ‘ol Betty. No one will have to actually worry about children’s’ viewing for this one. The show was cancelled sometime around your grandparent’s time, circa 1939.
8. NAZI LOONEY TUNES
Disney? A Nazi? No…..probably not, but Donald Duck sure was In a 1942 animation titled, “Der Fuehrer’s Face” produced by Walt Disney Prod. Company. Donald Duck takes on the role of a Nazi in the cartoon, wearing a green uniform with a red-bordered swastika on his right sleeve. The cartoon starts out by three Nazi soldiers marching while playing instruments and singing; then, Donald Duck awakens and begins pledging to the images on his wall by raising his hand and uttering the words “Heil, Hitler! Heil, Hirohito! Heil, Mussolini!”. Accompanied by three photographs in the order of: Hirohito (The Emperor of Imperial Japan), Hitler (Very famous dictator of Nazi Germany), and Benito Mussolini, a dictator of Italy. Not coincidentally…Germany, Italy, and Japan were allies during WWII. Walt Disney’s intentions could be questioned as to why he welcomed Nazi director Leni Riefenstahl to help him create these ‘toons.
7. ED, EDD, EDDY
Okay, not going to lie here. This show is obviously suspected of some form of adultish-inappropriate language or gestures somehow. Three teenage boys, a neighborhood, no money. Typically resembles teenagers in the real world. At No. 7, an episode of Ed, Edd, Eddy called “Look Before You Ed” was aired in 2008 where all three boys are playing in the snow and Eddy says the lines, “After all, what’s winter without a snow job, eh, Sockhead? Get it? Snow…Job?” Double D replies to Eddy by saying “Yes, well…that was clever…” Very clever, agreed. Unless there is a such thing as a snow job, maybe where someone shovels your yard…or y’know? Most children will not understand these one-liners that are popping up; but honestly, they will understand them some day.
6. FOSTERS HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS
Great googly-moogly. Seems like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon are on a role, here. Remember that show that had the short boy with the brown hair, and the blue blob? Or was he a ghost? In a show from Cartoon Network’s Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends called “Squeeze the Day” Mac persuades Bloo to go and watch some “adult” videos Frankie has upstairs. Rapidly shouting “Frankie has these movies in her room – I asked if I could watch them but she said they were for…GROWN-UPS-ONLY!”. So excited that Mac starts to shake Bloo violently before Bloo gives a small smirk and prances upstairs to Frankie’s bedroom. Now, there wasn’t actually an X-rated video playing up there. But, a waiter in the video says to the woman, “If I could look upon your garden every day, I’d die a happy man.” This one is pretty self-explanatory. Give it a rest, would ‘cha? Oh man!
5. ADVENTURE TIME
Adventure Time, a new popular show also aired on Cartoon Network in 2010 had a sensitive moment when Jake and Finn had a small talk in the episode “Burning Low”. Finn’s arm, shaped like a stairway to make a point to Jake while explaining, “Let me explain some junk about dating. Right now, you’re at tier one, which is hugging. But, pretty soon you’ll be at tier two which is smooching. Then, down the road you’ll make it to tier five – where she’ll let you discover all fifteen feet of her long beautiful stomach. And after a while, you’ll make it to tier eight! Where you’ll touch her horn for the very first time.” Uh-oh, is Finn implying they’ll do-the-do? The answer is no. Jake will touch her horn for the very first time. So the cartoon says.
4. COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG
Courage the Cowardly Dog a classic cartoon by Cartoon Network and also one of the creepiest, comes in at No. 4 on the list due to supernatural phenomenon and aggressiveness. Some episodes like “The Clutching Foot”, “Violin Girl”, and “King Ramses’ Curse” all aired in the early 2000’s and are pretty terrifying. The Clutching Foot is an episode where Eustace gets a foot infection so bad that his foot turns purple the size of a smart car, swallows him, and speaks. His talking foot then begins to stomp on Mariam repeatedly in order to manipulate courage into driving them to the bank, (yes them in accordance to all five toes) or “the fat lady gets it, see.” Judging from the accent, maybe an inside joke about the mafia or New York’s criminals.
When Violin Girl spinned off, it seemed like the scariest thing a child could see on television. In Violin Girl, Courage is ordered by a subway coach roach to get a package. He opens a door in a red apartment and finds a girl sitting on a stool playing beautiful music. The girl turns around and makes horrific googled-eyed faces at Courage. Courage then of course runs away, scared out of his mind.
Return the slab! King Ramses’ Curse, where the ghost of a King named Ramses apparition appears in front of Miriam and Eustace’ home repetitively saying the words, “Return the missing slab…”. The ghost also states, “Return the slab…or suffer my curse…” the 3D, dreamy eyed, wavy, green-dress figure’s voice and body synchronically move with the wind as he speaks. A rated-E show that swiftly moves to rated-R.
3. POWERPUFF GIRLS (HIM)
Him Who Should Not Be Named or formally known as HIM in The PowerPuff Girls was believed to be Satan. With his mirrored, distant, hallucinogen high pitched voice; that alone can make a creepy character and disturbance to a kids mind state. The character is red with horns and sometimes burst out in flames. In episode “Octi Evil” where Bubbles’ Octopus becomes possessed, the narrator of the cartoon says “This is a villain so evil, so horribly vile that even the utterance of his name strikes fear into the hearts of men! The only safe way to refer to this king of darkness is simply…Him”. The evil, crossed-dressed devil wants to destroy the PowerPuff Girls, and in the episode mentioned above convinces Bubbles that Blossom is too bossy and Buttercup should take over, causing conflict between the three.
2. REGULAR SHOW
Coming in at two! Regular Show, Regular show comes across as a show for adult or 17+ viewing due to the amount of adult jokes in the show. With one open ear and the other not listening, a person is able to hear something considered “dirty” to the public and then the characters give the other half of the joke that fills in for the inappropriate other half. In “Just Set Up The Chairs”, Rigby (the raccoon character) says to Mordecai “Benson’s gonna’ drop his balls when he sees how good we are setting up these chairs!” quickly followed by the words, “He’s gonna be like…oh, my gumballs!” With a simple quick flick through the channels – it’s probable that if you’re from the ages 0-14, your mom will put a block on Cartoon Network. Mom, you didn’t hear the second part of the joke! C’mon?
1. REN AND STIMPY
Oh yeah, Nickelodeon’s Ren and Stimpy makes it to number one because of its open and frontward profanity, sexual concepts and subliminal messages. The show is known for its hip-humor, bare butts, and harsh language. But one episode was shockingly violent. “Don’t Whiz On the Electric Fence” when Stimpy gets a new best friends and destroys Ren’s personal belongings, Ren gets hostile with Stimpy and his new companion, saying “Oh-what-I’m-gonna’-do-to-you….I’m so angry…First, I’m gonna’ tear your lips out. Yeah, that’s what I’m gonna’ do.” Followed by “And then, I’m gonna…gauge your eyes out. Yeah. That’s what I’m gonna’ do…” Hostile much?
The show had a spin off called “The Adult Party Cartoon” where yes, the same ol’ characters Ren & Stimpy are featured, but with much more content for a mature audience. In the selection there’s an episode titled “Get It Up” that suggest….sex? Have a look for yourself. 
Like this? Read I Was Raised on Television here.
