Subliminal Messages

Goodbye Scooby-Doo. Hello Pokemon (Po-kay-mon). Ben's latest obsessive show has even LESS educational value than the first and even more potential for inappropriate behavior. The craziest part is that he has uncovered a secret side to Pokemon.

Now for those of you not in-the-know, Pokemon is some bizarre Japan-i-mation type cartoon. It's about a boy named Ash who goes on a never-ending quest to be the best Pokemon Trainer ever. What's a Pokemon? Little creatures with various powers and personalities that Ash must catch in a Poke Ball and then train to battle other Pokemon who are owned by other Pokemon Trainers for no apparent reason. I also learned on Wikipedia that Pokemon is evidently Japanese for "Pocket Monsters." That doesn't make them better. Oh, that and it was created by our good friends at Nintendo and the whole purpose of the cartoon was to sell video games. Quality children's programming.

The first Pokemon that Ash captured (way back in 1995) was named Pikachu (peek uh chew) (see photo below).

I forgot to mention, Pokemon can only say their names... it might be the most annoying part of the show. A common series of dialogue would go like this:
Ash: Pikachu
Pikachu: Peek-a, peek-a (high pitched voice, like saying "EEK!" at a mouse)
Ash: Activate "lightning bolt attack"
Pikahcu: PPPPPEEEEEEEKKKKKKK-AAAAAAAA-CHUUUUUUUUUUU (voice becomes possessed and growly, but still high-pitched... like nails on a chalkboard)
(background noise: Heather shoving an ice pick in her ears)

Ben REALLY loves this show and I think his favorite part is acting out random scenes from the show. It was during just such a recreation that Don and I discovered the strange undercurrent that obviously runs through the show.

While playing hide-and-seek in my collection of throw pillows on our bed, he said the following:

B: I'm a Pokemon. Guess which one..
H: Ok.

B: Bagel. Bagel.
H: ummmmmmm.....
B: Duh, Mommy. I'm Peek-a-Jew.

Yeah. You read that correctly... that's what he calls the little yellow guy and that's what he says when he pretends to be said Pokemon.