The thing I find interesting is that most of these episodes involves the person losing themselves in their popularity, usually becoming egotistical jerks. Helga remained the same person when she became the It Girl, and ironically, not being herself is what got her back to normal.
True, and I’d argue the first three are really just feeding off of the environment and culture they were born into. It’s a lot of external influence that is making them act how they do.
In my little pony (friendship is magic),Fluttershy becomes a model. She is shy and she hates the job, but she only does it because her friend, Rarity, keeps cheering her on. On the other side, Rarity is actually jealous, but wants to be a good friend so she is being extra supportive. She knows Fluttershy is shy, and she thinks this job will help her flourish. In the end the misunderstanding is cleared up and Fluttershy quits. I think it was also another good spin on the concept.
Susie's situation is so heartbreaking. Even with talent and hardwork, breaking into the entertainment industry requires OPPORTUNITY, making it seem too unattainable, making it all too familiar when her parents tell her to focus on other things. The digital era may make it easier to put yourself out there, but the chances of being seen still feel about the same.
the scaming part was the most "ah it hurts" to me because its not just being robbed of money it also fills like proof of your worthlessness because somebody liked you only to gain something off you, and also made you let down your loved ones, in this case sister giving you 1000$ just to waste it
Um, when her sister got upset after the scam was revealed, I was like.....but why didn't you go with Susie to the demo tape session then??? Makes no sense.....
As a photographer I would have loved to shoot her cover album, I wish I could have been there knowing what I know now about scams. But if these people running modeling agencies and studios really think they can make money off of your work. They won't be asking money from you.
Another show worth mentioning that also tackled this topic, was an episode on Recess when the Ashleys decided to enter Spinelli into a beauty pageant as a mean joke. Spinelli‘s friends encourage her to go through with it, and try to win the contest to get back at the Ashleys. And at the contest, Spinelli is in the final round but can’t go on with the fake façade anymore, and tells the judges on stage who she really is on the inside and walks away thinking she lost, only for the judges to stop her, telling her they chose her as the winner for being herself.
Whole heartedly loved Spinelli! It was a tough call on picking what episodes to use as I had to try and balance relevance and the show’s popularity. It was a great episode, but I was afraid people wouldn’t remember/love Recess that much. Seems I was way off! Looks like everybody loved the show too!
In Suzie's situation it goes to show what a lack of security schools had when we were growing up for a fake talent scout to be able to casually be there. Where now days when I go to my daughter's school to drop her off, pick her up, or simply visit the school it is heavily secured!
The Phineas and Ferb one really did some clever twists on the giant creature trope. A giant woman climbs a skyscraper and it's not causing mass panic among the citizens?! Nice.
What makes you say that? She embraced who she is at all times. The point of the video flew over your head- Just because Mandy is strong, scary, and terrifically terrifying, doesn't mean she can't like pink and flowers and has to embrace goth aesthetic when its not her thing.
@@neonflights5951As a long-time fan of the show, so so agree. Why does Mandy need to be another stereotype? I think she's cool as she is. You can have attitude, be bold, be accepting of yourself, like 'odd' things and still be feminine/like traditionally feminine attire. Adhering to a stereotype would dampen her character. She's unique because she doesn't fit into any pre-established mold or archetype. As a young girl, Mandy gave me comfort because of that. I was kinda the opposite of Mandy. I was a total tomboy, but kind, caring, and friendly. And also attracted to other girls, which I related to in Mandy because she wasn't attracted to anyone. Except for Piff that one time but she quickly got over him when she saw how pathetic he really was. I was really happy with that episode because like, it was very validating to see Mandy totally get over a boy. Idk. I was an oddball, but I liked who I was. I still do. Mandy is cool. If they ever reboot, I hope they don't change her.
Yeah, Mandy was kinda counterculture for the times. No need to be put in a box. She was terrifying and dressed in pink. She was a living contrast and it was amazing. @@CasualVFlowerEnjoyer
The Billy & Mandy one though, Mandy has smiled plenty in the show, almost always sadistic smiles where she's amused at the misfortune of others, but still smiles.
You're on to something with this format! Most cartoon video essayists run with a series or a simple theme within that series, like 'weird,' 'strange,' or 'scary' episodes. Taking an abstract concept and comparing different shows' approaches gives more room for originality by letting ideas bounce off one another.
Thanks! I’m trying to bring as much originality as I can to each video. That’s why I try to make most of my video concepts lead with some overarching story that’s external to the episode. It’s a niche that I saw wasn’t occupied and cartoons were so prominent in my childhood that I have so many stories that I can pull from. Thanks for the thought out comment!
I full on agree with you. That it is sad so called "It Girl's" go through what Helga did in that episode. Also I am wondering if Helga took up that offer to get her parents attention?
Possibly. I feel like Olga would have been the It Girl during her time in school, so maybe Helga was doing it with some intentions of getting her parents to pay attention
I actually used to participate in child beauty pageants, my mom wasn't nearly as obsessive and I did it because I thought they were fun. I did several of these contests and won a few of them. The swimsuit contests were a HUGE part of them. You kind of have to wear skimpier bikinis for a better shot at winning. Looking back it was super weird
@@keeperofthetale I don't know if pageants will become less popular or more so start to move away from the more harmful aspects. You still have stuff like Miss Country and Miss Universe which basically require an entire life of training to get into, so child pageants may still be needed for the experience. But at the same time I think the law is starting to catch up with these kinds of shows and we'll be seeing a lot of regulations, especially with the increase in child influencer laws. The pageant circuit is *HELL* if you get too overzealous and focus on winning rather than just having fun.
I totally ruined my legs as a young teen, I gave into the belief a girl must have hairless legs and underarms to be "clean, and acceptable", I now have what they call strawberry legs, when before I had lovely legs that did not have little red dots over them. It's sad because I'm a natural blonde so if I had just left my legs alone you wouldn't have seen the hair. Sigh. I'm so against a lot of targeted ads toward young women and teens, it spreads misinformation and keeps lining the pockets of people who aren't making these for our "health, happiness or sanity".
@carlycrays2831 I still have so many memories of my peers being so critical of everything that your body does naturally, and if the girls were super critical the boys were even more so uninformed and so sure of their incorrect, misinformed knowledge. It wasn't even okay to correct a boy, I hated the way popular media had made it impossible to say anything and still be seen as a regular girl. Eventually, I became that person in high school who actually knew the correct information about sex, consent, and health, and that wasn't a 50-year-old man. It got me treated like a Mom by some, usually friends, and I was only good enough to talk to if it was about something you didn't trust your "friends" with if you had many. Teens deserve accurate, unbiased, and clear access to information about their bodies, and everything they are going through. But still, there are beliefs girls must do xy&z to be considered good girls and never otherwise. 'It girls' continue to push unattainable beauty standards for most of the population. It's hard being a girl, and even harder being a woman.
If it's strawberry legs, you can get a really good scrub. Strawberry legs are usually a product of accumulation of dirt under pores. Also, see a dermatologist. It shouldn't be irreversible.
@gabriellemeche992 I have, but it's very difficult to scrub hard. My skin is highly sensitive due to fibromyalgia so if it gets scrubbed too hard it is like my skin has been scalded with boiling water or burned. So I've learned to live with it as a representation of my foolishness to believe my body is bad or dirty in its natural untampered with state. So I don't buy into the idea body hair is gross, if you shower with some good soap your fine.
Your channel is criminally underrated! You remind me of Jordan Fringe and from DuskTilShawn but you have your own voice and perspective that's really refreshing. Keep doing what you're doing.
@@kathrineici9811I was about to say this. We got two version of that in Kim possible one where he got money and another one where he got a new hair cut. Both episodes end with Ron realizing he wasn’t being true to himself and going back to normal, a lot of the episodes focusing on him had a “just be yourself” message
This was a really well-done video essay; I admire the ability to find a recurring theme in seemingly different scenarios, and while I've gotten over a need to be popular, I now have a clearer perspective on this type of thing than before. Thank you!
This what bugs me the most as a human people thinks beauty is the key to success even though males, females, trans female/males and others (non-binaries ) trying their best to make theirselves happy not just for people but for themselves. (Also sorry if my writing is not good.)
Mandy to me is an icon. This episode always spoke to me as a kid and still does as an adult. We're told to give up what makes us who we are to be "beautiful", and even the girl who knows being beautiful isn't the most important thing in the world is occasionally going to feel that pressure building up. I buckled to the pressure in my teens, and am just now in my mid-20s really coming to terms with the fact that I'm just not a feminine woman and that's okay, I don't need to win a beauty pageant to be beautiful (not that I'd want to even try lol) 😅 This whole episode is a great example of how even someone who is usually very confident in themselves (or at least appears that way to others) can have some underlying insecurities that effect them from time to time. ❤ Plus as a woman who's been told one too many times I need to "smile more" cuz I'd be "so much prettier if I smiled"; I will always appreciate the heck out of the fact that when Mandy finally buckled to everyone telling her she *has* to smile to be beautiful that it *literally breaks the universe*. Moral of the story, stop telling us to smile 😂😂😂😂 It'll break the universe darnit!
That smile became the downfall of everybody, right? Lol yea I agree, there can be a lot of pressure put on teens to look a certain way, which isn’t always in the individual’s best interest
I watched this on my TV & had to switch to my phone just to comment. This is such a great & well written analysis video, & gives me a new appreciation for these episodes and what they were trying to say. Thanks for this!
Thanks for the thought out comment. It’s a really sobering feeling when someone reaches out to let me know how a video positively affected their day! I’ll probably never get past it. Thanks again!
This makes me wonder if this is why Gravity Falls, Amphibia, The Owl House and The Ghost and Molly McGee shook up It Girl in their shows. Yes Gravity Falls' Pacifica was the closest to trope, but they did give her a smidgen more character and being the first of these shows it make sense that it would have the least drastic change.
Yea Peggy always struck me as kind of insecure and a lot of episodes center around that aspect of her. She’s got some great episodes and was a pretty dope character to see.
A similar episode to Hey Arnold's "It Girl" is the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode Green Isn't Your Color where the socially anxious Fluttershy gets roped into being a runway model thinking its what her friend wants her to do while secretly hating it (while her friend is jealous 'cause she wishes she were the one in the spotlight). Like Hey Arnold's "It Girl", she tries messing up the runway performance only for the attempt to fail.
Dude! Totally love this video! How you used different epsiodes to aproach the "It Girl" theme in a olisitc way and giving an awesome conclusion:"It's not bad to admire somone or entretainment but it's also important to separete that admiration from an unreachable concepto of perfetcion" Also love your voice! It always gives me peacfull vibes! Good luck with your future videos!!!!!!
I didn't know beauty pageants or the it girl existed outside of cartoons,I've never heard of a real beauty pageant or the it girl, I've never seen one,they're never on tv ethier,,no one mentions it,or talks about or anything,so I've only seen them in cartoons my entire life
Pageants are not a mainstream thing as much as they used to be. Yet they are still pretty common, with miss America and miss Universe still occurring annually. The term It Girl is more so a coined phrase for a young media backed girl who can help brands and entertainment push an image. With that being said, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. I’m genuinely intrigued though, if you don’t mind me asking; before now, the only time you’d seen or heard about pageants existing was in cartoons? Never like a news report or magazine or anything? Honey boo boo? That’s super interesting
When it comes to make-up and similar things I think you should decide what makes you feel good about yourself and your looks. Now going overboard to the point where you are buying stuff because others are telling you to is a bad idea.
It honestly kinda bothers me that one of the loud house sisters is a beauty pageant. Like I get it, they wanted to bring a yin yang dynamic with one twin being a tomboy, the other more of a girly typ, but I think there are much better methods than a beauty pageant. Like Rarity from MLP G4. Is bad enough that the loud house parents appearently don't know what protection is.
Honestly I wouldn’t have an issue with Lola being a beauty pageant if it wasn’t for the weird twerking “gags” the writers put her in in the early seasons. That along with several other scenes makes her being a beauty pageant girl feel somewhat creepy and like it’s an excuse to be weird with the character.
You know, I'm a mix bag regarding the BP twin. But the charm of it, despite it being very weird irl (very disgusting & creepy in my personal opinion), sticks onto the concept quite well. I like idea the twin BP wanted in and it stuck because the mother doesn't seem to be the type of cares of such things. But I dropped the series when the spin-off came out, because the general writing of the main series started going downhill (plus drama on the creator/writer) and the flanderization of the siblings and general cast was so unappealing. @@blueizumi @toongrowner1
Yea it’s ironic since being a tall woman in school usually isn’t looked at the same as out of school. You’d be considered too short at like 5’7-5’8 as a runway model. Pretty crazy isn’t it?
Swimsuit competition could be cute in a child pageant as long as nothing skimpy is allowed and everything completely covers the girl. It would need to be about beach related talents like throwing a beach ball or something. Can't be about the body. Children shouldn't be judged in that way.
To be realistic academically you only have a certain amount of years for certain careers to fulfill what is needed to have a diploma for those said careers now when it comes to things that are not academically inclined like in the music industry or acting those things fluctuate how much time you have to have experience for you to take off you know it doesn't really give you a set amount of time so as far as the Carmichaels telling their daughter that she has to have her priorities need to be ademic Lee incline I don't have a problem with that because when she's done with her academic saying that she has a back-up plan in academics but everything else is fine you know if it doesn't work for her as a singer or whatever else she wants to be then you know she has her diplomas and all that to fall back on I mean really all she would have to do is do a refresher of whatever the career was you know
Thanks Patrick! I feel like topic diversity that still is grounded in the niche of popular older cartoons is going to be important for my channel going forward.
@@keeperofthetale It will. Branding and niche is everything and I really like the older 90s/00s niche you got going. That's my childhood as well as yours I'm assuming. Keep up the good work!
It's nice to think about all the positive messages in cartoons, at least, older cartoons. On a sidenote, I don't think I could ever feel comfortable watching a swimsuit competition with children; the implication just seems too big and gross.
@@keeperofthetale Sorry! Perfecto was a name of a Classmate. But yeah, it's kinda sad that the episode is still very relevant especially with "Influencers" Sorry for the late reply too, Phone literally told now about the comment. But I look forward to your videos and continue watching and with permission if I could recommend an underrated gem of a show?
In the episode, phineas an ferb say it only works once so that was the answer to making here normal sized. Shoot the universe and make it Candace sized lol
