A Rugrats Kwanzaa Controversy

[@Idiotbox186]

Chuckie saying he ans Susie looked like brother and sister after she did his hair was so sweet 😭😭

[@Arsenicsquirrel]

Was thinking the same thing what sweet goober

[@xLadyRaine]

rugrats is really such a soothing and cute show.

[@SailorMya]

100% what a kid would say "Only I have more freckles!" pointing out actual traits instead of skin tones because that is what kids see that makes them different! So sweet!

[@dr.penguinstein3426]

I think Lambchop's Hanukkah said it best "But I'm not Jewish" "So? You celebrate someone's birthday even though it's not yours, right?"

[@nationalinstituteofcheese3012]

I’M STEALING THIS

[@dr.penguinstein3426]

@nationalinstituteofcheese3012 I suggest you watch Lambchop's Hanukkah. It's a surprisingly sweet piece of insanity that has celebrity guest stars and a jab at Christmas but it never feels mean-spirited. It's all in good fun and it's become a staple of our holiday party

[@MrFunnyHandsInYourPants]

See my then-gf coulda celebrated xmas with me. She aint Christian, she's "spiritual." Three days before the holiday, she went on an ugly tirade over something trivial; totally blowing it out of proportion. What did I do the next day? Took her Christmas presents back for a refund. I was looking FORWARD giving them to her. Now I am treating myself! Stay humble and blessed!

[@untunedguitar45]

@@MrFunnyHandsInYourPants you dodged a bullet

[@tobydandelion]

​@@MrFunnyHandsInYourPantsI think Jesus would have preferred you still give the gift. As a Christian, you're supposed to be the more kind and humble person.

[@prowolf633]

A Rugrats Kwanzaa is one of the best specials they ever made one of Susie’s best stories (especially since they didn’t give her enough!)

[@DuskTillShawn]

I absolutely love this one! It did a great job of expanding on Susie without a doubt!

[@joshuatewolde1837]

@@DuskTillShawn Happy New Year, DuskTillShawn! 🎉🎉😊❤

[@Delbel_Giggles91]

Agreed

[@lexiatel]

This episode feels standa-lonish, almost as if they were testing to see if people would t have minded a Susie spin off show.

[@odinfromcentr2]

4:35 - Didi came from a Jewish family and Stu didn't, so the holidays were that much richer. That episode with Angelica stealing the Latvian folk dance CD from the Finsters seems to suggest Chaz and Chuckie are of _Baltic_ German descent. Not many people post-1945 seem to remember that was a thing. The Carmichaels weren't written as insulting stereotypes. And the way all the kids are invited into the Kwanzaa celebration is so sweet. 😊

[@Yamamanama]

Maybe Chaz just really likes Baltic folk music.

[@arensymmonds116]

I am surprised that Angelica is not in this episode

[@TheSapphireLeo]

Also weren't some of their grand parents Russian?

[@yotsubafanfan]

I'm thankful for this episode. I live in rural western Kentucky so diversity is the last thing on anyone's minds. That was except for my second grade teacher. She taught us a lot about different cultures. In 2nd grade my teacher asked the class what the three winter holidays were. I rose my hand proudly saying Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. She was surprised and very proud and called me very smart. I didn't have the heart to tell her it was all because I learned about it on Rugrats. Because of that I always have a soft spot for this excellent episode.

[@lexiatel]

That's cute ❤️

[@Mariescott3380]

Adorable.

[@charlesbennett7484]

I also learned about Kwanza and Hanukha from Rugrats.

[@lordsofanime7890]

I found the scene with Susie's mother being able to attend college thanks to the help of her Great Aunt to be touching. It hit a chord with me as my family is nothing like that, if I needed money like that, I'd be expected to pay it back and owe them something for it. Idk I just found that scene heartwarming.

[@iamjames8403]

Nothing is free in life not even death.

[@lukespillman1313]

It’s not often that a TV show has a special about Chanukah or Kwanzaa. Most of the time there has been more Christmas specials than Chanukah or Kwanzaa specials.

[@NegaHumanX]

I sometimes think of X-Men Evolution and how many of those characters could have had episodes devoted to their cultures. Rogue and Nightcrawler could have had a family bonding moment on a German holiday or Kitty could have had more than a single scene devoted to Chanukah. Storm, Sunspot or Jubilee would be pretty good candidates. Imagine a Magneto International Holocaust Remembrance Day episode. He could bring Charles to where his parents were taken during the war and have their backstories play out as they spend the day in a nearby town.

[@Dr.Mlieko]

Honestly, at this point there might be more Kwanzaa specials than actual people celebrating it

[@sup_my_bwana]

As it should be

[@bellalalala-v2e]

@@sup_my_bwanaSad ragebait attempt

[@lilz]

@@bellalalala-v2esad and WEIRD 😂

[@Wolfcreed117]

3:02 Stew: "Crossbite!?"😂 Also Buster saying "How am I supposed to feed all these kids!?" Had me laughing hard.😂😂😂

17:42

[@jenneacubero1036]

"Rugrats", "Arthur" and "Proud Family" were the big three in teaching Gen Z about Kwanzaa. I never realized how underrated Aunt T was and the fact that she didn't get more episodes is a robbery. Just imagine how she and Grandpa Lou would've interracted!

[@odinfromcentr2]

Those two together would have been both hilarious and heartwarming, I think, both being dedicated to family as they are.

[@h193013]

@@odinfromcentr2Imagine if they got married. Susie and Tommy would be related somehow. I do like Lulu though.

[@PoliticalAbstract]

Gen Z? More like young millennials

[@bailey7792]

Im sorry Gen Z lmao? No. As a millennial with gen z siblings.. absolutely not. That was way before their time. Rugrats was a millennial cartoon. Get real

[@qorv4973]

I loved the Proud Family episode!

[@Yukisomahira]

I defo grew up to become Stu making Chocolate Pudding at 4am, Cause I lost control of my life lmaooo 😹😹

[@LegendStormcrow]

Only to realize you didn't get milk and for some reason you have WAY too many eggs,.and didn't plan a meal with them.

[@nostalgiamostalgia0319]

Seeing good African American culture in media is great, and a little girl like Susie is a prominent example of this, especially in the semi-finale, Snow White where she played the titular character in a contrast the common stereotype which was done so amazingly! Thank you Cree Summer, Hattie Winston, and Kevin M Richardson.

[@Hawkeyslim]

We aren’t Africans though 😂

[@nationalinstituteofcheese3012]

@@HawkeyslimWhat?

[@Hawkeyslim]

@@nationalinstituteofcheese3012 idk what’s so confusing about what I said. We aren’t Africans

[@thefanwithoutaface8105]

@@nationalinstituteofcheese3012 Basically he's saying if you were born in America and raised in America you aren't African since you don't really have ties to African culture.

[@shimauta619]

Suzie playing Snow White is hilariously inappropriate. The character in question is named that for a reason. It's not like with many other female protagonists of fairy-tales. It's a not a stereotype that the character only be played by white girls. White is in her name. Snow which is white is in her name. Her description speaks of skin pale as snow. Don't be obtuse.

[@MelonTartVA]

I find it funny how Kwanzaa gets the complaint of being commercialized by Rugrats but the Hanukah episode didn’t get the same complaint.

[@MFOY1990]

I'm here after a year or so of watching you videos for comfort, a year that was the hardest of my life, and the fact that I'm still hearing, watching your videos, makes me glad I'm still here. Thank you for helping me get this far.

[@mariebelladonna437]

Shawn, I grew up in the 80s, so I was just a tad bit old for Rugrats. That said, it was everywhere, I had a younger sister and a lot of younger cousins, so I watched more than a few episodes, lol. But I had never seen this one. It truly made me want to cry, especially the Suzy/Chuckie scene. I don't celebrate Kwanzaa, as I'm just a random, middle-aged white chick from Indiana (lol). But I do celebrate multiple holidays this time of year, as my husband is Jewish, so we celebrate both Christmas and Hanukah in our household. And to see another culture's beliefs represented so respectfully, so thoroughly, and so beautifully, just warms my heart. This episode, even told in summation by you, really made me emotional. As for the companies that capitalized on it, that does suck. But it's a double-edged sword. We definitely should bring understanding, and through that, acceptance, of other cultures, and that can only be done through open representation. But the flip side to that, especially in the US, is that the greedy corporations will always see that as an opportunity to cash in, and they will always take it. Always. Unfortunately, I don't think you can have one without the other. The only thing we CAN do, is teach our children what's REALLY important about the holidays, and hope they hold those values close to their hearts. As an aside, I just want to say I love ALL your videos. You have one of the kindest, most soothing voices I've ever heard. Your analyses are always so deep and meaningful. Your videos bring nostalgia. And the love you show your family of viewers is very special. Please keep on being you, and we'll keep on watching! We love you!!

[@oooh19]

Frankly it’s annoying when people complain about how this season is too commercialized but it’s also helping the economy and giving people great memories as well and some things you associate with certain holidays, plus isn’t it a positive thing that kwanza is getting more acknowledgment?

[@AnAverageGoblin]

@@oooh19 I suppose the "problem" is the focus on the profit the holiday makes and not the meaning or culture behind it.

[@Hawkeyslim]

@@oooh19 nobody celebrates kwanza. It’s not a real American holiday. It doesn’t hold any historical significance to us.

[@oooh19]

@ isn’t it an African holiday? So African Americans would maybe celebrate it

[@SpaceandGoats]

Fellow Hoosier ❤

[@GhostKyng]

As a avid Rugrats fan, i loved every episode that explored different cultures and holidays instead of the normal Christmas episodes like usually. I can’t believe that this episode got controversial comments.

[@sometimesjoeyplays]

Shawn, this was really well put together, I’m right around your age so I vividly remember this Rugrats special. I appreciate the closing part of this video, especially because this episode is how I learned that Kwanzaa existed, and presumed it was just as popular as Channakuh and Christmas because of those Rugrats episodes (truth be told I have not met 1 person that observes Kwanzaa, and my gf is from Africa, she never observed it). Interesting what ulterior motives grown ups may have had behind this special. Happy New Year to you Shawn and your family, keep up the good work!

[@lemb8942]

Rugrats has always been one of my favorite tv shows growing up brings so much nostalgia.

[@ashleeramey]

Until I saw this episode, I didn't know what Kwanzaa was about. I'm glad they made holiday episodes of different traditions ❤

[@charlesbennett7484]

We need more shows that do this.

[@michaelladarkangelsparkle9908]

This ep taught me what Kwanzaa was and i loved it! Santa experience was my episode but Passover Hanukkah Kwanzaa eps etc taught me other things and i loved learning about other holidays bc i just love holidays! They get ppl to enjoy each other and be happy for once (atleast in my fam) hope everyone's holidays were and continue to be wonderful! 🎊🎉🎁🎶

[@Crimson_Knight004]

This was a wonderful analysis! I always loved this episode when I was a kid. I can see how it could’ve contributed to the commercialization of Kwanzaa, but at the same time, such things are an unfortunate inevitability. If anything, I’m glad that the holiday was brought more into the mainstream by a show with such a respectful, thoughtful, and well-researched approach.

[@michulafrance117]

29:59 omg I’ve never seen this episode… as a black woman it tugs on my heart. ♥️ I get so emotional when I look at family’s pictures. I love this… I’m crying it’s so cute…

[@katattack64DS]

Same here. Aunt T reminds me of my own boisterous great aunt. She's that glue that keeps us together and reminds us of the importance of family :)

[@caitlynamanda5736]

This guy gives me hope in todays society These videos always leave me feeling reflective and supported

[@AnAverageGoblin]

I feel like there is definitely a line between "this company wanted to profit off of a Kwanzaa special" and "the people writing the show actually cared about it" but I do understand the point of the controversy. its a shame to some extent it overshadowed the message since its a genuinely good one.

[@EmilyASMRchannel]

This episode was sweet and informative. It was directed by a black man and had nothing disparaging about African American culture throughout.. Like I was watching this waiting for that “aha” moment where it becomes controversial. It doesn’t. And as far as “profiting” and “commercializing Kwanzaa” goes, kids back then were watching rugrats either way. It’s not like they were selling rugrats Kwanzaa merch. The critical response was mostly good. There was just a couple nay sayers who always find something to complain about.

[@angelacooper8973]

We’re black don’t call us African Americans. Most of us have never been to Africa

[@someguy3263]

​@@angelacooper8973You can't police what people call themselves

[@Drums_of_Liberation]

@@someguy3263 And you can't force a term that the culture doesn't want upon them. I've seen no black person call ever themselves African American and I sure as heck don't see myself or any other hispanic person for that matter call themselves latinx. I think we know ourselves better so we can police what we call ourselves

[@armhand97]

It’s mainly the bleeding hearts that are pushing such nomenclature

[@johndeconqueroo2808]

The term African American dates back 1782 in Pennsylvania. The term has been used for a very long time now and that’s what I identify as and no it’s being pushed by anyone

[@iancoyne2200]

Also I respect that you don’t like talking about your personal life on the internet Shawn, but every time you do it’s so wholesome it makes me smile.

[@Irish_Ian17]

Seeing the Reptar Cereal Commercial in the first two minutes of the video instantly brought the jingle back to my head: 'They're Round! They're mean! They Turn Milk Green! Open up his mouth, Pour them out, Reptar Cereal it makes you wanna shout, Reptaaaaaaaar! We want Reptar! Reptar!' And now I want Cereal.

[@PoliticalAbstract]

As a black millennial I enjoyed the episode but I only celebrated Kwanzaa once as a kid but honestly I never knew one black person who celebrated Kwanzaa and that’s not to say some didn’t but I and others didn’t really celebrate it

[@gh0rochi363]

Same never knew anyone that actually did it. I just knew about it from TV.

[@chrisrockett5897]

Honestly same.

[@Anastas1786]

It's a 59-year-old artificial holiday constructed from random bits and pieces of harvest traditions from across _all_ of the broad and complex cultural landscape of Africa, and that, for its first 31 years, was explicitly intended to help draw black people away from Christianity by giving them a vague, generically "African" substitute for Christmas. I actually find Kwanzaa pretty neat; I'm a sucker for symbolism, and a lot of the philosophy behind the symbols of Kwanzaa are moving, but I'm not surprised it's never caught on.

[@dave18527]

I’m black and I never seen any black person celebrate kwanza in my area we just have normal Christmas like everyone else

[@Kaydiva318]

Because we thought kwanza was an African holiday for Africans when it’s really made for black Americans

[@nextlevelreviews]

One huge thing I noticed between old Rugrats and New Rugrats was. Old Rugrats didn't seem to know what it wanted to be yet, it was peppered with adult humor, and at times they were straight up seperated from their parents in very dicey situations (Post office, Tommy getting Kidnapped (In two different episodes!), Tommy destroying a whole Grocery store, attacked by wild Geese etc) I would say after the Las Vegas TV movie, The show knew it wanted to be only a kid show.

[@eerieeric834]

I remember the proud family did an episode about Kwanzaa,

[@GhostKyng]

I love that episode

[@PlayfulFruitLPer]

Kwanzaa was a made up holiday in the 70's created to reject connection to "white" culture. And the origins of Kwanzaa are also made up LOL

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

Didn't cousin skeeter do kwanzaa too

[@battlestar976]

Both animations work fine and have their own charm

[@kayzaac]

Rugrats legit taught me that more celebrations were happening during December than just Christmas. And it taught me that very young. It's wild being an adult and so many older folk get so offended by that fact.

[@hannahlovescats91]

I learned about Kwanzaa from PBS' The Puzzle Place! They had very different kids on there too including a Jewish girl who had her Hanukkah episode and that was the first time I learned about Hanukkah as well! It's cool to think about the fact it was aimed at kids even younger and I was only 3 and 4 year and I loved it! I even had the dolls!

[@mysticmoth1111]

Childhood memory unlocked! I still remember the song, sorta.

[@Jezzikinz]

Loved that show as a kid. We had little plastic figurines of the characters as well!

[@AoiUsagiOtoko]

one thing i didn't notice about susie as a kid but i really appreciate as an adult is how sensitive she is-- her emotions can be very strong, she cries easily, but the show doesn't treat her as being wrong for the way she expresses her feelings. she's still the one they go to for support and advice, the other kids respect her and don't call her a crybaby. i WAS the sensitive kid when i was younger and went through hell for it so it's just kinda refreshing to see a character like that being treated with respect stuff that doesn't seem like a big deal to an adult can be HUGE for a little kid, they literally have no experience-- i've always been kinda bothered by people calling little kids "dramatic" tbh. especially kids around susie's age where they're still learning...literally everything

[@xLadyRaine]

I think it’s hilarious is that a british journalist had an issue with how Rugrats portrayed an African-American holiday. I don’t I just cannot take it seriously. I say this as an African-American who learned about the holiday from this episode and Proud Family. EDIT: I grew up with half siblings as well and I feel the same way as you.

[@guillermosierracuellar9812]

They also had a Hanukkah episode

[@akganimationstudioproducti3779]

And Passover

[@eeveefennecfox]

the only cartoon that does all the holidays,I loved learning all of the holidays from rugrats

[@prowolf633]

@@eeveefennecfox we need more of those now

[@ashkitt7719]

@@prowolf633 fr, especially ones about Judaism because I feel like Judaism doesn't get the representation it used to get I'm glad to have grown up in a time where Jewish representation in media was at its peak. Newer media, not so much from what I've seen. And I think we are seeing the effects of the lack of Jewish representation in media after the 90s or whenever.

[@JohnSmith-jh6ey]

Rugrats is the literal reason i know the Hanukah lore

[@Snakie747]

For me everything started feeling different after the first Rugrats movie with Dil being a regular part of the show. By Rugrats in Paris I was already long gone.

[@TheAllSeeingEye2468]

I only saw this once. And i didn't see the whole thing just a few scenes. Im surprised that Angelica wasn't in this ep. Then again i imagine that not even aunt T would tolerate her for more then 2 minutes

[@KetwunsGamingPad]

No holiday ever started commercialised and people find it controversial when a new one became as such. Honestly if one wanted to feel controversial you should feel the same about all of them. In the end, this is what happens when you reach the mainstream, someone is gonna think what’s the benefit now they know. Greedy human nature comes through sadly.

[@nationalinstituteofcheese3012]

Fun Fact: The woman who started Mother’s Day just wanted to celebrate her mother and regretted it seeing all the commercialization

[@lilpetz500]

Casual reminder that "wokeness" literally tends to just describe, awareness. Awareness of experiences that are different to yours. A lot of your favourite shows growing up were woke, and that was a wonderful thing that helped kids develop basic compassion or at least curiosity for others. I encourage people to think about why wokeness, being awake to the diversity of humanity, has become thrown around like an insult by certain people, and imagine what their ideal, anti-woke nostalgic shows, might look like.

[@gamer62589]

Here's a difference between what you said and what you're trying to compare with these shows and entertainment as whole. One didn't try to fill a quota or had something to say to make you feel like shit for something you had nothing to do with and basically made you out to be a enemy. While shows like Rugrats or Static Shock are just making you aware of certain issues, culture, and so on, by telling a story. Being back then people put story first among all else. Now its just some slam, hammered in, bullshit just designed to drudge up anger for certain people, which is why creators are so vindictive to anyone In short, there's a fine line between "wokeness" and awareness They are not the same

[@MYSTERIOUS-r9n]

The comment above me is right. Back then the message wasn't in your face. It was subtle, and wasn't prioritized over the story.

[@lilpetz500]

@@gamer62589 "wokeness" as understood in the modern day is a gross negative misuse of a civil rights era concept. But foundationally, they were the same, some examples even executed in a more tokenising and on the nose way in older material than modern works. The complaints about modern "woke" media being cheap and forced are disproportionate to actual cheap and forced examples, and there is currently a massive outpouring of baseless complaints and propaganda in order to consolidate far right power. This is not the fault of people trying to make the world better and represent their people in their work, they are having their work weaponised as a distracting culture war, so we don't organise. Please, try not to fall for it. "Woke media" is a non-issue - person of several marginalised groups, who is only just starting to be represented in media in the last few years, that is now getting censored and rolled back

[@AgentCupcake]

I love watching your videos and I want to thank you for making them and putting so much effort into that! I listen to a lot of your long videos when I'm studying or writing, and they really help me focus. Thank you for doing what you do! :)

[@DuskTillShawn]

Thanks, friend 😁 I appreciate your support so much. I hope you have an amazing New Year!

[@Yukisomahira]

Also, how sweet this episode is! I love when writers put an effort to bring diversity in such an organic and natural way! Plus the relatability with Suzy’s insecurities and all! Awesome!!

[@mahailiabrown3972]

As a person who has celebrated Kwanzaa since a child I'm so happy we were able to learn about other important holidays instead of just Christmas

[@IGotHands92]

This was the perfect depiction of an 86 year old African American women cause my grandma was 91 still taking day trips from charolette to Vegas

[@AluminumFusion22]

Something else to commend the 2001 iteration of Rugrats for is how Kimi, her mom and her culture are portrayed; while most pieces of media showcasing Japanese culture from the era would rely on stereotypes, Kimi and her mother were portrayed in a very respectful way, at least for the era the show came out.

[@ktash8937]

This episode is awesome. It's to the point, full of love, patience, compassion, and care. It's what we could use more of. What we've been getting lately is culture shoved down our throats and slandering those who are not knowledgeable of the culture, defeating the purpose of the cause.

[@Tacom4ster]

OOOH an hour long essay, already excited

[@DuskTillShawn]

Thanks for watching, friend! You’re the best 😁

[@HaleyJoAnna89]

I loved when Rugrats did this episode and the Chanukah episode. I loved learning that there were different celebrations.

[@Santoryu90]

I remember owning the VHS for this episode. I'm pretty sure it’s how I found out what Kwanzaa even was. I had no idea it was controversial whether or not actually contributed to commercializing Kwanzaa. It was still a nice episode. Also, I don’t know I thought the reboot was fine.

[@user-kz4ro9uq4q]

the dvd and such is normal for rugrats episodes. it also allows people to have a copy and watch it anywhere while avoiding the episode becoming rare. the episode seems good.

[@micahwilliams1449]

I wish modern cartoons were this bold, covering traditions like Kwanzaa, and what it's about. As well as holding no punches

[@micahwilliams1449]

they're about

[@walpoleandworcester]

I'm suddenly remembering a lot of the Rugrats holiday specials I watched such a long time ago. Thanks once again for all your amazing work on the channel!

[@frankbeach]

I loved this episode when I was a kid. I think mostly because Aunt T reminded me of a lady that worked at the church where I went to preschool. Her name was Wisdom... I probably also liked it because I never heard of Kwanzaa before and it sounded neat.

[@BasedBrave]

I really love your channel I always get a warm cozy feeling watching your videos

[@firepuppies4086]

I'll be honest, I forgot about the specifics.. then the actual recap started up and the memories are just... Shoot I'm crying a bit.

[@EdwinShy3200]

I still love that I share a name with Susie's brother, it's always surreal hearing my name pop up in anything I enjoy that isn't a video game with usernames or tags

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

Personally, I think Futurama had the best Kwanzaa moments in animation, but this is certainly a close second.

[@IAmNotAFunguy]

I don't see how this episode could have caused any "controversy", in fact it was a great episode that spotlighted a holiday that otherwise goes untouched by Mainstream TV shows! It's certainly not an "S" Tier episode like the Hanukkah episode was but it's still definitely "A" Tier! Not only does it cast Susie in the spotlight as the "main" child, but it also shows how she and the other babies, who are all white, are innocently good friends and don't care about things like their skin color! In addition, it casts a good moral that everybody does great things but aren't always recognized for it.

[@ashkitt7719]

I mean anything and everything can and will be "controversial" due to grifters manufacturing dissent over nothingburgers. Everything can and will be a culture war eventually and it sucks.

[@nationalinstituteofcheese3012]

@@ashkitt7719It’s how they divide us. Divide and conquer

[@Mariescott3380]

One of many favorite Rugrats episodes I love. I watched this from age 10 to teens. I still like Rugrats now.

[@JuniperMoonshine]

Shout out to Cree Summer! Her raspy voice (much like mine) , is so unique. BTW, she is still working. She voices Raishan from #LoVM (Legend of Vox Machina). 💜✨

[@Hwarming]

She's the Librarian in Abbott Elementary too

[@flatfacedcat]

I think this episode was, in a vacuum, very sweet, thoughtful, and respectful. Outside of itself, though, I do remember as a child noticing Kwanzaa "becoming a 'thing'" in stores, which even at the young age of 8 I found blatantly pandering.

[@JonCrs10]

Kwanzaa is so astroturfed I'm surprised anyone ever celebrated it genuinely.

[@sketchyskies8531]

As someone who grew up in the early 2000s, the new animation style didn’t really bug me at all, since I had no prior reference. That being said, I can understand why that change would be jarring for veterans of the show, and why they might have thoughts about the show following the movie

[@chrisrockett5897]

I'm glad SpongeBob didn't have those complaints until MUCH later on.

[@jat9926]

Oh the bottle weaning episode was heartbreaking

[@merteazy]

being told I am important was good to hear right now lol ty

[@philipbabb]

That so-called controversy is small potatoes. The episode is wholesome and thoughtfully made. The criticism boils down to "but capitalism bad" We're no stranger to holidays going materialistic because someone trying to make money joined in. Such is life. The wholesome content outways the cynical stuff.

[@jocoffee7096]

So you just wanted us to cry our eyes out huh?! Lol such a great video. Thank you for always making amazing content. ❤

[@reverendfink779]

please, pleeease use clips to visually illustrate citations! i.e. show a clip of 'parent of a preemie' to remind or enlighten viewers who may not have seen any of the show after a certain point, or those who didn't grow up with it or for whatever reason have only seen a few episodes. It shouldn't have sound or interrupt your monologue in any way, but a helpful silent annotation of pertinent imagery running beneath your oratory makes sitting through an hour long video about a 20 minute cartoon a far more attractive prospect.

[@lahlybird895]

Even if they were instructed by somebody higher up to make the episode that doesn't take away any of the time add attention to detail they put into it. Can we stop villainizing people for making money when they do it by doing things like this. Yeah the network made money on this episode, they also probably made money on all the other holiday episodes, that's kind of how TV shows work. And the fact that they put the episode into other forms of media is also something a lot of TV shows do, it helps spread the message farther and yeah it also gets people money. It's not a crime for something to do both. We have to stop acting like people have to go out of their way to not profit from any good they ever do otherwise it's bad.

[@jesterdays]

People often forget that this stuff is the product of multiple teams of people. Sure the intention might be shallow from the producers, but the artists, writing and animating this stuff actually care about what they're making most of the time.

[@lahlybird895]

@jesterdays exactly just because something has an agenda doesn't mean there isn't heart behind it not to mention literally the only way to fail an idea is to make sure it you know sells A message is not automatically bad just because people are making money off spreading it And how other people choose to react to something is not the fault of the original thing they reacted to

[@magsiii6055]

Okay I admittedly haven't watched one of your videos in A WHILE and I did not know about the giraffe sona and I just wanna say it's really cute.

[@sketchytwin2670]

Although Proud Family had a better approach to Kwanzaa, this episode was still a good one!

[@JohnSmith-jh6ey]

Susie gets really into singing in all grown up and a lot of people love her singing theres an episode where someone takes advantage of her by posing as an agent (it works out in the end)

[@anidnmeno]

_Husband stuck in Zanzibar_ "He'll be alright." Edit: anyone else think that Hey! Arnold would've made a better Kwanzaa special?

[@chrisrockett5897]

100%.

[@kadashiasquare5325]

I remember watching that when I was a kid I didn't understand it back then but I really appreciate you talking about because I'm not going to lie the moment you said Kwanzaa I immediately thought of that episode so I really appreciate you for that

[@iancoyne2200]

Thank You for making this video Shawn. It helped me understand this special better and really finally understand what the principles of Kwanza are all about and what the purpose of the holiday is.

[@She_it_her]

I learned so much from this video and I’m not even done. Great job❤

[@ashesandroses7485]

Harder for me to get through these longer videos because I’m working so much, but I’m happy I made time to watch it while gaming on my day off :)

[@She_it_her]

The commercialization argument is seriously flawed. Is the solution to never talk about the holiday?

[@elyselaura9232]

My dad to this day still talks about the Passover special because it's the only time he's seen a mainstream children's show take the time to explain a Jewish holiday with even less media representation than Hanukkah despite being one of our most significant. I think he'd say it's not so much commercialization so much as the crew of Rugrats using their platform to introduce their child audience to cultural practices that they might have never been exposed to otherwise.

[@dsouth7754]

9:24 Thanks for saying that. Last year I set out with a resolution of 2024 being the "year of change," and boy-howdy it was. Left my retail job after 14 years. Closed a forum I was no longer interested in. Working for myself. But 2025 is the year to expand on that, and it's time for me to stop being such a distant and emotionally neglectful friend to a bunch of amazing people in my life, online and off. Social anxiety is a really, really hard thing to live with even with medication. And so many of my friends _don't_ know I have it, which means by all outward appearances I'm willfully neglectful. I'm stopping that this year, I promise.

[@chrisrockett5897]

I feel that part about being emotionally neglectful.

[@joshuatewolde1837]

Happy New Year, DuskTillShawn! 🎉🎉😊❤

[@WitchesCoven0717]

I just got Aunt T's name sounds like Auntie lol.

[@misspinkpunkykat]

I remember another show with an elderly lady character called Aunt T. An old Twilight Zone episode where this single elderly lady takes in abandoned and abused children who just show up at her little cabin out of the blue. They never introduce her as anything but Aunt T. I wonder if it was meant to be Auntie.

[@jonshields5649]

I had an Aunt T, her name was Teresa. Whenever someone asked if I had seen my Aunt T, I would say which one, because I thought they said Auntie.

[@eepinwillow]

I thought they were saying auntie with a weird inflection at first 😂

[@Walid-mk4jo]

You gotta make a video analysis on the knock it off episode from the powerpuff girls where their is a bunch of clones made by the professor's old college roommate that is my favorite episode to date and I would love to see you cover it in more detail

[@charlesbennett7484]

I had just recently watched/rewatched Rugrats (I'd only seen up to the 1st movie before getting the DVD set) and I was genuinely surprised that the later episodes were just as good as the ones I grew up with! Amazing show and still fun to revisit.

[@prcervi]

guilty of adding to the commercialization of another holiday, but really only because it was a popular show that acknowledged the holiday's existence (and the physical media copies but those are also good for archiving)

[@MintyFreshCupcakes]

I don't know why but this one is making me ugly cry while cooking dinner. I am so touched by your analysis of this episode. Everyone deserves an Aunt T I'm their life

[@mintman325]

I remember growing up with early rugrats reruns and Paris was one of my first movies I remember. I distinctly recall watching the Passover and Hanukkah specials and remember wondering why more shows weren’t celebrating it there was only Christmas specials. I just remember thinking, “wow people do’s different things when it’s cold outside.”

[@samwise495]

Am I the only one who never knew Susie had siblings?

[@kccharles21]

You must have missed her debut episode then lol

[@angelacooper8973]

She had three. Her big sister and her brothers. Plus she was perfect for Angelica. They became friends

[@frostfyrezero1830]

I grew up celebrating it since the early 90s and went to a local church that held multicultural religious events, such as Hannukah and Eid. I haven't been to that church in recent years, but they still acknowledge it and hold a Kinara lighting ceremony every year.

[@EBThisThat]

I always found the flashback beautiful because I sing a bit myself and like Lucy at first I was really shy, but I overcame that with backup and support just like she did. I always found this episode very moving and educational and still do today.

[@KairaSuperSayan93]

This episode taught me about Kwanzaa and was interesting. I do like the bit where Suzie does Chuckie's hair and he thinks they look alike.

[@tic857]

I learned what about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa were from the Rugrats. It made me so much more aware of the motifs and colors I would see during the winter season. On top of that, though they never showed a Japanese holiday, we still got to enjoy some food and a traditional wedding dress and kimono from Kira and Kimi. And, I did not notice it until I was an adult but the incredible importance when Kira fixes Chuckie's teddy bear. As a kid I saw this a woman doing a very loving maternal thing to give to a child who was friends with her daughter but also the man she was starting to like. But as an adult, I see it as a part of the Japanese tradition of repairing items. Sashiko and Kintsuji. There was so much culture in the Rugrats from all sorts of cultures and families

[@wakkaseta8351]

Never forget Grandpa Boris was pretty much dropped as a character just because one of the comics featured him attending a synagogue.

[@nostalgiamostalgia0319]

He did reappear twice in AGU.

[@maxncheese5216]

Another great KZbinr to add to the collection ❤

[@SnuffalupagusRising]

"Suzy's mom is a doctor so they figure she might wanna tag along to a non-emergency that she is not on call for, on one of her few holidays, and they leave their two toddlers to wander into the house and fend for themselves while the only other adult is locked in a room writing gummy bear smut, seemingly unaware of the half dozen unsupervised babies." - what a time to be alive~ But srsly this was such a cute, age appropriate episode for its time.

[@kittyythecat]

You should talk about how Rugrats had a couple that was reverse gender roles. The twins' parents were ahead of their time with a masculine woman and a feminine man

[@amandalicorne7769]

Tbh i would have LOVED the reboot if it weren't for what they did with Suzie. She was always Angelica's age! She was her antithesis and they made her one of the babies! They totally forgot what her role in the show was!

[@FatMarioHeads]

It was so she could be one of the main cast, as if she stayed Angelica's age and was made a main character it'd mean she'd be Angelica's foil every time. But that being said I wasn't a fan of the change either

[@chrisrockett5897]

​@@FatMarioHeadsI really would've just wanted an All Grown Up sequel, but I don't want a monkey's paw situation.

[@acethememelorde4377]

Old rugrats has an almost surreal vibe to it. It's very unique

[@MochiSyrup]

I never saw this ep as a kid so hearing Suzie say that she's not great genuinely made me cry 😭

[@StanimalKingdom]

23:30 Fun fact: This is the 2nd time the power goes out at Suzie's house. Not many episodes take place here so why is the power always going out when they're here. The other one is when Alisa is babysitting and Buster has a friend over and are scaring them dressed as a monster. One of my favorite episodes. I always wanted the book of different monsters Suzie was showing Tommy. Also side note: Of all the holiday episodes, "The Santa experience" is the best, followed by "A Rugrats Chanukah". Im not racist but this episode was just meh. Just like most Suzie episodes except the monster book one and Suzie's stolen tricycle.

[@doelow8577]

Just watched this episode on Christmas and once prior too love the holiday episodes so much

[@mr.alucardrules4956]

I think you should put on your patron for a vote to review the what's new Scooby doo Christmas episode next year there's a surprisingly decent amount to discuss in it once you grow up