The Fresh Beat Band and other things to make me loose my mind

First, I will admit now that my kids watch way too much tv. Noggin is only pretty much all the time - it is just the way we are. I am very active in their lives. We play games and do arts in crafts, but the TV is unusually on in the background.

Now that's out of the way - I have to step on to me soap box to discuss the newest musically offering to my children by the folks at Nick Jr. - the Fresh Beat Band!

What the hell is this crap???? My kids love music - playing it, singing it and dancing to it - and I am accepting of their preferences. We listen to Kidz Bop on long car trips. I have The Wiggles, Backyardigans and the imagination Movers saved under their favorites lists. Don't even get me started on those crazy chipmunks who seems to duet with every tween star on the planet.... I get it.

Or at least I did until this mess came around -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUyFEWSD0Sk



This "band" originally started invading my home under the name "The Jump-arounds" early this summer. My daughter was immeaditaly taken with them and began singing along with the commercials - mercifully, they just sort of went away one day. I can't say I missed them all that much, but I did notice their absence in the house and was relieved to be free of them, only to have them reappear this past month under a new name "The Fresh Beat Band"

Trust me when I assure you that their is nothing "fresh" about this concept... it is almost insulting to my children.

First we have four music "students" and friends who form a band. Just so happens that they are made up of a very generic, non threatening black guy, Shout, a red-headed girl drummer, Marina, a firey Latina singer, Kiki, and the most annoying white rapper on the planet - wait for it - Twist.

If you are a little slow - Twist and Shout! Get it? Get it? - Ahhhh, what wit.

I can't believe that they are insulting my children with this crap....
Also, while I can recognize the underlying talent in folks like the wiggles and the imagination movers, and am actually impressed with kids' crooners like Lori Berkner, Hot Peas and Butter, and the Dirty Sock Good Time Band - their is not a drop of true musically ability in this collaboration.