I came across a post about the shows we watch on television today and caught the tail end of the speaker’s monologue. He mentioned watching cartoons as adults. I feel that sometimes revisiting the things we loved as children is like sipping from a fountain of youth, it keeps our spirit’s light. I first had to remind myself what the word cartoon meant, and found a source that said a cartoon is an image, painting or caricature designed to influence public opinion. Now, I had intentions of finding a cartoon to watch, but it slipped my mind ironically, and I didn’t consider which show I wanted to watch until weeks later. Meanwhile, I’m currently on season three of Ancient Aliens and it lead to the decision to watch the Flintstones. It brought up the memory of a character, a tiny green man on the show- The Great Gazoo from The Planet Zetox. This show debuted in the 1960’s and was a popular show for the Boomer generation. So first, let’s explore what the message was before the little green alien was written into the show.
Before Gazoo, The Flintstones was a satirical look at modern middle class American life, disguised as a prehistoric setting. The “modern Stone Age family” used stone and dinosaur equivalents of cars, appliances, and jobs, by poking fun at suburban life, work stress, gender roles, consumerism, and friendship. The core message was even in a different time, humans are the same — flawed, funny, and trying to get by. When The Great Gazoo appeared late in the series, the tone shifted from domestic satire to more fantasy driven comedy. Gazoo, an advanced being who considered Fred and Barney “dum-dums,” could grant wishes and cause chaos with futuristic technology. How ironic it is to have an extraterrestrial influence on a television show in the 1960’s. However, we must consider the Mount Rainier and Roswell, NM incidents. It’s also ironic that one of the show’s creators, William Hanna, was born in New Mexico, not far from Roswell where an infamous ET event took place.
In season six, The Great Gazoo was sent to Earth as a punishment. He was exiled to prehistoric Earth because he invented a “doomsday machine”, a device capable of destroying the universe. His superiors on Zetox considered that a serious crime, so they banished him to live among what he called “dum-dums”, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. On Earth, Gazoo often used his advanced technology to help (or more often, annoy) Fred and Barney, but only they (and the children, Pebbles and Bamm Bamm) could see him.
It's interesting that Fred and Barney are watching television in the first episode of season six and they both have a paranormal experience, but apparently it was a dream. Fred hears what he calls "teenagers" in his yard rehearsing, but it’s actually Bamm Bamm and Pebbles singing and playing instruments, yet they are babies. The scene depicts the babies literally singing and playing instruments, and Fred and Barney are in disbelief at what they see. One might consider what Eckhart Tolle said about television to be applicable to this scene- the message is “It induces a trancelike passive state of heightened susceptibility, not unlike hypnosis...it too has a strong addictive quality". What is most interesting to me about the scene is the song they are singing. The lyrics read:
Mommy told me something
All little kids should know
It's all about the devil
And I've learned to hate him so
She said he causes trouble
When you let him in the room,
He will never ever leave you
If your heart is filled with gloom
So let the sun shine in
Face it with a grin
Smilers never lose
And frowners never win
So let the sun shine in
Face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.
When you are unhappy
The devil wears a grin
But oh, he starts to running
When the light comes pouring in
I know he'll be unhappy
'Cause I'll never wear a frown
Maybe if we keep on smiling
He'll get tired of hanging 'round.
If I forget to say my prayers
The devil jumps with glee
But he feels so awful awful
When he sees me on my knees
So if you're full of trouble
And you never seem to win
Just open up your heart and let the sun shine in.
So let the sun shine in
Face it with a grin
Smilers never lose
And frowners never win
So let the sun shine in
Face it with a grin
Open up your heart
And let the sun shine in.
Instead of reacting with love and curiosity to this unusual behavior, Barney shouts that Pebbles and Bamm Bamm are going to make them a lot of money through this new talent, and when a talent scout mysteriously shows up, Wilma and Betty witness the miracle and join in on the plan to get rich. They then embark on a journey that leaves both families wrapped up in an industry that dictates every minute of their lives. Their lives have completely changed, and The Flintstones and The Rubbles quickly find out that their lives are too chaotic, and they have no time with each other. When Fred eventually wakes up, he is relieved that his life is not as it was in his dream.
One theme that I find most fascinating about this season of the show is that Gazoo is sent to Earth to aid in the advancement of humans. The theme song says: “Meet the Flintstones, They're the modern stone-age family. From the town of Bedrock, They're a page right out of history.” One might say that we are so advanced as a society, yet not at the same time. What do you think about all this?
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