Peanut Butter Jelly Time!
I have a t-shirt that was given to me as a gift, depicting the “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” scene from Family Guy. For those who have never caught this scene, here ya go:
When I first saw that scene, I laughed because I understood the joke. But every time I wear the t-shirt, it’s felt like a curse because of how many people who comment on it truly didn’t.
The joke is a reference to a classic viral flash cartoon on the web, which you can still find here. It’s not even that old–it was made in 2002. However, to everyone who’s complimented me on my shirt, I’ve asked if they’ve seen the original flash and they have no idea what I’m talking about.
Most people know by now that Family Guy‘s humor is mostly derived of referential jokes. It’s what they’re famous for; it’s what they do best. Even if you don’t catch the reference, each time they make one, it rings of something related to pop culture. While Family Guy conjures plenty of it’s own original humor, something as wild as a banana dancing to a rap song about peanut butter and jelly isn’t exactly something that can be written. Yet when I mention it, people usually respond with, “Wait… That’s from something?”
This is driving me nuts.
I’ve always had a passion for understanding comedy, but one thing I may never fully understand is how different people’s sense of humor can be. If you don’t understand the reference, why is that scene funny to you? When I attempt to pick at people’s brains, I’ve been able to come up with two theories:
- “Oh, this is a joke! I should laugh at it!”
People can usually recognize when a joke is in front of them, whether they get it or not. But there’s an insecurity inside them that doesn’t want to appear stupid to the people who do get the joke, so they laugh anyway. In a way, they think it’s funny because they are told that it’s funny, whether they genuinely find it humorous or not.
- “Ha ha! Silly doggy sing and dancing crazy!”
I believe that most people don’t really mature much beyond their toddler years. Much of this can be reflected in their sense of humor. I love a good fart joke every now and then, but have grown to appreciate other concepts. Those whose tastes haven’t expanded beyond farts (ironically) will laugh at damn near anything.
I also think there’s a correlation depending on whether or not the person has children. There’s a phenomenon that I’ve noticed akin to Bill Cosby’s “My wife and I used to be intellectuals…” routine (found on the “Himself” album), where people who have children revert to being children themselves. It makes a certain amount of sense in that you have to regress yourself a bit in order to relate and communicate with the child, especially when humor is involved. Unfortunately, most adults tend to get stuck in this mode; maintaining the sense of humor of a 9-year-old while the child eventually grows and surpasses the parent in maturity. At least, until they have children of their own.
Maybe I’m being cynical about human behavior. Maybe I’m being a comedy snob. But maybe I’m on to something. In either case, I will do my part mend the ignorance. Here’s some knowledge:
