Know Your Audience Judd Apatow And Spongebob Squarepants

My son has found Spongebob. My son adores Spongebob. My life is now filled with Spongebob. And, I have to say - I'm pretty amazed by Spongebob.

I'm amazed by Spongebob in the same way I'm amazed by Judd Apatow. Husband and I went to see Get Him To The Greek this weekend - and it was pretty hilarious in parts. Disgusting in others, sweet in others. But as I watched Adam laugh until he cried, I realized what Spongebob and the Apatow gang have all figured out - they know thier audience. Boys and man-boys. And, of course, the women that love them.

Which might seem simple - the common denominator for both seems to be butt jokes. But here is my arguement, Maureen-style...which means with numbers.

1. Guys love gross things. Butt jokes. Fart jokes, the strage close ups on Spongebob's disguting face after pulling an all nighter at the Krusty Krab. They love this - and both use it to maximum advantage. The jokes have a point and they're used sparingly. They appeal to the common denominator, they know where boys and man-boys live. In the bathroom.

2. They don't underestimate thier audience. Which is strange - for as low as the humor can get, they don't wallow in the gutter. For all the bathroom jokes, Apatow's crowd handles dark material with total confidence. Death, lonliness, never fitting in, never finding real love, are all pretty heavy subjects for the man-boy and to get those messages across while at the same time having Jonah Hill stick things up his butt - amazing. Spongebob is the E-Z reader version of that same dichotmy. Spongebob only wants to be loved as much as he loves - which, is my four year old son's total reason for living.

3. Lots and lots of heart. Spongebob is a nerd, with a few great friends and his heart is easily broken. Spongebob cries - quite a bit, but for good reason. He's a good guy. Apatow and gang, have the grown up versions of Spongebob. Nerds. Good friends. I think Get Him To The Greek, Pineapple Express, Superbad and Funny People rise about the other R-rated comedys because they don't rely on a man/woman romance to give them heart. That's easy - that path has been paved and lit with ballpark lights - and it's often totally forgetable. Instead, they've mastered the bromance. And it's really touching and often suprising, because the character arc reveals itself in ways that are so unexpected.

I clearly have too much time on my hands.

Reference: break-seduction.blogspot.com