Too Smart for Strangers: Difference between revisions

 

Compare [[Drugs Are Bad]], another favorite kids-show message in the 1980s.

{{examples}}

* There was a [[Very Special Episode|Very Special Comic Book]] starring ''[[Spider-Man]]'' in which his next-door-neighbor kid was being molested by his (female) babysitter. In it, Spidey shares that ''he'' was molested, pre-superpowers, [http://www.misterkitty.org/extras/stupidcovers/superhero2.jpg by someone who looked suspiciously like Uncle Ben]. Spidey [[Non Sequitur Episode|never references or even acknowledges this story in any other continuity]], but can you really blame him? Supposedly, the original draft of the story said the molester ''was'' Uncle Ben, with all the attendant [[Squick]] involved. One time when [[Executive Meddling]] was used for good. Because [[Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped|Some Plots Need To Be Censored]].

 

* Besides the [[Trope Namer]], there was also a book release titled "Don't Talk to Strangers, Pooh" that came out in 1998. It was part of a series called ''My Very First Winnie the Pooh''.

* A book about sex marketed to young people titled ''It's Perfectly Normal'' took a light and humorous approach to almost everything about sex using non threatening cartoons to illustrate masturbation, homosexuality, conception etc. The chapter on child molestation gets a bit more serious. No cartoons other than the two animal mascots admitting that this is a difficult subject to discuss. Still, at least it's not a [[Clueless Aesop]].

"You're welcome, and don't you hitchhike anymore, okay?" ''(muttering)'' "Oh, my wife is going to ''laugh...''" }}

 

* Supposedly, there was an episode of ''[[Barney and Friends]]'' that discussed the topic—a necessary back-pedalling from one listed under [[Family-Unfriendly Aesop]], which said that every stranger was a potential friend. Yes, it really existed. There was a song called "Never Talk To Strangers" and an adaptation of a fairy tale to reinforce the message (possibly ''Little Red Riding Hood'' of course; she manages to run away and tell a grown-up).

* There were a couple of ''[[Diff'rent Strokes|Diffrent Strokes]]'' episodes that were like this.

* Australia has for a while had the Safety House Program, where applicants stick the symbol on the letterbox only if they actually ''are'' safety houses. An education campaign back in the 80s had to remind kids to look specifically on the letterbox (not the door. And not on any cars). It came complete with a character, Clebo the Clown, and also a song that seems to have faded into obscurity, were it not for a few old memories of the lyrics:

{{quote|''Look for the Safety house, Get to know the sign

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj4ak2WpLFM This sexual abuse video], complete with an actor who plays his [[Dirty Old Man]] role [[Large Ham|a little too well]]. At least the boy isn't ambiguous about "bad touch" and says the word "penis".

* The trope is referenced in an early episode of ''[[Criminal Minds]]'', where the "Stranger Danger" programme is mentioned as probably being the single biggest enemy of child abduction cases in America, because after it was disseminated research showed that strangers were probably responsible for a minority of kidnapping cases. Far more often the abductor was friends, family, neighbours or someone at least associated with the family or child. {{spoiler|In this case, it was a local gardener who lived a few blocks away.}}

 

* More than a few examples of these Very Special Episodes have been dug up by ''[http://www.everythingisterrible.com/2009/06/there-are-so-many-ways-to-kidnap-kids.html Everything Is Terrible]''.

 

* The [[Trope Namer]]: the episode "Too Smart for Strangers" of ''Welcome to Pooh Corner'', a mid-'80s production where [[Winnie the Pooh]] and rest of the Hundred Acre Wood crew (of all people) teach children how to not get abducted and subsequently molested. Particularly infamous for [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJg-jliyhXA this scene], which directly addresses child molestation and how to react to it. In ''song''.

* ''Tricky People'', a 1998 video produced by Nest Entertainment, is a rather serious PSA about sexual abuse and stranger danger... which stars a silly yellow [[Barney and Friends|Barney-esque]] dinosaur named Yello Dyno. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1qGYdlH8k4 Watch] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YfoIEPIaQY it] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcDqb9rZ3VE here] (with snarky annotations).

 

* [http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/and-speaking-of-perv-o-mania/ This Toys R Us receipt.]

 

* The TV version of ''[[The Berenstain Bears]]'' story is actually a bit more nuanced. The [[Bumbling Dad]] decides to [[Scare'Em Straight]], until Sister Bear is [[Paranoia Fuel|reduced to a terrified wreck who doesn't want to leave the house]]. The [[Closer to Earth]] mother (as always) has to reassure Sister Bear that there are dangerous strangers out there, but you can't be paranoid like that.

** Honestly, the book made it creepier because the newspaper pictures were in black-and-white, and you had time to read the text and let it sink in. And to top it all off, you got to see Sister's wide-eyed expression at the same time.

 

 

* ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'': "Lesson, lesson... If you see a stranger, follow him!"

 

* In ''[[The George Lopez Show]]'' episode "Max's Big Adventure", Max has a school play about this that has two kids being approached by a man in a [[Conspicuous Trenchcoat]] asking them where their parents are. The play is about as good as one would expect, leading George to think that Max doesn't really know about stranger dangers and testing him. The episode as a whole is more of a deconstruction of this trope.

 

* In the game ''[[Evil Genius (video game)|Evil Genius]]'', when you successfully kidnap someone from America, you hear a radio announcement about the crime, which includes advice that people take steps "such as not taking candy from strangers."

 

* Subverted in [http://cityofreality.com/2009/08/01/01-01-monsters/ this strip] from ''[[City of Reality]]''.

 

* Ralph Wiggum from ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' misunderstood these, and thought his shoulder was his "special area."

* ''[[South Park]]''