The subjects Kylie Kelce tackles on her podcast, Not Gonna Lie, are as varied as motherhood. When she was pregnant with her now four-month-old daughter Finnley, she talked about birth plans, telling people to keep their opinions to themselves. After Finnley was born, she did a segment called “The Dos & Don’ts of Talking to Postpartum Women.” A few weeks ago, Kylie gave pointers on what to do if you see a woman breastfeeding in public, which was, to paraphrase, “Move right along, it is none of your business.” Kylie is usually both hilarious and blunt, and is not afraid to tell someone to eff off.
Kylie is now in the middle of a parenting rite of passage that is near and dear to my heart: Children’s television shows! Kylie recently addressed the good, the bad, and the WTF, sharing her list of “screen time recommendations.” She also listed the different kids shows that she’s banned her four daughters from watching for a “multitude of reasons.”
1. Cocomelon: “No. Aggressively no,” Kylie said. “If Cocomelon comes up on any of the screens, my daughters say, ‘Oh, we’re not allowed to watch that,’ because I have doubled, tripled, quadrupled down. We are not watching Cocomelon in our house.” She noted that those without kids might think she’s being “a little unreasonable and a little dramatic,” but added, “You’re f—— wrong. It’s not good.”
2. Blippi: “I don’t even know where to start with this one. Blippi is weird to me,” she said. “I don’t like it. I understand that some of it is educational. I understand that it started, like, as an educational base. I’m good.”
3. Teletubbies: “This one is banned for a very specific reason — Ellie thinks it’s creepy,” she said of her 4-year-old daughter. “They have TVs in their bellies.”
She also has a ‘What the f— is going on here?’ list: In this category are the shows Yo Gabba Gabba and Chicken Squad.
Shows that made the favorites list. Kylie was very pro contemporary shows like Ms. Rachel, T.O.T.S., Sesame Street, Bluey, Peppa Pig, Puppy Pals and also loved some of her childhood classics like, Zoboomafoo, The Big Comfy Couch, Spongebob Squarepants, PB & J Otter and Bear in the Big Blue House. “Big Bird is aging like fine wine,” Kylie declared. “I really wanna know his skincare routine because he doesn't look a day older than when I used to watch him when I was little. It's crazy.”
She’s a big PBS fan: She also spoke out in favor of Sesame Street and PBS as a network, adding, “Let’s just go there. Last thing on my Kids TV Guide, you’ll notice I listed Sesame Street — a PBS show, in the top tier here. And that’s because it’s a timeless educational institution that everyone deserves to access. You see what I’m saying? Everyone deserves access to PBS. Don’t worry. I’ll be making a donation to the local PBS station. I encourage others to do the same.”
I do not blame Kylie for banning Cocomelon, Blippi, and Teletubbies. I would also nominate Caillou to add to the banned list. We never watched Blippi or Teletubbies, but we did have a brief Cocomelon phase that I quickly replaced with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. When they were younger, my two boys watched a lot of Paw Patrol and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, all of which I learned how to tune out. Ms. Rachel was after our time, but I hear that her show is great and that she’s an all-around decent human being. My favorite shows were Bluey and Doc MacStuffins. I still sometimes find myself singing the Doc McStuffins theme song in the shower.
On that note, I’m also so happy that Kylie gave PBS a shout out and urged her listeners to donate to their local station. It sucks that supporting the network that gave us Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street is now considered to be political. Good on Kylie for reminding people what it’s all about.
She’s right: Blippi is weird. I think he’s sort of trying to be Pee Wee Herman but it’s not working. Blippi 2.0 is at least a little less annoying than OG Blippi. IYKYK.
Anyway I don’t allow that anymore either. Daniel Tiger ftw.
Really appreciate Kylie’s support for pbs.
One yr old is obsessed with Danny go. Obsessed. But the older ones like it too. They run and dance pretty hard to it though so it’s kind of exercise on a bad weather day. Older ones are also into paw patrol and old scooby doo, which I have to google and block some of those eps. But they love.
Eh….to each their own, and the circumstances surrounding the viewing of certain shows. I actually don’t mind Cocomelon, mostly because my nonverbal autistic daughter sometimes uses the songs to communicate/express herself. Now would i feel differently if that weren’t the case? Maybe…probably. She loves watching Blippi, too, but i think it’s less about him and more about being fascinated by his little experiments or whatever. We *are* a big Bluey family so we at least have that going in our favor lol
Can we talk about Gracie’s Corner? I don’t have any children but honestly the music slaps. It may be a lot for morning breakfast, but if you wanna tire them out. I think Gracie’s corner is bomb. (Yes. I’m old)
Gracie’s Corner has so many bops! I got hooked the first time I heard the beat for the Pharaoh Phonix. Countdown (the Rocketship song) has been my favorite recently.
Joolz TV has some really good ones too. I like the Big Bad Wolf.
My kiddo also loves Meekah (spin off of Blippi) and we all love Bluey (including the teen).
I do not have children. But i watch Kylie’s podcast every week.
1 – she keeps it to 45 minutes (i think she made an exception for Mrs. Obama!!) because women are busy.
And is blunt and funny and in a world where common sense and reality based thinking are less the norm than they once were, she is a delightfully grounded human being.
I cannot comment on children’s programing.
I’m 53. I was raised on Big Bird, Mr. Rogers, Capt. Kangaroo, Capt Caveman, and Scooby Doo.
Also the trippy 70s stuff- HR Pufnstuf.
I also love that there is stuff that if you see it in childhood- you will love it forever, but if you missed it, and see it as an adult for the first time- you are like- this is psychotic and i’m a little disturbed by it (looking at you Willy Wonka).
I don’t have kids, but PBS was instrumental in my early childhood development in the 70s. My favorite was The Electric Company. Such a great show and cast! It’s a fundamental tool for parents and children.
I am a sustaining member and have been for years. It’s the channel I watch the most.
If you’ve never watched Mr. Rogers literally save the funding with his testimony to the senate in 1969 – check it out. Search Mr. Rogers senate testimony and it will come up. We need more people like Mr. Rogers in the world.
I’d add Pocoyo to the banned list. It has a weird hypnotic effect and then offers no other input. The other creepy one for me is Bing. My kids were never into it, and I’m grateful. I know many will disagree on this one.