Don’t Beat Down The Fresh Beat Band
// 8.1.09 // Filed under: Parenting
I am really glad I don’t work in television programming.
A couple months ago I started seeing commercials on Noggin for a kids’ band called “The JumpArounds.” The music was catchy, and the message seemed innocuous: music is awesome, so get up on your feet and be happy.
The commercials disappeared for awhile, but now The JumpArounds are back under a new name, The Fresh Beat Band, with a new show premiering in August. I was curious why they changed the show’s name, so I Googled it. What I found has me perplexed and a little incredulous.
This show is stirring up some mad craziness online.
On one message board, a parent commented:
“… the black kid acts more white than the white kid and the white kid must be some executives son or something because he can’t sing and his dancing is horrible, and the girls..omg the dark haired one is scary looking, looks fake…”
On a separate forum was this comment:
This show with it’s pre-teen jumping and dancing reinforces so many of the negative stereotypes and ideas that I work to keep my child away from. Cheesey, too thin, too pretty, too talented, hardly mulitcultural, no redeeming intellectual value unrealistic preening.
Hmm… so they are either talent-less and scary-looking or they are too talented and pretty.
Then there’s this comment:
I remember one line from the old JumpArounds commercials – something about “when you’ve got to get down when you just got up” – Noggin is a place where children should be learning about shapes, colors and numbers … not “getting down.”
Really? I could get up on my high horse about childhood obesity, but I won’t. I’ll just say that any preschool show that encourages music and movement is A-OK with me. I can’t fathom how a parent would have a problem with that. Perhaps it’s the term “getting down” that the parent quoted above has a problem with. I guess that’s too “suggestive?” {shrug}
I’m sure this type of criticism happens with ANY new show coming out. Seems like parents are a pretty hard bunch to please.
I’ve never been one to get all worked up about television programming. People are different. Everyone raises their kids differently. If you don’t like it, turn it off.
I recently met Angela Santomero, the creator of Blue’s Clues and Super WHY!. She was discussing with a group of parent bloggers how Super WHY! was developed and the outreach programs they are doing in conjunction with the show. I was so impressed with her. Her passion for children’s programming is so obvious when you see her speak.
Anyone who spends their time trying to create ways to help my child learn earns my initial respect. Give the Fresh Beat Band a break.
And I never did find out why they changed the name, although there is a rumor about a similar-named band asking for the change and another suggestion that “The JumpArounds” is just too exciting a name and would get kids too riled up. {eye roll}
The Fresh Beat Band will premiere on Nickelodeon Monday, Aug. 24th.
Fresh Beat Band: Music, Action and Fun for Preschoolers
Stifling Creativity: Screen Time, Supervision or School?
Do I Really Want My Daughter on TV?
152 Responses to “Don’t Beat Down The Fresh Beat Band”
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The fresh beat band is awesome, both of my kids LOVE them. People are so judgmental and stupid. You can’t please everyone, but come on people!! Find something important to talk about!!
Megan´s last blog ..Too many drugs!!
here’s the band singing live on KTLA. http://tinyurl.com/lqwsnh
I liked the name “Jumparounds” better, perhaps because my 3-year old and his pre-school friends seemed to respond to it immediately. But in the long run, after the band was re-named, it was all about the band, and the positive reaction my child and all of his school buddies have had to this group.
I really cannot believe these posts about how the kids in this band are dressing, or their lack of or too much plastic talent. I am only going by the reaction of the children I see daily, and they are in love with this band. The music is hopping, their talent is obvious, and they are offering original programming. We parents particularly like the fact that these are real kids performing, not square or non-human appearing shapeless, mindless characters.
I can’t say I think the Fresh Beat Band appeals to me, they are a bit too contrived and way too fake or perky or something…HOWEVER, the show is not for me, it is for my son’s age. They are not offensive or a bad influence. He LOVES the music and if he hears them from the other room he comes running. He CANNOT sit still when they are on! He jumps up, does the dances with the band, and sings the songs. My son is singing, dancing, and having fun. Sounds good to me. (And somehow I find myself singing the songs…)
I LOVE the Fresh Beat Band (though I like the name Jumparounds better). As the mother of a 3 year old, I think it’s wonderful that Nick JR and Noggin finds a way to incorporate learning through music, different cultures, and activities. I agree with Megan…people are judgmental.
There is nothing good about this show. There are other shows that teach with music and dance, and do it without talking down to the kids. The Fresh Beat Band is anything but.
My 5 year old son and 3 year old daughter liked when they were on Noggin as the Jumparounds. Today I had a hard time changing channels from Noggin to Nick. My daughter didn’t like the idea. As soon as she saw the Fresh Beat Band on Noggin that was it. Infact 2 episodes just didn’t cut it with her. My son also loved the show but was happy with Sponge Bob after they finished. My daughter at 3 loves the Guitar, drumms, and keyboard. She also loves to dance when this band is playing. I think that they are on the mark for the age group.
I would not allow my daughter listens to with the intention of, but I would never demand that it be taken off the air. As a parent you have the power to turn it off. As a tv executive you have no responsibility to provide wholesome tasteful programming. The lot will work out in the end.
Regards,
I hope your band is spends their time trying to create ways to help of kids learning. Thanks for the great post.
Regards,
I LOVE the fresh beat band and so does my little daughter. Every time they come on she would run to the T.V and start dancing and singing the lyrics. Even I know some of the lyrics to their songs. The beats are very catchy and the fact that they play instruments just make it better. When the show aired for the first time my daughter and I watched it together and we loved it. It’s funny and educational. Whoever doesn’t like this show is judgmental or a little too strict. Let your children loosen up and have some fun. They don’t always have to be watching some boring, slow program.
The Fresh Beat Band is contagious. My granddaughter, age three, loves them. I am so fasinated by them. I can’t help but watch and love them
thank you some1 who likes them! honestly? “too pretty and too talented”? i didnt know being pretty and talented was looked down upon. lol. they r very talented tho and i am becoming a huge fan! : )i wish them all sucess in the world!
I love the Fresh Beat Band and so does my three year old.. it gets her active and singing.. I just laughed when I read the comments.. people claim they are inappropriate age-wise yet they are making comments about racial stero-types. The shows has all races on it.. and everyone isnt thin or skinny.. that’s false… they also have small children on the show. I teach music and I think it’s a great way to get children involved in singing and instruments.. and how you can make music anywhere.. Have become so close-minded that if a black guy speaks correctly he’s acting white?.. or if a white guy can “beat box” he’s trying to act black?.. I think the people who made those comments should be more concerned about saying “those” things instead of kids just having fun.
hiya! i found your blog because i was trying to remember the original name of the band. great review. the show is not for me but, it wasn’t meant for me. my 4 year old loves it.
keep up the awesome work you’re doing.
I like the name Fresh Beat Band better. I could never remember the other name and when they changed it I could not remember what it used to be. My 4 yr old son loves the show and watches it every time it comes on.
I think the problem is no the Band or the music, the problem is the ignorance in us the adults we over think to much Barney is to purple maybe gay, the teletubbies are promoting kids to become gay, seems like is a lot of people that have nothing else to do and having to many sexual deviations that they see all kind the problems in the most innocent things. these kind of people are the ones that to put these type of problems in children minds, kids want to be entertain they don’t know why bugs bunny don’t wear underwear and kiss other “Cartoon Characters” get over your problems and let the kids be kids not everything out there is “DEVIL” let them have some fun and teach them to enjoy the childhood. we should have better things to worry about.
If this were a show for the older kid crowd and was a little less perky and a little more “afternoon special” parents would be raving about how their kids loved and learned so much from the Fresh Beats (aka their new role models). Goodness, what about all the preschoolers in love with shows like Hannah Montana and High School Musical. I don’t think those shows are inappropriate for younger children, but they aren’t exactly teaching them anything.
My 6 year old son loves, loves, LOVES this show. He sings and dances with it and we have to DVR it everyday. He hopes that they will come out with a CD he can listen to in the car. I think that it is great. He even asked if he could take some dance lessons. I don’t understand the negative attitudes!
My Daughter loves the Jump Arounds (Fresh Beat Band)…I must say my 13 year old son and I love them also we cant wait for them to come out with a CD so we jam in our car. lol…. When FBB comes on the tv she is glued and whomever thinks that this isn’t good for the preschoolers needs to loosen up.
As i sit and read all of the blogs i just don’t understand all of the negative energy about the FBB.. I love that they teach my preschooler to give a helping hand to friends and much more. How is that not teaching them? Its teaching them basic things that they need to kno. Its upsetting bc its not a bad show. I actually love the show. lol…..
ok, so i know this is a parent-commenting blog, but im 16 and im a nanny , and i absolutely ADORE the fresh beats. after sitting through yo gabba gabba and other nonsense, its nice to have something that excites the kids and gets me sing’n along too. I cant believe some of the ridiculous comments people make. i think its great that there’s a guy who beat-boxes, and i think the girls are adorable and dressed apropriately and not at all over-done. also, i can see how to some older generations saying”get down” is a little suggestive, but to people my age and younger, if u said that, u’d get laughed at, so i really dont think thats a big deal. its pretty funny to see some of those comments, like the shallow ones about how the girls look.yeh the show is unrealistic , and everyone is super happy and nice,but i cant think of a children’s show that is realistic.they are suppose to be idealistic, but you know, if u wanna tell ur 3 year old that the world is an evil place where people dont smile or care, and global warming is looming, go ahead. i mean there are usually animals or objects that speak in cartoons. or in the case of yo gabba gabba u have a man wearing orange spandex and a cossacks hat.lol the fresh beat band has some kind of lesson at the end, and no, they dont go through shapes or sing the alphabet but i think they do set a nice example, and learning to be comfortable with yourself and dance and sing is still wonderful. im 16 and i LOVE the freshbeats!
I am TOTALLY floored @ all the negative comments about the Fresh Beat Band. Children don’t know “too pretty” or “mulitcultural” until it is brought to their attention!!! And then, IGNORANCE is born and perpetuated!!! They see music and getting up and dancing around; if a lesson is learned somewhere in there, even better. To all you nay-sayers, change the channel and MOVE ON. Until then, my 6 year-old son and I can’t wait for the c.d.
I think that The Fresh Beat Band is totally awesome, and that’s coming from a fifteen-year-old. The songs stick in my head whenever I watch the show. I think that they all give out all they can and it’s incorporated in their dance moves along with their songs. I’m a big fan of music, it’s practically my life, so this show includes different types of music that are out there nowadays while being appropriate for the younger audiences of today.
So which is it Noggin….are they “The Jump Arounds” or the “Fresh Beat Band”. Pick a name and stick with it….
I CANT BELIEVE someone would have the audasity to say something like the black people act more white than the white people that is very offensive on so many levels! WHAT DOES IT MATTER AND I LOVE the fresh beat band and so does my 2 year old he enjoys the drums alot! I just cant imagine why people would say some of those things that were said either she is too skinny and too pretty and too talented can I say you must be too jelous do u think they would get someone on a singing show with no talent? Excuse her for just happening to be pretty too I doubt she knew that was a crime?!? R u kidding me? I in NO WAY see either one of these girls looking un healthy in anyway and anyway I think its a great show I am with someone else up there that said they cant wait for the CD to come out ME EITHER! Keep up the too fun too talented too pretty too happy show cause were diggin it =)
I read some of those initial posts. The JumpArounds were too commercial, too annoying, I don’t like so and so, etc. All that matters for me is that my 3 year old grand daughter was immediately captured by them. She loves to watch them and loves for me to watch them with her. She smiles, dances and enjoys the group. The Fresh Beats are clean-cut, wholesome, good looking role models. They sing, dance and carry positive, upbeat messages. They encourage friendship, interdependence and cooperation. To all of those parents who put them down; change the channel, find something else to watch and shut up!
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my 3 yr old daughter loves this show i don’t see a problem with it…if ya don’t like change the channel..i am so sick and tired of people celebrating mediocrity no wonder we rank at the bottom in education compared with china japan and so on they don’t except just average….the parents of the U.S. have gotten on the teachers so much they don’t teach anymore if ya show up to class well you made an effort to attend so we’ll pass you…. what a joke
As a Licensed Health Educator, Nutritionist and Parent Educator on a Master Level and a mother of a toddler, I need to give round of applause to the Fresh Beat Band. As you probably know, the obesity statistics in United States are extremely high. Shows like this promote Physical Activities in our children. My daughter LOVES, with capital letter, the Fresh Beat Band. I also like that they are multicultural. Everything our kids watch should be intentional and educative. I would like to see a CD from them. I would buy it immediately.
I love the show i think is wonderful because my doughter had wait for so long to watch them.Now SHE WANTS EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM BACK PACK,CDS SO SHE CAN GO TO SLEEP LISTENING,VIDEOS SO SHE DON’T MISS THEM,EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT COMES TO MY HOUSE HAD TO KNOW ABOUT THE FRESH BEAT BAND.
So if any one can tell me where i can get that please.
So any way keep the BEAT and keep going you are doing great.
We love the Fresh Beats in our house. I wake up singing their songs every morning and I sing It was a great day to my daughter before I put her to bed. Yeah, its a little cheezy but my daughter LOVES it. It bothers me that people are on their high horses about every little thing these days. I mean, look at what we watched when we were little (I watched General Hospital everyday at 6 because I had a crush on Rick Springfield) and we are just fine.
You are EXACTLY right.I can not stand some parent’s critisism of this show. Its a childrens show that teaches movement, color and songs. What are they teaching THEIR kids about with that talk about “the black kid it ‘whiter’ than the white kid”?? and what, “TOO talented”?? Seriously, if you dont want you kid to watch it change the channel.
At first I was skeptical when the group was called the JumpArounds. But after the name change and the new show aired, I gave it a chance. My 3y/o son loves it! He gets offended if I even look like I am going to say anything negative. And honestly, I can’t see anything wrong or negative about the show. I actually enjoy watching it with my son and I record the episodes we miss so we can watch it together later.
Like others have said, if some parents don’t like it change the channel.So, kids aren’t supposed to enjoy music? I’d rather my son sing and dance to the Fresh Beats rather than some of the garbage that comes on music videos today.
Even when the previews were being shown for the JumpArounds, my 4yr old son was so excited, I knew we would have to watch. I’ve seen so many posts online about how this show is so horrible; one guy said that he wanted to “beat the fresh beats” another person said that they weren’t really dancing….it’s crazy. After seeing the show, my son’s learning the words to the music & singing along (he has a stong speech impairment) and he’s learning the dance moves! “Dance with me, Momma” has become his new phrase over night!
All I know is if it makes my kid happy, I could care less what style their clothes are.
My son isn’t even 1 yet and we love to watch this show together nearly every day. He loves music and bounces along to each of their songs. I love that they teach about life and how to act rather than focusing completely on book smarts. When Marina had to wear the bunny costume rather than her favorite dress, for instance, the whole message was that she didn’t get it her way and rather than griping about it she made the best of it. That’s an awesome message for kids. I teach kids music for a living and I wish they would be taught more lessons like this. SO GO FRESH BEATS!!!! My son and I will continue to sing and dance to their awesome songs.
My three year old loves this show. I never new it had another name, but I couldn’t imagine it anything other than The fresh beat band. Nothing is wrong with this show. It teaches kids to help each other and others. Some people always have to complain about something, but this show does not deserve to be talked bad about.
My two year old son loves this show! People are so silly (well…it’s actually just sad the more you think about it) and I guess they have nothing better to do than to complain about a kids show. I see nothing wrong with this show and I plan on letting him watch it as long as he wants to. I even enjoy watching him watch it, because he likes to get up and dance along with them and has even started singing along with them.
My almost 3 year old loves this show. After one episode, he even put together his own drum set! He dances and sings, and basically doesn’t sit down for the entire show!!
hmm, this is kind of interesting. The show is on Nick right now and my 3yrold son asked me to turn the channel. I am a rock and roll dad that plays in bands and stuff, as cheesy as the show is, I have no issues with it especially if it gets my kids singing and dancing. We just came across the same episode again and my son is just not inerested. He sees through shallow charecters and says they talk too loud and is bored with it as he slurps up his spagghetti noodle in true 3yrold fashion.
If you would rather teach your children about racism, negativity, global warming, and the general unhappiness and dissatisfaction of adult life in the world today, then go ahead. This is your prerogative. Tell them how “racially insulting” the Fresh Beats are because, by all means, the stereotypes of society should be first and foremost in childrens’ programming. That black boy is not black enough, and the white boy is trying too hard to BE black. The white girl is too skinny, but if she wasn’t she’d be too fat. They are all too pretty and none of them can dance. And somehow all of this is more important than the underlying message: get off your lazy little butts and dance! Sing! Be happy!
For crying out loud, folks. Stop trying to read so much into this show. I have a lot of respect for these people who are trying to get our lethargic, screen-addicted children to move around, be more active and possibly begin to reverse the ever-expanding trend of obesity and poor health in this country. Somehow the fact that they dress the same and are always smiling and are viewed by many adults to be shallow and boring is secondary to the fact that this is a children’s show. It is not created for the purpose of solving the world’s problems, but rather to inspire little ones to dance, sing and enjoy life.
It’s got a WHOLE lot more educational value than SpongeBob, in any case. I would let my children watch ten FBB episodes in a row before I’d let them watch fifteen seconds of SpongeBob. That, folks, is the problem with our kids… you’d rather let their brains liquefy in front of that meaningless crap, which you defend because “everyone ELSE does it!” How is it that you can stomp around all offended by the Fresh Beats when you find no problems with the utter lack of substance in something like SpongeBob? I personally find the screaming, condescending, poorly-animated Dora & Diego shows to be some of the most irritating programming on TV, but you know what? My kids actually get something from it. So they are occasionally allowed to watch it, and the Fresh Beats, and even (gasp) shows like Little Bill and Ni-Hao Kailan. The rest of the time, our TV is off. Then my kids play out the lessons they learn from the various educationally-based shows they’re permitted to view… and the lessons sink in through actual physical activity.
Maybe there’s a lesson there for the parents, too.
Amen to that Angie! I feel the same way you do. Well said!!
I love this show. So does my 2 year old. She learned the songs and dances from the comericals and does it everytime she hears them. She stops what she is doing and gets up and sing and dance. I think music is very important, having been a music major in college myself. I can’t wait for this show to get on DVD!!!!
My kids LOVE this show! I think it gets preschoolers interested in music and dance, which is an important part of staying fit! I’m with you, obesity is a big problem in our society.
I agree I just looked up the fresh beats band because my 2 yr old loves them!! mainly because she loves to sing and dance;) and I looked at some of the same neg comments that you did and WOW. I love the show too my daughter and I sing the songs togeather and dance and have a good time!! I really dont see why this is so bad they are acting like the network is trying to put on a new kid horror show geez!! lighten up people. I have always been huge in the arts and I am guessing my daughter will too! For my daughters sake I hope they stay on the air=)
Angie, could have not have said it better. I don’t think the weight of the world’s problems should be resting on our pre-schoolers shoulders, that is why it is called ENTERTAINMENT!!! I think the FBB is cute, the kids are cute, the songs are cute. My 3 sons love it, and it makes them get up and dance, and we dance together! I am happy that they are not sitting opened mouth watching a sponge acting vulgar.
How can anyone have negative things to say about a colorful, upbeat show that encourages children to sing and dance? Every television show does not need to teach the ABCs and 123s! in fact, television is not the source where preschoolers should learn those things – PARENTS are!! I can spell and count so I can pass that on to my kids, but my singing and dancing leave something to be desired, so THANK YOU, FRESH BEATS!!!
As far as anyone saying the show is not culturally diverse enough, that’s crazy. Shout is clearly a black man even if some ignorant people feel he’s “too white”, and Kiki’s real last name is Gonzalez. One black, one hispanic, two white is not diverse enough? Sorry, I guess they should have an far-eastern asian person, a near-eastern person, a middle-eastern person, an American indian, an eskimo, a hasidic Jew, an ultra-observant Muslim, a blind person, a deaf person, an amputee and a metally challenged person. The music and dancing might not be as good but at least the show wouldn’t promte racism! Give me a break. I’m so sorry that Twist raps and Shout speaks proper English but how is that racist?
My newly minted 2yo daughter sees commercials and/or this show coming on and screams “ICKY Show!!!” “ICKY show!!!!”
Couldn’t have said it better myself! TOTALLY inappropriate for preschool aged or Any aged kids…Mind-numbing…Back to Dora, thank you!
Just discovering this blog now…wow..I’ve been missing out..LOL. Love the blog! This post caught my eye since to be honest, the Fresh Beat Band gets on my nerves. LOL. I do not object to them. I just get tired of it. lol. Honestly, I think that some parents may have a problem because it introduces kids to hip hop and secular music at a young age. Kinda priming them up to be fans of the industry….cultivating a future fan base. Too worldly for some. My preschooler doesn’t watch it by her own choice. She likes the little “videos” between the shows by them but not the show. I suppose if she liked the show I would put more thought into this…but nah…seems to me too much thought gets put into small things.
I respect everyone’s opinions. It’s not my cup of tea but neither is Hannah Montana. Maybe I’m just an old foggie. lol
I haven’t seen the show yet. but this is hilarious. Why don’t people that hate the show change the channel of turn off the t.v, instead of them bashing the show.
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I have to start by saying that my 2year old son loves The Fresh Beat Band! I don’t see any harm in letting my child learn about music, dancing or anything else that I’ve seen on the show and trust my, I’ve watched several of them numerous times!