iGo+To+Japan

__iGo To Japan__

Carly: “Why?” Sam: “Because it’s full of French people!” || Reference to the popular American belief that all French people are snotty and annoying || Depending on their age, a child viewer might not even know that Canada is predominantly a French culture. Those that don’t know this will only find humor in the shock value || *Awkward Silence* Sam: ...Canada...? Carly: Just kidding! We’re going to Japan! || Reference to popular belief that Canada is not a place worth going to || Children will probably find this funny due to the previous Canada reference. It is also probably humorous because Carly tricked Sam and Freddie in to believing her. ||
 * **Example of Double Coding (Click for video)** || **Adult Humor** || **Child Humor** ||
 * Sam (regarding what country they will be going to for the iWeb Awards): “I hope it’s not Canada...”
 * Spencer (about the battery used to power his so called "jogging night light"): I got it out of a Prius! || This example pokes fun at the rise in popularity of the hybrid car model and the average American's inability to care for the enviroment. Instead of using the battery to save our natural resources, Spencer uses it wastingly to power his oversized and impractical jogging light. || Children find Spencer’s goofiness and randomness to be funny ||
 * Carly (announcing where the iWeb Awards will take place): CANADA!
 * Mrs. Benson: Well I suppose it would be nice to try a California roll from where they all started. || Implies that American's only know Japan for sushi. Mrs. Benson's brain dead response about California rolls pokes fun at our country's lack of knowledge on the cultures of other countries || Kids might find this funny because it is a random statement. It also acts a comic relief since there is sudden hope that Mrs. Benson will allow Freddie to go to Japan. ||
 * One of iCarly's competitors in the iWeb Awards is a french man who has his own show called Enre Patwa and his Poodle Puppet Umpe. He is portrayed as very unfunny, weak minded, and is rude to iCarly and the gang when they meet in person. He even falls to the mercy of his puppet dog in the first skit Carly, Sam, and Freddie screen. || French webstar represents America's view on the people of France. Like Enre Patwa, Americans view French people are snotty, rude to Americans, and cowardly. His eventual downfall and loss of the competition pays tribute to this. || Enre acts very silly and is full of shock value. He also speaks in a comedically thick French accent. ||
 * Spencer mistakes the Japanese wrapped soaps for candy twice in the episode. || Spencers expectations of the intricate soaps to be a food represents American’s blatant disregard for other cultures. || Spencer’s confusion about the soaps is funny. Especially because it involves the Spencer’s tendency to be a little brain-dead. ||

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__Analysis of Double Coding in iGo To Japan: __ =====

This episode seems to make many references to the popular culture of America in terms of our overall views toward other countries. It was almost as if the episode serves as a guide for children viewers on cultural stereotypes of other countries. Other shows (typically adult themed), often poke fun at the cultures of other countries. In the adult animated show, South Park, Canadian characters are drawn poorly and speak in a humorous tone (Much emphasis on the common Canadian use of "ehh" at the end of statements). This episode of iCarly strives to do the same in a way that I believe is much more purposeful than one would think at first glance. The episode iGo To Japan was iCarly's first attempt at a made for TV movie. This being true, I predict that these references to popular culture were included in the movie because it is common for children to watch movies as a family with their parents. Nickelodeon hoped that kids would choose to watch iCarly on these "movie nights" and adults would be able to pick up on and find entertainment in these references.

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__Interview Results: __ ===== Carly: “Why?” Sam: “Because it’s full of French people!” || Random/Shock value || Random/Shock value || Random/Shock value || *Awkward Silence* Sam: ...Canada? Carly: Just kidding! We’re going to Japan! || Japan is a cooler place to go than Canada. Reference to Canada earlier in the episode || Carly’s success in tricking Freddie and Sam || Carly’s success in tricking Freddie and Sam ||
 * |||||| **Why was this example funny?** ||
 * **Example of Double Coding** || **Adam (Age 12)** || **Lindsay (Age 10)** || **Ryan (Age 8)** ||
 * Sam (regarding what country they will be going to for the iWeb Awards): “I hope it’s not Canada...”
 * Spencer (about the battery used to power his so called “jogging night light”): I got it out of a Prius! || Random/Shock value || Random/Shock value || Not funny ||
 * Carly (announcing where the iWeb Awards will take place): CANADA!
 * Mrs. Benson: Well I suppose it would be nice to try a California roll from where they all started. || Sushi should not be the only reason to be excited to go to Japan || Not funny || Not funny ||
 * One of iCarly's competitors in the iWeb Awards is a French man who has his own show called Enre Patwa and his Poodle Puppet Umpe. He is portrayed as very unfunny, weak minded, and is rude to iCarly and the gang when they meet in person. He even falls to the mercy of his puppet dog in the first skit Carly, Sam, and Freddie screen. || The French man's thick accent and his silly actions || The French man's thick accent and his silly actions || The French man's thick accent and his silly actions ||
 * Spencer mistakes the Japanese wrapped soaps for candy twice in the episode. || Spencer is a funny character || Spencer is a funny character || Spencer is a funny character ||

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__Analysis of Interviews: __ =====

These results brought me to the conclusion that this episode was most definitely designed to entertain adults using references to cultural stereotypes of other countries. Aside from one instance, the children I interviewed did not understand any adult references. At first glance, this seems quite beneficial. If kids do not understand the adult references; they are not being subjected to anything that may be deemed inappropriate for children. However, in this case I feel that this a negative trait because if the kids don't understand the blatant disregard for other cultures, this episode is teaching and encouraging it. Since Carly, Sam, and Freddie believe that Canada is a worthwhile place to visit, the kid viewers might think the same. Since the French character Enre Patwa was portrayed as cowardly and rude, kid viewers may apply such a stereotype to other French people. Basically, even though child viewers don't understand the exact reason why an adult would find one of these double coded jokes and scenarios to be funny, they are being taught such themes at an age that is far to young. The use of double coding in this episode for adult viewers is excellent, however I don't believe that children should be exposed to such adult themes until they are older, whether they understand them or not.