- [Narrator] Ah cartoons, they're what childhoods are made of. However, we all have to grow up, and one thing life teaches us is that not everything is as
it seems, cartoons included! So today we'll be uncovering
some hidden truths, ranging from the practical
secrets of animation that will blow your mind, to the peculiar reason why
the Simpsons are yellow. We'll also check out the adult jokes you missed in SpongeBob and a sprinkling of very sinister theories and interpretations that, fair warning, may just ruin your
childhood favorites forever. So stick with me as I
reveal some of the craziest and darkest cartoon secrets
you won't believe are true! (soft music) Daddy Issues. Since debuting in 1989, "The Simpsons" has
certainly earnt its place in pop culture's hall of fame. With a perfect mix of
relatable family-life moments and hilarious satire, even predicting the future at times, "The Simpsons" is, seemingly, a fountain of eternal entertainment. Needless to say, in its
long-running history, a few strange mysteries have arisen, with some remarkable theories
attempting to explain them. For instance, the question of who Ralph
Wiggum's real dad is. But Chief Wiggum is Ralph's dad I'm sure you're exclaiming, but you just might be wrong. I mean, think about it, the two of them bear
virtually no resemblance. Sure, Ralph has similar
features to his mom, Sarah, such as her eyes and nose, but he seems to have inherited none of Chief Clancy's
ruggedly handsome good looks. The question is: if Wiggum
isn't Ralph's father, then which Springfielder is? Well, for a while now, fans
have had one gentleman-caller on their radar: Eddie, Chief Wiggum's colleague! And it makes sense, both he and Sarah would
be naturally acquainted. Not to mention that Eddie and Ralph have strikingly similar hairdos. But, of course, this is
all just conjecture, right? Well, until recently, yes. But in a season 34 episode,
"Lisa the Boy Scout", the show writers actually
addressed the rumors. - I know Eddie is Ralph's father! Look at the hair, look at the hair! - No Clancy, I swear to you it's not true! - My son's breath smells like cat food. - Okay, you got me. - [Narrator] So, there you have it! Eddie is, in fact, Ralph's dad. Seems like Sarah has
some explaining to do! But wait a moment, it turns
out the clip we just saw is from an episode that, according to The Simpsons Wiki, isn't actually considered canon, meaning it was purely a
self-aware throwaway joke. So, right now, the mystery seems to be
officially unresolved. Fortunately, for some
peace of mind by contrast, there's no denying that my dad
is my dad, we're identical! Tricks of the Trade. By their very nature, cartoons aren't intended to be realistic. I mean, how many grand pianos have you been crushed by lately? I spoke too soon. But besides sky falling pianos, there's something distinctly unrealistic about classic cartoons, their fingers. Just take notice of your
favorite cartoon characters, chances are they only have 4 digits. There surely must be
a reason for this, no? Well, around the early 20th century when animation was still new,
it was a very costly process. In fact, adjusted for inflation, Disney's 1928 seven-minute
short, "Steamboat Willie", cost over $87,000! Now, granted, Pixar movies nowadays cost as much as $100,000
per minute of animation, but these modern flicks
are way more complex and Disney has a ton more
resources available now than it did back in the
"Steamboat Willie" days. Back then, Disney animators
had to be thrifty. They realized that drawing
just one less finger saved a ton of time, which, in
turn, saved heaps of moolah. This cost effectiveness
is part of the reason why classic cartoons look
like, well, cartoons. Realism was just far too
arduous and expensive, so characters were
aesthetically simplified. Even in more recent times, animators have created similar shortcuts, such as Ursula the octopus
having only six tentacles instead of eight. Intriguingly, given that cartoon fingers need to be large enough
to see individually, animators have also
concluded that five fingers just don't look right. Walt Disney even said himself if Mickey Mouse had five fingers, his hands would look
like bunches of bananas and that's an image no
one wants to imagine. But speaking of Mickey's hands, what is the deal with those gloves? What's he hiding? Hidden hand tattoos? Concealed magical ice powers? Green, rotten, infected claws from some rare rodent illness? Nope, nope, and no. While it's possible Mickey's fingers may look all kinds of
weird under those gloves, there are a few official reasons classic cartoon characters like Mickey wear white gloves. Similar to the four fingers situation, drawing gloves was quicker and easier, which ultimately cut down costs. You see, hands present several
time-consuming challenges, such as joints and nails, that's why I don't have them. Gloves, on the other
hand, pun fully intended, were an easy way for animators
to convey hand gestures without the need to worry
about finer details. It also had to do with color. Color TV wasn't mainstream
until around the 1960s and consequently characters
like Mickey Mouse began their life in black and white. For Mickey, a mostly-black character, it made sense for him to
have contrasting white hands, as they'd otherwise get lost when interacting with his black body, which can actually be seen
here in "Steamboat Willie" when Mickey didn't yet have gloves! In addition to that, Walt also revealed in his 1957 biography that gloves were intended
to make Mickey, a rodent, look a little more human. I guess the red pants
weren't quite enough! Four fingers aside, can you spot anything that iconic cartoon
characters like these three have in common? Yep, they each have something
around their neck which, as I'll explain, is
completely intentional. In 1940, animation duo, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, created what is now a cartoon
icon, "Tom and Jerry". By 1957, the pair formed
Hanna-Barbera Studios and began churning out hit after hit. Titles included "The Flintstones", "Scooby-Doo", "Yogi Bear", and "The Jetsons" to name a few. Hanna-Barbera was going pedal-to-the-metal and it needed a way to streamline things, which was achieved by the
unlikely addition of neckpieces. Hanna-Barbera discovered that if they added
something around the neck to divide the head from the body, they could get away with
animating only the head and using the same static
drawing for the body when characters were stood still. Just take notice here how
both Wilma and Betty's bodies are completely still, while their heads, divided
by their necklaces, are the only things moving. Pretty clever, huh? There's no doubt, these
classic cartoonists were true masters of the phrase: why work harder when you can work smarter? Colorful Characters. Part of what makes "The
Simpsons" family so iconic is their unique design. But do you actually know
why they have yellow skin and such bizarre shaped heads? In 1985, producer James L Brooks proposed that Matt Groening
adapt his comic book strip "Life in Hell", for short animations to be featured on The Tracey Ullman Show. Fearing that this might entail him giving up ownership of his characters, Matt decided to create
some new ones instead. The story goes that one day he
was left waiting over an hour for a meeting, so he got to doodling. In that time, he claims he
created "The Simpsons" family, which was essentially based on his own. Matt's real-life parents were
called Homer and Margaret. He also had two little
sisters, Lisa and Maggie, and an older sister called Patty. And there's an argument to
be made that Matt himself is Bart. After all, no one else seems
to fit that mischievous slot, and Matt wrote a novel in high school where the main character was
also called Bart Simpson. Now of course, Groening's family didn't look all that
much like the Simpsons. In fact, I'd be pretty
concerned if they did. So why do The Simpsons have
such strange appearances, haircuts, and head shapes, even when compared to their
fellow Springfield residents? Well, not only does it
make them memorable to us, the audience, but it
also distinguishes them from other Springfielders. They're the principle
characters and as such, they have the most exclusive design that cannot really be seen
in any other characters. But the real mystery
is why are they yellow? Why aren't they normal skin color? Or why not blue or red, or
another arbitrary color? Well, aside from being
an eye-catching color that gives the show a
memorable, distinctive look, there's the fact that
Bart, Lisa, and Maggie have no line to differentiate their hair from their skin. So, the designers felt that
yellow could kinda pass for hair and kinda pass for skin, so
that's what they went with! Kinda like me. I might look bald, but I
actually have a ton of hair, it's just white! ♪ Scooby-Dooby-Doo, where are you from? ♪ - [Narrator] Having been
on our screens since 1969, "Scooby-Doo" has certainly
earnt its legendary status. In this time, it's had
countless series, movies, and spin-offs, which have all added to
the rich Scooby lore. And they've all been
pretty darn entertaining, that recent "Velma" show aside, of course, but we won't mention that. But did you know the 2010 spin-off series, "Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated" revealed perhaps the biggest plot-twist of the entire series? In the series, it's officially revealed that Scoob is actually an Annunaki. What's that, you say. Well, in the show, the Annunaki are a race of extra-terrestrial creatures, some of which are good,
while others are pure evil and wanna destroy the world. During a cosmic event known as Nibiru, which occurs every few thousand years, the barrier between the
Annunaki's world and our own grows weak, enabling them to visit Earth. Interestingly, the Annunaki have no physical form of their own, so when they do visit Earth, they inhabit the bodies of various animals - which explains sentient ancient and mythological creatures. And one of these creatures is none other than Scooby-Doo! Yep, in the lore of the 2010 series, Scooby-Doo is literally an
inter-dimensional alien. Zoinks! So, while we might be safe to
assume that out old pal Scoob is one of the good Annunakis, we cannot be sure he's
not one of the evil ones who's secretly plotting
to destroy the world! Hmm, he would've gotten away with it too if it wasn't for those
meddling show writers giving him a completely new
and off-the-cuff origin story! Secret Siblings. Modern Disney films are
loaded with Easter eggs in the form of covert clues and references to past
and upcoming movies. These are usually found
lurking in the background and, to the untrained eye,
go completely unnoticed! As a result of some of these Easter eggs, die-hard fans often theorize that certain movies must exist
within the same timeline. And to start us off, I
feel a song coming on. ♪ Let it go, let it go! ♪ - [Narrator] Thank you, thank you. Anyway, if you couldn't tell, this theory centers around "Frozen". This 2013 box-office smash
features many a secret, including a guest appearance from Rapunzel from "Tangled", post-haircut of course. But one secret is a
little less easy to spot, and notably darker. In the film, we see
Elsa and Anna's parents go on a ship voyage, where they ultimately meet their demise. But while we're led to believe
that Elsa and Anna's parents died at sea, that might not be the truth! According to a popular theory, they actually washed
ashore on a jungle island. There they would have a little boy and start a new life. Alas though, they would
eventually be tragically devoured by a leopard, leaving their defenseless baby orphaned. But then, in a crazy twist of fate, the baby would be raised by apes! Wait, wait, wait, rewind, isn't that just the plot of Tarzan? Meaning Tarzan is actually
Elsa and Anna's brother? Yep and yep! And while in-movie evidence of this is somewhere between
scarce and non-existent, don't be too quick to assume that this is just some theory-schmeory fabricated by Redditors with
too much time on their hands. It was actually shared by Chris Buck, who literally co-directed both movies! Naturally, people without
lives, I mean Disney fans, have been quick to point out that the two stories
don't perfectly align. Specifically in regards to
character design, time period, and locations. However, Chris prefaced that this is just his personal theory and not official canon
to either of the films. Still, it's pretty fun to think
that "Tarzan" and "Frozen" might be connected! I mean, just imagine: hey Elsa, Anna, great news, your parents actually
survived the shipwreck. Oh, but don't get too excited, they were brutally devoured by a leopard. Good news, though - you have a brother! Bad news, he was raised by apes and is currently flinging
his own human waste at your dinner guests. Yikes, let's move on! The Pixar Code. Sticking to the theme
of cinema Easter eggs, A113 is perhaps one of the greatest and most exclusive ones there is. If you look close enough in
almost every Pixar feature, you'll find this enigmatic code concealed in the depths of CGI. But what exactly does it mean? Well, the answer takes us
back to Pixar's origins. The spirit of Pixar
was cultivated by names such as John Lasseter, Pete
Docter, Andrew Stanton, and Brad Bird. These folks are all alumni of the prestigious
California Institute of Arts. What's more, they and many
future Pixar animators all learn their craft in
the same classroom - A113. It was a dingy and cramped room,
mind you, but nevertheless, it was the place where Pixar would essentially be born. It's thought that Brad Bird began the fun tradition of
hiding A113 in Disney films, starting with 1987's "The
Brave Little Toaster". The tradition continued with
the development of Pixar, appearing in the studio's
first feature, "Toy Story". So A113 isn't some kinda
covert subliminal code, but rather a nod to the
studio's humble beginnings! So, keep an eye out for it in the next Disney or
Pixar flick you enjoy. The Reality of Nemo. Okay, so we've all seen
Pixar's "Finding Nemo". But, did you know that "Finding Nemo", if it were more realistically based on the real laws of nature, would be far less child-friendly? Let me paint you a
picture; and fair warning, things are about to get kinda horrific. Marlin and his wife Coral
were admiring the deep blue, when bam, out of nowhere a
barracuda gobbled up Coral and her nest of unhatched eggs. But wait, there was one left. This ray of hope, Marlin named Nemo. With Nemo born, there
was only one thing left for Marlin to do, become a woman. And, as Nemo grew into
an adult fish himself, his mother Marlin
suggested the unthinkable: that it was time for the two clown fish to have some children of their own. Wait, wait, stop, cut! Yeah, that might just be the worst thing I've ever had to narrate. But, technically, in the wild, this is pretty much exactly
how it would've gone down. You see, clown fish are
sequential hermaphrodites, meaning that they are all
born biologically male, but can transform to become female to meet the needs of
their social hierarchy. Should the group's breeding female die, as with Coral in Finding Nemo, the former breeding male
partner will change sex to replace her and mate
with its own male offspring. Yikes, no wonder why Marlin
was so desperate to find Nemo. Anyone got Child Protective
Services' number? SpongeBob Secrets. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Sorry about that. Anyway, since hitting our screens in 1999, "SpongeBob SquarePants"
has become an icon. But it seems there might
be more to the show than one silly little
sponge's shenanigans. For example, did you know that the show is actually a big metaphor
for environmental issues? Well, that is at least
according to one theory. According to online theorists, each character personifies a different aspect of global warming and wider societal
issues - let me explain. SpongeBob, who resembles a
human-made kitchen sponge more than the naturally
occurring sponges of the sea, represents sea pollution. Meanwhile, Patrick, SpongeBob's incredibly stupid friend. - Is mayonnaise an instrument? - [Narrator] He is said to
represent society's obliviousness to what's going on, in terms of climate change and pollution. After all, he literally
- and metaphorically - lives under a rock. Meanwhile, money-hungry Mr Krabs is an embodiment of the big corporations, AKA the main culprits of pollution. - Hello, I like money. - [Narrator] And finally, perhaps the most relatable
SpongeBob character, Squidward. - Oh puh-lease, I have no soul. - [Narrator] This
misunderstood cultural fiend is thought to represent liberalism, what with his artistic
passions and enlightenment often ignored, if not ridiculed, leaving him forced to work
for a corporation he dislikes. - [Manager] Hang in there Squidward, it's all part of the job. - [Narrator] While this socio-political and ecological commentary is all just theory and not
part of the show's canon, there are other hints in the show that might actually corroborate this. For example, just take
a look at the houses in Bikini Bottom. I mean, what exactly are they? Well, some say they look
a lot like car mufflers. Potentially meaning that
Bikini Bottom is SO polluted that its residents have no option but to live in human trash! Do you think any of this checks out? The question I'm sure
is on everyone's mind is why does SpongeBob live in a pineapple? Well, show creator, the
late Steven Hillenburg, explained that while things in the show might often seem random, everything is quite thought out. For instance, much of the visual imagery is inspired by Hawaiian
and Polynesian culture, and, lo and behold, pineapples
are often a recurring motif in these cultures' art and fabrics. But besides that, Steven also explained
how he thought SpongeBob would simply like the
smell of a pineapple! I mean, I get it, in the same vain, I'd like to live in a
pot of Wendy's chili. Moving over to Squidward's humble abode, we can see how he lives
in what looks to be one of the famed Easter
Island head statues. How one of those ended up under the sea remains a mystery, but what is interesting
is that Squidward's home probably has a secret underground body! You see, while they're often
referred to as just heads, the Easter Island statues actually have buried torsos, meaning our pal Squidward probably has a pretty gnarly basement! Though, of all the real
estate in Bikini Bottom, the Krusty Krab is not
just odd; it's disturbing. While it might be the town's favorite fast-food joint, the Krusty Krab conceals a dark secret. This, what you're looking at right now, is what the Krusty Krab is based on. And do you know what it is? Yep, it's a crab trap But wait, why would Mr
Krabs, a crab himself, set up shop in a crab trap? Well, that's where things get twisted. For over 20 years now,
Plankton and fans alike have yearned to know the
Krabby Patty's Secret Formula. And after being reportedly
released on nick.com, only to later be removed, the recipe states the patty is made from, and I quote, "Imitation crab meat". Imitation crab meat is typically made of pulverized whitefish, which already has pretty
disturbing connotations, but with the Krusty Krab
literally being a crab trap, I'm not all that convinced
that it's imitation and not the real thing. So is Mr Krabs a cannibal? Well, there's not enough
evidence to say for sure and the show's producers
have more recently claimed Krabby Patties are actually plant-based. But I still don't think I'd be surprised about some wildly-inaccurate
ingredient labeling from this money-loving
crustacean; would you? Disney Déjà Vu. Disney has been known to
reuse the odd idea or two. I mean, being resurrected from the dead via acts of true love is just one of them. Sadly, no matter how many times I tried, that old Disney trick certainly
didn't work on my hamster. But, the point is, it's
not just plot lines Disney have recycled,
but actual animation too! Don't believe me? Take a look. (playful music) Pretty mind-blowing, huh? And while the evidence
is there in plain sight, the question is: why? Well, the rumor goes that in the 1970s, when Disney movies like
"Robin Hood" came out, the studio was broke and recycling old
animation was a cheap way to make ends meet. However, while this would've
certainly saved some time from designing and planning
new movement sequences, it isn't the whole truth. According to Floyd
Norman, a Disney animator, the director of "Robin
Hood" and "Winnie the Pooh", Wolfgang Reitherman wanted to play it safe by using animation he knew worked. You see, after Walt died in 1966, the studio essentially
lost its guiding star - and well, it showed, as Disney's profits from
their animation features began to decline. What Wolfgang was doing was perhaps an attempt to recapture some of the Walt Disney magic by sticking with the old charm. This is why some films from this period feature direct copies of the studio's older animations. It's kind of like some
of the nostalgia-baiting unnecessary sequels we see today, only at least these Disney movies were pretending to be original! Not Child Friendly! My mom loves to tell me that I
need to stop being a deadbeat and watching kids' cartoons! However, it just so happens
that many children's cartoons aren't all that child-friendly! Top suspect is our old pal Mr SquarePants. Throughout the series,
his nautical nonsense has oftentimes resulted
is some pretty adult jokes that, granted, went completely
over our heads as kids, but watching now are pretty on the nose! I mean, just take a look at this from the season 2 episode
"Your Shoe's Untied". (mid tempo music) - Gary! I was just looking for
the sports channel, Gary! - [Narrator] Dear God! Of course, all we see
is a dancing anemone, but judging by SpongeBob's sheer panic, we can assume he may've been watching a sea creature's equivalent of a one-handed workout video, if you catch my drift. Moving onto something
equally PG-unfriendly, check out this scene
from the season 7 episode "The Play's The Thing". (playful music) And just in case you
still didn't get the joke, let's just say that
those were not balloons. Wow, who knew Squidward
would look so good in latex? No idea how that one got past the censor, but I suppose the sponge's prophylactics look just enough like
balloons to slip through. Admittedly, it's not just the SpongeBob who's been up to no
good - Donald Duck too! And, trigger warning: you may never look at
him the same way again. (playful music) Looks like Donald just
pitched a tent there. Thankfully, that uncomfortable image from 1947's "Wide Open Spaces" short film is later revealed to be a rock poking through Donald's
sleeping mat and beyond. But it's safe to assume
that those Disney animators had a good laugh, even if they have just
ruined all of our childhoods! But it's not just Donald's
unwanted protrusions that made for an awkward
moment in a Disney cartoon. Take a look at these sausages in the background of the 1933
"Three Little Pigs" short. Yep, the three little pigs having a jig, all the while a portrait of their father immortalized in the form of sausage can be spotted in the background. Ah, I have a similar portrait
of my late grandmother, rest in s'mores, Grandma, rest in s'mores. Daddy Doofenshmirtz. Now, if you are a millennial or older, you might not be as
familiar with this next one. "Phineas and Ferb" was a cartoon that first aired on the
Disney Channel in 2007, with the premise being two stepbrothers who would embark on wild
adventures and constructions each episode. During the series, we're never introduced to
Phineas's biological dad and while it's not an
important part of the plot, it has left fans wondering
who the mystery man might be. Phineas's head is distinctly triangular, in fact, if you look at
both Phineas and Ferb, notice how their silhouettes reference their initials P and F. And while Phineas's triangular
head is unique to him, there is one other character
with a similar shaped head: Dr Doofenshmirtz. You know, the show's villain who will stop at nothing
to rule the tri-state area? Of course, the initial resemblance might not be striking, but notice how they both not
only have triangular heads but little hair sprouts from the top. Fans have even extended
the theory to Candace, Phineas's sister. From her slouch and long neck, to the fact that both
she and Doofenshmirtz are lactose intolerant. But then again, an estimated
68% of the population also is. So, I guess for now
Phineas and Candace's dad remains a long-necked triangular mystery. Red, Blue, and Green. In the intro to "The Powerpuff Girls", we're told that these superhuman
gals were created in a lab made from sugar, spice,
and everything nice - not to mention the
all-important Chemical X, which bestowed them their superpowers. However, behind the scenes there was actually another
source of inspiration and it came from a Disney classic! The three Powerpuff Girls each have distinctive personalities, booted with their own trademark colors - red, blue, and green. And you know which other famous trio also share these same colors? No, not Alvin and the Chipmunks, the fairies from "Sleeping Beauty". Yep, even the Powerpuff
Girls' personalities overlap with those of the fairies, there's the sweet one, the energetic one, and tough one. Perhaps you could even theorize that the "Sleeping Beauty" fairies are the Powerpuff Girls grown up, after traveling through some kind of wacky MCU-logic time portal
to the medieval times? Stranger things happened in that show, I mean, their main adversary
was a talking monkey for crying out loud! Now think about this, what do you do when you're
on public transport, cleaning your house, or you generally just
can't stare at a screen? Do you still wanna learn amazing facts and have your mind blown? Well, I've got the solution. "Be Amazed" is now
available in podcast form. Look up Be Amazed on all
major podcast platforms. Follow us now on the podcast
platform of your choice and you'll have the chance to
win $500 of Amazon vouchers. We're giving $100 vouchers away to five lucky winners. All you need to do is slide into my DMs on Facebook or Instagram with a screenshot showing that you follow
the "Be Amazed" podcast and left a top rating. Hurry, the competition ends
on the 30th of September. Winners will be chosen at random and announced via our Facebook page. And, in true "Looney Tunes"
style, that's all folks! Be sure to like and subscribe and also let me know in the comments which of these crazy secrets
shocked you the most. Catch you later! (soft music)
