美国国家公共电台 NPR--Encore: The secret behind why parents — and kids — love 'Bluey'

Encore: The secret behind why parents — and kids — love 'Bluey'

Transcript¹

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

The animated² show "Bluey" has attracted millions of young viewers around the world. The Australian cartoon, with a third season out in Disney+, is about a family of talking dogs named the Heelers. And as NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports, it's equal parts high jinks and humanity.

ELIZABETH BLAIR, BYLINE³: The situations on "Bluey" are simple. In Season 1, there was a game of keeping a balloon in the air.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BLUEY")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Bluey) I got it.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As Bingo) Oh, good.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Bluey) Mom, mom, mom, quick, quick. Oh, mom, you're making it harder.

MELANIE ZANETTI: (As Mum) OK...

BLAIR: There's a lot of make-believe, like the time the dad pretended to be one of those arcade⁴ claw machines.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BLUEY")

DAVE MCCORMACK: (As Dad) Insert coin for awesome⁵ prizes.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Bluey) Cha-ching.

MCCORMACK: (As Dad) This machine doesn't take imaginary coins. Go and get a job and earn real ones.

(LAUGHTER)

BLAIR: As far as parents go, Bandit and his wife, Chilli Heeler, are rock stars. They always seem to be playing with their kids. They let them climb all over them. They're silly, but they're also resourceful, especially when they're tired.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BLUEY")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Bluey) Can we play a game?

MCCORMACK: (As Dad) As long as it's one where I don't have to move any part of my body or say anything with my mouth.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Bluey) OK.

MCCORMACK: He's just like every dad, I reckon.

BLAIR: Dave McCormack is the voice of Bandit Heeler.

MCCORMACK: There's some episodes where he tries to invent games where he gets to just lie on the couch and read the newspaper or watch cricket or something. So, look, I find, in real life as a dad, I try and invent games that involves me lying on the couch and watching TV, as well (laughter).

ALLISON HASSER: It is one of the few kids shows I actually enjoy watching with them.

BLAIR: Why?

HASSER: Because the adults are not perfect.

BLAIR: Allison Hasser lives in Takoma Park, Md. Her 5-year-old Isla is a big fan of "Bluey's."

ISLA: I think all of the shows are funny.

BLAIR: Hasser says she gets parenting ideas from "Bluey."

HASSER: They create games because the kids want to be carried, and the parents are too tired and don't feel like carrying them. And I'm, like, actually, like, basically taking notes. I'm like, oh, good. OK, next time we're on a walk, I'm going to use this, too.

DALEY PEARSON: That's when we first started realizing it was catching⁶ on a bit - that families were recreating these games, and that was a huge surprise for us.

BLAIR: Daley Pearson is executive producer of "Bluey" and co-founder of Ludo Studio in Brisbane, Australia, where the show is created. He says even though Bluey and her family act human, they're modeled after blue heeler dogs, hence the family name.

PEARSON: They're sort of the dog of Australia. They're inexhaustible. They're very smart, you know, loyal, loving.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BLUEY")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Bluey) Hey, dad, stop. It's a bird. But it's on the ground.

MCCORMACK: (As Dad) It's a little budgie.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Bluey) Is it OK?

MCCORMACK: (As Dad) No, it looks hurt.

BLAIR: Bluey also doesn't shy away from tough topics, including death. When Bluey finds an injured bird, she and Bandit take it to the vet⁷.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BLUEY")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) I'm sorry. It's bad news, I'm afraid. The little budgie died.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Bluey) Oh, OK.

MCCORMACK: (As Dad) Oh, sorry, kiddo. Come here.

BLAIR: A key aspect of the show is its humanity. Dave McCormack.

MCCORMACK: Most kid shows, the bird miraculously⁸ recover and, you know, be the comedic family pet for the rest of the series. But in this episode, the bird doesn't recover and dies. And for a kid's show to be dealing⁹ with the death of an animal is pretty unusual, isn't it? But it's good that it deals with real stuff.

BLAIR: That's "Bluey's" charm - blending old-school humor with a contemporary sensibility and lots of preschool silliness.

Elizabeth Blair, NPR News.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 arcade   

n.拱廊；(一侧或两侧有商店的)通道

参考例句：

• At this time of the morning,the arcade was almost empty.在早晨的这个时候，拱廊街上几乎空无一人。
• In our shopping arcade,you can find different kinds of souvenir.在我们的拱廊市场，你可以发现许多的纪念品。

5 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

6 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

7 vet   

n.兽医，退役军人；vt.检查

参考例句：

• I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
• Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。

8 miraculously   

ad.奇迹般地

参考例句：

• He had been miraculously saved from almost certain death. 他奇迹般地从死亡线上获救。
• A schoolboy miraculously survived a 25 000-volt electric shock. 一名男学生在遭受2.5 万伏的电击后奇迹般地活了下来。

9 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。