accuracy-in-kids39-shows
Explanation
The Joke
A woman watches television and declares "Okay, I take it back. Kids' shows shouldn't try to teach statistics." The TV screen shows a children's show featuring a cartoon hippo character ("Smoopotamus") alongside a human host, with the hippo saying: "Actually, Smoopotamus, most people who try cocaine won't become addicts."
The Humor
The comic takes the common complaint that kids' shows should be more educational and intellectually rigorous, and pushes it to its absurd logical conclusion. While it may be statistically accurate that the majority of people who try cocaine do not become addicted, this is clearly not age-appropriate information for a children's program. The humor comes from the clash between the demand for factual accuracy and the realization that some accurate facts are wildly inappropriate for certain audiences. The format -- a brightly colored puppet character on a kid's show casually discussing cocaine addiction rates -- maximizes the comedic incongruity.
The votey shows the Smoopotamus character saying "Dare to live!" -- further amplifying the joke by having the children's character deliver an inappropriately reckless motivational message.