Of course Bloo is a jerk!

[I.R Joey]

I don't know about anyone else but does anyone else find it strange that some Foster's fans are complaning about Bloo being a jerk? I mean that's the point isn't it? Even more I can't understand how some people are saying that this is only present in the most recent episodes. I mean he wasn't this angel of a guy in the first season. We are talking about the same Bloo who in the pilot episode attacked someone and said "I just want to punch you". And who in the first half hour episode was running around a mall kicking people in the shins. Of course the list of first season shanagins goes on...

-Posting an embarising video of Herriman on the web (after showing it to everyone in the foster home).
-Throwing away his creator and bestfriend because some crazy girl (who he was oblivious to anyway) told him to.
-Seeing Red, nuff said.
-Taking Madamme Foster's recipe and becoming a cut throat executive.

And with some time I could probably think of something from almost every episode. I always thought that Bloo was suppouse to be kind of self-centered and greedy. One of the Fosters animators at AWN desccribed it perfectly when he said that Bloo was kind of like Mac's id. That he says and does exactly what he's thinking with little regard to how everyone else feels or dire consequences down the road.

Am I right or is it weird that people want Bloo to stop acting like what he was always suppouse to be (a self centered jerk)?

[King_of_doom]

I like Bloo being a jerk, when i first saw Fosters i thought "oh great and i think this character name Bloo is goanna be the good guy telling: oh thats dangerous, we have to share our stuff with other people, being good is cool" but then when i saw all the episodes i cant believe this guy or imaginary friend is capable of, the best one is when he throws a party and black mailing Mr. Herriman to Madamme Foster.

[I.R Joey]

I like Bloo being a jerk, when i first saw Fosters i thought "oh great and i think this character name Bloo is goanna be the good guy telling: oh thats dangerous, we have to share our stuff with other people, being good is cool" but then when i saw all the episodes i cant believe this guy or imaginary friend is capable of, the best one is when he throws a party and black mailing Mr. Herriman to Madamme Foster.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

Bloo is a jerk, but the reason we don't hate him is that he's so oblivious to everyone else that it's part of his charecter. It's almost like he's not doing it to really dig at people, or get them mad he's just doing it because that's who he is. That's the reason he's kind of a likeable charecter, and not the kind you just absolutely hate.

[One Radical Dude]

You're right, Joey. I find it strange that there are some folks that say, "ooh--Bloo was really nice in Season 1--now, he's a big meanie." Another thing about Bloo in the first season was that he would rather fiddle around with a "fram blubobbiter" or a "cassadonal therdometer", than to have fun with the imaginary puppies. He also didn't treat Coco very well in SW--saying that she wasn't allowed to go to the mall without any money. In Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies--and in many other classics, characters are treated even worse. Maybe, it's Political Correctness (I hope that's not the case, but PC seems to be increasing every year). I'll admit, there are a few moments where I want a brief break from Bloo being a complete jerk (more like what you see in SSOS, MSCW, and DOW)--but to say that Bloo wasn't a jerk in the earlier episodes is completely false.

When Lauren Faust brought up conflict vs. non-conflict, I mentioned that I enjoyed conflicted episodes--and that should not change here. If some of these people got their way--and everyone became happy and held hands, this wouldn't be the same series that I've fallen in love with. Look, I do respect all opinions on what they see in this series--however, I do disagree that Blooregard Q. Kazoo was an angel in the earlier episodes.

[Djm912]

Could it possibly be that I just don't like jerk characters? I don't have some big PC agenda, but I still don't like Bloo. I never have liked jerk characters, whether they were oblivious to it or not. And why is that? It's because they're jerks. You're not supposed to say "Awww, how cute". I guess a lot of people see Bloo that way. I have no idea why.

I just don't like him.

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Yeah, I'm surprised people don't like Bloo being a jerk, the show would be pretty boring if he was just nice all the time.

[Mr Cat Dog]

Dur kinda springs to mind.

I can't have said it any better than what I.R. Joey said, so I won't.

[Kurtman]

Bloo is okay. I don't love him or hate him.

[JordanS.]

I don't want to tell you this, but I loved the movie better then the series itself, because Bloo wasn't behaving like one. :anime: :sweat: But in the series...... he does :eek: :D

Jordan

[bedbugjones]

bloo is the greatest animated chrecter EVER!!!!:D



I LOVE MY MOMMY!!:evil:

[Frank]

I think Bloo is a cool character. He's not mean-spirited, he just a bit impulsive.

[NeitherSparky]

As I believe Eduardo said in Bye Bye Nerdy: "You still a big jerko!" :)

Bloo is the biggest jerk. He's always been a jerk and God willing he always will be. And everyone knows how much I like jerk characters. :D That's why I love him.

Oh, and he's cute.

[Linkin_Park_Fan]

Bloo's a really cool character. It just makes me wonder how a really friendly and up-standing kid like Mac could imagine up such a jerk like Bloo.

[JordanS.]

Sure I know that Bloo maybe the big fat jerk in the outside. But keep, keep, keeeeeeepppppp down..... he has a heart. Bloo can be nice whenever he wants.


Jordan

[Cartoonboy900]

Bloo may be a jerk, but is still my favorite character in Foster's.

[Inkan1969]

I'd understand Bloo's jerkiness if he had a more well rounded personality. He did show some dimension in "Squeekerboxx", when he was willing to hit himself repeatedly to win the prize. But most of the time his jerkiness is one-dimensional; that's ALL he is. And in the show's context he comes off as hateful. Because Mac sacrifises for Bloo so much. Mac got the home to keep Bloo for him. Mac talks about how great a friend Bloo is. But what does Bloo do in return? Treat him like s---. Mac does so much for Bloo and Bloo dumps on him. That infuriates me. It seems like Bloo doesn't deserve in the least the help Mac and the cast give him. Mac's a fool to stay friends with Bloo. Bloo really deserves to be ditched by Mac completely. Heck, if Mac even euthanized Bloo I'd support that because Bloo would deserve that.

:mad:

[Mr Cat Dog]

Heck, if Mac even euthanized Bloo I'd support that because Bloo would deserve that.And if that happens, Turner would be facing a hell of a lot of lawsuits.

Bloo being a jerk is the entire point of his character. His jerkiness is one dimensional, because, quite frankly, that's all he needs to be. Why would the team write up some deep character when all he's going to end up doing is wrecking everyone's plans. If that were to happen in any other show with a less charming character, then I would agree with you 100%, but it's Bloo's charm that makes us all forget about his pettiness, laziness, selfishness and plenty other undesirable qualities and focus in on the good things: He makes us all laugh. That's why he's a jerk. Jerks are always the funniest characters :D

[Inkan1969]

But that's Bloo's problem: He has no charm at all. If he did have charm he would not be one dimensional.

[One Radical Dude]

I'd understand Bloo's jerkiness if he had a more well rounded personality. He did show some dimension in "Squeekerboxx", when he was willing to hit himself repeatedly to win the prize. But most of the time his jerkiness is one-dimensional; that's ALL he is. And in the show's context he comes off as hateful. Because Mac sacrifises for Bloo so much. Mac got the home to keep Bloo for him. Mac talks about how great a friend Bloo is. But what does Bloo do in return? Treat him like s---. Mac does so much for Bloo and Bloo dumps on him. That infuriates me. It seems like Bloo doesn't deserve in the least the help Mac and the cast give him. Mac's a fool to stay friends with Bloo. Bloo really deserves to be ditched by Mac completely. Heck, if Mac even euthanized Bloo I'd support that because Bloo would deserve that.

:mad:
Whoa, don't you think you're going overboard there, pal. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have said PC, but more people seem too sensitive over such small things (and I don't regret saying that). What next, let's euthanize Bugs Bunny for giving Daffy Duck a hard time? C'mon, man--Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies characters did terrible things to each other all the time, and I thought the things they did were funny. If we had anything changed about Foster's, it would likely not be the same show that I've enjoyed.

[mikestorm]

Ever since "Foster's" premiered I've had a threory about Bloo that only strenghtens after I see each episide.

Simply put, Bloo is Id incarnate, devoid of the ego and superego to restrain and govern his actions.

Id: noun In Freudian theory, the division of the psyche that is totally unconscious and serves as the source of instinctual impulses and demands for immediate satisfaction of primitive needs. Normally, its efforts to satisfy these desires, the id comes into conflict with the social and practical constraints enforced by the ego and superego, but neither are present within Bloo.

Anyone who's seen "Squeaker" sees where I'm coming from.

To continue with my theroy, Mac is Ego, Mr. Herriman is Superego, and Craig McCracken is absolutly brilliant. It really explains the dysfunctional relationship between Bloo and the other characters (such as why they're so forgiving and why Bloo seems to be incorrigible).

Here's the Wiki Definition on Id, Ego, and Superego (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego%2C_Superego_and_Id)

In other words, there's a little bit of Bloo in all of us, which is why on some levels we can identify with what he's doing, but on other levels we find him selfish and juvenile. The fact that he was spawned by Mac raises some interesting questions on Mac's psyche.

EDIT: Reread I.R. Joey's first post. It seems my "theory" was actually already preconceived by one of the Foster's animators.

[Puffdaddy]

Good job mikestorm, You got it.

Craig

[Mr Cat Dog]

That's certainly some analysis... but I have a question for you, Cragi, if you don't mind.

When thinking of Bloo, Mac and Herriman, did you immediately think to present these characters with such psychological roles from the onset, or did you do it as time went on during the season and stuff?

[Dogasu]

The way I see it, Bloo is like the non-Adult Swim version of Master Shake. And Master Shake is my favorite ATHF character; likewise, Bloo is my favorite Foster's character.

[I.R Joey]

I'd understand Bloo's jerkiness if he had a more well rounded personality. He did show some dimension in "Squeekerboxx", when he was willing to hit himself repeatedly to win the prize. But most of the time his jerkiness is one-dimensional; that's ALL he is. And in the show's context he comes off as hateful. Because Mac sacrifises for Bloo so much. Mac got the home to keep Bloo for him. Mac talks about how great a friend Bloo is. But what does Bloo do in return? Treat him like s---. Mac does so much for Bloo and Bloo dumps on him. That infuriates me. It seems like Bloo doesn't deserve in the least the help Mac and the cast give him. Mac's a fool to stay friends with Bloo. Bloo really deserves to be ditched by Mac completely. Heck, if Mac even euthanized Bloo I'd support that because Bloo would deserve that.

:mad:Yeah but need I remind you that in that episode he also...

1. Broke the toy and tried to cover it up.
2.Got the dracula teeth anyway even though he wasn't suppouse to.
and
3. Robbed the little girl who he made an honest bet with.

I think the idea that Mac is always there to forgive Bloo and take him back is one of the reoccuring themes in the show. Mac's just kind of this big conscience that can't hold a grudge, and Bloo is just a bunch of uncontrolable impulses. They're really two parts of the same person.

And I don't think making Bloo more "nice" or "complicated" like some have suggested would neccicerily improve the show. Foster's is what it is, a gag oriented show. The charecters are really well defined in my opinion, and they balance one another out just fine. Making Bloo to nice would really throw off that wonderful interaction between all of the charecters in the show. And putting a bunch of excess backstory would really slow things down.

Oh and nice to see you posting again Craig (or if you prefer Mr. McCrackin).

[Sr.Infierno]

The way I see it, Bloo is like the non-Adult Swim version of Master Shake. And Master Shake is my favorite ATHF character; likewise, Bloo is my favorite Foster's character.
Well Bloo's a jerk, but he's not a jerk who's also a complete idiot

[Peter Paltridge]

Good people are rarely funny. There have been less and less characters like Bloo lately (like someone said earlier, it's the PC cleaners taking over) and CN is suffering as a result. It's also just plain rare to see someone as bad as Bloo in the forefront of a children's show period....look through history.

Foster's is getting good ratings, but not nearly as good as it should be getting--it's truly funny and Bloo is the main reason.

[I.R Joey]

Well Bloo's a jerk, but he's not a jerk who's also a complete idiot
I'd say he kind of is, or perhaps childishly naive is a better way of putting it. I mean he tried to make a massage chair with a shaking toy, he tried to build a time machine with household products, and of course the whole Berry incident.

Bloo certainly isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but maybe it's that whole oblivious thing that makes him so interesting.

[Karl Olson]

Besides, jerks are the foundation of comedy, particularly in animation. The original Looney Tunes characters and most anything out of MGM worth while were driven by characters trying to screw over or one up other characters for their own personal gain. That conflict is where the comedy comes in because you can laugh at when they get theres for having tried to one up someone who didn't deserve it. Otherwise it's like that episode of Itchy and Scratch where they sit around and drink lemonade - boring.

I'd imagine that not are Craig and Lauren aware of this from the classics, but also from ATHF, which they both mention as a favorite. It's obvious why they'd enjoy it too - at it's best, it's driven by conflict because of selfishness (not even necessarily cruel-selfishness, just a lack perspective or moral background,) just like Foster's is. At points you could probably exchange some of Bloo's actions for Shake's, and that is really a good thing actually, because it's a sign that they have the concept right - good "jerks" characters are of a similar mindset. Just as much as I could imagine Shake stealing a squeaky toy from Meatwad because he deserves it over anyone else, I could imagine Bloo justifying stealing (he actually does in the case of Madame Foster's cookie recipe initially) because he would figure as long as he comes out a head, it's ok.

To put it another way, Bloo is definitely the id, but the more important thing that the id begets comedy when faced with anything other than the id. So it's a good thing he is a jerk or at the very least, ignorant to consequences. Otherwise it'd be paint-dryingly interesting.