Take a bow, she's a big girl now, she's the best pooper we know
Bobby is turning four years old. It’s his birthday, and he’s having a party. A clown is coming. It’s 1992.
Also, he’s haunted by foot-tall gremlin named Mr. Penders who watches toddlers using the bathroom.
This is no horror exploitation film (though there is an unexpected handheld shaky cam shot chasing a kid around), but a cheery made-for-children “kidvid” about the joy of being potty trained made by Duke University.
The unintentional comedy in this video is off the charts. It’s an all-timer of so-dumb-it’s-amazing. I’m a simple man, so the rewrites of nursery rhymes to discuss poop and “pushing pants away” is a surefire laugh.
There’s also some original tunes. “Super Dooper Pooper” is a triumphant march that is a straight up banger. This song should have hit the Billboard charts. I want to be as good at anything as this little girl is at pooping.
The video is 20 minutes long and follows Bobby’s birthday party and the many potty-themed misadventures that occur. Occurrences include a bunch of kids following a clown to the bathroom without parental supervision and Mr. Penders rapping about the encroaching urge to pee as if it’s some sort of creeping phantom. (Again, this is not a horror movie.)
I’m not sure we needed a 3 minute Raggedy Ann storytelling cutaway or that bizarre song about playing with balls. (Then again, maybe I underappreciated the unintentional comedy in that one, too…)
Listen, I know I can be a bit of a pretentious film snob. I watch five-hour documentaries by experimental Lithuanian filmmakers. I use words like “diegesis” and “metatextual” without irony.
But I can say with a straight face that I had more fun watching this than plenty of other “films.” Even if Mr. Penders might haunt my dreams.
Is It Good?
Nearly Good (4/8)
Note: This review was published early in The Goods' history and is a candidate for an expanded review in the future. Please excuse brevity or inconsistencies in style.
Dan is the founder and head critic of The Goods. Follow Dan on Letterboxd. Join the Discord for updates and discussion.