Rich people in cartoons

[SlyBoy]

Why is it that rich people on cartoons are self-obsessed snobs? I really hate that stereotype.

 

[mbaker]

Well Scrooge McDuck, and Bruce Wayne are the few rich characters I could think of that isn't very snobby, Another common stereotype of rich characters is thet they're very greedy. Mr. Burns emediately comes to mind.

 

[SlyBoy]

You're right about Bruce Wayne and Scrooge McDuck, mbaker, but I think the cartoon that has the worst rep for this issue has to be The Fairly Oddparents.

 

[Antiyonder]

Originally posted by ApolloBoy
Why is it that rich people on cartoons are self-obsessed snobs? I really hate that stereotype.

Don't forget if it's a rich kid then their story is always parents to busy to spend time with them due to all their business. Can't they train someone in the company to handle the work, so they can be with their kid.

Richie Rich is one those exceptions to rich kids being snobish rule.


Hope this makes sense.

 

[Dee]

Stereotype sure fits what I see.

My nemesis from High school was disgustingly wealthy and a complete self-obsessed snob who thinks the world revolves around her and she's miss popular....

too bad she was so self absorbed she was too BLIND to see no one liked her.


but... Bruce Wayne would not fit the stereotype

 

[Auggie Doggie]

Originally posted by ApolloBoy
...but I think the cartoon that has the worst rep for this issue has to be The Fairly Oddparents.

Thinking about how social classes are affected by the amount of money a kids has (ie: Trixie Tang compared to Timmy Turner) and the whole Remy Buxaplenty thing...to quote Liar, Liar...

Dingdingdingding...What do we have for her Johnny? (not necessarily saying you are a girl).

I believe the same rap of a money caste system goes to The Oblongs, which airs in Adult Swim .

 

[Anthonynotes]

What about Veronica Lodge (from Archie comics/cartoons)? She seemed to waver between snobby-acting and being friends with Betty (when they weren't arguing over who gets Archie), and seemed to at least tolerate Jughead and the rest (and even invites them to her house for parties)...

Rich kids cartoon cliche #27: for some reason, they *always* are sent to the public school in town....vs. the more-probable private school somewhere (see once again Veronica, who goes to Riverdale High w/Archie and co.)...

-B.

 

[Scythemantis]

sadly, most rich people ARE snobs. I'd say 70-80% of them in my own experience.

 

[StrangerAtaru]

The whole "rich kid" stereotype does get on my nerves a good chunk of the time, partially because of the whole "man is money" (thanks Mendou for that term) idea that goes with them. Money connects with snobbery, eccentrisms, etc., and probably just reinforces previous stereotypes. Trust me, there are many times where I see rich characters in animation and wish I could ignore them, but they just never seem to go away. (similar with "royalty" characters a good chunk of the time as well)

As for the "Bruce Wayne" comment, I think that the only reason he probably has those riches is to fund for his "secret life", since while it costs nothing to be a detective, it costs a lot to use all that equipment. (that and his parents made a good chunk of it when he was younger before they were killed)

 

[Antiyonder]

Another

Originally posted by mbaker
Well Scrooge McDuck, and Bruce Wayne are the few rich characters I could think of that isn't very snobby, Another common stereotype of rich characters is thet they're very greedy. Mr. Burns emediately comes to mind.

Another person for that list, Felicia Hardy from the Spider-Man Animatd Series.

 

[Toon Capone]

Re: Another

Originally posted by Antiyonder
Another person for that list, Felicia Hardy from the Spider-Man Animatd Series.

In the cartoon yeah but in the comic book she was not rich.

 

[Lonestarr]

What's more, there always has to be an episode where said rich kid loses all their money, but somehow, ends up rich again by the episode's end. 'Tis a very popular plotline:

Disney's Doug
Hey Arnold!
Sabrina: TAS

I'm sure that there have been more.

 

[Novdeloth]

Originally posted by Brainatra
Rich kids cartoon cliche #27: for some reason, they *always* are sent to the public school in town....vs. the more-probable private school somewhere (see once again Veronica, who goes to Riverdale High w/Archie and co.)...

Maybe the parents are saving up for a fleet of yachts and the Caribbean and they can't afford to fork over sixty grand for their babies' sophisticated education.

 

[Christopher N. Denner]

Rich folks are universally known as evil. You could work all your life and make millions... but you're bad. Sit on your butt in your mother's basement for 20 years and win the lottery, and people will say "it's nice to see someone finally get what they deserve".

Makes no sense... but that's how things go. I remember seeing the Hey Arnold Commercials claiming "The Arnold gang is taking on Big Business!". Just a cheap way of promoting the film by attacking all successful businesses, ala the Enron scandal. Truth is, they provide more for families and the economy than they ever get credit for. So... what IS wrong with Big Business? Gee... I'd like to hear Viacom, Nickelodeon's owner along with MANY other sub-companies, answer THAT one.

BTW... Tony Stark is another cool rich dude.

 

[Anthonynotes]

Originally posted by Christopher N. Denner
Rich folks are universally known as evil. You could work all your life and make millions... but you're bad. Sit on your butt in your mother's basement for 20 years and win the lottery, and people will say "it's nice to see someone finally get what they deserve".

Makes no sense... but that's how things go. I remember seeing the Hey Arnold Commercials claiming "The Arnold gang is taking on Big Business!". Just a cheap way of promoting the film by attacking all successful businesses, ala the Enron scandal. Truth is, they provide more for families and the economy than they ever get credit for. So... what IS wrong with Big Business? Gee... I'd like to hear Viacom, Nickelodeon's owner along with MANY other sub-companies, answer THAT one.

BTW... Tony Stark is another cool rich dude.

IMO, nothing's wrong with large businesses...so long as they run their company in a fair and ethical manner (vs. the likes of Enron, who pretty much screwed their workers' retirements/futures over royally).

-B.

 

[Nittoli]

There has never been a rich person in animation like Wizard Kelly from "The Proud Family." (unless you count a certain Basketball Hall of Famer who once had a very funny cartoon called "The Magic Hour")

 

[Gary L Thompson]

DIC had a cartoon years ago called "Beverly Hills Teens" or "Beverly Hills High," or something like that. The two "bad" characters certainly fit the stereotype, but the rest of the cast were all over the map with their personalities: gracious Southern belle, punk rockers, put-upon-chauffer, cowgirl, spunky kid sister (of the bad rich kid), future tabloid journalist in the making, naive-but-nice-girl-next-door (except toward sexists and two-timers), surfer dude, jock, flashy agent type, black dancer, and kid genius are others I can remember.

In Card Captor Sakura, Sakura's best friend was very quirky, but certainly she did not fit the snobbish full-of-herself stereotype. She got more respect from Kero and Li than Mei Lin did.

 

[Anthonynotes]

Re: Re: Rich people in cartoons

Originally posted by Gary L Thompson
DIC had a cartoon years ago called "Beverly Hills Teens" or "Beverly Hills High," or something like that. The two "bad" characters certainly fit the stereotype, but the rest of the cast were all over the map with their personalities: gracious Southern belle, punk rockers, put-upon-chauffer, cowgirl, spunky kid sister (of the bad rich kid), future tabloid journalist in the making, naive-but-nice-girl-next-door (except toward sexists and two-timers), surfer dude, jock, flashy agent type, black dancer, and kid genius are others I can remember.

In Card Captor Sakura, Sakura's best friend was very quirky, but certainly she did not fit the snobbish full-of-herself stereotype. She got more respect from Kero and Li than Mei Lin did.

I remember the "Beverly Hills Teens" cartoon, as well...it aired way back when in the "go-go" 1980's (hence their yuppiefied basis of the show/the punk rock emphasis)...felt pretty much like Archie, that is, if Archie and the gang were all as rich as Veronica was...

-B.

 

[Tobias]

If Beverly Hills Teens had waited a few years, it could been "Clueless: The Animated Series".

And what about Hank Scorpio? He was pretty nice for a rich guy, even though he did seize the entire West Coast by the end of that episode of the Simpsons.

 

[Anthonynotes]

Originally posted by Tobias
If Beverly Hills Teens had waited a few years, it could been "Clueless: The Animated Series".

And what about Hank Scorpio? He was pretty nice for a rich guy, even though he did seize the entire West Coast by the end of that episode of the Simpsons.

Actually, it was the entire *east* coast.

-B.