Line #95 WesternAnimation/BebesKids


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bebes_feat.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:[[{{Tagline}} It's animation! With an attitude!]]]]
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4	->''"We don't die... we multiply!"''
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6	[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXvPZxavVXc Based on a comedy sketch]] made popular by the late stand-up comic Robin Harris, ''Bébé's Kids'' was the first animated film to feature an all-black cast.
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8	The comedy follows an animated Robin Harris (voiced by Creator/FaizonLove) taking his new girlfriend Jamika (voiced by Creator/VanessaBellCalloway) and her son Leon (voiced by Creator/WayneCollinsJr) to an AmusementPark called Fun World. This would be all well and good, but when Jamika is asked by her friend Bébé to watch her kids for the day, he's forced to take along Bébé's Kids, who are nothing short of (and quite a bit ''beyond'') obnoxious brats who basically wreak havoc through the whole park. HilarityEnsues.
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10	Theatrically released in 1992 by Creator/ParamountPictures, the film was a dissapointment at the box office. Despite this, it developed a CultClassic status over time. However, it also spawned a SNES game so bad ''Magazine/NintendoPower'' rated it [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames the worst game they've ever reviewed]].
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12	Many of the animators went on to work on ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' alongside ''Bébé'' director[=/=]''Proud'' series creator Creator/BruceWSmith, who also proceeded to animate the villain for the ''second'' animated feature to have an all-black cast, ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog''. Reginald Hudlin, who executive produced the movie with his brother, would go on to work on an early pilot for ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks''.
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14	----
15	!!This film provides examples of:
16	* AccidentalKiss: Between [=LaShawn=] and Leon, as Kahlil even shoves the latter towards the former to cause them to kiss each other.
17	* {{Action Girl}}: Lashawn. She's a good fighter like her brothers, Although she arguably isn't as capable as [[{{The Leader}} Khalil]] in the combat department.
18	* AdaptationDistillation: In the original comedy sketches, Bébé's Kids consisted of four children, this was cut down to three in the film with Leon acting as the fourth child. Also, they originally went to Disney World, but got changed to Fun World for legal reasons.
19	* AdultsAreUseless: [[PoliceAreUseless And the police aren't any better.]]
20	* AerithAndBob: Practically everywhere. While there's characters named Robin and Leon, you also have names like Jamika and [=LaShawn=]. This trope is [[DiscussedTrope discussed]] by Kahlil and [=LaShawn=] when they look for license plates with their names:
21	-->'''Leon:''' Found mine!\
22	'''Kahlil:''' How come we can't ever find our names?\
23	'''[=LaShawn=]:''' Yeah, I know four girls named [=LaShawn=]. How come we don't have a license plate?
24	** This also applies to when they're hanging out with the other kids of Fun World, dissatisfied with their boring names like "Winthrop" and "Richie" and giving them "{{ghetto names}}".
25	-->'''[=LaShawn=]:''' Dang, ya'll guys got some corny names.
26	* AlmostKiss: Robin and Jamika early on, though it's understandable given that they just met at the beginning of the film.
27	* AmusingInjuries: The ride montage, such as [[NotTheFallThatKillsYou Robin and the kids surviving a parachute drop ride that failed to trigger when the cord broke]] and a rocketship ride scorching them from within.
28	* AngryGuardDog: Fun World security have Doberman Pinchsers while they're hunting the kids later on in the film.
29	* AntiRoleModel: Robin. For example, when he meets Leon, he wants to watch a {{Blaxploitation}} video with him someday, to which Jamika objects.
30	* ArtShift: The tunnel of love scene is black and white during the music video.
31	* AwardBaitSong: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s3VCFszwJ8 I Want To Thank You For Your Love]]" by The Emotions.
32	* BadassAdorable: The titular kids, with more emphasis on the "badass" part.
33	* BadassCreed: "Bébé's Kids! We don't die, we... multiply!"
34	* BerserkButton: Bébé's Kids for Robin, and then there's his ex-wife, Dorothea.
35	** For [=LaShawn=], kissing boys or even teasing her about it.
36	** Don't mess with Kahlil's hat.
37	** Leon brings up the fact that their mother doesn't see them often. They don't take it well and threaten him.
38	* BigBlackout: When they go to Las Vegas at the film's end, Pee-Wee pulls a cord shutting down all the electricity in the city.
39	* TheBigDamnKiss: Robin and Jamika near the end.
40	* BigEater: Vivian, to the point where she tries to bring food onto the tunnel of love. Her EstablishingCharacterMoment has her inhaling cotton candy and swallowing it in one gulp.
41	* BlatantLies: Robin claims to be good with kids. While he ''is'' good with shy, quiet types like Jamika's son, Leon, {{Satisfied Street Rat}}s like the titular Kids quickly drive him to neurosis.
42	* BullyTurnedBuddy: When Khali and Leon are on their way to FUN WORLD, Khalil is clearly abusing and bullying Leon physically and verbally. The bullying continues through their stay at Fun World. The transition from Bully to Buddy comes when Leon bails Khalil out during the court trial involving Lincoln and Nixon. Afterwards, Leon and Khalil gradually become steadfast friends with Khalil even putting Leon in a playful headlock in the parking lot by the time they are leaving the park. This can also be considered a Bookends Trope. Leon and Khalil have a tense and unfriendly trip to FUN WORLD, but they are cheerfully jumping, chanting and jumping in the backseat as they are leaving FUN WORLD.
43	* ButtMonkey: Leon, who doesn't even like Bébé's Kids and is frequently picked on by them. They do bond near the film's end, though.
44	* CantGetAwayWithNuthin: Played straight early on when Robin stops the kids (save Leon who got caught in the madness) from misbehaving when they first arrive in Fun World. This is then [[AvertedTrope Averted]] for the rest of the film.
45	* CastingGag: In the Mexican Spanish dub, Marina Huerta (Kahill) has previously voiced another trouble-making kid, [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Bart Simpson]], while making the life difficult for another fat character voiced by Creator/HumbertoVelez (Robin Harris, who previously voiced Homer).
46	* CatchPhrase: Robin's "Test tube, baby!"
47	* TheChewToy: Robin himself, given what he's had to put up with throughout the film. Besides Bébé's Kids, he comes across his ex-wife Dorothea who tries to break up him and Jamika.
48	* ChildrenAreInnocent: Averted. Leon is like this early on until later on in the film. And then there's the kids who join in their antics...
49	* CrapsackWorld: The setting is pretty bleak and the neighborhood of Bebe's kids is even worse. It's an utter rathole and a FreudianExcuse for their awful behavior.
50	-->'''Robin Harris:''' I can see why they spend so much time over Jamika's house. Look like they live next to a crackhouse! Try to phone Hell from there, it'd be a local call!
51	* CreatorCameo: In a ShoutOut to their appearance in ''Film/HouseParty1990'', the Hudlin brothers appear as a pair of house robbers who just ran out of the kids' apartment complex; and get chased by a dog as they escape.
52	* DeadpanSnarker: Robin, oh so much. He often makes a bunch of wise-cracking comments on the behavior of the titular children and states how they should be punished and disciplined in the most snide manner.
53	* DisappearedDad: No mention is made whether or not Bébé's living as a single parent, widowed or divorced. A throwaway line by Jamika toward the end of the film has her stating that they SHOT their father when he tried to leave. It's not said if he survived or what but, either way, he's not there. There's a reason the kids are so hostile. No Dad, and Bébé a nasty piece of work.
54	** Jamika is the single mother of Leon. Earlier in the film, it is stated that she and Leon's father are divorced.
55	* DishDash: One scene of saw Robin find out that baby Pee-Wee had entered the "House of Glass" in Fun World. He had stacked literally hundreds of dishes and glasses into a massive single stack tower by the time Robin found him. On being interrupted, the whole pile fell over and Robin raced to catch and then put away every single dish and glass before catching Pee-Wee himself. Then as he was walking out one last dish he missed hit the floor. [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere Robin ran for it.]]
56	%%* DisneyAcidSequence: That tunnel of love scene.
57	* TheDreaded: A stranger who sees Bébé's Kids in Vegas starts a panic when he sees them, and they're so feared throughout the neighborhood, the police can't deal with them. This is noticeable on the drive home when a police officer tries to pull Robin over for speeding, but upon seeing Bébé's Kids, he speeds off in terror, leaving Robin and Jamika wide-eyed.[[note]]Sadly TruthInTelevision, in that there are still predominantly black neighborhoods that cops will refuse to serve in (the Music/PublicEnemy song "911 Is a Joke" is about this). Here it's more likely just a joke.[[/note]]
58	* DumbBlonde: Tying into FatIdiot, Vivian, who seems to have more appetite than brains.
59	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Bébé's Kids each injure Robin in their own way when introduced to him:
60	** [=LaShawn=] is combing her black Barbie doll's hair when it gets stuck in a knot; she yanks the comb loose and it goes [[EyeScream straight into Robin's eye]].
61	** Kahlil mangles Robin's hand in some hip ghetto handshake.
62	** Pee-Wee runs his Big Wheel over Robin's foot.
63	* FatAndSkinny: Dorothea (Skinny) and Vivian (Fat).
64	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Bébé's Kids didn't like it when Leon pointed out their mother hardly sees them, near the end of the film Robin finds out this is true.
65	* FreeRangeChildren: Throughout most of the film, Robin and Jamika let the kids go off on their own while they try to spend some time together.
66	* FreudianExcuse: With no father and Bébé not really being the most attentive mother (even if she spends time with them, which is hardly), on top of not living in the best neighborhood in perpetual poverty, it's not hard to see why her kids are the way they are.
67	* TheGhost: Bébé herself is never seen.
68	* GirlishPigtails: [=LaShawn=], who has her hair tied in braids.
69	* HartmanHips: Jamika, and to a lesser extent, Dorothea have noticeable hips and derrières.
70	* HeroAntagonist: The Fun World security, despite how rough and bureaucratic they come across as, are only trying to keep the amusement park under control.
71	* INeedAFreakingDrink: The film opens with Robin at a bar, talking about his problems to the (blind) bartender.
72	* IntroOnlyPointOfView: During the opening credits, we get {{first person perspective}}s from each of the three kids in order:
73	** [=LaShawn=] punching out two boys when they write "[=LaShawn=] kisses boys" on a school chalkboard.
74	** Kahill [[GroinAttack kicking a bully in the nuts]] for stealing his hat.
75	** Pee-Wee driving around on his Big Wheel towards the supermarket to get a bottle of milk, causing a car to crash and run over someone's foot in the process.
76	* {{Jerkass}}: Dorothea, and to a lesser extent, Bebe's kids. Robin also shows small shades of this.
77	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Despite all he went through, Robin gives the kids $10 for pizza when they arrive home.
78	* JiveTurkey: Lots of ghetto slang coming from both Robin and Bébé's Kids.
79	* KangarooCourt: The kids find themselves in one with Kahlil on trial, with the judge eager to eager to electrocute him. Leon bails him out, though, by [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext rapping about freedom]].
80	* KidsAreCruel: Bébé's kids, obviously.
81	* LarynxDissonance: Pee-Wee, who has the deep baritone of Tone Lōc.
82	* LastDisrespects: Robin meets Jamika at a funeral, where "everyone was there, 'cause [[AndThereWasMuchRejoicing everyone was glad he was dead]]." People are seen drinking, laughing and playing dominoes, while the only one grieving was the widow.
83	* {{The Leader}}: Khalil acts the de facto leader of the titular kids, and he's also implied to be the oldest.
84	* LittleMissBadass: [=LaShawn=], the only female of Bébé's children, with a lot of emphasis on "badass."
85	* LongList: The rules of Fun World...
86	** Though the video game cuts it down to "No Vibes, No Bevis, No Vibes..." How come only [[WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButthead Butt-head]] is allowed in, then?
87	* MaleGaze: Jamika gets plenty of close-up shots on her big, round backside, with the most notable one being during the ArtShift of her and Robin dancing together after they ride through the Tunnel of Love.
88	* MockyMouse: Fun World is a stand-in for Disneyland, with one of the mascots being Rodney Rodent. Robin Harris' original comedy routine the movie is based on did mention Disneyland, but had to change it to Fun World for copyright reasons.
89	* MomentKiller: When Robin and Jamika finally have TheBigDamnKiss towards the end, the kids are watching and enjoying the good vibes... except Kahlil, who's disgusted and whines about cooties. This leads to a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown from [=LaShawn=].
90	* ParentalNeglect: Bébé. From what we do know about her, she's this trope since her kids hardly spend time with her and Leon points out that they hardly ever hang out with her, who basically threaten him for bringing it up. It doesn't help that Bébé herself isn't seen in the film since she went downtown, leaving Jamika to look after the kids for the day. What really nails it, at the end, Robin sees that their mother still isn't home and that they don't have anything in their fridge (with a note on it, asking Jamika to feed them)
91	* ParentalSubstitute: Robin is the closest thing Bébé's Kids have ever had to any sort of parental authority. Though he is able to intimidate Kahlil to point out Pee-Wee's antics during his music number "I Ain't Having It".
92	-->'''Robin:''' If you don't tell me where your little brother is, [[CorporalPunishment I'm gonna beat the BLACK off you]], and you're gonna look lighter than Music/MichaelJackson.
93	* PerpetualPoverty: Bébé's Kids basically live like this. They barely have anything in their fridge. Also their FreudianExcuse.
94	* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Actually varies from scene to scene, usually encouraging viewers to side with or against the Kids depending on whether or not Robin is onscreen -- and even then, viewers are often encouraged to side with the Kids whenever it would be funnier.
95	* PsychoExGirlfriend: Dorothea, Robin's ex wife, who isn't over their divorce. Later, with the help of Vivian, she tries to break up Robin and Jamika.
96	-->'''Vivian:''' You know he still loves you.
97	* SassyBlackWoman:
98	** Jamika certainly has plenty of sass, especially .
99	** Dorothea to a much greater extent, especially when she and Robin [[YourMom make wise cracks about each other's mommas]].
100	* ShipTease: There are some minor moments between [=LaShawn=] and Leon, no matter how much the former tries to deny it.
101	* ShotInTheAss: Kahlil does this to [=LaShawn=] with a slingshot during a riot in a shack at Fun World.
102	%%* TheSmurfettePrinciple
103	* SpitTrailKiss: From [=LaShawn=] and Leon, as each of them are clearly seen with drool hanging from their lips after their kiss.
104	* TheCatCameBack[=/=]OffscreenTeleportation: Robin drags away Jamika away from Fun World and almost gets away from the kids, only to find that they're are already at the car ready to go home.
105	* ToiletHumor: Pee-Wee's diaper. He even says in the impromptu rap song called "Straight Jackin'": "Taking a dump feels so relaxing."
106	* ToyShip: {{Invoked}}. Kahlil and Pee-Wee get a cheap laugh when they trip [=LaShawn=] into an AccidentalKiss with Leon -- quite likely the shy boy's SacredFirstKiss. The laugh gets genuinely sweet for a second because ''both'' of them get PostKissCatatonia. Which is then escalated when [=LaShawn=] goes textbook Type A {{Tsundere}}; she storms off in a tiff and returns swinging the mallet from a high-striker game they [[ChekhovsGun tried earlier]]. She's hitting a ''lot'' harder now.
107	* VillainProtagonist: Bebe's kids come of this due to their {{jerkass}} behavior.
108	* VocalDissonance: Baby Pee-Wee's voice actor is ''Tone Lōc''.[[note]]He'd provide the voice for the director's next project, ''WesternAnimation/CBearAndJamal'', for which Smith was the character designer.[[/note]]
109	* VomitDiscretionShot: Leon throws up at the end of the ride montage... much to the chagrin to Jamika and Robin.
110	* [[IAmSong We Are Song]]: "Straight Jackin'", performed by the kids themselves.
111	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: After the yo' mama exchange Dorothea and Vivian disappear entirely.
112	** Subverted. If you look closely, they're part of the passengers that are terrorized and made to walk the plank by Bébé's Kids after they attack the cruise yacht.
113	* WrongSideOfTheTracks: The ghetto that Bébé's Kids live in.
114	* YourMom: Robin and Dorothea do "The Dozens" (which of course feature tons of yo' mama jokes) in the ladies room.

Context WesternAnimation / BebesKids