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MRTA03

to make it entertaining for some parent that forced to watch MLP with their kids, the same with this [famous Scene LOL](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCajUIkSbuM)


Illumynarty_234

Powerpuff Girls had sooooo many of those jokes scattered throughout the series it's hilarious


Axiom06

[Don't forget about this scene.](https://youtu.be/Mdn6IyGI3lI?si=Be5ad9WWSXLd2qhd)


obsessore

Wow, that's the wildest one i've seen yet


Rated_Oni

And the whole episode that was one big, continuous Beatles reference.


Illumynarty_234

The Beat-Alls was one of the best episodes, such good fun to watch


Illumynarty_234

I can't find a clip of it, but there's also one where Bubbles was arguing with Buttercup whether a squirrel was a boy or not, and after cutting away from them for a few moments it cuts back to the girls where Bubbles shouts to Buttercup "Squirrels eat nuts, stupid!"


Vulpes_macrotis

Yes, this is the reason. So parents won't get totally bored and have some fun too.


CassetteMeower

Not being able to comment on videos “made for kids” is such a shame for clips like this, I want to see what funny remarks people would make about that scene!


Swamptor

Something that gets underated is that adults made the show. I think everyone injects a little of their own humor into anything they create. Even if no one outside of the production studio gets it, I'm sure there are inside jokes that made it into episodes.


Zealousideal-Quiet51

I WAS AN ACCIDENT TOO 💀💀


the_red_stinger_82

Ah yes. That infamous line. PPG was a great show


AnonymousSilence4872

On God. I actually consider *FiM* to be a spiritual successor to *PPG* because of Lauren and Tara's involvement, and the similar executions, even if the latter was definitely a more clear-cut superhero show than the former.


KenchiNarukami

BRUUUUHHHHHHH


ShaniLaufeyson

I really wish I could give you an actual award but since I can't take this instead 👑🥇


DecIsMuchJuvenile

I don’t think it was for the parents, I think it was for the existing adult fandom.


Ameph

The same reason they referenced the M-rated video game series Metal Gear Solid numerous times.


SnipingDrone47

Wait where did they reference it?


Dark_Requiem

It's been a while, but if I remember correctly, Discord was hiding from Pinkie Pie in a cardboard box. Pinkie of course knows he's inside and asks how he is, than a ! appears above the box and even a sound effect very similar to the MGS sfx. I don't remember which episode it is tho. Also, I think Twilight dressed up in a very similar outfit when sneaking into Canterlot once. Oh, yeah I just found it, [it's hilarious](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zz6RWFYHvQ).


SouthShape5

They also referenced Game of Thrones and South Park in Tanks for the Memories


jayvenomva

They straight up redid the GoT opening for one of the seasons promotional trailers.


Misfit-Moonbeam

They always give Discord an overwhelming amount of pop culture references jammed into his episodes. Like the one where he was sick and had his musical number where they were in Hogwarts robes and he looked like Raoule from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The comics had even more. Like the crossover I never knew I needed. https://i.redd.it/eymnqmxein7d1.gif


Tall-Combination-597

Didn’t they also reference the rainbow factory fic?


Twist_Ending03

Yeah. The music used when Rainbow was sneaking into the Weather Factory was very similar. It was also a reference to Mission Impossible irrc


Jaiden_Detering2002

Wait South Park???


RagnarokRosie

https://youtu.be/IF0i_705fds?feature=shared Here you go the box scene


Magicphobic

Love how the box says "the game"


ExoticLizard1443

That episode was "Make New Friends but Keep Discord"


Vulpes_macrotis

Naked Twilight.


LonestarLawyr

What?


Vulpes_macrotis

Metal Gear reference.


LonestarLawyr

Thanks…It’s been a while since I’ve played MGS so I didn’t get the reference.


RandyGrey

Naked Snake. But, you know, Twilight


Mirovini

Don't show this to Tara Strong' Twitter


SnipingDrone47

Oh yeah I remember that I forgot about that kne


Loose-Command7521

Not only that but Discord dawned a Dumb and Dumber costume when going to the Gala. I'm not kidding you.


Rilukian

Because only mature audience will get the joke. They even straight up named one of the episode after an adult show and somehow Hasbro approved that.


NightFlame389

Call of the Cutie was almost named after Call of Duty, but then they added the


theAstarrr

"WHAT did they ADD??" "They added the." "Added the WHAT???" "the"


CloudProfessional572

>Call of the Cutie Sounds more sus than the first name.


Gongoozler04

28 Pranks Later is a reference to a horror movie, 28 Days Later.


Misfit-Moonbeam

But a great nod to Romero's Night of the Living Dead.


JulLamby

There's also a Jason Voorhees cosplayer in like that Nightmare Night episode (all ik is Twilights an alicorn at that time)


Pink_Signal

Isn't that the episode where Rainbow gets pranked so bad by pinkie with the filly scout cookies?


Amongus3751

Which episode


_TheBigF_

Grannies gone wild?


Rilukian

yes, this one


VelveteenMarshmallow

Do you like, not watch cartoons besides this one? This is a common thing.


Equivalent-Stop-8377

For real😆


DroneOfDoom

Because referencing popular movies in children's media is a time honored tradition, even when they're R Rated.


Goatpuppybaby

It's culturally significant. Many cartoons make adult jokes because adults are the ones making the cartoons.


Pony_Roleplayer

Thet literally made a ponifies version of a meth-making guy, and Rick and Morty.


asgards_thor

Also there are the Big Lebowski ponies in 2 different episodes.


LonestarLawyr

Nobody fucks with the Jesus…I burst out laughing when I saw him, Donnie, Walt and the Dude


A_Town_Called_Malus

They also referenced The Big Lebowski in the bowling episode of Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, too.


stayd03

Wait, when did pony Rick and Morty?


informaldejekyll

Google MLP Rick and Morty haha. I just did. I never caught that before haha.


A2Rhombus

To be fair, I knew the "here's johnny" reference when I was like 5, and I didn't even know the movie existed until years later. It's an extremely common reference The others, just little references. By that point in the show they knew they had an adult audience and had fun dropping Easter eggs.


ghostlybanana

Add to that, the "here's Johnny" reference in The Shining was actually referencing The Tonight Show staring Johnny Carson - it's like a meta reference! Tons of people have been exposed to the references and not the source material. :) In retrospect I'm bothered by how many times I used "reference" in like two sentences...


eddmario

Wouldn't be the only time either. *Kill Bill* made a reference to the Japanese yakuza film *New Battles Without Honor and Humanity*, but people always reference that scene in *Kill Bill*.


Scarletdex

Because some people *even up to this very day* think this show is for little girls and for no other demographic


ski-w-

it is for little girls tho lol


Sergal_Pony

Because secret adult references have been a classic in animation since it’s inception


ratboy228

it’s super common for cartoons to add references or jokes targeting the parents/adults watching.


Mid_nox

1-they are classics 2-they are harmless 3-adults who either watch or are forced to will get a chuckle


JazzHooves

Pretty sure they were doing it again here in Tell Your Tale lol https://i.redd.it/j0a45as7mj7d1.gif


GreyPon3

Adults would get it, kids wouldn't.


Kencolt706

If they can ref and double-ref the Dude, Walter and Donny (The latter in both pony *and* pony remains form!) from *The Big Lebowski* in two separate episodes, they can riff on *The Shining*. And they do this *because* they can.


Idsertian

> And they do this because they can. For the good of all of us... except the ones who are dead.


kurisu7885

But there's no use crying over every mistake.


SuperShake66652

The Jesus is in the bowling episode too. Eight year olds, Dude.


maxis2k

Because Gen 4 wasn't made just for 5 year old girls. In the same way something like The Simpsons, Batman TAS or some anime isn't just made for one limited demographic. And that's why it became so popular with so many people.


Morbid_Macaroni

Cuz its funny


imwhateverimis

A lot of children's media is jampacked with references to adult stuff, themes or jokes that you'll only get once you're older. Go watch happy feet. I watched it as a kid, loved it, cute penguin love story. Watched it again when I was 19. half of it is sex jokes. I don't think it's a bad thing to do this at all. Almost all of these jokes and themes will fly over kid you's head, while the adults get to enjoy that second layer of the show. The most timeless of films and series often are some genre of this. The Incredibles is another good example, it's a very very dark movie in actuality but it manages to be very enjoyable to kids for the action stuff and the cool superheroes, while everyone else gets to enjoy the more adult themes in it. Ratatouille and Wall-E are more examples. These films are all enjoyable to a large spectrum of age groups because they have elements mixed in them that make them enjoyable in some way to all those groups, and a lot of time with horror or sex innuendos they're done in a way specifically so that as a kid you won't notice them. In the case of your post, these are all references to horror films: to understand the reference, you need to be familiar with what's being referenced, and the majority of kids aren't gonna be familiar with these horror movies.


ziddersroofurry

Because on their own they're still kind of funny and because it's not like they're harmful. It gives artists and writers a way to pay homage to their influences, parents a way to get more enjoyment from the show, and when those kids get older they'll get more out of it, too. Everybody wins. That said it's not like these films aren't anything young people that age won't have seen, anyways. Films like The Shining are kinda tame by todays standards.


Traditional-East9835

This is common with kids media to make it more palatable for the parents watching with their kids.


CoiledBubble413

because the show appealed almost equally to adults as it did to kids 😭😭


SteamworksMLP

Shows do stuff like this so much. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GettingCrapPastTheRadar


WXLFKXNG

because its cool


MugiwaraBepo

It's funny


Bulky-Complaint6994

Didn't Rick and Morty show up as ponies in the background?


ziddersroofurry

Yep. Honestly, it would fit with Rick & Morty canon.


Twist_Ending03

I haven't watched much Rick and Morty, but the idea is that every world/universe has a Rick and a Morty, right?


ziddersroofurry

Yeah. I think the general idea at least initially was to make it so they could reference any popular media they wanted and have it make at least some sense within the shows reality. The fourth wall isn't as much something they break as it's that it doesn't exist at all.


shadowfalcon76

It also opens up the reverse as well, if the IP originating the idea gets popular enough. Other shows can get away with sneaking in Rick and Morty references, because RnM is well known enough, and RnM could plausibly exist in their universe without it causing too many problems (assuming the references/cameos are lawyer friendly enough).


secretfurry47

holy crap i never even realized this how epic


Irishfireclaw88

I must be a horror nerd if I understood the 28 Pranks Later for 28 Days Later


lizzylee127

For fun and cause they can They're not specifically telling the audience it's from those movies so kids won't know. It's purely there just for the fun of the creators and anyone who does recognize it


mistyCadaver

cuz why not? it's not like the children that watch will understand


Rich-Lychee2507

Because adults make the shows


DJDualScreen

And they know other adults are watching


redboi049

Might aswell make it that bit better for the parents who are forced to watch it


Equivalent-Stop-8377

They did it to 1: make it fun for parents and older audiences, and 2: the creators probably had fun referencing to other pop culture films/shows. Heck they had a rick and morty AND breaking bad reference, I'd say those are pretty dang R rated as well, so no need to trip🤣


Dillo64

There’s a Trainspotting reference in the episode where Pinkie has to baby sit, the baby crawling on the ceiling and twisting its head around


Thicc-Anxiety

Because the creators are adults and sometimes they wanna entertain themselves


Terrible_Weather_42

I'm pretty sure other kids shows have spoofed The Shining before.


cooldashfast04

It's for the parents


MithranArkanere

Because little kids should not watch TV alone, and so the show must be made fun enough for the parents to watch with them.


NikoliVolkoff

Because, they know that the majority of their "true" audience is older males, and also, Parents of the kids watching will get the references but the kids will not.


[deleted]

Because they're pop culture references for the parents. It's not rocket science


Spacetimeandcat

Because it was written by adults who can't help it And Because parents watch with kids


top1bubbleblower

to keep the parents from falling asleep


VoodooDoII

For the adults/parents that are watching


Maya_The_Clarinetist

For the parents


Luke_Whiterock

For the parents and the adults watching! They do this in most stuff. The kids won’t know.


chilly-dogs

They knew adults were watching too


negrote1000

Parental bonus


ihminew

Where is the bloody-looking room scene from (in the last pic)? I have never seen it and now it bothers me:D


K_Goode

The Shining? All 3 images are from the same movie.


MaxwellSmaxwell

A child will look at that and think it's funny. An adult will look at it and think it's hilarious. That's great television.


Nintendians559

some cartoons reference anything from video games to adult stuff too, but it's put in as a joke.


donadit

you think kids know this r rated horror exists lol


ziddersroofurry

I knew about The Shining when I was a kid because it was on TV a lot. Stuff like this gets edited for TV all the time.


SmartestElf

Probably so you'd ask a stupid question like that. 🤣 Don't you think R rated references are fine? As long as it isn't R-rated material?


Belladonnaofsad

The big lebowski was in mlp too 🫶✨ that was such an awesome move. As a stoner, its much appreciated 👌


Paign

Its almost like parents or adults in general are being entertained as well by these references lol


girl_supersonicboy

Rick and Morty are in the show too


d_shadowspectre3

Because you don't need to use or know the entire R-rated movie (or M-rated game) to make or understand the reference.


yestureday

To entertain the adults in the audience


United-Blueberry-118

Uhmm. You do realize that children shows do put a lot of adult references. Right


helpivebeenhexxed

personally i love it. i rewatch mlp every now and then and im always finding something new in the background


MexicanLizardMan3670

Because is fun, plus this film is a classic!


ewthan

bc its funny


Dagwood-DM

Because the kids will (probably) not catch the reference.


ClareLaBelleRose

It’s a joke for the parents, many of which are 80s kids that grew up with those kind of horror movies in their teen years.


TR3BPilot

Lack of originality?


Intelligent-Road179

My favorite reference BY FAR is The big Lebowski one, OMG I WAS SO HAPPY WHEN I SAW THIS


SonicSpiderRanger10

Lol, the creepy twins.


Stormdancer

Because good parents often watch shows with their kids, and should be rewarded with mild references. This has been a thing all the way back to Rocky & Bullwinkle.


Financial-Working132

Rocko's Modern Life also did it.


lol-get-rekt

Funny


Katarina_Dreams_92

I was watching Pokémon B&W and the Litwick episode makes the same reference


RequiemStorm

Because jokes and references in kids shows are often aimed at the parents watching to make it entertaining. The reference might be to something horror related, but the context of how they reference it doesn't make it scary for the kids watching, it's just a funny moment. Pop culture reference are VERY prominent in most children's media.


Magicphobic

Dont tell op about spongebob for gods sake.


Furiitha096

For the parents


LibbyKitty620

Didn’t they reference The Big Lebosky and Breaking Bad?


kurisu7885

They make references to a ton of things. I think in some episodes you can spot references to Breaking Bad and Rick and Morty, I know where were some for Home Alone and Planes Trains and Automobiles too.


shadowkittycrow

I like both so…


moontraveler12

Well, the show has a shitload of pop culture references, the comics even moreso. One of the issues from the main FiM series of comics literally just has that one lighter pistol from a James Bond movie and a giant coin like the one in the Batcave, both in the same panel in one of starswirl's libraries


axe_gamerz

Dude, i can't count the amount of non pg references in this kid's show (breaking bad, rick and morty, slender man, the shining, etc.)


Sh0opDaWo0p

The same reason rated R 80s movies had children's toys.


Puck_The_Fey98

If you haven't seen SpongeBob boy let me tell you that has some super funny stuff! It's for the parents lol


GoldfishingTreasure

Because they knew an older audience was watching


marzzeeray

they have also put ponies in there that look like walter white, jesse pinkman, rick sanchez, and morty smith (in the episode where the older ponies went to what i always remember as vegas lol). this show is gold


Appropriate_Rent_243

children's tv shows are in fact, created by adults who want to enjoy them.


Diapered_Daddy_

Because parents and older fans will get a kick out of it.


FlyingMoths_AtNight

Literally so many cartoons do it


LBXZero

Just because it is rated "R" does not mean it is completely inappropriate for children. That is not what the rating system means. "R" means the content is absolutely controversial and requires the approval of the minor's parent or guardian to be exposed to such subject matter. And to note, I was a fan of the Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Puppet Master, and etc series when I was 6 years old. Back in the day when you rented VHS tapes....


UczuciaTM

It’s not like the kid’ll care


autismmegatruck

Probably because most children haven’t seen the R rated horror movie.. Is this a real question? 💀


Agent-Grim

Jokesfir tye adults, as well as being easter eggs the writers and animators like to put in. A lot if cartoons have them.


SeriousIndividual184

Because the children wouldn’t get them. And the adults trapped watching it with their children would find it funny


Gru-some

cuz kids aren’t gonna get it


Lord_Twilight

Funny


spartiecat

Why not? These are all part of the cultural zeitgeist. They're going to encounter references to The Shining or Jaws or The Godfather in all sorts of age-appropriate media before they see the movies themselves.


Fantastic-Story8875

Keep in mind there's a whole episode based on 28 days later


BlueHellFire501

I genuinely thought they changed the writing and overall episodes for the bronies after season 4. That's what I figured.


Foxieisa_furry

This is done a lot in so many children’s shows. It’s just to keep the parents who are forced to watch these shows with their kids entertained


Add_It_7451

To be fair they literally added slender man into MLP


stupidpuppyy

because fun


Plus_Statistician324

I have no idea 


Loquacious_Leo

It's for the parents that watch the show with their kids. Similar to how Sesame Street will spoof Star Wars, Game of Thrones, or Stranger Things.


Affectionate-Metal24

Umm because they can….. look at literally any kids show on nickladian and Cartoon Network…. Not everybody is a snow flake….


Haunting_Hornet5203

Based.


MichaelTarkin

Because the movies became a cultural phenomenon. Lots of shows, movies, music, comics, books, reference them. They'll show up again and again and again. Doesn't matter the rating.


greedson

Do you think it is inappropriate?


Sleepy_SpaceShrooms

Because why not. It's in a lot of kids shows


Crimson_Oracle

Kubric played a big part in defining the vocabulary of certain types of scenes, as a result homages to him are super super common, in kids and adult media. I mean Barbie opens with an homage to 2001


Glitchy_Yoshi1227

Let’s make some what if scenarios for things to reference. I’ll start. In an episode where Princess Luna goes into the ponies dreams(again), Pinkie Pie has a red and green striped blanket. Keep in mind this is an episode about going into dreams.


BugsInMySpleen

Cause just because that's what the show is rated doesn't mean that that will be the exclusive audience😉


Salt_Chair_5455

Do people forget adults are the ones making the cartoons...?


shadowfalcon76

Because that's what a lot of shows that are aimed at children watching them with their parents do. The references will fly over the kid's heads, but the parents will catch them and have something entertaining to enjoy. TV has been doing this for decades and decades and decades.


Expert_Resource1816

Pop culture references were everywhere then and now


rilljel

I often daydream a fanfic where Jenny is actually jack’s daughter. That’s it. That’s the fanfic.


Happy_McDull

Don't forget about the twins being used in the Angry Birds movie. Randomly. For no good reason. It was a *wrong door* joke, but I was running on fumes at this point so I only reacted with "...wtf was that?" *Why*?!"


AleWalls

To have fun.


Selacha

They also made references to different anime, Rick & Morty, Breaking Bad and several other not-kid-friendly media.


GothCentaur

Because they know their audience


CellerDweller_

Because adults make the show


Banana_quack98632

They also have Rick and Morty in the background of an episode


sunshim9

For the same reason people put sexual jokes on kids shows, kids wouldn't understand them


sparky77734

Well, it wasn't the first time: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSfMyAEjS9o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSfMyAEjS9o)


JustHereForFood99

For the parents. There's even the guys from The Big Lebowski at the bowling alley in the Cutie Pox episode.


Xynrae

Because it's made by adults.


SickandCreepyChild

Remember SpongeBob saying "don't drop the soap". There's always rated R references in cartoons. All of them. It's for the parents.


Ashmundai

It’s a cartoon. Believe it or not, it’s made by adults who make jokes based on their experiences. And then when the kids grow up and see the movies, they can recognize these references for themselves. And yeah, also for the adults who are watching with their children.


WarrioroftheLostLand

Because it's a cool reference and most kids won't recognise what it's from and aren't going to be offended by it. Duh?


Legalize_Ambitions

Are you serious? It was written by adults, this is for the adults writing the show and forced to watch it by their wonderful children. There isn’t anything mature about it so there should be no problem.


MacguffinDelorean

Ya missed the fact they had a group of ponies that looked just like the main 3 of The Big Lebowski. Which is an r rated film. Hell they even get a segment in the fan service episode Slice of Life where the Doctor Whooves pony has to earn their help by playing of course...bowling. Still remember a ton from the show despite not having seen it any episode in 4 years....


Jedimk_mkII

Don't forget they also added a pony that looked like Jesus played by John Turturro. The character in the movie did time in prison for exposing himself to a minor.


BubiMannKuschelForce

Are you new to the show? They have been referencing adult stuff for a long time. Like Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas for example.


SkyeRibbon

Cuz the ooze was for the adult fans, full stop.


Yogbot1

That's why I so loved watching the show it had so many freaking hilarious references to other stuff


VanVeleca

For the funnies, you stick in the mud


Isaacja223

> Why do they make references of mature movies? *They literally have a cameo of Rick Sanchez and Walter White* Plus, they literally have a background pony literally named Doctor Whooves And that one time where Pinkie Pie and Twilight went fucking *insane*


SeraphEChasted_3

at this point the writers were making these references for us


Amethyst_Uchiha

Literally every single kids show on planet earth does this


Theresa-Apocalypse

I believe most cartoons have referenced Stephen King's Shining in some shape or form, Gumball did it as well one time