Cartoons from the '90s are an absolute haven for innuendos and double entendres. If you ever sat down in front of Cartoon Network with your parents as a kid, you were probably quite often confused as to why they were stifling laughs at jokes that seemingly made no sense.
As writing for kids’ shows grew increasingly risqué, showrunners and animators started pushing the boundaries more and more, testing how much the censors would let them get away with. Shows such as Johnny Bravo and Animaniacs drew their female characters completely unrealistically, and the male characters were wilder than Stifler and co. from American Pie.
Although there’s no shortage of hidden adult jokes and lewd references in recent cartoons, the worst offenders were Cow and Chicken and Ren and Stimpy. There are some surprising, eyebrow-raising moments in the likes of Spongebob Squarepants, and even the adorable Powerpuff Girls have their fair share of jokes you won’t get until you’re older. Luckily, our parents sometimes watched these cartoons with us and had their fair share of laughs.
Here are 20 Offensive Jokes You Missed In 90s Cartoons Because You Were Too Young.
20. Animaniacs – Hello Nurse!
Attitudes towards women in the 1990s were… interesting, especially when it comes to cartoons. Taking a leaf out of the book of '50s and '60s adult comedy, which would pack its writing with innuendos and double entendres, The Animaniacs embraced the adult comedy of the past and repackaged it with some animated flair. One of its favorite archetypes was the Naughty Nurse.
Animating most of the show’s female characters with ridiculously voluptuous proportions, the Nurse was a particular ostentatious example. With legs that go all the way up and a figure that would make Marilyn Monroe jealous, Nurse was under constant fire from the flirtatious remarks of Yakko and Wakko.
Pre-pubescent kids were likely especially confused when Wakko inquires, “how do you do… that thing with your mouth?”
19. Toy Story – Kiss My...
Pixar isn’t known to be nearly as crude and raunchy as some of Cartoon Network’s shows, but its early movies had their fair share of content geared towards the adult audience. Whether it’s the thinly veiled sinful metaphors in the outtakes for Toy Story 2, or Buzz and Woody’s captivity in Sid’s experimental lair, Pixar always takes care to cater their movies to all ages.
What makes the Toy Story movie so hilarious is the fact that some of the toys are clearly very adult personalities trapped in the forms of children’s’ playthings. One of the more inventive examples is found in the first Toy Story movie, which ingeniously utilizes Mr Potato Head’s ability to remove his body parts. When Slinky Dog kisses up to Woody, Potato Head removes his lips and presses them firmly to his butt.
18. The Simpsons – Washington Monument
The Simpsons is still one of the most popular animated shows currently running, and for good reason. Though more recent seasons have dropped the ball in the writing department a little, earlier episodes contained some of the freshest comedy and biting satire of family sitcoms, politics and American life ever allowed to broadcast on the Fox Network.
We’re sure there are several jokes that flew over your heads if your parents were cool enough to let you watch this more risqué cartoon series as a kid, but this one takes the cake. Only familiar to those aware of the Washington Monument’s infamous resemblance to a particular body part, many of us were left wondering just why Marge found the family trip to Washington so amusing.
17. Ed, Edd n Eddy – The Kanker Sisters
Beginning in the very late '90s and continuing well into the late 2000s, concluding with their very own TV special, the adult humor of Ed, Edd n Eddy could quite easily comprise its own list. Full of innuendos, surrealist and gross out gags, Ed, Edd n Eddy pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in children’s cartoons.
Enter the Kanker Sisters, a group of three girls who constantly sought the attention of everyone’s favorite cul-de-sac trio. Though their exploits always bordered on suggestive, what you may still not know is that even the surname of the three sisters was both gross and evocative.
Referring to chancre sores, their name refers to a particularly nasty symptom of an STD. What’s worse is that the girls were apparently based specifically on real people!
16. Cow and Chicken – Girls’ Bathroom
Though many cartoons throughout the '90s pushed censorship boundaries a little too far, Cow and Chicken is a rare example of a series that actually had an episode pulled from its schedule for being too offensive. "The Girl’s Bathroom" was not this episode, but it does feature some surprisingly adult material when Chicken ventures into the mysterious and infamous girl’s bathroom at his school.
Sneaking into the school at night for an adventurous peek into the lives of the opposite gender, Chicken grabs a walky-talky to report his findings. Sneaking past various contraptions, he pauses at a depository for feminine hygiene products. Hilariously mistaken, he exclaims to his friends “girls can buy cigars in here!” A confusing joke for many pre-teen boys, it probably led to a few interesting conversations with older sisters.
15. The Powerpuff Girls – I was an accident, too!
Yes, even the adorably animated show about a trio of superpowered little girls resembling anime chibis contained its fair share of dirty humor. Perhaps most surprising was the character Him, a rare example of a prominent cross-dressing character in a '90s television show. Apart from the provocative decision to dress the literal devil in women’s clothes, the writers were surprisingly pretty respectful of his life choices.
One of the most shocking moments came in the form of Robin, a friend from next door who befriends the girls before falling victim to the schemes of Princess Morbucks. When Bubbles explains that Professor Utonium created her and her two sisters in his laboratory by accident, Robin exclaims “don’t worry, I was an accident, too!”
The Professor’s wide-eyed expression perfectly captured any parent’s reaction to this line who happened to be watching along.
14. Hey Arnold! – Not since Woodstock
Popular enough to run into the 2000s, Hey Arnold! was a classic '90s cartoon that clocked in at an impressive and satisfying 100 episodes. Following Arnold, a fourth grader who lived with his grandparents, and his neighborhood friends, the adventures of “Football Head” was a Saturday morning and after-school staple.
Somehow slipping in numerous indecent references, the writers were also brave enough to fly a substance reference under the radar. When Arnold’s grandpa laments his lack of smarts, his grandson Arnold assures him he’s got plenty of brain cells left. Wistfully, Grandpa Phil replies “no… not since Woodstock,” a reference to the hugely popular music festival in the 1960s, infamous for hippies. Grandpa Phil was probably one groovy dude in his youth.
13. Spongebob Squarepants – I was looking for the sports channel
Adult humor is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the exploits of a sea sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea and works at a fast food joint owned by a stingy crab. Though most episodes were written with kids in mind, including bubble-blowing, jelly-fishing, and the hilarious schemes of the minuscule, yet nefarious, Plankton, the writers would occasionally stretch their funny bones to let the parents in on the joke.
The show’s most overt reference to adult material involves a surreal scene of Spongebob watching a peculiar channel on TV, seemingly very interested in the movements of some particularly flowery sea anemones. When his pet snail, Gary, interrupts his viewing pleasure, he quickly switches over and claims he was looking for the sports.
12. Rugrats – Lonely Space Vixens
If there’s anything more geared towards children than the burger-flipping adventures of a talking sea sponge, it’s the lives of a group of literal babies. Crawling around in diapers, Rugrats gave its group of toddlers a voice that parents couldn’t hear to hilarious effect, allowing an insight into the lives of both babies and adults we usually wouldn’t be privy to. Seemingly a kids show, some of its humor was anything but.
One example was Grandpa’s showcase of his video collection, including his personal favorite that he likes to watch when the kids have gone to bed. As kids, we assumed Grandpa enjoyed watching trashy science fiction flicks, but the title “Lonely Space Vixens” has taken on a whole different meaning to any teenager who grew up with an internet connection.
11. The New Batman Adventures – Rev up your Harley
Many consider this iteration of Batman, loosely based on Tim Burton’s movies but ultimately growing into its own separate entity, one of the most definitive adaptations of the Caped Crusader ever conceived. Beginning with Batman the Animated Series, The New Adventures, a darker version of the series that was just as popular.
Harley Quinn was introduced as the emotionally and physically damaged, yet still madly in love, girlfriend of the Joker, who was iconically voiced by Mark Hamill. Animator Bruce Timm already has a lot to answer for with his curvaceous, revealing depictions of several popular DC female characters, but surely Harley’s invitation for the Joker to “rev up his Harley,” while dressed in a form-fitting red slip, is one step too far.
10. Dexter’s Laboratory – What does this button do?
Dexter’s Laboratory was one of Cartoon Network’s best and most popular shows, a must-watch for any young kid too smart for their age group who felt like their intellect wasn’t being appreciated thanks to their short stature and perceived immaturity. Dexter was the voice of a generation, and his sister, Dee Dee, represented every annoying teenage sister – constantly running into Dexter’s private lab and gleefully inquiring, “what does this button do?!”
In the episode "Dee Dee and the Man", Dexter’s sister becomes so irritating that he has no choice but to fire her and accept applicants for replacements. One such applicant is a beautiful blonde woman, heavily implied to be an ex-dancer, who just ends up causing more of a distraction than anything. Her sultry reading of Dee Dee’s annoying catchphrase is enough to send Dexter for a cold shower.
9. Hey Arnold! – Workout routine
Though Arnold spends most of his time wandering the streets, he lays his head at night in his room at the Sunset Arms, a boarding house his Grandpa won in a card game during the 1890s. A decrepit building housing thirteen residents sharing one bathroom, the Sunset Arms was home to several peculiar characters with whom Arnold would interact throughout the show.
One particular personality was Ernie Potts, a short demolitionist with a Napoleon complex. In one episode he proves an effective mentor to Arnold, teaching him the strangely suggestive “reach, pull” workout routine. It doesn’t seem too suspicious, until Ernie explains, “do that every day, and when the big moment comes, you’ll be ready.” Only the parents in the room would have known what “the big moment” was.
8. Freakazoid – I like meat too much
From Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, the masterminds behind the roaring success of Batman: The Animated Series, Freakazoid was intended as a straight-laced superhero show before Steven Spielberg got involved. Reacting to the animation renaissance of the '90s, which included a number of shows that provoked the censors with adult humor, the show was turned into a flat-out comedy, featuring slapstick humor, pop culture references, and a whole host of innuendos.
One of the best followed when the titular Freakazoid asks his close friend, Sgt. Cosgrove, why he never got married. His simple reply shocked the more conservative viewers amongst us. The fact that he “likes meat too much” is, on the surface, a dry observation on Cosgrove’s poor diet, but the more savvy among us could take it as a clue to Freakazoid’s partner’s orientation.
7. The Powerpuff Girls – 69 Yodelinda Valley Lane
A decidedly feminist cartoon that taught young girls everywhere that they could kick as much butt as the boys, The Powerpuff Girls was still very much stuck in the '90s and had its fair share of unrealistically proportioned female characters. Most alluring of all was Sara Bellum, who boasted an unobtainable hourglass figure and luscious red hair.
The smart and beautiful assistant to the incompetent mayor of Townsville, Sara was the subject of many of the show’s innuendos and fan service. Perhaps most surprising of all was her home address, 69 Yodelinda Valley Lane. The house number is enough to provoke a giggle from the more immature of us, but look a little closer and you might remember the phrase “Yodel in the Valley”, a particularly obscure yet suggestive euphemism.
6. Rocko’s Modern Life – Phone operator
Following the exploits of a timid, Australian wallaby named Rocko, Rocko’s Modern Life was developed by Joe Murray and featured the comedic talents of several writers who, following the show’s cancellation, would eventually regroup to work on Spongebob Squarepants. Although it ended in 1996, a TV special has been announced for this year, and will undoubtedly include the risky innuendo and hilarious social commentary of its original run.
One of the show’s most controversial moments featured Rocko, down on his luck and desperate for a job, taking residence at a hotline. Though it’s never explicitly stated what exactly he’s doing, his stilted cries of “oh baby, oh baby, oh baby”, and the suggestive sign urging employees to be “hot, naughty and courteous” clued the adults in on the reality pretty quickly.
5. The Ren & Stimpy Show – Nurse Stimpy
Much like Ed, Edd n Eddy, we admit that pretty much every joke in this wildly controversial animated series could be featured on this list. Some of the writing was so shocking for The Ren & Stimpy Show, which featured Ren, a hot-tempered chihuahua and his dim-witted, feline friend Stimpy, it eventually developed its own spin-off show for adults, Ren & Stimpy “Adult Party Cartoon”.
A common running joke of the show was the perceived romantic tension between the two leads. No episode is this more obvious than "Nurse Stimpy", in which Ren gets sick and Stimpy dons a nurse’s outfit to look after him. From provocatively asking Ren to “open your mouth,” to the suggestive tools he uses to nurse him back to health, it all culminates when Ren gives in to temptation and agrees to a sponge bath. Hello nurse!
4. Johnny Bravo – Blindfolded
Following the womanizing adventures of a muscle-bound hunk who still lives with his mama, Johnny Bravo was celebrated as a hilarious critique of coarse men who constantly flirted with uninterested women to no avail. The show was a launching point for animators such as Seth MacFarlane, and contained characteristically crude references, even lambasting Fred and Daphne’s relationship in its crossover with Scooby Doo.
Another of the show’s guest stars was Farrah Fawcett of the original Charlie’s Angels. When she attends the birthday party of Johnny’s neighbor, Little Suzy, she can be seen enjoying a game of Blind Man’s Bluff. Giggling with joy she wonders, “I can’t remember the last time I was blindfolded.” She thinks then remembers, “oh wait, yes I can.” A mystery for kids, but a hilarious nod to those who are a little adventurous in the bedroom.
3. Animaniacs – Finger prints
As if Yakko and Wakko’s flirtations with the curvaceous nurse weren’t enough, there were always a tonne of innuendos and double entendres to be found in most episodes of The Animaniacs. Also known for its frequent pop cultural references and celebrity appearances, this cameo by the late, great pop star formerly known as Prince has become one of its most infamous.
Investigating a crime scene in classic Animaniacs fashion, Yakko dons a detective’s trench coat and directs his sister, Dot, to dust for prints. Completely misunderstanding, Dot produces a purple-clad Prince, who smiles suggestively when Yakko waggles his fingers and corrects her, “no, no, finger prints.”
Not excited by the prospect of getting hot and heavy with a flamboyant pop star, much to his dismay, Dot looks deadpan at the camera and rejects the proposal, “I don’t think so.”
2. Dexter’s Laboratory – Dad’s Trophy
In typical Dee Dee fashion, the episode of Dexter’s Laboratory, "Nuclear Confusion", sees Dexter’s troublesome sister lead the young scientist on a treasure hunt for his stolen nuclear core. Leaving clues around the neighborhood, the third clue leads him to the house of the Neighbor Lady, a curvaceous housewife known for her huge green sunglasses and generous plates of cookies.
Now an infamous dirty joke, the adornment of “Dad’s Trophy” across her huge behind has actually been misread as a mark of her status as a trophy wife, but we can’t help but think that this was also at the back of the writers’ minds when they were coming up with the next clue to guide Dexter towards his missing core.
1. Cow and Chicken – Buffalo Gals
One of the most controversial moments in cartoon history, it’s actually unlikely that you’ve ever seen this episode during Cow and Chicken’s original run, as it was quickly pulled from the airwaves after only one broadcast. It’s now easily available on YouTube, however, if you ever wanted to be shocked that any writers of children’s cartoons could think this was a good idea.
The Buffalo Gals are a motorcycle gang who break into people’s homes and chew on their carpets, a reference to a particular offensive euphemism for gay women. With stereotypically short haircuts, gruff voices, and baggy jeans, the episode was rightly criticized by many as offensive depictions of lesbians, and was sheepishly pulled from the show’s schedule. This is possibly one of the least woke episodes of a kid’s show ever created.
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Any jokes that flew over your head as a kid? Let us know!