Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20200602

A30 ENTERTAINMENT
Tuesday 2 June 2020
A superhero kid with autism shines in new PBS Kids’ series

By MARK KENNEDY but as they fleshed out
AP Entertainment Writer AJ’s character it started to
NEW YORK (AP) — There’s make sense. A“It just kind of
a new crop of superheroes came about in an organic
coming to our TV this sum- way like that,” said Ferraro.
mer but they may need a “For the most part, it’s not
little seasoning. After all, the focus of attention at all.
they’re only in elementary He’s just one of the gang.
school. And that’s something that
The PBS Kids’ animated se- we don’t see a lot on tele-
ries “ Hero Elementary ” is vision. And that’s why we
set inside a grade school thought it was really impor-
where a diverse group of tant.”
four superhero students AJ’s teammates are aware
are learning to master their of his needs and preferenc-
special powers. es — in one episode they
There’s a kid who can fly desperately search for his
but is afraid of heights. lost backpack — and the
There’s a girl with the pow- show’s creators hope the
er to teleport and a boy This image released by PBS Kids shows characters from the TV series "Hero Elementary," from left, show can teach empathy
who creates forcefields of Lucita Sky, Benny Bubbles, Sara Snap and AJ Gadgets, a superhero who has the ability to make and normalize the idea
bubbles. Plus there’s a boy super gadgets – and who also happens to be on the Autism spectrum. that all kids are different.
with an array of cool gad- Associated Press “I think it models how you
gets who is on the autism can, with a few adjust-
spectrum. with Carol-Lynn Parente. ing such skills as observing, do things,” she said. “And ments, adjust to a friend
The creators have been The U.S. Centers for Disease investigating, testing and we have done everything with different needs,
subtle about how they’ve Control and Prevention has predicting. we can to stay away from whether it’s autism or any-
portrayed the character of reported that one in 54 kids “You don’t come into this those kinds of shows. The thing else,” said Parente.
AJ Gadgets, who is on the were diagnosed with Au- world knowing how to do adults in our shows always The series is designed for
high-functioning end of the tism Spectrum Disorder by everything. And so these say, ‘Well, you know, that’s children ages 4-7, and
spectrum. AJ doesn’t like age 8 in 2016, a nearly 10% kids struggle to learn in a good question. How do premieres Monday on PBS
loud noises or wet clothes increase over 2014 when school, just like our kids you think we should get stations, the PBS Kids 24/7
or to be apart from his be- the estimate was 1 in 59. struggle to learn how to do to that answer?’ And they channel and PBS Kids digi-
loved backpack. But he’s The series leans into scien- things,” said Ferraro. tease it out of the kids, tal platforms. Each episode
part of the team and al- tific principles as the char- Linda Simensky, head of which is how it often is in runs about 11 minutes, with
ways comes to the rescue. acters confront various content at PBS Kids, said she real life.” vibrant colors and a zany
“We feel like there is so missions, like dealing with was drawn to AJ’s inclusion Ferraro and Parente are touch.
much strength in the idea a huge ball rolling through and the show’s message of longtime veterans of “Ses- “Even though babies may
of portraying a kid on the the city, or taking care of kids solving their own prob- ame Street,” which in 2015 not look egg-zactly like
spectrum as just one of a just-hatched baby swan. lems. introduced Julia, a 4-year- their parents, it is egg-cel-
the kids and not making A helpful teacher encour- “A lot of people pitch old girl Muppet with autism. lent when families are to-
a huge deal about his au- ages them to keep finding shows where there’s an They didn’t initially intend gether,” quips the heroes’
tism,” said Christine Ferraro, solutions even if they don’t expert and kids just go to to have a child with au- teacher, Mr. Sparks. “OK,
who co-created the series succeed at first, teach- the expert and ask how to tism on “Hero Elementary,” enough egg jokes.”q

Review: The Archives pay inspired tribute to Gil Scott-Heron

By PABLO GORONDI a random stylistic choice Agnew nor John Mitchell
The Archives, a reggae either, as Scott-Heron’s fa- mean today what they did
band from Washington, ther was a Jamaican soc- during the Nixon era and
D.C., pay an inspired trib- cer player. trying to update the refer-
ute to the late, ground- Opener “Home Is Where ences may have been an
breaking soul and jazz the Hatred Is” is like a first- unnecessary step too far.
poet and musician Gil person update of John “Who’ll Pay Reparations
Scott-Heron — and his col- Prine’s heartbreaking on My Soul?” draws pow-
laborator Brian Jackson “Sam Stone.” Instead of er from its harsh questions
— on songs from the 1970s the addict’s child lament- and all-too-familiar life sto-
that are still powerfully rel- ing the father’s torment, ry, while “Must Be Some-
evant today. the junkie himself tells the thing” features Jackson as
Founded and led by key- tale — “Home is where I one of three vocalists, their
boardist Darryl “Trane” live inside my white pow- singing the best part of a
Burke, who produced the der dreams.” Puma Ptah’s great arrangement.
album with Eric Hilton of vocals and a horn sec- Raheem DeVaughn puts
Thievery Corporation, The tion both add degrees some very touching Mar-
Archives play at a very of drama. Scott-Heron’s vin Gaye-like vocals on “A
high level. The band’s best-known composition, Toast to the People” and
homebase is a connection “The Revolution Will Not Jackson plays a Grand-
This cover image released by Montserrat House shows "Carry — Scott-Heron and Jack- Be Televised,” is stripped mother Moog on “Winter
Me Home. A Reggae Tribute To Gil Scott-Heron & Brian son lived in the city and of most of its lengthy lyr- in America,” another clas-
Jackson" by The Archives. the area for years — and ics, a sensible choice as, sic he co-wrote with Scott-
Associated Press the reggae versions aren’t for example, neither Spiro Heron.q