Jordan Examines: Larryboy and the Rumor Weed

When it comes to structuring my material, I try to avoid ripping writing topics directly from the headlines; because while they do make for some spice in the short-term, they tend to get dated very quickly. The best example I can think of being the fourth movie in the Rocky series. Back in 1985, the prospect of invading Soviets was a genuine possibility. Now? Both the idea and the movie's premise are downright laughable. But every now and then, events line up in such a way so that a premise of the past ends up becoming MORE relevant in the present day. And it is just such a topic that I'll be covering today.

Veggietales is a series that really doesn't need an introduction. Two men named Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki made a series using talking vegetables (and fruit) to tell Bible stories to children. It was incredibly successful and very popular, enough to get two spin-offs, two theatrical movies, and an upcoming reboot which I'm very excited to see. But enough gushing about stuff I like. The episode we'll be covering today is one of the four Larryboy episodes, which basically parody the superhero genre. It's called Larryboy and the Rumor Weed.

Despite what I just said about Larryboy being a parody, the episodes featuring him are actually a bit darker than the show's usual fair. Normal Veggietales antagonists are either too silly to be taken seriously, end up reforming by the end of the story, or receive non-violent comeuppances by the end. By contrast, the Larryboy villains are all genuinely threatening, cause notable and physical damage to the city, and endanger several people's lives before they're defeated. And the Rumor Weed is no exception.

After Larryboy's butler Alfred helps give a presentation at the city's local elementary school, he makes an innocent statement about needing to "recharge his batteries" before leaving. Once the classes let out, two of the kids discuss the presentation to themselves. And as you've probably guessed by the title, they take the statement literally and assume that Alfred is a robot. But rather than ask anyone for confirmation, they decided to keep the story to themselves. Enter, the Rumor Weed. She coaxes them into telling them what they're hiding.

"Didn't your parents teach you that it's a good thing to share? Then share with me."

After that, she pops up from place to place, telling everyone that Alfred is a robot. And much like a game of Telephone, the story escalates each time it's repeated until the entire town is terrified of Alfred.

Meanwhile, Larryboy attempts to stop the weed from growing. But no matter what he tries, he can't stop it. And as the rumor continues to grow, so does the weed. Eventually, it becomes them. Larryboy tries to cut the weeds at the root by burrowing under the city, but loses contact with Alfred in the process. And when Alfred seeks help from the rest of the citizens, they all panic and form an angry mob. And it's at that point when the Mother Weed emerges from beneath the city, capturing Alfred in its grip. But thanks to the rumor, the people are so afraid of him that they don't even care that he's about to die.

At this point, the kids' father gets involved. After seeing all the chaos, he first asks the kids what's going on. Then when they tell him about Alfred being a robot, the townspeople confirm that they heard it from the weed. When asked about it, the weed tells him she got the idea from the kids. And the truth comes out. The kids apologize for everything and help remind everyone of all the good things Alfred has done in the past, things that a scary robot would never do, causing the weed to bloom into a beautiful flower. Alfred escapes, Larryboy emerges from the dirt, and the day is saved.

I said before that this moral is actually more relevant nowadays than it was when the episode first came out. And it is. Thanks to the advent of Facebook and Twitter, rumors can start and spread in the same time it takes for you to light a match. Now, the tensions were there from the beginning and had been building for a long time; but ever since the 2016 election, people have suddenly become much more eager to spew vile and vitriol for the slightest reasons. And in the court of public opinion, there's no such thing as "innocent until proven guilty." Accusations alone are enough to get someone fired from their job, harassed for their opinions, or even outright arrested and jailed, regardless of proof or evidence. People's lives can get ruined over nothing at all.

In the Bible, the third chapter of James talks about how, "No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison....Out of the same mouth comes praising and cursing. May this never be."

Speaking from experience here, words can cut a person down far more than a punch or a kick. Which is why it's our responsibility to watch what we say to other people. Instead of spreading around hurtful words and rumors, try to spread a little kindness instead.