I was playing a Dora the Explorer mermaid game with my 3 1/2 year old son last night when I felt it.

Let me describe the game for you.

Dora is protecting the beach and undersea environment from garbage of all kinds. So she collects gobs of dirt, shoes, discarded plastic can holders with a back-mounted vacuum cleaner.

This only gets weirder when after she finishes cleaning up the beach, she dons a crown, which looks weirdly like the hat of a maid's uniform. And when she finishes cleaning, she hands the hat to the blonde mermaid princess.

I never saw Diego clean up after anyone. And I know for damn sure Strawberry Shortcake is self interested.

Between this an Queen Latifah's mammy roles, I'm a little flipped out.

Tags: cartoons, dora, racism, sexism, simon
I feel: confused
I'm listening to: Amy Winehouse