Randy Chandler
Cheese is a common sight in cartoons, often portrayed as Swiss cheese with its distinctive holes and yellow-orange colour. Beyond its visual appearance, cheese also takes on a life of its own in cartoons, with notable examples including the character Cheese from the Cartoon Network series Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Gonzo's dancing cheese partner Yolanda from The Muppet Show. Video games also feature cartoon cheese, such as in RuneScape, where cheese is a yellow wedge with holes, and in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, where cheese comes in wheels or wedges, sometimes bright orange and used to summon rats.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour | Yellow/orange |
| Shape | Block, slice, triangle, wheel, or chunk |
| Type | Swiss, Emmenthaler, cheddar, Edam, brie, baby Swiss, etc. |
| Cartoon | Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, The Big Cheese, The Little Peas, Cheese A Go-Go, Pinky Dinky Doo, Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo, etc. |
| Portrayed as | Not very intelligent, confused, easily frightened, loud, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Swiss cheese is a common trope in cartoons
The use of Swiss cheese in cartoons is not limited to its visual representation but also extends to its role in the narrative. In the "Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy" cartoon, for example, an episode centred on a dessert of Swiss cheese is disrupted by a mouse stealing the cheese. In "Pinky Dinky Doo", a monster with yellow fur steals Swiss cheese to build a city, and the problem is resolved by holding the cheese party within the city itself.
Video games also utilise the Swiss cheese trope, with games like "RuneScape" and "Dungeons of Dredmor" featuring yellow wedges of cheese with holes as items or rewards. In "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" and "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim", the cheese comes in wheels or wedges, and its strong smell is used to summon rats from miles around.
The Swiss cheese trope is so pervasive that it has sparked discussions and observations among viewers, with some noting that cartoon characters seem to exclusively consume Swiss cheese. This perception may be due to the memorable nature of Swiss cheese's distinctive appearance, which stands out more than other types of cheese that may also be depicted.
While Swiss cheese is indeed a common trope in cartoons, it is worth noting that other types of cheese do make appearances. For instance, in the "Hey Arnold!" episodes "Operation Ruthless" and "Love and Cheese", a variety of cheeses are featured during a Cheese Festival. Additionally, in the game "Dungeons of Dredmor", various cheeses are offered, including Havarti, Brie, Blue, Gouda, and Smoked Applewood Cheddar.
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Cartoon cheese is often used as a lure for mice
The use of cheese as a lure for mice is a well-known trope in cartoons and games. For example, in the game RuneScape, cheese is an edible item that takes the form of a yellow wedge with holes. In The Incredible Machine game series, there is a level where the player can use cheese to lure Mort the mouse. Similarly, in the game Dungeons of Dredmor, there is a type of cheese simply called "Cheese", which is yellow-orange, wedge-shaped, and full of holes. This type of cheese is also used to summon Gold Mice in Luigi's Mansion.
The specific characteristics of cartoon cheese, such as its bright colour and holes, make it easily recognisable to viewers. This is especially important in fast-paced scenes where the cheese may be in motion or where the focus is not solely on the cheese itself. For example, in an episode of Pinky Dinky Doo, a monster with yellow fur steals the cheese to make a large city, and the camera pans over the modified Swiss cheese structures. The distinctive traits of the cheese make it instantly identifiable, even in a rapidly moving or wide-angle shot.
The strong smell of cheese is also sometimes used as a plot point in cartoons and games. In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, there is a quest where the player uses the smell of a bright orange, holey cheese wedge to summon rats from miles around. This demonstrates how the smell of cheese can be just as important as its visual characteristics in certain storylines.
While the trope of using cartoon cheese as a lure for mice may seem lighthearted and humorous, it is important to note that it is based on practical considerations to ensure the audience can instantly recognise the cheese, even in fast-paced or visually complex scenes.
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Cheese, the character from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
Cheese is an imaginary friend from the Cartoon Network television series Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. He is one of the two overall pentagonists of the series and is voiced by Candi Milo. He made his first appearance in the episode "Mac Daddy", in which he briefly lives at Foster's. In the series finale, “Goodbye to Bloo”, Cheese moves into Foster's, as Mac moves to Louise's apartment.
Cheese is known for often repeating words in quick succession, screaming, whining, or making loud noises. One of his most famous quotes is "I like chocolate milk", which, as well as his namesake, is ironic because he is apparently lactose intolerant. He also has an assortment of disorders including gingivitis. Cheese is usually portrayed as not very intelligent, as he gets confused a lot of the time, and doesn't pay attention or listen to others. Due to this, most characters find him to be a nuisance. He often gives inconsistent information, such as asking for chocolate milk, but then turning around and wanting a smoothie. He also does not seem to understand when other characters tell him that he does not live at Foster's, or when they tell him to go home. Simply put, Cheese seems to be incapable of processing simple information.
However, Cheese may be smarter than he appears. In "The Big Cheese", Cheese is capable of constantly entering the house in some way, he memorises the code to the security system based on the sound tones despite only hearing the code once, and he knows how to disable the new security system right after Frankie arms it. Goo (aside from Louise) is the only person to successfully understand Cheese due to her similar eccentric behaviour.
Cheese is light yellow in colour and somewhat human in physical structure, with a torso, two arms, two legs, and a disc-shaped head reminiscent of Pac-Man. His head is very large in proportion to his body, and his left foot appears to be backwards when standing still whether he is screaming, moaning or laughing. When not paying attention to anything, his eyes are either crossed or looking in two different directions. His pupils are red in colour, and one pupil is slightly larger than the other.
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Cartoon characters eating non-cheese foods involving cheese
While cheese is a common food item in cartoons, it is often not the only food that cartoon characters eat. In fact, many beloved cartoon characters are known for their love of non-cheese foods. For example, the famous cartoon cat, Garfield, is known for his love of lasagna, a dish that can include cheese but also often contains other ingredients like meat and tomato sauce. Similarly, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are known for their love of pizza, which can include cheese but also typically includes dough, tomato sauce, and various toppings.
Another food-loving cartoon character is Scooby-Doo, who is often depicted eating pancakes, extra-cheese pizza with pickles, and chocolate-covered hot dogs. His sidekick, Shaggy, shares his love of pancakes and also enjoys Shaggy Snacks, which are likely a reference to his character. In fact, the voice actor for Shaggy, Casey Kasem, was vegan and refused to voice a Burger King commercial, leading to the character being rewritten as a vegetarian.
Some cartoon characters are known for their more unusual food choices. For instance, Popeye is famous for his love of canned spinach, which is not typically associated with cheese. Similarly, Shin Chan is known for his love of Chilli Momos, which are dumplings that can be filled with various savory or sweet fillings.
It is worth noting that while these characters have diverse diets that include non-cheese foods, cheese still plays a significant role in cartoons. For example, in the cartoon "Tom and Jerry," Jerry is known for his love of cheese, and cheese is often used as bait by Tom to lure Jerry into traps. This trope of using cheese as bait for mice is so common that it has been referenced in other cartoons, such as "Doraemon" and "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers."
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Games that feature cartoon cheese
Cheese has been featured in video games for decades, and has even birthed its own slang term, "cheesing". This term, however, initially had little to do with the food item, and is thought to derive from the word "cheater", with its first use possibly being in a Street Fighter II forum in 1993.
Cheese has been used in video games as a snack food, as an item to collect, and as a central theme. For example, in the 1994 game Cheese Chase by Art & Magic, players are a mouse that collects cheese in a maze while avoiding rats and other obstacles. In Baldur's Gate 3, players can transform into a wheel of cheese and roll around.
Cheese has also been featured in games such as Conker's Bad Fur Day, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and World of Warcraft. In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, cheese comes in either cheese wheels or wedges, and in one quest, players steal a bright orange cheese wedge with holes and use the smell to summon rats.
Some games feature cartoon cheese as a prominent element, such as the low-budget games Cheesy Pursuit and Maze Race, which feature many kinds of cartoon cheese. In The Incredible Machine series, players can use cheese to lure Mort the mouse.
Additionally, Cheesequest, a music video starring Cheese that aired on Cartoon Network, was later made into a game on the network's website. In the game, players control Cheese as he avoids obstacles, completes a monkey dance lesson, gets a horsey, and fights a boss.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese is an imaginary friend from the show. He is known for his large head, loud voice, and love for chocolate milk.
Cheese appears in the games Overcooked!, RuneScape, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and many others.
Cheese appears in the cartoons Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo, Hey Arnold!, and many others.
Cartoon cheese is typically depicted as a bright yellow or orange Swiss cheese with holes.
Cheese is portrayed as not very intelligent, easily confused, and easily frightened. He is often a nuisance to other characters.
