
The adult jokes in Shark Tale may have gone over your head because you were a child when you first saw the underappreciated DreamWorks film, or maybe you just never noticed them because you didn’t watch it as often as Finding Nemo, which came out around the same time and reigned supreme as the most popular underwater animated movie. Kinda like A Bug's Life and Antz. However, this was a gem starring Will Smith, and there are plenty of hidden jokes to uncover.
If you thought Pixar was the only animation company that could toss out jokes aimed at older audience members, prepare for this list to prove you wrong. Vote up the Shark Tale jokes that you were most surprised by.
Adult Jokes You Never Noticed in Shark Tale,
We're All Wieners Here
In one scene, Lola rejects Oscar. The rasta jellyfish have hot dogs on a stick that they’re using as puppets. One of them mockingly calls out, “Wait, Lola, come back! I’m not nobody - I’m a wiener!”
White Fish Can't Jump
In one scene, Oscar is trying to show Sykes a fin shake movement, but Sykes can’t seem to get the steps right. They try a couple times, then Oscar simply says, “Don’t sweat it; a lot of white fish can’t do it.” Surely this is a play on the whole “white people can’t dance" stereotype, which is somewhat surprising to see carefully injected into a kid’s film.
I Ain't Saying She's a Gold Digger...
As a commenter on the YouTube video of this scene said, this is “The only movie known to successfully sexualize a fish.” In this scene, Oscar is imagining Lola, and there’s a song with lyrics that clearly state, “She’s dangerous, super bad - better watch out, she’ll take your cash. She’s a gold digger!” Apparently, before Kanye made a song about gold diggers, there was already a song on the same subject, except it was about an attractive fish girl and it was in a children's movie.
Donner, Party of One
In one scene, there's a shot of a restaurant and its sign reads "SUSHI BOWL." The establishment is completely empty inside, minus a single, frustrated employee.
Kiss from a Rose
In the ship that the sharks use for shelter, there’s a very visible shot of the drawing of Rose from Titanic. At least in this one, for the sake of it being a children’s movie, she’s clothed.
Don't Go in the Water
While many kids haven’t seen Jaws, their parents have - or are at least familiar with its classic them. In one scene, Frankie is humming the Jaws theme. Lenny doesn’t like it, of course, stating, “That song gives me the creeps!” Frankie then says that it’s their theme song.
Free Willy
We see Angie with a whale client and hear the following exchange:
Angie: Good morning. Can I help you?
Whale: One wash and lube, please.
Angie: Hot wax?
Whale: Please.
Angie: Kelp scrape? We're having special, what do you say?
Whale: Why not? It's mating season and I'm feeling lucky!