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Side Hustle - Clownderella (S2E11)
Munchy crushes on a cute clown at the Mooery, but she leaves in a rush dropping her clown shoe. Munchy, Presley, and Lex must now disguise themselves as clowns to find her and help Lex overcome her fear of clowns.
| Runtime (min) | 23 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2022-03-24 |
| Genres | Comedy |
| TV Rating | TV-G |
| Network(s) | Nickelodeon |
Storyline
When Munchy develops a crush on a charming clown he meets at the Mooery ice cream shop, he's devastated when she rushes off before he can learn her name, leaving behind only a single clown shoe. Determined to reunite Munchy with his mystery crush, Presley and Lex devise a plan to track her down by infiltrating the local clown community. The trio disguises themselves as clowns to search for the shoe's owner at various clown events and gatherings around town.
The mission becomes more complicated when Lex must confront her longstanding fear of clowns while wearing clown makeup and interacting with professional performers. As they navigate the colorful world of clown culture, the friends encounter a variety of eccentric characters and comedic situations. The episode blends physical comedy with the classic fairy-tale structure of Cinderella, as Munchy hopes to find his "Clownderella" and discover whether their brief connection was the beginning of something special.
What kids learn
This episode teaches children about facing fears with the support of friends. Lex's journey to overcome her fear of clowns demonstrates that phobias can be managed when you have a compelling reason to push through discomfort and trusted people by your side. Young viewers see that courage doesn't mean the absence of fear, but rather taking action despite being afraid, and that exposure to the source of anxiety in a controlled way can help reduce its power.
The storyline also reinforces the value of loyalty and selflessness in friendship. Presley and Lex go to considerable lengths to help Munchy find his crush, showing that true friends support each other's happiness even when it requires personal sacrifice or stepping outside their comfort zones. Munchy's romantic pursuit models persistence and the importance of taking chances when you feel a genuine connection with someone.
Additionally, the episode encourages children not to judge people or communities by surface appearances. The clown world that initially seems frightening to Lex turns out to be filled with regular people pursuing their passion, teaching viewers to approach unfamiliar subcultures with curiosity rather than prejudice.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the portrayal of clown phobia handled sensitively, or is Lex's fear played only for laughs? | The episode balances comedy with genuine acknowledgment of Lex's discomfort. While there are humorous moments as she navigates clown environments, her fear is treated as a real challenge she must overcome rather than simply mocking her phobia. The storyline shows her friends supporting her through the anxiety, and she ultimately confronts her fear for a meaningful purpose, modeling healthy coping strategies for young viewers who may have their own fears. |
| Is Munchy's crush on the clown age-appropriate for the show's audience? | The romantic element is innocent and age-appropriate, focusing on Munchy's sweet infatuation and desire to see the girl again rather than anything physical or mature. The Cinderella-inspired framework keeps the storyline in fairy-tale territory, emphasizing the excitement of a brief connection and the hope of rekindling it. The episode treats young romance with the light, wholesome tone consistent with Nickelodeon's tween programming standards. |
| Does the episode make fun of clowns or clown performers in a mean-spirited way? | The episode actually celebrates clown culture rather than ridiculing it. While the characters' disguises and attempts to blend into the clown community create comedic situations, the professional clowns themselves are portrayed as dedicated performers with their own community and traditions. The humor comes from the main characters' fish-out-of-water experiences rather than from mocking the clowns, ultimately presenting the clown world as quirky but legitimate. |
| Are there any scary clown images that might frighten younger siblings watching? | The clowns in this episode are colorful and comedic rather than creepy or horror-inspired. Side Hustle maintains its family-friendly tone throughout, avoiding any imagery associated with scary clown tropes from horror media. The clowns are portrayed as cheerful entertainers in bright costumes and makeup. Parents of particularly sensitive younger children may still want to preview, but the episode doesn't venture into frightening territory. |
| What problem-solving skills do the kids demonstrate in their search for the mystery clown? | The trio shows resourcefulness by recognizing they need to immerse themselves in clown culture to find Munchy's crush, demonstrating strategic thinking about how to access a specific community. They work as a team, with each friend contributing to the plan despite personal reservations. The episode models persistence in pursuing a goal, creative problem-solving through disguise and investigation, and the willingness to step outside comfort zones to help someone you care about achieve their objective. |
Writing
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Directing
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| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | After accidentally setting their principal's boat on fire, best friends Lex, Presley, and Munchy create an app to get jobs to pay off their debt. They'll do whatever it takes - no matter how embarrassing - including working as human mannequins. |
| 1 | 2 | After testing a vitamin that makes kids like vegetables, Lex and Presley book a job as birthday party princesses. Once there, they realize the vitamin worked, they now love veggies, and they'll be playing princess next to an amazing vegetable garden. |
| 1 | 3 | Needing money for this week's payment, the kids throw a yard sale. It's a success, but a miscommunication causes the toy that Lex stores their KidDING! money in to be sold. The kids have to find the buyer before Tedward comes to collect his payment. |
| 1 | 4 | Lex is excited when her cousin Ruby comes to visit, but Ruby is more interested in spending time with Fisher. The kids are sent out on a suspicious KidDING. job at the dump, which quickly turns into much more than they'd bargained for. |
| 1 | 5 | Every year Lex and Presley celebrate their Friendiversary by giving each other a thoughtful gift, but this year a blizzard threatens to derail their tradition. |
| 1 | 6 | Lex, Presley and Munchy resolve to end the latter's boastful older brother Jaget's reign as champion of MicroMooery's annual Milkshake Suckdown competition. |
| 1 | 7 | The "Dance Dance Altoonisburg" competition is coming up and Lex, Presley, and Munchy are excited to take part when an old friend from Lex and Presley's past hires them for a Kidding, their dance crew and friendship are put to the test. |
| 1 | 8 | The girls find a treasure map they made as kids which leads them to their first friendship bracelets inside a time capsule. It turns out that Presley never buried her bracelet and now she must distract Lex and find a replacement before she finds out. |
| 1 | 9 | Mr. Prusko is such a boring teacher that students can't even stay awake in class, so Lex and Presley make a deal to make him cooler in exchange for good grades, but Mr. Prusko becomes too cool and is now known as Mr. P. |
| 1 | 10 | There's trouble at the MicroMooery, where someone breaks in and milks Cash the cow at night, so Spenders hires the kids to solve the mystery of the Night Milker. |
| 1 | 11 | Presley, Lex and Munchy are excited when they buy a karaoke machine from the "Karaoke Kickoff" show; when the machine breaks, the kids head to the studio to get their money back. |
| 1 | 12 | Lex loves dogs and weddings, so she's very excited to be a dog wedding planner. But when Presley doesn't think they're right for each other, drama ensues. |
| 1 | 13 | Munchy's Uncle Nedward is visiting. He's a coach and great at inspiring people. But when a KidDING job goes bad and a beloved hawk's eggs are left unattended, Nedward's inspiration goes too far. |
| 1 | 14 | Tedward KidDINGs the kids to enroll in Jaget's new martial arts class, Jag-Jitsu. While Lex, Presley and Munchy don't feel like they've actually learned anything, Jaget still signs them up to take on a rival martial arts class. |
| 1 | 15 | The kids are excited when they're hired to film a commercial for "Hot Tubby's Hot Tub Giveaway Contest." But after the store's owner refuses to pay them, the kids decide to get back at him by pulling off a heist and winning the contest. |
| 1 | 16 | Lex, Presley and Munchy's favorite hangout, the MicroMooery, is set to close for the weekend, so the kids offer to run it and keep it open. What seemed like a fun, easy gig turns out to be much more than they bargained for. |
| 1 | 17 | The kids are hired by Make-A-Mutt, a store that allows kids to create the stuffed animal of their dreams. But they soon discover that the store is in trouble and they'll have to work together to save the business and keep the magic alive. |
| 1 | 18 | When Jaget gets a girlfriend, everyone fears the pairing means a new meanness is on the horizon, but dating softens Jaget; when the kids learn the pair might break up, they scramble to keep them together. |
| 1 | 19 | Lex, Presley, and Munchy get hired by a fancy French restaurant to be off-the-books rat exterminators. There's a party for the Mayor at the restaurant that's set to start and the kids must quickly and quietly catch a rat. |
| 1 | 20 | Lex, Presley and Munchy discover that Fisher is a big-time player in the underground robot fight club scene in Altoonisburg; having not lost a robot fight yet, the kids decide to bet their KidDING money on a Fisher win. |
| 1 | 21 | Munchy is trying out to be the new school mascot, Luna the Tuna! When the girls' former friend Crunchy enrolls in their school, they question his true intentions towards Munchy. |
| 1 | 22 | Munchy gets a catchy tune stuck in his head, and the kids form a band and turn it into a song. |
| 1 | 23 | Fisher turns to “Love Sensei” Jaget for help in getting a date with Lex. |
| 1 | 24 | It's Halloween and the kids open a haunted house; they recruit Mad Scientist Fisher to use unorthodox technology to bring a stuffed bear to life. |
| 1 | 25 | When Lex and Presley discover that Munchy doesn't have his own room but Jaget has two, they go to drastic lengths to make Jaget give up one of his rooms. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | Lex, Presley and Munchy get hired as models during the town’s big fashion week. Assuming that they were hired to be in the fashion show itself, they soon learn that the job is actually to be toy model builders and not the runway models like they thought. Disappointed by the job they were hired to do, the kids must figure out a way to get into the real fashion show. |
| 2 | 2 | When Lex and Presley have to head to Shady Pete’s Carnival to replace a toy Lex destroyed, they get more than they bargained for when they have to beat him at his own game. |
| 2 | 3 | Lex, Presley, and Munchy missed a Tedward payment and are desperate when they get KidDING'd by the worst girl in school to organize a dance-posal for a boy that Lex likes. The kids must decide whether love or money will win out. |
| 2 | 4 | It’s Halloween and the Side Hustle kids open a haunted house. They recruit Mad Scientist Fisher to use unorthodox technology to bring a stuffed bear to life. When the evil creature escapes the kids must work together to stop it before it’s too late. |
| 2 | 5 | Celebrity chef, Dude Calzone is in town and he wants to sample some local Altoonisburg flavor; but when the Calzone family steals Munchy's family's secret stew recipe, the kids must make something dangerously delicious to get it back. |
| 2 | 6 | The cow police come to take Cash the cow to the Cow Pound. Lex, Presley and Munchy must save the cow. When they save Cash they also accidentally save a cow-chasing Jaget too. They must convince Jaget that Cash is worth saving and still save Cash. |
| 2 | 7 | When an overworked Lex goes to the martial arts dark side, Presley and Munchy must use their top-secret best friend knowledge to take her down and get their friend back? |
| 2 | 8 | Tasked with getting Mouth Nosie back together by the new town billionaire, the kids must put on an epic holiday concert. But when a sensitive hearing group bans all music in town, the kids will have to find a way to save Christmas and their concert. |
| 2 | 9 | Uncle Nedward is back and coming in like a wrecking ball… well, he's on a wrecking ball and his nephew Munchy is right alongside with him. The town wants to demolish Ol' Cliffy and the kids are determined to put a stop to it! |
| 2 | 10 | Alan’s out of town and Presley’s in charge, so she decides to make some easy money by renting out Fisher’s room through a home sharing app. When Fisher is forced out, he goes rogue to get back at Presley by renting out every room in the house. |
| 2 | 11 | Munchy crushes on a cute clown at the Mooery, but she leaves in a rush dropping her clown shoe. Munchy, Presley, and Lex must now disguise themselves as clowns to find her and help Lex overcome her fear of clowns. |
| 2 | 12 | Worlds collide when Swellview villain Frankini tracks a powerful mind-controlling device to Altoonisburg, with the hopes of using it to force everyone in earshot to uncontrollably dance. When he gets his hands on it, the stars of Side Hustle, Danger Force, That Girl Lay Lay, Warped! and Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan must work together to defeat him or be doomed to dance forever. |
| 2 | 13 | Lex, Presley and Munchy are excited to be in Jaget’s entourage for a big Hollywood movie premiere, but dueling outfits, a snake named Jake, and a race against the clock might keep our kids off the red carpet and away from their big night. |
| 2 | 14 | One, two, three, four - a thumb wrestling competition is coming to Altoonisburg and a boat is the prize! Can the kids finally pay off Tedward’s boat with a new one or will an old thumb rival squash their chances and their thumbs?! |
| 2 | 15 | Lex, anxious to work as a dog groomer by her crush Luke, enlists in Presley and Munchy’s advice to become “chill-Lex” to impress him. Her chill attitude is put to the test when the job turns disastrous causing the real Lex to come out. |
| 2 | 16 | A determined Lex is out to win the Sandcastle Building competition this year by teaming up with Fisher. When Presley misunderstands that she’s no longer on Lex’s team, she’ll have to give up her beach day to prove that she can take things seriously. |
| 2 | 17 | After Jaget gets control of their KidDING app and starts accepting jobs for them, the kids are forced to butler a dinner party full of jerks hosted by their old nemesis Crunchy. |
| 2 | 18 | When Jaget tricks Lex, Presley and Munchy into his prank war against Ty, they vow to get him back with the ultimate revenge prank. But they soon find themselves over their heads when their prank goes airborne taking Munchy along for the ride. |
| 2 | 19 | It’s Possum Day! A celebrated holiday where the town possum, Altoonisburg Al decides, if kids get another six weeks of summer or if it’s back to school on Monday. When Al is accidentally released the kids must find him before the town finds out. |
| 2 | 20 | When Lex and Presley are hired to call a night of high-stakes Bingo, the girls accidentally turn Presley’s Grandma and her best friend against each other. Can Lex and Presley turn these enemies back into friends or is this friendship Bing-over? |
| 2 | 21 | Lex, Presley, and Munchy breakout of Jaget’s lockdown to celebrate Yesley Day! Presley’s day of fun stops when they get stuck at Coaster World. Can the kids make it home before Jaget makes his rounds or will they receive further sentencing? |
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