Vinnie's Favorite Six Pack

Bop Sept 1996

No, this isn't a story about Vinnie Kartheiser's favorite beverage. It's
about being one of six kids!If you had a choice of being one of six or one
of three kids, which would you prefer? Probably the latter, right? That way
you wouldn't have to fight so hard for phone time, mom and dad's attention
and that all-important front seat in the car.Well even though the odds of
getting what you want may be higher with less siblings, Vinnie (who starred
in The Indian In The Cupboard and who will be in the upcoming movie,
Alaska) says none of that stuff compares to the advantages of coming from a
big family."It is such an experience growing up [with five brothers and
sisters]," 17-year-old Vinnie told us. "Everything is going on at once and
it is like moments of extreme chaos. My family, they are my best
friends."Because most of Vinnie's best friends - brother Nathan, 18;
sisters Colette, 20; Andrea, 22; Theresa, 23 and Elise, 25 - have moved out
of the house to pursue their own goals, he treasures the time he does get
to spend with them."My oldest sister, Elise, just moved back into the house
for a while," says Vinnie. "Then once she [saves] enough money we [meaning
Vinnie and parents Jim and Janet] will kick her out," he jokes. "And I will
be all alone again. It'll be hell."While Vinnie's been enjoying Elise's
company at home, he's also realized something important about his sis that
he never knew before. "It's weird. I never really knew her because I was
only 10 when she left. But now that she's back, I realize that she is me.
It is amazing. I mean we are like Ike and Mike."
But while Vinnie enjoys hanging out with his likeness, the sibling that he
looks forward to seeing the most is his brother Nathan, who is away at
college these days. "We don't really do anything," says Vinnie of his
relationship with Nathan. "We just kind of sit around and talk. It is just
that we enjoy each other's presence."
Yet sometimes when Vinnie needs a boost of brotherly bonding, he'll head
out to his brother's college, which is about two hours away to visit. "One
time we went to Mankato State. My brother doesn't go there, but it's just
known as a pretty crazy school. So we go over there and hang out."