| Why parents think Wiggles are wonderful
02/21/03 CHRISTINE HUNT Sure, they dress like refugees from the Starship Enterprise, and yes, they're goofy as all get-out. But darn it, they're The Wiggles! And our kids love them! And because their videos allow us to go to the bathroom alone, we parents love them, too! Here are five reasons why moms and dads wholeheartedly embrace the phenomenon that is Anthony, Murray, Greg and Jeff: 1. Their songs are original and cute. Is it possible to keep your toe from tappin' when you hear the dulcet tones of "Fruit Salad"? And just try to hear "Hot Potato" without surrendering yourself to the dance. Impossible! 2. The kids who perform with The Wiggles are real children, meaning there are always a couple in the bunch who look as if they'd rather get a shot than sing "Romp Bomp a Stomp" one more time. These kids are not sickeningly precocious. They are not robots in overalls. Compare them with the Stepford urchins on "Barney and Friends," who would belt out "Hey, Mr. Knickerbocker" at Grandma's funeral if it got them a shot at the big time. 3. Their sidekicks are cool. No lisping squirrels or odd mailmen in the bunch. Wags the Dog, Henry the Octopus and Dorothy the Dinosaur are fairly innocuous -- and silent. And then there's Captain Feathersword, the goofy pirate who bears more than a passing resemblance to your fraternity brother who jumped off the Sigma Chi roof into a wading pool during Derby Days. 4. While we love The Wiggles for all that they are, we also adore them for all they are not, and they are not: "Caillou," a bald 4-year-old cartoon boy who, inexplicably, is not French. "Jay Jay the Jet Plane," in which all the planes have faces and the helicopter speaks with a Scottish accent. It's possible a couple of America West pilots dreamed this up in the airport bar. "Wimzie's House." One word: puppets. "Mary Lou's Flip Flop Shop," where perky gymnast Mary Lou Retton teaches cartwheels and morals. This is not at all cloying! "Adventures From the Book of Virtues," where right-wing zealot William Bennett uses animation to get kids to straighten up and fly right. This is not all terrifying! 5. They're The Beatles of the GapKids set. Take, for example, this excerpt from a letter titled "An Important Message to All Our Wiggle Friends in the USA," posted on www.thewiggles.com: "The numbers of people wanting to meet The Wiggles are growing on a daily basis, and a real concern has arisen over fans surrounding the tour bus, including parents with their toddlers standing on roads. Local authorities have expressed their concerns with The Wiggles' management, and we have been asked to curtail this type of activity." Oh, yeah, we are so with the band. Christine Hunt: 503-412-7078; christinehunt@news.oregonian.com |