| Wiggles inspire giggles
Young, not-so-young delight in Rochester, uh, gig Lara Becker Liu Staff writer (August 30, 2005) — The rule about six degrees of separation applies even in the world of children's television. To wit: Karen Salvato owes her knowledge of the Wiggles to Barney. It was at the end of a Barney video that she — and more importantly, her 5-year-old son, Ryan — first saw the popular children's group. "They were singing some sort of fruit salad song," Salvato recalled. Ryan was instantly enchanted, so Salvato set out to find Wiggles videos. "And find them we did," said the Fairport mother of two. On Monday, the Salvatos found themselves among thousands of other Wiggles fans streaming into the Blue Cross Arena at the Community War Memorial for one of two live shows. Instead of T-shirts and lighters, they came bearing T-shirts and bunches of plastic roses — offerings for Dorothy the Dinosaur, who apparently can't resist a good rose. Avid fans, these, even if many of them can't talk yet. Asked whether he was excited to see the show, 2-year-old Jayden Haas said something that sounded like "foot" and then returned to watching the cars on Exchange Boulevard. His mother, Alissa Quinn, of Spencerport, interpreted for him: "He's very excited," she said. "They're like a really big thing, I think." Indeed, Jamie Gaffey and her son, 5-year-old Zachary Gaffey, and her mother, Nancy Webster, drove from Myrtle Beach, S.C., for the show. They joined Webster's other daughter, Jill Lee, of Elmira, and her 2-year-old, Stephanie. "The kids love 'em," said Webster. "They watch it constantly. They're still watching the Christmas videos." Devoted parents and grandparents spoke of standing in line for tickets, of unwittingly memorizing Wiggles music and of plans to expose themselves to still more. "We've seen the tape numerous times," said Duane Czajka, of Chili, who, with his wife, Barbara, was meeting up with their son, daughter-in-law and 2-year-old granddaughter. "She dances, laughs and claps," Barbara Czajka said of her granddaughter's Wiggle fandom. She drags her Wiggles pillow over to the TV, her husband added. "Then she just sits and looks at them." The Hill family of Webster arrived with high hopes that Monday afternoon's show would match the last one they saw. The highlight, they said, was when Captain Feathersword went flying, looking for Jeff. "There's a song called 'Where's Jeff?'" the Hills explained. (They find him, in the audience.) Said Matt Hill: "They're just good, wholesome entertainment." |
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| SHAWN DOWD staff photographer
The Wiggles make their entrance during a performance Monday night at the Blue Cross Arena. They are, from left, Jeff Fatt (purple), Greg Page (yellow), Anthony Field (blue), and Murray Cook (red). Thousands of fans turned out. |
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| Bill Croft of Watkins Glen appears to enjoy the Wiggles as much as his 2-year-old son, Bryson. "They're just good, wholesome entertainment," said another parent. |