Below is a link to my newest article for Forces Of Geek and editor Stefan Blitz. I am taking a break from FOG for a few months, so please send me off by clicking on the link below.
Thanks!
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M-I-C… See That Exit? K-E-Y… Why? Because You’re Fired!
Mouseketeer Roll Call!
Bobby!
Annette!
Sharon!
Lonnie!
Cubby!
Mary Danella Espinoza…?
* insert sound of record scratching here *
For three seasons, The Mickey Mouse Club entertained America’s youth five days a week with dances, songs, special guests and more. The Mousketeers were kids that everyone could relate to, kids that seemed unpretentious and nice, kids that were approachable if run into on the street.
“Everyone who wants to keep their job next week smile on the count of three. 1-2-3!”
Back before the child performer factory of today that spits out a Zack and Cody or a Miley Cyrus with every turn of its gears, the Disney talent scouts held open auditions for a children’s variety show.
Kids (professionally-trained and those that only danced at family gatherings) were given an equal chance to become a Mouseketeer.
READ REST HERE
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Wasn’t there a MMC in the late 70s? I remember bright costumes and I think Blair from that show with Tootie on it.
Yes there was.
http://www.forcesofgeek.com/2012/03/mickey-mouse-club-1977.html
This was great. Thank you so much!
An excellent and well reearched post.
To which I left an extrememly inappropriate comment.
hehehe.
I don’t see it on there. What did you say?
“I am both surprised and relieved that none of the performers went on to star in porn.
And if they did, I don’t want to know about it.”
It was being held for moderation. Go figure.
Ha. The word ‘porn’ may have caused a red flag.
Interesting article and nice writing. Why are you taking a break?
Thanks, Becca.
I’m just taking a break to focus on other things. I’ve done 41 pieces for FOG, so far. I’m not taking a break for any negative reason and plan on going back at a later date.
Well good Mike. Breaks can be good. Except breaks from me.
Never. The only break from you would be suicide and I am notoriously wimpy about pain.
What a pedigree these adults can now look back on, I think? Great writing. Well done Calahan.
Thanks for reading.
I can’t believe Walt Disney fired that kid himself. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall during that meeting.
No kidding. Walt’s just lucky that kid didn’t punch him, too.
“You’re firin’ me? Me?! Nobody fire’s me, I quit! Here’s my resignation, old man!” *punch to the gut*
Awesome article! I didn’t know any of that! I will now rock at trivia on the Mouseketeers!
Yeah, such knowledge comes in handy, like, at pretty much every party. Get ready to be popular!
Get ready? Oh buddy – I’m already there! And totally humble about it…
You are? So, you have your official ‘I’m Popular, Bitches!’ shirt and secret decoder ring? Never having been popular, I will live vicariously through you. Take pictures.
… wait, to be popular you have to have a t-shirt and decoder ring? Dammit, I missed that memo…
Uh, I mean… TOTALLY HAVE THAT! I send secret messages to my pop-besties all the frickin’ time, yo!
Gee, you’re lucky. It must be nice to be so popular. I bet the sky’s a little bluer and the birds are animated and sing with you.
Absolutely. And the bunnies and deer have philosophical discussions with me about the meaning of life.
Must be nice. *sigh*
Well I dunno, deer and bunnies get so distracted. You know, with the bunnies procreating, and deer thinking there’s a hunter behind every bush. And those birds? Could they lower their register a smidge? I mean, I Like my hearing!
Popularity has its price, too. Nothing is free, Giggs.
I bet the kid used in his resume later “got fired by Walt Disney himself”
Totally. It has its own built-in bragging rights.
Y? Because this is awesome.
Thanks, man.
I like Paul Peterson’s moxie. Plucky little kid!
Great story Calahan!
What a great Mousketeer name that would’ve been: Moxie.
Excellent back story about the MMC! My sister had a crush on Paul Peterson. Have a great Xmas. I’m not going to be online much.
I’ll look for you when you are back. Have a good holiday.
Great article. Funny, of course, but interesting and informative. I sound like a ready-made blurb.
Thanks to my inherent credulity, my internal response to first reading that Annette Funnyjello funded the Viet Cong and then the retraction was: “OH MY GOD, I didn’t know that, I can’t believe….oh. Oh, yeah. I should have figured.” Thank you, though, and I mean this sincerely, because for a brief moment, I believed something that made my head want to explode. This is a rare and wondrous thing. Someday I’ll tell the story of the time I thought the devil was talking to me from my computer.
Ha. For a brief moment, someone thought about Annette in an angry way. I am all powerful!
I know that the devil was not talking to you through your computer only because he has not had internet access for several months now. Verizon really sucks.