My Reunion with Skippy

When i was a wee bairn in the bonnie hills of Pedregal in Mexico City, I was exposed to my first television shows. This being Mexico and pre-cable, I found myself being exposed to the odd mish-mash of programming that the Mexican network execs passed off for programming. There was Odisea Burbujas (Bubble Odyssey) an oddly educational show involving Frog, Lizard, Mouse and Bee Furries who are led across the stars by a red-headed "Professor". Bizzare, yes? Certainly reminiscent of H.R Puffnstuff. There was Disney's world of Color "De Colores", and of course classic American shows like Dukes of Hazzard, Hawaii 5-0, and the Love Boat. All of which were dubbed in Spanish by the same 5 actors who I think are still doing it. It was weird having Captain Stubing have the same voice as Roscoe P. Coltrane, but you're a kid and you go with it.

However, there was one show that blew my infant mind. An Aussie import based on the same insanity that made Flipper and Lassie such hits, but with a certain Outback/Colony feel to it that made it absolutely mesmerizing. The name of the show was SKIPPY THE BUSH KANGAROO. Basically, the premise is that in an desolate Ranger station in the outback a child with no friends ends up making friends with a genius Kangaroo that communicates with clicks. Not only this, but Skippy had bizzare animal friends like an Emu, and a Wombat who would not only help her (Yes, like Lassie) rescue people in the outback, but would even seek out and apprehend criminals. I KNOW! Your mind is blown.

When we moved to the US in 84, I was absolutely thrilled at American Teevee. Yes, there was already cable in Mexico at the time. I was getting all the latest BETA movies from my dad, grandparents and anyone who stepped foot in the US, along with Happy Meals, Legos and Star Wars toys none of which were available in Mexico at the time (I was as far as I know, the first kid in Mexico to have The Ewok Village). Nothing, could have prepared me for the magical panoply that was Saturday Morning Cartoons. The littles, The Smurfs, The Biskitts (Essentialy Dog-Smurfs), Go Bots, etc. ad nauseum.

Something was amiss, however. No Skippy. Furthermore, whenever i tried to explain Skippy to my Elementary School peers, I was met with the sort of worldly and embracing attitude that can be expected from second graders in Colorado Springs, as they are being told of a Rescue-Kangaroo by the first Mexican they've ever encountered.
Needless to say I dropped Skippy, and adopted the more socially acceptable GIJoe and Transformers. However, in my heart lay a dormant Kangaroo named Skippy.

Fast forward to 2005. I am working at Paradigm Talent Agency, and an Agent (Frank Balkin) is talking to me about TeeVee shows. Out of nowhere, jumps this fantastical tale of Skippy The Bush Kangaroo, and wouldn't you know it, the Internets has arrived. After that magical moment, where for the first time I was able to share Skippy with my co-workers I have waited for the audience and the clip that would encapsulate the entire Skippy experience.

Friends, you are the audience. And here is the clip:


More, you say?

The theme.


The theme as rocked out by a rock band named the Bush Rangers, who dress as the Kelly Gang. Frankly, I almost pooped. Skippy plays the drums.

Transformational Memories

Five minutes ago I finished a conversation with a nine year old. Today is his birthday, and he was showing me his new cell phone. I thought, "A child with a cell? What poppycock!"

The cell however was more than meets the eye. The kid flipped some panels to reveal what I knew to be the AUTOBOT emblem. After a few homemade and all too familliar "Chee koo kah kah" sounds the transformation was complete and a conversation about the finer points of Transformers was struck. I pulled up some old transformer cartoons on YouTube, and the lad explained to me that he was a supporter of the Optimus Prime to Rodimus Prime transition. Now, anyone worth their chops understands that the fatal error of the Transformers franchise back in the 80's was the introduction of Roddimus Prime and the death of one Optimus. They jumped the proverbial Sharkticon. Not to take away from the masterpiece that was the Motion Picture, but the seris and the toys went off the deep end, never to fully recover.

The exchange with the lad brought back a few memories of my youth. Playing transformers with my younger brother in the basement, the pogo ball being used as Nuke of some sort, and Nerf Golf Balls being Vector Sigma (And Family, when i was being particularly cruel). The alliances formed in that basement weren't Hasbro approved. Often Autobots and decepticons were mishmashed into roaming teams of ultra-violent, revenge-obsessed, over-hyphenated, marauders. My parents had inadvertently thrown the transformer world into turmoil by giving us EACH a Galvatron action figure.To my parents they were giving us each a "Gun". To US we were given a double embodiment of battery charged light-up evil. Neither of us willing to dispense with our galvatron both action figures were eventually folded into the randomness of our play. However, at that early age, one thing stood out; My brother was a tutu wearing namby pamby hot-rod scrote lickin', Roddimus supporter.

Perhaps like this young un I spoke to earlier, youth was easily influenced. My brother, being three years younger was willing to eat whatever bullshit Hasbro fed him. Whereas I, who at one point was forced to use a bare bones Ultra Magnus as a Prime replacement, knew what a load of crapticon Roddimus/Hot-Rod and all the post film transformers became. Though i must admit the sharkticon with the mace was pretty sweet. History has vindicated me, the return of Optimus Prime in the summer blockbuster has once more proven me wise beyond my years. But, even now i can't help but rub it in my brother's face.

"Optimus Prime..the TRUE Autobot Leader.."