The Wiggles ROCK!!

I got to see The Wiggles this week. Please, don’t roll your eyes, and look at me sympathetically. I wasn’t dragged there by an obsessed three year old. My kids were actually dragged there by me, an obsessed 40 something year old.

I love The Wiggles. Not the “gosh they are a great children’s group” type of love, which they are, but the obsessive must have all of their merchandise and cds and DVDs and front row seats and screaming because they are AWESOME kind of love. Seriously.

My passion started 7 years ago when my then 11 month old son would stop whatever he was doing to watch The Wiggles dance on the Disney Channel. At that time they popped up between regular Disney programming for one song. And for the two minutes these guys were on screen, my son would sit, entranced. Eventually he started dancing with them. I started buying the videos (black plastic cases containing film which could be viewed through a VCR - the term is on wikipedia, look it up) and my son would sing and dance his little heart out. And so did my girls (then aged 3 and 6). And as I played these videos over and over, it dawned on me the music wasn’t cloying, and I didn’t feel the need to drive a hot poker through my eye every time they were on my TV. (If you have ever suffered through a child’s Barney obsession, you might be familiar with that feeling).

Who were these guys? Four regular guys from Australia with a background in music and early childhood education that had stumbled upon a perfect formula. Great music, bright colors, topics of interest to children. I sing and dance and entertain kids everyday, but I don’t have millions in the bank to show for it - and I am jealous of that.

But what really makes me love The Wiggles so much is their obvious passion for what they do. They love the kids, and it is all about the kids. Go to any of their shows and that passion is obvious. They will run to the back of an arena to read a poster made by a child.

And, let’s get to the heart of the matter - Anthony is a hottie. Yes, the truth is out…I can watch hours of Wiggles videos (now DVDs) because watching Anthony makes me smile, and feel all giggly inside. I am twelve, apparently.

Come to my house, and my kids will tell you all The Wiggles stuff scattered around the house is mine. Yes, that’s true. The Big Red Car ride-on toy - mine. The Wiggles Beach Ball - mine, it hangs in my bathroom. The Wiggles towels - mine, don’t use them. The Wiggles flushable wipes container - for show only.

And the concert this week? Amazing. They put on a wonderful show. My kids went with me (don’t tell their friends) and they agreed, The Wiggles ROCK! Murray read the poster we made and everything. This was our seventh show, and I plan to continue seeing them for as long as they tour. My kids? Think I’m nuts, but will probably still accompany me because they don’t want me to be the scary old lady sitting by herself in the front row of the Wiggles concert.

So, keep Wiggling!