So my Dad reads the newspaper every day.  Religiously.  (well, as religiously as any athiest does anything)  One day he finds a small item about a children's show that's being produced here in our little hamlet of Eugene.  (Hmmm, Hamlet the Children's show...)  On a lark he throws his hat into the ring to audition, and now a few months later I'm proud to announce that my Dad, one Tom Snyder of Eugene, OR, will be playing Captain Carsten Macaroon on the upcoming children's program called "Nana's Cottage!"

I find this ever so cool.  First of all, having been a kid around my Dad I can say with certainty that he is fun.  But I also like that he doesn't treat kids like morons.  He's like Looney Tunes cartoons or the Muppets or Rocky and Bullwinkle or flavored vodka -- there's something in my Dad for every age to appreciate and enjoy!  Also I know my Dad to be part of the source for my naturally hammy nature, so he should be performing for someone somewhere.  This way he also gets paid!

I'm also grateful to Dad for allowing me to come along (ala coat tails express) to see what all of this is going to be like.  We went to the orientation last weekend, and that was much more fun than one's typical orientation.  No locker combination to memorize, no long-winded explanations of safety rules (as far as I could tell there was full encouragement for running in the halls!)  It was more like a big party, w/ yummy catered bbq dinner and much mingling. 

We also watched the pilot episode.  Here I must be honest:  I'm hoping it's going to improve.  I have a very low threshold for children's programming that constantly talks down to the kids, and there was more than a little of that in the pilot.  but heck, the pilot of the best of shows is normally very different (and not as good) as the final product.  (see how I'm keeping hope alive?  That skill brought to you by Sesame Street, as well as the letter double-u and the number pi!)

But no matter what this is cool with a capital coo!  For anyone interested in seeing more on all of this just take a trip to the website of the production company Polara Productions.  Of note would be the "meet the characters" link on the bottom of the main page as well as the "click here to see the latest" link which will show you a picture of the whole cast.  Enjoy!  And be sure to let me know if you'd like to be charter members of the Captain Macaroon fan club, due to be created this fall.  Club President: moi!  (I got the french from Miss Piggy.)