| As aunt of a preschooler and an aspiring
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| | kittens, his friends help him. Why, when
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| voiceover actress (I knew all those hours
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| | he gets stuck, can't they help him back
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| of watching Bugs Bunny would come in
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| | down? Ahem...when was the last time you
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| handy), I know all the kids' shows as
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| | tripped and panicked? You need help in
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| well as every kids' DVD out there. My TV
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| | your own life every day without thinking
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| Critic column will be a regular
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| | about it.
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| family-fare guide to Kids' TV.
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| | The beauty of "Higglytown Heroes" is that
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| In my opinion, there's no better way
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| | it celebrates working together, "having
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| celebrities can recoup their outrageous
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| | fun together," and the Higgly Kids as
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| salaries than entertaining and sometimes
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| | well as their families never take for
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| educating kids. And They Might Be Giants
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| | granted the Heroes in their lives. The
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| get the "cooler than Elvis" vote for
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| | Electrician (Lance Bass) gets invited to
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| singing the theme song to one of
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| | share in the "Higgly Monsters" TV party
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| Playhouse Disney's newest hits,
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| | after repairing the circuitry for Kip's
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| "Higglytown Heroes."
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| | house. The Fire Fighter (Donald Faison)
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| For those of you not familiar with all
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| | who gets Kip out of the tree shares in a
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| things Higgly (an adjective used as much
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| | birthday party for the neighborhood cat.
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| as "Smurfy" but not, thank Higgles, as a
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| | How many of us go out of our way to thank
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| verb), the series centers on a small town
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| | the people who make our lives easier?
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| and four tots named Eubie, Kip, and
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| | Sometimes we forget to see them as people
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| siblings Wayne and Twinkle. Think "South
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| | with needs and feelings.
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| Park" with better art and no foul mouths.
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| | We even forget to see our own families as
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| The strongest language is, "Aw,
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| | heroes. Kip's Grandmama (voice of Betty
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| pickles," usually uttered by Twinkle
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| | White) knits the kids sweaters. Kip's
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| (pinker than Trista Rehn Sutter!) after
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| | Mom acts like the soul of '50s
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| her fanciful ideas for solving the kids'
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| | domesticity, but gets rewarded when Kip
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| dilemmas get gently punctured by Fran, a
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| | and his friends make her a get-well card.
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| friendly squirrel voiced by Edie McClurg.
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| | Wayne's Mom shows the kids a caterpillar
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| In each two-episode half-hour show, the
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| | and drives them to the beach.
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| Higgly Kids experience common, innocent
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| | Interestingly, Higgly families aren't
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| childhood events such as finding a
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| | always nuclear families, something Disney
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| caterpillar, hosting a television party
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| | portrays as normal without calling
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| for the Happy Hairy Higgly Monster
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| | attention to it. Kip's family is the
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| Primetime Special, losing a tooth, Kip's
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| | closest, with twin sisters, a baby
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| Grandpa locked in the bathroom, or caring
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| | sister, a mom and dad (who operates a hot
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| for an unhappy bird. The kids try to
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| | dog cart), and two grandparents who
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| solve their problems, guided by Fran who
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| | either live in Kip's large house or visit
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| is the voice of reason, helped by their
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| | constantly. Twinkle and Wayne's mom
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| loving families and the ever-enthusiastic
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| | seems to be a single parent (although all
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| oddly Bill and Ted-ish Pizza Guy...plus
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| | are African-American, no one has screamed
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| someone special. Then comes the
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| | racism yet), and Eubie is apparently
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| inevitable song...
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| | being raised by his Southern-accented
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| "Someone special, who could it be?
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| | Aunt Millie and Uncle Zooter, with visits
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| This job's too big for you and me.
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| | from his Southern-accented Grandpop (a
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| We need some help!
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| | farmer).
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| But never fear-o,
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| | In many ways, Higglytown is idealized.
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| It looks like a job for a...Higglytown
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| | No one really seems to worry about jobs,
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| Hero!
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| | money or status. People go to the
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| A Higglytown Hero!"
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| | library, and a Librarian is a Higglytown
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| Some of the heroes are natural choices,
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| | Hero! The kids "work real hard" and take
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| especially after September 11: Police
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| | responsibility (gasp) by thinking up ways
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| Woman, Firefighter, etc. But how many of
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| | to help themselves and their families,
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| us think of sanitation workers,
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| | and in each episode there are little
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| electricians, plumbers, gardeners, mail
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| | moral lessons and advice (take care of
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| carriers (voiced by Kathie Lee Gifford)
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| | your pets, don't use too much
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| and farmers as heroes? Or a telephone
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| | electricity, make someone smile) to show
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| operator (voiced by Cyndi Lauper)?
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| | the kids how they can grow up to
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| Although the heroes have celebrity
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| | be...Higglytown Heroes!
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| voices, the Higgly Kids discover that the
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| | Cynics and naysayers will deride this as
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| real stars all around them are the people
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| | kiddie pablum. I call it a refreshing
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| who solve problems every day.
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| | dose of reality and a tribute to the
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| Some of the dilemmas get a little
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| | heroes all around us. The Disney
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| ridiculous from an adult perspective.
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| | animators are Higglytown Heroes for
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| For example, when Kip climbs a tree to
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| | creating this show.
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| save a beloved neighborhood cat and her
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