Wednesday, February 06, 2008

The Robes-Pierre Experience

Some of you may recall (and I know that none of you will recall) my brief obsession awhile back with the long-forgotten and rightly so giant costumed characters of Busch Gardens Colon or Perhaps Comma The Old Country. For all of twelve minutes I was bound and determined to dig up every last bit of information that I could on these assorted fuzzy stereotypes, which I attempted to do via a Google search that brought me right back to this blog and that post I just linked to at the top of this paragraph. Then I got bored and went and colored something.

But a few days back I had reason to dig through my mother's old photo albums in search of a picture of the singing animatronic mushrooms that used to be at King's Dominion (I do have reasons for doing these things you know) and what did I find but the following-


-actual photographic evidence of GCBGC activity and my very own family's historic encounter with same. That's my brother in the stroller shaking hands with, if the pink feather I see perched atop his head is any indication, Robes-Pierre. Robes-Pierre the possibly French or French-Canadian mouse maybe bear creature. And I think that the couple in back may be posing for a brochure photo.

If you are wondering where I am during this historic summit, the answer is: probably cowering in fear behind my mother and/or whoever the hell is taking this picture. I don't remember if I've ever mentioned my Mr. Peanut induced terror of all things giant and costumed, but it was a very real fear. A fear which made every childhood visit to an amusement park something of a nail-biter....

I just realized that this is my first post in over a month. I wish that it could have been a better one.

4 comments:

Sam said...

We're just glad you're back!
But really, I thought he looked more like Descartes.

Steven Altis said...

Oh... um... yes. 'Descartes' I see... it's because the mouse is named Robes-Pierre and you're comically alluding to the fact of his sharing his name with.... umm, I'll be right back.




Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre! Yes, of course... Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre! Born on May 6, 1758 Executed July 28 1794. Good old Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre, French lawyer and political leader, who became one of the most influential figures of the French Revolution and the principal exponent of the Reign of Terror. Who I already knew all about and didn't have to Google because I know about stuff other than Saturday morning cartoons and all the flavors of Kit Kats that are available in Japan.

I also know that 'Descartes' is the French word for 'snails.'

Lushie Peach said...

Somehow I missed your original post on the mascots - what a great scholarly resource! I visited The Old Country/Busch Gardens (and King's Dominion - singing mushrooms!!) in 1980. I have a souvenir booklet featuring more pictures of the mascots in compromising positions! Let me know if you would like scans.

Steven Altis said...

Would I like scans!?! If you're handing out free scans of costumed critters in compromising positions, then I sure as heck will be standing in that line! I promise you a photo credit when my seven-volume comprehensive history of the BG characters is finally published.