Why? Because We Like You


Annette Funicello died this week at the age of seventy, from complications of Multiple Sclerosis.  She debuted on Disney's Mickey Mouse Club at the age of 13, when I was just a baby.  At a time when we considered ourselves lucky to get three blurry, black and white channels on the family television set, we all watched the Mickey Mouse Club, even after it went to reruns.  As a mouseketeer, Annette was the epitome of the girl next door.  We watched her, sang with her, emulated her.  Everyone knew who Annette was.

 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/The_Mickey_Mouse_Club_Mouseketeers_Annette_Funicello_1956.jpg/180px-The_Mickey_Mouse_Club_Mouseketeers_Annette_Funicello_1956.jpg

Annette grew up singing and acting in several Disney movies--usually set on the sunny beaches of California. Those of us who grew up in land-locked Nebraska could only imagine what it might be like to bask on the beach every day.  I wasn't daring enough to even think about surfing, but Annette rode the tide of surfing movies and the Beach Boys' music.  As the 1960s revved up, she was a consistently stable, wholesome influence for us--always the girl next door.

As the years went by, Annette Funicello gradually faded from view.  Sure, we saw her in old movies and occasional television appearances, but she wasn't as popular as she used to be.  I suppose life intervened, as she married and raised her children, as we grew up and married and raised our children.

Then, a few years ago, Annette announced that she had MS--Multiple Sclerosis, a dreaded, often debilitating disease of the nervous system.  She became a spokesperson for MS, educating the public and becoming a welcome role model for others who live with MS.  Forever the girl next door, she handled her diagnosis with grace, showing that there was still life after MS.

Annette Funicello's passing signals the end of an era. We will miss her, and everything she represents.

I remember singing that Mickey Mouse Club theme song with Annette and all the mouseketeers.  It seems likes such a short time ago. 
Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Hey there, hi there, ho there, you're as welcome as can be
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Mickey Mouse (Donald Duck) Mickey Mouse (Donald Duck)
Forever let us hold our banner high (high, high, high!)

Come along and sing a song and join the jamboree
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E 
   Now it's time to say goodbye to all our company
   M-I-C, See you real soon
   K-E-Y, Why? Because we like you
   M- O- U- S- E                               (by Jimmy Dodd) 

So long...






 


 















































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