My son (the Pok) has been infatuated with Mickey Mouse since before the age of one. I am very much to blame for this as I fed his nascent interest one day by going to K-Mart and purchasing a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD. This was further fueled on a trip we took to North America where we purchased him a Mickey Mouse stuffed toy from the Disney Store in Times Square, New York. Needless to say ‘Mouse’, as he is affectionately known, has not left his side and is now the mandatory travel companion – should one be required. But now as he is getting older, his fascination with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse TV show has increased, and I find myself the viewing companion more times than not.
I can see his fascination with the show. In each episode there is a problem, an adventure, some ingenious solutions to the problem, and some funny characters. Don’t forget the obligatory “hot dog” dance at the end of the show – which every guest to our house has to perform with him should the show be on the tube.
But it got me thinking the other morning at 6am on the couch with my son jumping around and squealing at ‘Tootles’ (if you don’t know who ‘Tootles’ is, then you are either not a parent or your child has not yet been exposed to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). There is no running plot with the Clubhouse, just a situation with random incidents… just like a show about nothing – Seinfeld! After examining the character personas, I came to a bizarre conclusion that the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is just Seinfeld for infants. Take a look at the characters in comparison.
Mickey Mouse – Jerry Seinfeld
Both Mickey and Jerry are the stars of their shows. Both shows have revolve around their relationship with their friends, and in a more striking coincidence the key locale for both shows happens to be their place of abode. Both characters usually open and close their shows with an address to the audience (Mickey to the viewer and Jerry to his standup audience). Both shows also adorn their names in the titles.
Minnie Mouse – Elaine Benes
No I did not Photoshop a bow on top of Elaine’s head – those are her shoes. Both characters are the main female protagonists of their shows. Minnie and Elaine are both “love interests” of the star of the star of their respective shows (at one point or another). They both have similar conservative fashion sense.
Donald Duck – George Costanza
Both Donald and George are the “angry” characters of their shows. They are both the best and oldest of friends for their show’s star. Invariably, the schemes that both characters hatch during the episodes fail. This is the second most obvious character similarity between the shows.
Goofy – Cosmo Kramer
For me this is the most obvious character similarity between the show. Both characters are physically clumsy and amusing in their shenanigans. They are both taller than the rest of their cast ensembles. Their fashion sense is eerily similar, with the only thing missing from Goofy being Kramer’s trademark cigar. They also attain the most laughs in both of their shows.
Pete – Newman
Both characters the primary antagonists in their shows. They both sport the same rotund torsos. And (apologies Wayne Knight) they both have the same head.
A couple of the Clubhouse main characters don’t have direct counterparts in Seinfeld but do represent elements of the Seinfeld show.
Daisy Duck
Like all of George’s glamorous love interests, Daisy Duck is the object of Donald’s affections.
Pluto
Well he is a pet dog who doesn’t speak, so he really has no Seinfeld counterpart (Jerry never owns a dog in the show).
Both shows also have many other recurring characters to aid as plot devices. But where I find the most similarity is the ability that both shows have to make their target audience laugh.
Raising an infant is the most enjoyable fun that you can have. It makes you realise that their little world is just a smaller version of your own crazy adult world.
Mad… I think you watch too much TV!! 😉
Too much Mickey Mouse that is…
Yep… that rodent has infiltrated our lives!! I’m a grandfather so now have to do it all over again! 😉
LOL – I showed my son some classic pre-WWII Mickey Mouse and he was a bit taken a back knowing it was Mickey Mouse, but not his Mickey Mouse. He was giggling like crazy at the slapstick style humour. I can’t wait to see his reaction when he watches Fantasia (and is not scared).
I was watching Mickey clubhouse with my daughter and I starting thinking about the similarities it has with Seinfeld. I had to see if anyone else had the same thoughts, so funny
I have a funny dream where I get drunk with Goofy and Donald. In the dream Donald is an angry drunk.
hehe … awesome … not that there’s anything wrong with it!
Yep, my home life is half lived in the clubhouse…
Wow! I had thought about this several years ago with my first son and thought about it again this weekend as my 1 year was watching Clubhouse. I had totally forgotten about this comparison and when chatting with our friends who are in town, we realized how true it was. I thought it would be cool to see a Seinfeld skit but animated with the Disney characters. I decided to check online to see if anyone else had thought of this and Lo and behold, I found your site. Very cool stuff that I’m not alone!
Oh the weird stuff we go through as parents. 🙂
omg! I watch this daily with my son and started thinking how I felt like it reminds me of Seinfeld!! Goofey reminded me so much of Kramer and Pete reminded me of Newman! I googled it to see if anyone else happened to notice this too and I found this page! How crazy! Glad I’m not alone!
Welcome to the club