Monday, July 21, 2008

The carebear-palaeontology connection

One of the little charms(?) of South African life is the stuff they put on the telly. Mostly it is absolute dreck (failed American drama pilots and embarrassing action films that even Bill Bixby wouldn't be seen dead in*) and ancient shows excavated from the fossil record of television that the rest of the world has long since forgotten. Just last week I was minding the kids at home and Melanie was watching the Carebears. I've a vague recollection of these obnoxiously saccharine-flavoured bears from my childhood but it was not a craze that ever penetrated my world back then. Anyway it seems that the aforementioned bears have a nemesis, namely one Professor Coldheart. I was struck by the resemblance between Prof. Coldheart and none-other than Richard Owen himself (maybe its just me - judge for yourselves)














By all accounts Professor Coldheart would be an excellent description of Owen. I wonder if the creator(s) of the carebears were in some way palaeo aficionados.

*yes I shamelessly lifted these words from an old favourite. I doubt ANYONE reading would be able to recognise it however.

2 comments:

Darren Naish said...

The Bixby reference refers to the Hulk pilot I guess... not sure about the quote however. As for Prof Cold Heart, somehow I think that the similarity with Prof Owen was coincidental. Would be cool if it wasn't. There was another villain called Auntie Freeze - so who was she based on? :)

Adam Yates said...

I can think of an answer to your last question but it probably doesn't do to go around insulting members of my own profession, even in such harmless situations as these.
re. the quote. It comes from 'Bulltwang' an hilarious radioshow produced in Melbourne circa 1990, featuring Tony Martin and Mick Molloy.