- Fri Jul 11, 2003 12:45 am
#87312
Sad as I am, sitting on the net at 1.45 am and searching for Otis the aardvark, but I found this and it made me smile:
Otis the Aardvark
Nobody remembers the exact date any of the sidekicks were introduced, they just were. Otis' debut was much the same. However, his rise to public attention was a fast one, when it transpired that Otis was no ordinary aardvark. He appeared to be smarter than the average puppet, relying on his quick wit and subtle innuendo, rather than any catchphrases, or silly hats.
Often, he would prance around in the background, parodying the CBBC team, especially the long suffering Kirsten, who was an easy target for the sharp shooting 'vark. Before long, Otis was given centre stage, being allowed to make most of the announcements and even read out the birthday cards. Kids loved his cuddly ways and adults admired his wit and gentle cynicism. He even managed to compliment Kirsten on her 'lovely pair of sandwiches' after an episode of Blue Peter which encouraged people to 'jazz up their sandwiches' with a few simple healthy ingredients. Was this the beginning of the end for Otis? Had he over stepped the mark?
Otis became increasingly erratic in the weeks that led up to his departure. He was always skating on thin ice, but that's what we loved him for. We think fame went to his head when he became obsessed with 'the little people behind the sofa'. This could have led to his downfall. Not only was it evident that Otis was hallucinating in a bizarre manner, but he was also beginning to frighten young children (if there were little people behind the sofa, where could they hide if something scary came on TV). He stared laughing maniacally and I swear, one episode, he said he had something stuck up his bottom.
Soon, the inevitable happened. Otis was axed. He gave the viewers a week's notice and when his last episode ended, he seemed somewhat subdued. It was a genuinely sad moment. Otis is still on our screens though - he features as a doctor on the kiddies game show 'insides out'. It's almost as if he's dead, because he appears to live inside a giant eyeball hanging from the ceiling. He wears a white coat and asks the audience about various parts of the body. His cleverly hidden smut however, appears to be missing and he seems somewhat detached. It's like he's talking to us from behind the protective shield of some form of mental sedative - his energy is still there, but his character has gone.
We feel that Otis can and will return to the CBBC studio. These are the dark years for Otis, but, like Aerosmith and Will Self, he will return from the brink. With a vengeance. Long live Otis the Aardvark.
chrismoyles.net
<-- theres Ratz.