I’m participating in the A-Z Blogging Challenge, where I post every day in the month of April (except Sundays) and each day is a letter.

My theme for the month is a series of posts about the things that shaped me.

Zoobilee Zoo

I think it’s a perfect ending to this month long challenge, to have something that is so absolutely batshit crazy, who knows how it was ever greenlit.

To me, it’s right up there with Welcome to Pooh Corner and Today’s Special — all wackadoodle in their own ways, and all on my must-watch list when I was tiny and seeing people in animal costumes was totally part of the norm.

But Zoobilee Zoo has a special place in my heart, for a couple of reasons.

First, every character has some kind of artistic talent, whether that is painting (Van Go Lion), performing (Bravo Fox), writing and speech (Talkatoo Cockatoo), or music (Whazzat Kangaroo). It was a show aimed at developing a child’s creativity, no matter how it manifested itself. And for that, it absolutely should be applauded.

And second, the producers specifically hired actors with a theatrical/Broadway background, and it showed in all the singing and dancing talent. In particular, Ben Vereen, Broadway ICON, hosted the show.

Seriously, I know he’s been in tons (if you know anything about musical theater, you’ve seen his name and/or his face and/or his dancing before), but forever in my heart, he is only ever Mayor of Zoobilee Zoo.

By the way — the show only lasted for one season back in the mid-80s, and someone made them a website. Complete with links to the Facebook profiles for all the characters.

And there’s even a freakin’ podcast. Apparently, Zoobilee Zoo will NEVER die.

Once a Zoobaroo, always a Zoobaroo!