The McCollumn - 12/16: "Public private moments and 'Yo Gabba Gabba'"

Brobee, of 'Yo Gabba Gabba' and of the rain boots

that may or may not have sparked the 

genesis of this column

“Yo Gabba Gabba” is a phrase that should be instantly recognizable to anyone having any sort of contact with children under the age of seven.

The beloved Noggin Network children’s show features strange, brightly colored creatures who sing, dance and help kids learn manners and good behaviors.

Wholesome, family values type stuff, I promise.

I came into contact with the show through the clip-based humor program “The Soup,” on E, where host Joel McHale would often use out-of-context clips from the show for various bit jokes.

One such recurring theme is the kid dance portion on the show, where various real-life children come on and say: “My name is (insert kid name here),” followed by a dance break with the kid gesticulating wildly and a hasty, loud “I love to dance,” followed by more spastic dancing.

It’s hilarious to watch and the kids somehow manage to dance the weirdest, most incomprehensible dance moves during their time on national television.

With some I’ve seen, one has difficulty ascertaining whether the child is , in fact, dancing or suffering from sort of grand mal seizure.

The “Yo Gabba Gabba” dance breaks became a bit of an inside joke during my years at The Auburn Plainsman. At any given time, a staff member might break out with a “My name is” and a dance move, to the enjoyment and hilarity of all.

Even today, when talking with Plainsmanites of my era, we still joke from time to time about such things.

We just usually remember to do it in the privacy of our own homes.

Yes, Tuesday night at Target, yours truly had yet another embarrassing public private moment, as two ladies who were perusing the bra section as I walked by, heard and laughed at:

a) the fact that I was yelling “My name is Seth and I love to dance” into the phone at a volume that could be heard by them, and

b) I may or may not have been doing my famous Index Finger Pointy Dance whilst dancing to, I’m forced to assume, the crazy dance party music that’s found only in my head.

As I walked toward the register to the sounds of their rigorous (and some might say excessive) laughter, I tried to maintain composure and keep from laughing myself.

A grown man should know better than to do such things in public, but, well, at least it’s funny for someone when some of us do.