Secret Society

The first time I heard “Placido Flamingo” sing on Sesame Street, I knew that kids’ shows were no longer just for kids (and Sesame Street writers have a sense of humor I can truly appreciate). And then when I watched Pinocchio’s pink lingerie get revealed on “Shrek,” I knew there really is a secret adult-information society and all of us past puberty have to get on board or risk having the youngsters know too much. There’s lots of stuff in that category--Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy--and most of it is fanciful in nature. Other things are played close to the grown-up vest because they would be disappointing. That’s why I was a little surprised to watch all the beans getting spilled on Disney’s “The Incredibles.” The first part of that movie is all about how when you grow up, your dreams get smaller and your choices get increasingly limited. I thought we had all agreed to keep that secret. True, the rest of the movie is about finding out who you really are by realizing what you stand for and who loves you, and I am being facetious, but there is something there. Becoming an adult, with all that implies, is hard work and sometimes not much fun. But we must be doing a good job of keeping the secret because small people still want to become us. Disney found the idea so marketable they made a movie and a book, and those things sold like hotcakes.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/Incredibles-Interactive-Play-Disney/book/1412730295/

http://home.disney.go.com/tv/