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The Best Show on WFMU => Show Discussion => Topic started by: Matt from Springfield on March 04, 2011, 12:26:27 AM

Title: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Matt from Springfield on March 04, 2011, 12:26:27 AM
Hello all--

This might be more appropriate for the new member questions, but I wanted to pose this question to the broadest range of FOTs as possible, including long-time listeners.

We all know that about 1 out of 3 Wurster calls involve his character pausing, astonished, that a mouse with a cape on just ran by him. But I couldn't find any posts on the forum about how that meme started. Was there one particular call several years ago? I've listened to TBS only since 2009.

I thoroughly enjoy the Best Show Gems podcasts, and first began thinking of this when I noticed that the mouse-with-a-cape "calling card" appears even in 5/6 year old episodes. So I wondering if anyone knows how that got started (which call, and better still, which episode if you remember). Thanks.

Matt from Springfield [Virginia]
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Mr. Spacely on March 04, 2011, 01:29:04 AM
Which Gems have it?
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: daveB from Oakland on March 04, 2011, 02:13:40 AM
I noticed that the mouse-with-a-cape "calling card" appears even in 5/6 year old episodes.

For reals??? I thought it was a very recent development
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: daveB from Oakland on March 04, 2011, 02:16:21 AM
Wait. Hold on a second ... you'll never guess what I just saw. Never in 1000 years ...
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Mr. Spacely on March 04, 2011, 02:31:55 AM
Yeah, I thought the mice in capes only started in that November '10 call from the Italian restaurant owner (the Archie Bunker's Place Blu-Ray call).

Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Alex_from_the_woods on March 04, 2011, 08:17:45 AM
The mice didn't always wear capes. That's a more recent development. By my count there have also been two cats and a dog spotted that were wearing capes.
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Sarah on March 04, 2011, 08:26:49 AM
The becaped mice succeeded the terrible pollen problems, which only began last year, I believe.
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: masterofsparks on March 04, 2011, 09:11:24 AM
Yeah, I thought the mice in capes only started in that November '10 call from the Italian restaurant owner (the Archie Bunker's Place Blu-Ray call).

Is that the place that uses that great mooozarella?
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: CSW on March 04, 2011, 09:19:44 AM
How about the wristwatch alarms? When did they start?
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Jason from Huntsville, AL on March 04, 2011, 09:25:48 AM
How about the wristwatch alarms? When did they start?

I believe it was a recent PBR call (more recent than the first mouse calll, if I recall correctly.) I believe PBR's watch was playing 'nem Hooters.
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on March 04, 2011, 09:31:40 AM
Yes, my understanding is that the pollen and the caped mice scourges were recent Newbridge developments. 

But a question for the original poster: Who is Jon Wurster?
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on March 04, 2011, 09:58:54 AM
Yes, my understanding is that the pollen and the caped mice scourges were recent Newbridge developments. 

Yeh I think you're right. I don't think they date back past the fall. Am I wrong to think it's his go-to everytime he laughs?
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Bernard on March 04, 2011, 12:07:06 PM
Yeah, I thought the mice in capes only started in that November '10 call from the Italian restaurant owner (the Archie Bunker's Place Blu-Ray call).

Is that the place that uses that great mooozarella?

I believe it is.  The mooozarella is part of the pizza served on the Blu-Ray disc, if I correctly recall.

Mmm.  Mooozarella.
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Pastor Josh on March 04, 2011, 06:12:52 PM
Yes, my understanding is that the pollen and the caped mice scourges were recent Newbridge developments. 

Yeh I think you're right. I don't think they date back past the fall. Am I wrong to think it's his go-to everytime he laughs?

That's what I had assumed.  I also feel like he came up with it in the moment.
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Mr. Spacely on March 04, 2011, 07:08:53 PM
I love when Wursterisms stack.  Like, a normal reference to GG "passing on" will cause him to laugh, which will then cause him to break out the "mouse in a cape just ran by," which will cause him to laugh more, which will then cause him to mention the pollen.
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Matt from Springfield on March 05, 2011, 02:06:44 AM
Great observations everyone, glad I got so many answers so quickly!

Which Gems? Crap! I should have jotted down which of the older ones mentioned the mouse when I first listened. I thought it appeared in "Power Pop Pop Pop", from May 2007, but I just checked and it wasn't there. But almost all Gems posted so far are 3 years old or older, so if I discover an old reference I'll return here to post it. It seems that the mouse-wearing-a-cape bit has been around longer than the last couple years, but only reappeared periodically. Lately they've used it more often.

Although I think Mr. Spacely has a good theory:
I love when Wursterisms stack.  Like, a normal reference to GG "passing on" will cause him to laugh, which will then cause him to break out the "mouse in a cape just ran by," which will cause him to laugh more, which will then cause him to mention the pollen.
Perhaps the mouse bit is just what he says when he's about to laugh; and of course that can cause the jokes to "stack". That's happened to me many times!

Matt from Springfield [Virginia]
Title: Re: Mouse wearing a cape
Post by: Pidgeon on March 06, 2011, 01:06:19 PM
Is the "Who would do this?" after a mouse-with-cape sighting out of amusement or horror? It sounds like both.