That’s Hot.

by chris cunningham

I have one of those mothers that has saved a ton of stuff from my childhood. A couple of years ago she dumped this huge box of stuff off to me that had everything from the wristband I wore when I was born on up to my college graduation. Why did she want to give the box to me now? Because they needed room in the closet… Oh, thanks!

There’s some amazing things in this box of wonders. I think at some point I could probably piece together my whole life with this stuff. One thing that cracked me up was my autographed photo of Miss Mary Ann from Romper Room. I used to watch that show like crazy.

From the 1950s through the 1990s, the Romper Room hostess ended each program by reciting the show’s signature magical chant:

“Romper, bomper, stomper, boo.
Tell me, tell me, tell me do.
Magic mirror, tell me today.
Did all my friends have fun at play?”

I love the idea that Miss Mary Ann and Romper Room were dabbling in the occult by using a magic mirror and chanting. With the chant spoken, Miss Mary Ann gazed through the empty mirror frame and recited the names of children whom she pretended to see watching the program. A different list everyday. “I see Tommy and Susan and Hannah and William and Mary and all you boys and girls out there.” Of course she couldn’t actually see the children, but we listened for our name to be mentioned. I’m sure she probably said Chris at some point and it probably freaked me the hell out. According to her you could either be a Do-Bee or a Don’t-Bee. Of course I was a Do-Bee. I didn’t want to upset the raven haired wicca woman who would chant just so she could see through her magic mirror. And that hair, it’s so tall? It’s like Rock Lobster tall.

TRIVIA NOTE: Via a news report. Former Romper Room hostess Mary Ann King (in Los Angeles from 1966-76) was mugged in the parking lot of a Hometown Buffet in the City of Industry on December 17, 2003. The encounter gave King, 70, a broken arm, rib and punctured lung. Besides her injuries, the thieves stole a black taffeta bag that contained the original Magic Mirror (white plastic mirror frame) used on the Romper Room program so many years. King began carrying the magic mirror around with her to satisfy the wishes of people who confronted her with the allegations “you never said my name.” In the case of the criminals who stole the item, King confessed “I’m sure those hoodlums who did this just looked at the mirror and said, ‘What in the world is this,’ and just discarded it.”

Oh my. Poor little fragile Miss Mary Ann.