It's Donald Duck's 75th birthday Tuesday, June 9. I remember when he turned 50, and I wrote a column for the weekly newspaper where I was working at the time.
I think I compared how I had waddled around just like Donald when I was pregnant. I envied how his clothing never went out of style. And when you couldn't understand what he was saying, you understood what he meant.
And now I just read that Donald is the Jerry Lewis of Germany. Germans apparently love Donald more than Mickey Mouse and find him hilarious.
I think Donald exhibits the best and worse of human traits. According to the Disney folks, he has a good heart and most of the time, good intentions. There are times when he's a loser, but never a quitter.
I guess I've always appreciated Donald more than Mickey because Donald is more human. Mickey's great but too perfect. And Donald's flapping bill is always more animated and entertaining than the three circles that make up the Mouse's head and ears.
Some of Donald's favorite sayings … are they as valid today as 75 years ago?
Well, "Hiya, toots!" has gone out of vogue as an old-fashioned sexist term.
"Aw, phooey!" is considered a bit old time, too, and unfortunately has been replaced by a growing vocabulary of four-letter words.
And I can't remember the last time I heard someone say, "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!"
However, "Oh, yeah?" just never goes out of style. It's an expression that allows us to challenge somebody or the world when we feel like we're being picked on or beaten down. To me, it's the classic response that means "I'm not giving up!"
Donald, you can call me "Toots!" anytime you like … just as long as you stay 24 years ahead of me on the candle count …
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