Mooby the Golden Calf
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Mooby the Golden Calf is a fictional children's television character created by Kevin Smith that is featured throughout the View Askewniverse, most notably in the films Dogma and Clerks II. The anthropomorphic cow, a reference to the Old Testament story of the golden calf that was worshipped as a graven idol, parodies Barney the dinosaur and elements of Disney. Mooby even has his own theme song, a la the "Mickey Mouse Club March," with lyrics suggesting demands of veneration and worship.[1]
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[edit] The Mooby empire
The Mooby franchise first appears in Chasing Dogma, a 1998 comic mini-series that tells Jay and Silent Bob's adventures between their final scene in the movie Chasing Amy and their appearance in Dogma. Dogma includes a scene detailing the character's history - in 1989, a former kindergarten teacher created the character, who was first featured on a local television program. Two years later, the Complex Corporation purchased Mooby and broadcast the show nationally as The Mooby Fun-Time Hour.
Other Mooby products mentioned in the scene include 16 records, two feature films, eight prime-time specials, videotapes, at least one CD, Mooby Magazine, and Mooby World theme parks on both coasts. Plans for a pay-per-view special, A Very Mooby Christmas, are also discussed.
Dogma also features Mooby's fast-food restaurants, which are featured in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, as well as serving as the backdrop to much of Clerks II.
[edit] Sidekicks
A few other characters are mentioned in the lyrics of the "Mooby the Golden Calf" song, and appear on posters in the boardroom scene of Dogma:
- Pat-Pat, "the king of all the monkeys"
- Surly, "the duck who won't fly south"
- Enoch, "the Bible-quoting aardvark"
- Little Eddie Dentures, "the cat inside your mouth"
[edit] In the Askewniverse
[edit] Chasing Dogma
- In issue 2 of Chasing Dogma, Silent Bob buys a Mooby cap at a Mooby store in Pittsburgh.
- In issue 4, Jay and Silent Bob eat at a Mooby's Restaurant in Chicago.
[edit] Dogma
- After reading about the Mooby media empire, fallen angels Bartleby and Loki pay a visit to Mooby Corp. headquarters. The two burst into a meeting and accuse the board of raising up the golden calf as a false idol; citing that and a multitude of other sins, Loki opens fire and kills all of the directors, sparing the single female director who has been deemed innocent (save for not replying with a "God bless you" to Loki's sneeze). He then offers her gum.
- The main characters eat breakfast at a Mooby's restaurant (complete with playground equipment shaped like a meat grinder).
- Silent Bob wears a Mooby cap throughout this movie, as well as Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks II.
- Rufus wears purple Mooby pajamas while on the train to New Jersey.
- The blood-splattered golden Mooby statue from the boardroom scene is on display at Smith's Red Bank, New Jersey, comic book store, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, which sells Mooby-themed figurines, clothing and other merchandise.
- The "Mooby the Golden Calf" theme song is heard in the film and appears on its soundtrack.
[edit] Clerks: The Animated Series
- In "The Last Episode Ever", a fan at the comic-con is wearing a Mooby's shirt.
[edit] Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
- Jay uses the "Moobynet" kiosk at a Mooby's restaurant to read and respond to Internet message-board postings. He and Silent Bob also meet Sissy, Chrissy, Missy and Justice at the restaurant.
- The Mooby statue at the front of the Mooby's has the same pose as the Buddy Christ statue from Dogma.
- Silent Bob is seen wearing a Mooby hat throughout the film, purchased in the comic book series "Chasing Dogma".
- During the backlot chase, a costumed Mooby character is accidentally shot while taping a TV special.
[edit] Clerks II
- After the Quick Stop burns down, Randal Graves and Dante Hicks relocate to a Mooby's fast-food restaurant. Their decision to apply for jobs at the store, and first few days of employment, are documented in "Where's the Beef?", a short comic book released close to the film's 2006 premiere.
- The restaurant's slogan is "I'm eating it," seems to be a dual reference to McDonald's "I'm lovin' it" campaign and the Carl's Jr. slogan "Don't Bother Me. I'm Eating."
[edit] Design
According to the Clerks II DVD commentary, Mooby was designed to be, "As close to Mickey Mouse as possible without us getting sued."
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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