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American Morning

Interview with the Wiggles

Aired November 27, 2003 - 07:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: About two and a half million people are expected to line the streets of New York City today for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade -- 44 million more will watch it on TV.
Among the most popular floats is the Jolly Polly pirate ship -- you see it there -- which carries the Wiggles, four Australian singers who are a hit with the preschool set.

All right, they just finished a huge U.S. tour. And here they are now: Greg, the yellow Wiggle; Jeff, the purple Wiggle; Murray, the red Wiggle; and Anthony, the blue Wiggle.

Hey, guys, thanks so much for being with us this morning -- joining us from Central Park along the parade route. Happy Thanksgiving to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Thanksgiving.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy thanksgiving to you.

COLLINS: Hey, I want to ask you, what is it like? You guys have been in this parade a few times before. What is it like to ride on that float amongst all of those millions of people?

MURRAY, RED WIGGLE: Oh, it's just really exciting. We come over from Australia, and, you know, you're going down Broadway in New York. It's just so wonderful.

ANTHONY, BLUE WIGGLE: And all of the people having a great time and just feel it. It's an incredible feeling of excitement, and it's brilliant. We love it!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a huge family.

COLLINS: So, do you guys have to bring bodyguards along when you go?

ANTHONY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know, it's nothing to worry about. It's good to see everyone.

COLLINS: Let me ask you this. I know -- like I said, you've been in the parade a couple times before. Have things changed since the first time you went there? Murray, why don't you give us an answer for that one?

MURRAY: Yes, it's really changed, Heidi. The first time we came over and did the parade, you know, only a few people were here, and they knew who we were. And other people were calling out, "What's a Wiggle?" But now we're here, and a lot of the people here have been waving to us, and, you know, so many more people know us. And that's really exciting for us.

COLLINS: Greg, what are you guys going to be singing this year? Are we going to hear more "Hot potato, cold spaghetti and mashed bananas?"

GREG, YELLOW WIGGLE: No mashed bananas this year. No, we're singing a song all about Central Park in New York, because we love it here in New York. So, we wrote a song about Central Park, taking a walk through Central Park and seeing the squirrels, because we don't have squirrels at home. So, squirrels for us are a novelty. So, in the song, we say "Good day, squirrels."

COLLINS: Oh, that's great. So, nothing about kangaroos, I guess, there in Central Park, huh?

GREG: No, not today. No, it's a tribute to New York and the U.S. We love it here.

COLLINS: All right, well, speaking of the U.S., you guys have just finished a huge U.S. tour, sold out everywhere you go. What is it about the Wiggles for these children?

MURRAY: Well, I think it's a few things, I think. We've got a background in early childhood education. Three of us were teachers. And, I think we know how to talk to children (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Also, we're friends and we just have a fun time, and we genuinely enjoy what we're doing. And I think children respond to that as well and, you know, the catchy songs. So, it's a real combination of different things.

COLLINS: And, Jeff, I just want to make sure that you're awake, because I know how you like to nod off.

JEFF, PURPLE WIGGLES: Yes, I'm awake. I might fall asleep on the float. But I think everyone's going to keep waking me up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) fall asleep now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three.

GREG: Wake up, Jeff!

MURRAY: Wake up, Jeff!

ANTHONY: Wake up, Jeff!

COLLINS: Hey, he's getting pretty good at that. He's heard that a few times before. All right, you guys, we thank you so much for joining us this morning. A lot of children, including my little guy, are going to be so excited to see your faces today. Thanks again, and happy Thanksgiving to you all. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank us, Heidi.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Thanksgiving to you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired November 27, 2003 - 07:51   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: About two and a half million people are expected to line the streets of New York City today for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade -- 44 million more will watch it on TV.
Among the most popular floats is the Jolly Polly pirate ship -- you see it there -- which carries the Wiggles, four Australian singers who are a hit with the preschool set.

All right, they just finished a huge U.S. tour. And here they are now: Greg, the yellow Wiggle; Jeff, the purple Wiggle; Murray, the red Wiggle; and Anthony, the blue Wiggle.

Hey, guys, thanks so much for being with us this morning -- joining us from Central Park along the parade route. Happy Thanksgiving to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Thanksgiving.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy thanksgiving to you.

COLLINS: Hey, I want to ask you, what is it like? You guys have been in this parade a few times before. What is it like to ride on that float amongst all of those millions of people?

MURRAY, RED WIGGLE: Oh, it's just really exciting. We come over from Australia, and, you know, you're going down Broadway in New York. It's just so wonderful.

ANTHONY, BLUE WIGGLE: And all of the people having a great time and just feel it. It's an incredible feeling of excitement, and it's brilliant. We love it!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a huge family.

COLLINS: So, do you guys have to bring bodyguards along when you go?

ANTHONY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know, it's nothing to worry about. It's good to see everyone.

COLLINS: Let me ask you this. I know -- like I said, you've been in the parade a couple times before. Have things changed since the first time you went there? Murray, why don't you give us an answer for that one?

MURRAY: Yes, it's really changed, Heidi. The first time we came over and did the parade, you know, only a few people were here, and they knew who we were. And other people were calling out, "What's a Wiggle?" But now we're here, and a lot of the people here have been waving to us, and, you know, so many more people know us. And that's really exciting for us.

COLLINS: Greg, what are you guys going to be singing this year? Are we going to hear more "Hot potato, cold spaghetti and mashed bananas?"

GREG, YELLOW WIGGLE: No mashed bananas this year. No, we're singing a song all about Central Park in New York, because we love it here in New York. So, we wrote a song about Central Park, taking a walk through Central Park and seeing the squirrels, because we don't have squirrels at home. So, squirrels for us are a novelty. So, in the song, we say "Good day, squirrels."

COLLINS: Oh, that's great. So, nothing about kangaroos, I guess, there in Central Park, huh?

GREG: No, not today. No, it's a tribute to New York and the U.S. We love it here.

COLLINS: All right, well, speaking of the U.S., you guys have just finished a huge U.S. tour, sold out everywhere you go. What is it about the Wiggles for these children?

MURRAY: Well, I think it's a few things, I think. We've got a background in early childhood education. Three of us were teachers. And, I think we know how to talk to children (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Also, we're friends and we just have a fun time, and we genuinely enjoy what we're doing. And I think children respond to that as well and, you know, the catchy songs. So, it's a real combination of different things.

COLLINS: And, Jeff, I just want to make sure that you're awake, because I know how you like to nod off.

JEFF, PURPLE WIGGLES: Yes, I'm awake. I might fall asleep on the float. But I think everyone's going to keep waking me up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) fall asleep now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three.

GREG: Wake up, Jeff!

MURRAY: Wake up, Jeff!

ANTHONY: Wake up, Jeff!

COLLINS: Hey, he's getting pretty good at that. He's heard that a few times before. All right, you guys, we thank you so much for joining us this morning. A lot of children, including my little guy, are going to be so excited to see your faces today. Thanks again, and happy Thanksgiving to you all. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank us, Heidi.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Thanksgiving to you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.