My service to you today...

...those without kids will not get this. But, those of you who have kids and who allow your kids to watch kid-TV every now and then...this one goes out to you.

My kids like The Backyardigans, a cartoon about five animal friends who go on all kinds of adventures. The show's heavy song content weaved into the stories gets in your brain after awhile. And, it's cute. But, something has always bothered me about it.

Of the five characters, there's Tyrone the Moose, Tasha the Hippo, Pablo the Penguin, Austin the Kangaroo, and Uniqua.

Screeechhh.... (record player needle)

Wait! What the hell is Uniqua supposed to be? It's a pink little creature that I assume is a girl. It has an oval head with this curly cue ears. No, it doesn't look like a pig--no curly tail or snout. It almost looks like some sort of overgrown insect cavorting with cute animals who dress and act like people. Now, if I'm confused, how confused do you think a 4-year-old little girl might be?

Is Uniqua transgender? Is she a morphing of several animals? We get that she's "unique" but really can't we get a little more to go on? Where is Uniqua from? What are her values?

As you can tell, wondering the origin of Uniqua has occupied my mind for entirely too long.

Well, thanks to the wonder that is the internet, I now have an answer for you. It comes complements of Wikipedia.

A curious, self-confident and high-spirited pink creature with polka dots and overalls, Uniqua is almost always sweet and friendly, though her strong opinions and occasional stubbornness get in the way of her relationships. She is more tomboyish than Tasha, and often imagines herself in roles requiring brains and fortitude (scientist, pirate captain, etc). More than once, when she has got the mystery solved she will interject with a "You guys!".

Uniqua is a unique creature that is unlike any other in the world, and Uniqua is also the name of her species. [5]

Creator Janice Burgess describes Uniqua as the child she wishes she was like as a
child. [6] She has been called simply "Uniqua, the pink."

Wow. That's deeper than I expected the "Great Wiki" to get, actually. Who'd have though so much could be written about a kids' show with singing animals?

I think I am definitely now pro-Uniqua. In fact, should Palin not work out, how about Uniqua for VP, McCain? She's friendly, pink and self-confident. And, the best news--you won't need to vet her at all, just go read the Wiki!