Kermit the Frog once intoned that it's not easy being green.
I'd add Purple, Yellow, Blue and Red based on the time I recently spent with Purple Wiggle Lachy Gillespie and new Yellow Wiggle Tsehay Hawkins.
Prior to being assigned an interview with the beloved Aussie musicians, I'd had little to do with their work. Despite being aware that The Wiggles are a phenomenon and reporting on them before, I'd had little cause to listen to hits like 'Hot Potato' or 'Fruit Salad'.
And yet, footage of concerts shows whole families and kids caught up in some level of Beatles-type hysteria. I was at a loss to why adults-only Wiggles shows were sell-outs, and why generations of Australasian fans absolutely lost their cookies when taking part after a few brews.
From singing joyfully in the aisles to excitedly dancing on their seats, it seems like the simplicity and repetition of both the lyrics and actions somehow inveigle themselves under the skin like the machinations of a music-fuelled cult.
I'm no dancer. I prefer to sit in a chair and maybe sway to the sounds pumped in my direction, rather than bust out some John Travolta-esque dance moves.
Yet when the idea came that perhaps the Wiggles could destroy some of my age-old ingrained cynicism and left-footed tendencies by engaging me as a dancer, I'd be a fool not to take it up.
All I can say, based on the experience, is that it's certainly something to remember. Halfway through the basic instructions, Lachy confided in me that sometimes he gets ahead of the moves he's supposed to do. It's not surprising given the Wiggles perform umpteen shows a day when on tour.
So how do I do? Well, watch the video above and you decide if you're going to be seeing me entertain your kids in the future as part of a global phenomenon.
The Wiggles Big Show Tour of New Zealand 2022 wraps up in Christchurch and Dunedin this weekend.
Christchurch Arena, Christchurch - Saturday August 27
Town Hall, Dunedin - Sunday August 28
