Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Welcome brothers and sisters to the seventh meeting of the Royal Order of the Holy Mackerel.
A secret society dedicated to discovering, decoding, and protecting the secrets of Gravity
Falls. I am this chapters founder and duly appointed High Exhaulted Big Fish, Douglas
Mackrell. Before we start, the minutes of last week's meeting can be found here, via
this link - and now for this week's order of business: Larry Hal Larimore, and the inspiration
for Lil' Gideon.
One of the early theories I read on Tumblr and blogs around the web was that Gideon Gleeful
was solely based on former child preacher Larry Hal Larimore. One of the handful of
modestly popular traveling evangelical child preachers. In the early 1960s, the age of
7, Larry was traveling the circuit with his father, the Reverend Larry Sr, in a flamboyant
pink Cadillac spreading the gospel across the United States.
Child preachers were the Hannah Montana's of their day. They were a bit of an oddity,
like any form of child genius, and they were able to inspire and embolden the communities
they visited through their serious sermons and innate cuteness. Like most child stars,
they were usually homeschooled and groomed by their parents to be able to perform several
times a day, to say just the right things when they're interviewed by local press, and
to shake the right hands in each community they visit.
Needless to say, it's not an easy life. Most lived from car to hotel as they zig zagged
across the states. Never really staying long enough anywhere to settle down or make any
lasting friends. To make matters worse - their fame and sole attraction is based on the few
years that they're cute and precocious children. Because their whole family is usually supported
financially by their traveling sermons - as the years roll on and their popularity fades,
most burn out from the constant stress.
I'm by no means casting scorn or insulting those who who follow or preach the evangelical
faith. But if you'd like to see first hand what this kind of touring life was really
like, and how it affected everyone involved, you should watch the Oscar winning documentary,
Marjoe. It's about the life and times of former child preacher Marjoe Gortner, who was interviewed
in his early 30's and shed light on what his life was really like. The entire film is online,
and you can find a link to it in the About section below.
Although Larry Hal Larrimore does bear a striking resemblance to Gideon Gleeful, I really can't
believe that he's the ONLY reference they used for Gideon. Firstly, there's really not
that much info out there on little Larry. He was just famous enough to get some interviews
in the papers, and he was perhaps famous within the evangelical community itself at the time
- but to me it just seems like coincidental similarities. Especially because I can't find
a single interview with Alex Hirsch that specifically connects Gideon to Larry.
But that doesn't mean that Larry and the other pint sized preachers and performers like him
didn't influence the general direction of Gideon's character. They provided some of
the general stereotypes for Gideon's tent-based sideshow-like performances. Thankfully though,
Gideon is far deeper than his flimsy cutie-cute public persona. In this first season he plays
a very important role - beyond his plot driven actions.
Gideon mainly exists to showcase what a more unscrupulous and power hungry Grunkle Stan
would be like. Both blatantly lie to the public. Both exploit the public for their money - but
Gideon is drunk on the power it gives him. He even turns to dark occult magic and widespread
covert spying to manipulate people into giving him their trust. Grunkle Stan may be a con
artist that's even been to jail, but he's no Gideon Gleeful.
Well folks, before I close today's meeting, it's time to announce this week's challenge!
It's the Gideon Guise Challenge! For those who can decode and answer all 5 of this week's
riddles, you'll get a download of a page torn out from Lil' Gideon's Fun Time Activity Book.
As always, you'll find the link to the challenge in the About section below!
Also, before we close today's meeting, I need to announce that I'm almost at 500 subscribers
here on YouTube! And to celebrate this milestone and to thank all of the Royal Order's members
out there - I want to hold a giveaway. The only problem is - I can't decide what direction
I should go with the prizes! So I thought I would put it a popular vote amongst my viewers
and subscribers.
I can either give away 1 modestly priced gravity falls item that I can have delivered by Amazon
or something to save the hassle of shipping, I can give away 3 low cost items that I take
the time to augment myself into one of a kind keepsakes, or I can hand-make 10 small prizes
- so that way more people will have the chance to win something. I've made a poll, and I'd
greatly appreciate it if you click the link below and cast your vote!
Well folks, with no other orders of business, I hereby call a close to this meeting of the
Royal Order of the Holy Mackerel. Until next time, share, subscribe, and keep cracking
those codes!