Anthem
no. 17

PANCAKE MOUNTAIN - PRESCHOOL OF PUNK AND DIY

By Carrie Tucker

When I was in fifth grade, my safety patrol group took a trip to see our nation's capital - the mighty Washington DC. My best friend Stephanie and I bought these little buttons that proclaimed "I heart DC" and wore them the entire time, vowing to move to one of the most crime-ridden cities in the country once we were "grown ups."

But little did we know that our generation would BECOME the "grown ups" who would assist in nurturing a climate where a show like Pancake Mountain was both created and needed.

Launched online in the fall of 2003, the concept originated when a group of young parents who grew up on a steady diet of Fugazi, Black Flag, and the DIY ethic found themselves disenfranchised with the pandering, commercial-based television programming available to their children. A haven for creative-minded kids and adults alike and ten times more intelligent than Sesame Street, Pancake Mountain features luminaries like The Evens (Ian MacKaye's band) putting a spin on the old "a, e, i, o, u" drill in "Vowel Movement," the Fiery Furnaces and the Arcade Fire performing kid-friendly dance-along versions of their songs, and even sit-down interviews with the likes of George Clinton and Henry Rollins hosted by Rufus Leaking the sock puppet.

Creator Scott Stuckey's goal was to nurture a mom-and-pop, colorful atmosphere that permeated the shows he loved as a kid. A music video editor and owner of a film and production company, Stuckey gathered together a group of friends and local artist like the aforementioned Mackaye and hammered out a plan for a Saturday morning alternative that he hoped would engage children more than infomercials about rotisseries and bland Barney rip-offs.

Witness the PM News with Rock Rogers and his subversive humor. Clips featuring the illustrated character Stuckey make you - or at least your kid - think about your surroundings and the vast possibilities of mundane objects. There's a little undercurrent of rebellion (exemplary commentary from the Arcade Fire performance: "It's a school night and we're out past our bedtimes!") and individuality running through the show. It's something that feels liberating, even for grown ups. Enough to make even jaded ol' me enter the "Scream Like Billy" contest.

Pancake Mountain airs locally in Washington DC, on DCTV and is available online at www.pancakemountain.com.