The RugratsBalloon:
Their Second Appearance (11/26/98)


This is the Rugrats' second appearance in the Macy's parade, taking place on a wet and rainy Thanksgiving morning in New York City. After surviving last year's windstorm, they are, more or less, lucky to participate in the 1998 edition. After last year, many tall balloons were retired (including The Cat In The Hat, which hit a lamppost, injuring 4, and The Pink Panther, due to new size restrictions) and replaced with new, shorter balloons, including Babe, Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory, and the "wild thing" from Maurice Sendak's chidren's classic, Where The Wild Things Are.

In NBC's live (in ET) parade coverage, the Rugrats balloon appeared at about 11:25AM ET.


Left: The Rugrats balloon in front of the Marquis Theater in Times Square as it goes down Broadway past 2 million parade attendees, despite the rain and high winds. (Picture ©1998 Reuters; seen in St. Petersburg Times, 11/27/98.)
Right: Picture of the Rugrats balloon before the start of the parade, wrapped in netting so it won't float away before the holders (the people in the purple Rugrats aprons) get ahold of it.

(From the St. Petersburg Times Travel section, 11/21/99; photo by Sam Bleeker, from his story on the parade; ©1998-99 Sam Bleeker.)


The Pictures:

(These pictures were taken from NBC's live telecast of the 1998 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade; ©1998 National Broadcasting Company.)
The Rugrats balloon, in front of Macy's. The underside of the balloon.
Left: The balloon leaned considerably to the left as it
made a right turn.


The Description:

The hosts of the 1998 parade are Today Show's hosts, Katie Couric, Matt Lauer and Al Roker. (Transcript is ©1998 by National Broadcasting Company.)

Matt: On the lookout for danger and adventure, it is the Rugrats, Macy's first 3-character balloon. Their fearless leader, Tommy Pickles, his worry-wart pal, Chuckie, and providing transportation down Broadway, Tommy's dog, Spike. Spike's snout, by the way, is longer than 2 New York City taxicabs.

Katie: Let me tell you, guys, I know this show very well.

(Matt giggles in background)

Al: Oh, yeah.

Katie: The world of Rugrats is all about life from a baby's point of view. One year old Tommy's slogan is: "We're babies. We're supposed to get in trouble. That's our job."

Matt: I like scaredy-cat Chuckie's favorite saying: "When all else fails, just cry."

Katie: That's my philosophy. And Spike, well, he doesn't say anything -- he's a dog, but he does take the Rugrats on some wonderful adventures, like today's. This is their second trip to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Al: A baby's gotta do what a baby's gotta do. Thanksgiving brings yet another adventure, The Rugrats Movie, announcing the biggest event in Rugrats history, the birth Tommy's new baby brother, Dil Pickles.

Katie: Love that name.


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