Mr. Six

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Mr. Six is an advertising character featured in a 2004-2005 advertising campaign by the theme park chain Six Flags. Appearing as a bald, wrinkled old man wearing a tuxedo and thick-framed glasses, he invites stressed and over-worked people to Six Flags by pulling up in a retro-style bus and performing a wild dance to the Vengaboys song "We Like to Party".

Soon after the character's introduction in television commercials, Mr. Six became an established pop-culture meme. Parodies of the commercials appeared on television shows and on video sites such as YouTube, while media outlets and blogs attempted to unmask the identity of the actor. The popularity of the character continued even after Six Flags officially canceled the ad campaign.

According to USA Today, Mr. Six was the creation of Doner Advertising of Southfield, Michigan. The success of the ad became such that Six Flags toured the vintage bus featured in the ad to all of its thirty-one parks and sold over five thousand T-Shirts based on the Mr. Six advertisement. Mr. Six also appeared on the nationally broadcast morning show, Good Morning America. [1]

1 True identity
2 Retirement
3 Mr. Six impersonators
4 Parodies
5 See also
6 References

[edit] True identity

Due to his spryness, it was speculated that he was played by a much younger actor under heavy makeup and possibly a bald skullcap. Six Flags refused to reveal the actor's identity. However, in February 2006, writer Paul Davidson revealed on his website [2] that Mr. Six was played by Danny Teeson of Queer Eye for the Straight Girl. Further proof of this identification was found by Mark Evanier, using Google. He found a reference to Danny Teeson playing Mr. Six on the website for Professional Vision Care Associates.His name has since been replaced with "Mr. Six" on the site.[3] Joseph Fiero, who starred in one of the campaigns national commercials, also confirmed his identity.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Retirement

In November 29, 2005, Daniel Snyder took over Six Flags and on the very next day, announced the retirement of the ad campaign. Snyder said that Mr. Six was "pointless". Mr. Six and the "It's Playtime!" motto will be dropped and Six Flags' next ad campaign would be called "Clean, Safe, Fun". Despite this, he is still prominently featured at Six Flags theme parks on merchandise, and as of 2007, "We Like to Party" by The Vengaboys can still be heard in Six Flags radio and television commercials.

Amusement enthusiasts took the news of Mr. Six's early retirement rather mixed. Many found him to be annoying while others found his commercials funny and entertaining.^{[original research?]}

[edit] Mr. Six impersonators

On July 9, 2004, Six Flags Great America held a contest to find the best person who could impersonate the new "Ambassador of Fun" Mr. Six and dance like him. The reward would be $2,500 cash and other small prizes. About 200 people dressed in tuxedos and red bow ties went out onto the stage and danced. The winner of the contest was 13 year old Jordan Pope.

Jim Crowley, Six Flags Great America marketing director said of Jordan:

"Jordan truly embodies the Spirit of Six Flags!" "He had Mr. Six's unique dance moves down to a science, the crowd went wild when he took the stage!" [4]

[edit] Parodies

Mr. Six is parodied in the Robot Chicken episode "Celebrity Rocket". A scene begins with a crash site and the police taking the information from a man who is assumed to be the other driver. After a few seconds the six flags bus parks and Mr. Six appears and starts dancing. Everyone (including the corpse) goes with Mr. Six to the park for fun and celebration. Shortly after the bus leaves the park a car crashes head on into it. As Mr. Six and the policeman survey the scene he begins dancing again only to have the cop shoot him.