5 ways ‘The Little Rascals’ ruined my life
One of our favorite things to do – we, as a society – is check in on child stars we remember from our youth and see what they look like/are up to now. You can barely be on Facebook for ten seconds before someone you went to high school with is sharing some article about “The Cast of ________ Then and Now” or “Where Are They Now?” etc etc.
Well, this morning we got gifted with an update I didn’t even know I wanted. We got to see exactly what Alfalfa from the 1994 version of The Little Rascals looks like now. And much like those “Look at Neville Longbottom Now!” articles, the actor who played Alfalfa, is, well, pretty attractive.
The best thing about this news, for me, is realizing I could have been in this movie because he and I are the same age (30). And that was pretty much all I wanted as a little kid: to be in a movie I loved. So in honor of this news, here are five ways The Little Rascals ruined my life:
- Felt a Kindred Spirit in Darla
When I was in kindergarten, my best friend (her name, funnily enough, was Mallory which is my middle name, a fact I brought up at every opportunity) and I used to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the playground. There was a group of boys who organized their own game of this as well and we always tried to play with them. But whenever we played with them they wanted us to be “two Aprils who are best friends” rather than, say, Raphael, which was my dream.
Seeing the “He-Man Woman Haters Club” really spoke to me in a deep way of “hey! Let me play with the boys!” I also was very used to only playing with boys just like Darla as until Mallory my only friends had been boys. But they figured it out in the end! Unlike the boys on the playground in kindergarten.
- Made Me Cocky About a Future Reference on The Simpsons
In “Radioactive Man” – which came out in 1995 – we learn that Moe the bartender used to play a character named Smelly on Our Gang which is what The Little Rascals is based on. Usually I had to ask my parents what references in The Simpsons meant but this time I was ahead of the curve and I was STOKED.
- Made Me Want to Watch Everything Else The Little Rascals Were In
Here’s the thing. I, like everyone, LOVED Full House. I even loved Michelle’s friend Derek, played by Blake McIver Ewing, who was in The Little Rascals as Waldo!
If that weren’t enough for my heart, I also watched Independence Day in 1996 and recognized Ross Bagley who played Buckwheat!
- Definitely Made Me Obsessed With Petey
I mean look at his face!
I had dachshunds growing up and they are my favorite dog ever BUT Petey is a close second. I mean, the ring around his eye is the best thing I’ve ever seen. He’s so cute and I wanted him to be mine and didn’t really understand that the ring wasn’t real. Ah well.
- In Love With Alfalfa
I mean it all really comes back to Alfalfa in here. Sure he has crazy hair but he really likes Darla and is ultimately so sweet to her. And he’s the best and the reason we’re even discussing The Little Rascals right now.
Great job, Alfalfa!
Check out more ’90s movies that RML, here.
(Main image, Alfalfa gif via)
