This, of course, is Chuck E. Cheese, that fun-loving mouse who is about as happy and positive as can be.
Well, today I came across this tweet claiming that Chuck E.'s life story is actually super dark and grim.
Apparently Chuck E. Cheese is an orphan who hosts birthday parties for children because he never knew his own birthday and is desperately seeking to compensate for a lost childhood. This is the official company lore. Full dark guys. https://t.co/xTUve3TDga
As someone who not only loved going to Chuck E. Cheese's as a kid, but now takes my own kids there, I have to say, I was a little surprised.
Since the tweet's source was the not always 100% reliable Wikipedia, I decided to do a little researching.
After hours of researching (OK, a couple minutes on the official Chuck E. Cheese website), I found a .pdf of a children's book called The Story of Chuck E. Cheese.
And, uh, well...buckle up.
The book starts by telling us Chuck E. was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage.
His favorite song was “Happy Birthday” and he LOVED celebrating the other kids' birthdays. But because Chuck E. never knew his parents, "no one knew when his birthday was, so he never had a birthday party of his own.”
HE NEVER HAD A BIRTHDAY PARTY OF HIS OWN!
“This made Chuck E. sad.”
When he grew too old for the orphanage, Chuck E. moved to New York City. "But despite being surrounded by people, Chuck E. felt lonely.”
CHUCK E. FELT LONELY!
He started to secretly live in a pizza parlor where he enjoyed the music and smell of pizza. But then he was discovered by the owner, Pasqually, who chased Chuck E. around with a rolling pin.
Pasqually cornered him, and, to avoid being killed I guess, Chuck E. sang a song and impressed the owner so much...that he forced Chuck E. to sing at his restaurant.
“When the curtain came up, Chuck E. was terrified. Chuck E. had never sung for so many adults before, and he stood there frozen…the crowd booed. And booed.”
THEY BOOED CHUCK E.
Thankfully, things took a turn when he saw a kid wearing a birthday hat and sang the boy his favorite song, “Happy Birthday!” Everyone loved it, so much so that Pasqually changed the name of the restaurant to “Chuck E. Cheese’s” and Chuck E. lived happily ever after, celebrating birthdays, eating pizza, and singing.
But man, he sure had a dark childhood!
