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Happy Holidays, from Santa!
Ho! Ho! Ho!
I'd like to welcome visitors, young and old to my website! My elves had been trying to talk me into putting our operation on the internet for years, and I finally decided to do just that in 2005! I'm not getting any younger you know, and I hope that this improves our efficiency (not that I've had any complaints yet!).
If you see anything Santa can improve on, please let me know.
I must close for now, I've got a lot of preparations to take care of before the holidays. As you can imagine, delivering toys to children all over the world is a BIG job! Remember, this web site is open YEAR ROUND!
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
Many of you are familiar with the song "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", which has become a Christmas classic. Well, one of our elves was lucky enough to do a email interview with the voice behind the song, Dr. Elmo! Here are the questions (and answers) from that interview.
Q: Your song "Grandma got run over by a Reindeer" is becoming a christmas classic,
do you ever get requests to do concerts (or other personal appearances)
during the holidays?
A: I play at Christmas concerts every year. My first "Grandma" related concert was with Bobby Helms (Jingle Bell Rock) at the Taft theater in Cincinnati, in 1997. Since then, I have played at concerts on the bill with acts that range from "Oldies," to 80's-90's acts like Huey Lewis, Richard Marx, Pat Benatar, George Thorogood, Peter Frampton, to current pop acts like Hilary Duff, Gwen Stefani, and Avril Lavigne. Not trying to drop names, but to show that fans of the song range from 12 - 70+ years old.
Each December I make live appearances on approximately 10-15 television shows, and do over 150 radio interviews either
live or by phone. I love appearing on news shows, because for the first 50 minutes of the show they give the doom, death and destruction stories, and then have me on for the the last 5 minutes for a funny version of death and destruction.
Q: As a veterinarian, have you ever had to examine a Reindeer.
A: Yes, a number of years ago, I made a house call to the North Pole to treat some abrasions on Rudolph's knees, and collected some blue and silver hair samples from his hooves. No DNA testing has been done on the hair yet.
Follow up question: Do you think they are violent enough to actually run an
old woman over?
A: Yes, each year, when the reindeer hear the song, they get out of control. The "Grandma" song is like "Dungeons and Dragons" or "Grand Theft Auto" for reindeer.
Every year there are documented cases of reindeer going into "rut" and getting on top of people and holding them down.
Not sure if they got that idea from the song!
Q: We recently discovered your website (www.drelmo.com), and found that you have a
degree in veterinary medicine. Are you still a practicing veterinarian?
A: Yes, I still have my veterinary license and occasionally give advice on the radio, however my musical career has
replaced my veterinary practice as my full time job. I still practice on my own cats, turkeys and reindeer.
Follow up question: What made you decide you wanted to be a veterinarian?
A: I was raised on a farm, and wanted to be a jockey, but later decided I'd rather eat, instead. I always admired the veterinarians, because they did not get thrown off and trampled, and often got paid. I became one, and worked with race horses in New York for a while before coming to San Francisco and starting a small animal hospital.
Q: Your site mentions your friend, Randy Brooks, wrote "Grandma got run over by a Reindeer",
have you wrote any other songs together?
A:No, but I am working on some new songs with him.
Follow up question:Do you stay in touch? (I had read on the internet he works for American Airlines in Fort Worth: (Link))
A: Randy and I stay in touch on a weekly if not a daily basis. We just appeared together on a Fox TV show in Dallas, singing the "Grandma" song. I was thrilled to sing with him. He is a brilliant songwriter, great musician, and one of the wittiest people I know, and most of all an easy mark to borrow money from.
Q: I had also read something about a TV Movie based on 'Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer', that was supposed to have the same title. Do you have any details on that? *AND* did you have any involvement in that movie?
A: In 1993, I started working on making an animated movie of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." The movie was completed in 2000 and has aired every December on the WB, TOON Network, CTV and worldwide. It is a one hour animated special that has aired at least six to eight times each December in prime time. KA-CHING!
It has been translated into German, French, Spanish and Japanese. The movie was co-produced and directed by Phil Roman who produced the original "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
I wrote the story, and co-wrote the songs with my partner Rita Abrams; narrated the movie, and played the part of "Grandpa." I did not do the Japanese translation.
Q: I see you have some new holiday songs on your new album "Dr. Elmo's Yule Jewels", has
some new holiday favorites, including "Prison without Martha". What made you decide
to do that song?
A: I've always had a crush on Martha Stewart and co-wrote this song in hopes of getting an introduction to her.
Q: What does the future hold for Dr. Elmo?
A: In 2006, to celebrate my 70th birthday, I'd like to run the New York City Marathon or get a passionate kiss from Martha Stewart, whichever seems easier.
SantaNET.net would like to thank Dr. Elmo for taking the time to do this interview for our visitors!
Copyright 2006-2008, SantaNET.net (Interview by Ron Herr) - Photo Courtesy of Dr. Elmo (used with permission)
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