Zoobilee Zoo

Bravo Fox:
You're not going to give me a shot, are you?

Doctor Feelright:
Good idea! I haven't given a shot all week.

[Mayor Ben laughs as he reads a book when he notices the viewer]

Mayor Ben:
Oh, hi, Zoobaroos! Say. Today we have a very special story for you. Yes. You see, it all started when a little zooble wandered in to Bravo's theater while he was doing a comedy. You know what a comedy is, don't you? Of course you do! That's when someone does something funny to make you laugh! [Mayor Ben laughs] That's a comedy. Yes! Well, now we all know we always laugh with Bravo. But this little zooble isn't laughing, and Bravo doesn't know why. So come. Let's see if WE can find out. Come along.

[a dejected Bravo sits at his make-up mirror]

Bravo Fox:
That little zooble did not laugh once. Not once!

Whazzat Kangaroo:
[while playing with puppets] Oh, don't be silly, Bravo. Maybe he just doesn't like to laugh.

Bravo Fox:
Oh, Whazzat, everyone likes to laugh.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
[giggling] Oh, well, gee, I don't... maybe he's heard your jokes before.

Bravo Fox:
[standing up] Never! Never. Why those were all brand new jokes that I just wrote for my show.

Bravo Fox:
I must make that little zooble laugh if it's the last thing I do, or I will not be known as Bravo Fox, the world's greatest comedian.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
[with a dog puppet on one hand] Oh, don't be silly, Bravo. [Whazzat barks then giggles] You can't please everyone, you know. [Lookout arrives with Vince at his side]

Lookout Bear:
Look, I found him. And boy, is he ever shy. He won't even talk to me.

Bravo Fox:
Oh, there's no need to be shy, little zooble. You remember me, don't you? I'm Bravo Fox, that big old funny fox. [With a duck puppet on one hand, Bravo breaks into a song alternating between his real voice and a duck voice]

Bravo Fox:
[singing] An actor to the very core is Bravo the Fox. The one that Theatre's waiting for is Bravo the Fox. Just watch me in a drama, giving everything I got. He's a master of pretending he's someone he is not. And when they drop the curtains, and the evening is complete, I'll take my final bows, and you'll be on your feet. Yelling bravos, big bravos, for Bravo the Fox. [the song ends and Whazzat giggles]

Vince:
[signing as subtitles appear] I can't hear you. My name is Vince.

[Bravo, Whazzat and Lookout are confused by Vince's use of sign language]

Bravo Fox:
[to Vince] What are you doing with your...

Bravo Fox:
[to the others] What's he doing with his hands? [Whazzat shrugs]

Lookout Bear:
Oh, I don't know. He looks afraid.

Bravo Fox:
[to Vince] Oh, there's no need to be afraid, little zooble. You see, this is Lookout Bear, and, and, uh... and this is Whazzat Kangaroo.

Vince:
[signing as subtitles appear] I can't hear you. I'm deaf.

Lookout Bear:
Wow. Why doesn't he talk to us?

Bravo Fox:
Well, he isn't very friendly.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Well, now, maybe his Mommy told him not to talk to strangers. That's a good idea, you know.

Bravo Fox:
Well, maybe he doesn't like us. Maybe he doesn't want to talk to us!

Lookout Bear:
Oh, yeah. You know, I remember a girl in my school who I didn't like too much because, well, she never talked to me.

Bravo Fox:
Hmm.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Oh, gee. I know what it is. I'll bet he speaks another language and he can't understand us.

Bravo Fox:
Of course! Of course. That must be it. That's why he didn't laugh at any of my jokes. He didn't understand them. You see, I'm far too funny.

Lookout Bear:
Well, don't you think that he would say something to us in his own language?

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Oh, I guess he's just too frightened.

Bravo Fox:
Poor thing. He's too fright... We've got to show him that we're... that we're his friends. I know. Lookout, why don't you do that, uh... somersault routine. You know, with the big finish.

Lookout Bear:
Okay, I'll do it.

Bravo Fox:
All right.

Lookout Bear:
[to Vince] Hey, watch this. I think you'll love this.

Bravo Fox:
[as Lookout does a somersault] Here we go. Alley-oop! [Bravo, Whazzat and Vince all laugh]

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Oh, he loved it. Look, he knows how to laugh.

Lookout Bear:
Yeah! [Bravo continues to laugh]

Vince:
[tapping Lookout's shoulder, then signing as subtitles appear] Do it again, please.

Bravo Fox:
I have an idea.

Lookout Bear:
What?

Bravo Fox:
I have a great idea. Here. [Bravo gets a plate of cookies and offers one to Vince] Cookie! [Vince takes a cookie from Bravo and eats it. Bravo laughs] Oh, see? Look, he likes cookies.

Vince:
[signing as subtitles appear] Don't stop. This is fun.

Lookout Bear:
Huh?

Bravo Fox:
I wish I knew what he was doing with his hands.

Lookout Bear:
Yeah, me too.

[At Whazzat's house, Whazzat plays her guitar and vocalizes as Vince sits beside her looking somewhat sad. As Whazzat stops playing, she turns to Vince]

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Oh, what's the matter, little zooble? You don't like my music?

Vince:
[signing as subtitles appear] I wish I could hear music.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Oh, gosh. I wish I knew what you were doing with your hands all the time. Oh, I really want to be your friend. Oh. Oh, well. I'll try again. [Whazzat vocalizes as she plays her guitar again. As she plays, Vince places his hand on her guitar, then smiles and nods his head to the rhythm of the music. When she finishes playing and notices Vince's hand on her guitar, Whazzat reacts sadly] Oh, I understand. [Whazzat gasps] Little zooble, you can't hear. [Vince shakes his head 'no' and Whazzat gasps louder] That's what it is. You were... you were touching... touching my guitar with your hand because you could feel it shake and you could... you could feel the music coming through it. [Vince nods his head 'yes.'] Oh, little zooble. [Whazzat begins to cry as she wraps her arm around Vince's shoulders]

Whazzat Kangaroo:
[sobbing] Oh, I understand. That's why you never answered us. Oh. Oh, my poor little zooble.

[At Bravo's theater, with Vince at her side, Whazzat talks to Bravo, Van Go, Lookout and Bill]

Whazzat Kangaroo:
So you see, he's deaf and he can't hear us.

Van Go Lion:
Oh. And we thought he didn't like us. Boy, were we wrong.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
That's why he didn't laugh at any of your jokes, Bravo, and why he doesn't answer us.

Lookout Bear:
Oh. Well, you mean he can't talk either?

Whazzat Kangaroo:
No, you see, when... when children are deaf, they don't always know how to talk.

Van Go Lion:
Yeah, they learn to talk by hearing the sounds.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Yes, that's right.

Bravo Fox:
[with guilt in his voice] Oh, well, I... I... I... I feel terrible. I got upset with him because he didn't laugh at any of my jokes. Imagine how he feels, being left out of everything.

Bill Der Beaver:
[with puppets on each hand] Hey. Well, he's a lively enough zooble.

Bill Der Beaver:
[playing with the puppets] Hi!

Bill Der Beaver:
[turning to Lookout and Van Go] Looks like he knows how to have fun. [Talkatoo arrives]

Talkatoo Cockatoo:
Oh! A nice young zooble. Hello, my name is Talkatoo. [Talkatoo shakes hands with Vince] What's yours? [Bravo taps Talkatoo's shoulder]

Bravo Fox:
Talkatoo, he's deaf. He's a deaf zooble. He can't hear you.

Talkatoo Cockatoo:
Oh. [Talkatoo chuckles] Well.

Vince:
[signing as subtitles appear] I've been having a wonderful time. He did tricks for me, and she danced for me.

Talkatoo Cockatoo:
Oh, but he talks Sign Language. Isn't that wonderful?

Bravo Fox:
Well, wait a minute. What's Sign Language?

Talkatoo Cockatoo:
Well, it's the way you talk to anyone who's deaf; using your hands.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Wow, so that's what he's always doing with his hands!

Talkatoo Cockatoo:
Yes, you see, there's a lot of zoobles who are deaf. Young zoobles, and old zoobles, and they talk by saying the words with their hands. It's called Signing or Sign Language.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Oh, it's almost like playing a game!

Talkatoo Cockatoo:
Oh, yes. It's a lot of fun, it really is. And once you learn how to talk in Sign Language, you can talk to any zooble who can't hear. Yes! Of course, they have got to know how to sign, too, you see.

Lookout Bear:
I... I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to learn more Sign Language.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Oh, me too!

Bravo Fox:
[in excitement] Say! Wait a minute! I have an abso-zooble-lutely stupendous idea! We can put on a show at my theater, We'll call it 'Mother Goose Day,' a-and we'll all sign for the... the zoobles who can't hear.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
Oh, that's a great idea! We'll do it! We'll all learn how to sign Nursery Rhymes!

Lookout Bear:
Oh, boy! That's a zoober-ific idea! Because now, kids who have never even heard a Nursery Rhyme can learn them.

Talkatoo Cockatoo:
Oh, Bravo! It's a zoo-brilliant idea!

[At Bravo's Theater]

Bravo Fox:
[to the audience] Uh, thank you, one and all. And welcome to Mother Goose Day here at Zoobilee Zoo. We would like to do a Nursery Rhyme for you right now entitled 'Humpty Dumpty.' [Bravo clears his throat]

Bravo Fox:
[while signing] Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Van Go Lion:
[while signing] Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

Bill Der Beaver:
[while signing] All the king's horses and all the king's men...

Bravo Fox, Van Go Lion, Bill Der Beaver, Lookout Bear, Talkatoo Cockatoo:
[all while signing in unison]... couldn't put Humpty together again! [They all bow as the audience applauds. Whazzat and Vince join them. Vince gets the others' attention]

Vince:
[signing as subtitles appear] The Nursery Rhyme was wonderful. Thank you.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
He says that that he enjoys your Nursery Rhyme.

Vince:
[signing as subtitles appear] Okay, now we have a song for you.

Whazzat Kangaroo:
He says he wants me to tell you that we have a song and he's going to sing it. [the other zoobles cheer, then sit on the stage floor Indian-style. Whazzat sits at her keyboard at plays an introduction segueing into the Alphabet Song]

Vince:
[signing as subtitles appear] A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z. Now I've said my ABC's. Tell me what you think of me. [the other zoobles all cheer and applaud, then Bravo stands up and stands beside Vince]

Bravo Fox:
Marvelous! Marvelous! [Bravo clears his throat] Now, in case anyone missed it, I would like it known...

Bravo Fox:
[while signing]... that I, Bravo Fox, made Vince laugh! [the other zoobles all laugh as Bravo tickles Vince, making him laugh, too]

Lookout Bear:
[while signing] The end.

[a spellbound Mayor Ben turns off his monitor and faces the viewer]

Mayor Ben:
Wow! I told you. This was going to be a very special show. And now that all you Zoobaroos know how easy it is to sign, the next time you meet zoobaroos who are deaf, you can sign that you are their friend. And it'll make them feel good all over! Ooh! you see, deaf Zoobaroos are the same as everybody else. They just can't hear. Oh, by the way. I learned something very special today myself.

Mayor Ben:
[while waving his hand] See you next time, Zoobaroos. [Now, the main cast sings the theme song and words appear: 'Dedicated to all special Zoobaroos who, like guest star VINSON CRUMP, are deaf.' The end credits follow]