By: Eric Cohen

When my son was little it seemed my entire life was played out to a Wiggles Soundtrack. It never ceased to amaze me how many times in a row my son could watch “Wiggly Safari” and how I’d catch myself singing songs from the DVD. For most parents, the Wiggles are a rite of passage and a badge of honor, one that says “I survived toddlerhood” and even had some fun.

And one of those rites is taking your kids to see The Wiggles live in concert and now is the last chance to see the original four Wiggles, Greg, Jeff, Murray & Anthony live on stage in what will be their farewell tour. And it will also be a chance to get a preview of the new Wiggles, including Emma, the first female Wiggle.

In advance of the new tour, that starts this month and runs through August, Macaroni Kid had a chance to chat with Jeff Fatt about the tour, his retirement and the future.

Macaroni Kid: Hi Jeff, or should I say “G-Day?”
Jeff Fatt: G-Day Mate!

MK: So how are you feeling about the tour?
JF: It’s bittersweet for sure. On the one hand we have Greg back so it’s going to be a blast. It’s been years since the four of us toured together, but it’s also the end of the original line-up.

MK: Has it sunk in yet?
JF: Not really, I don’t think it will until the last show.

MK: And what’s special about this tour and the new show?
JF: Well, Greg is back and the old chemistry is back. It’s just like it always was, and everyone will catch a glimpse of the new Wiggles. Though they’re not that new, Simon’s been working with us for four years, and Emma about three, and there’s Lachlan and of course Anthony will still be a Wiggle.

MK: How do you think the fans will react to the new Wiggles and (Gasp) a girl Wiggle?
JF: Some might be a little sad, but they are so great, and Emma is such a bright light I’m sure they will love them as much as ever.

MK: What type of involvement will you have moving forward?
JF: After the tour I’ll still be very much involved, writing songs, working behind the camera, acting as a mentor and more.

MK: What inspired Anthony to stay on?
JF: He loves it. Each of us made our own decision, what’s right for our families and our own lives, and Anthony just has such a love for performing and the audience and inspiring kids and families, he’s delighted to stay on.

MK: What can parents and kids expect from this tour:
JF: It will be a brand new show with a mix of old and new songs. We’ll have classics like “Rock a bye your bear” and “Hot Potato” as well as new songs from this past year. And we’ll have Captain Feathersword, Wags, Dorothy, Henry and the gang along.

MK: Anything else you’d like to share with parents about the tour?
JF: It’s going to be a celebration of preschoolers, fun for both kids and adults, but we don’t entertain the adults at the expense of the kids. It’s all about the kids while being fun for adults, we put the kids first.

MK: Thanks so much for chatting with us!
JF: My pleasure and we’ll see you at the show mate!

Be sure to check out the tour schedule for dates near you as they cross the Country this summer.