Mysteries of the Universe, Part Five

Looks like I can't put off posting to this blog thing any longer, because it's time once again for Mysteries of the Universe, the monthly feature where I delve the depths of the blah blah blah you know the drill by now. This month, we look at a man whom many of you may remember from a hip show on Nickelodeon about a decade ago called The Adventures of Pete & Pete, starring Pete, Pete's brother Pete, and me, Ellen--I mean, wait, no--WHGT! JGTH! Yes I'm awesome!

Anyway, the very first half-hour episode they did for the show ("What I did on my summer vacation") centered around the character of Mr. Tastee, the man who showed up in the Tasteemobile the first hot day of June every year, ready to peddle his Blue Tornado Bars, Lemon Licky Nubs, and Orange Splurto Sticks to the sweaty youths of Wellsville. The plot of the episode went thus: Pete, Pete, and Ellen decided they'd like to get to know the real Mr. Tastee, who seemed quite lonely. Mr. Tastee was, in fact, intimacy challenged, and resisted their efforts. He eventually convinces them that he's just part of summer itself, and promised to come back the next year.

But Mr. Tastee never did come back, not that year, or either of the next to seasons. He was referenced briefly in another episode, but that was it. Given, I understand, he's not a strong enough character to keep around for more than the one episode focussing on him. Any more would have overdone it. And The Adventures of Pete & Pete seems more to be about memories of childhood itself, how so many of the things we experience in our youth are completely absurd and defy explanation, yet manage to be so singularly wonderful, partially because they'll never be recaptured. And besides, giving Mr. Tastee an identity within the show wouldn't make sense; it would ruin his character. (Though it is hinted that his real name might be Leonard; at least, that's what the rich blind woman on the street where the Petes lived--played by Kate Pierson of the B-52s--called him.)

But I decided that, even if the brothers Pete and their friend Ellen could not discover Mr. Tastee's identity, perhaps I could figure out who the actor inside that great big swirly head really was. I went over the entire internet with a fine-tooth digital comb to bring you the answer. I didn't find it, of course, but I found out where to find it. I saw somewhere online that the DVD commentary for the episode revealed the actor behind the mask. So I popped the thing in and watched the episode again. Of course the creators of the show didn't tell until the end, but tell they did. Mr. Tastee was played by none other than Toby Huss, who also played Artie (the strongest man...in the world!) up until the third season of Pete & Pete. That is, Huss played the body of Mr. Tastee, not the voice. And when you look at Mr. Tastee's movements, you can tell. I'm not sure who did the voice--they only say in the commentary that one would find his name in the credits, but there are three different possibilities, after you rule out the producer's kid's cameo and Clem.

Perhaps, as the older Pete says at the end of the episode, "some things are supposed to stay a mystery".