Fred Figglehorn, folk hero of the tween beat
If you are older than 12, you may not have heard of Lucas Cruikshank, but the cheerful, ambitious 17-year-old from the Midwest is a folk hero of tween culture; his devoted followers a pint-sized answer to Lady Gaga's little monsters.
For the last few years, he has been posting homemade videos to YouTube as his alter ego, an insane (and insanely shrill) 6-year-old named Fred Figglehorn. Via a digitally sped-up voice and a manic persona, Fred repels adults while delighting kids with his high-pitched lunacy. His YouTube channel has nearly 2 million subscribers and his videos have been watched nearly 600 million times in the last five years.
On the strength of his online fan base, Nickelodeon has snapped up Cruikshank and given him his very own multi-camera, multi-actor TV movie, "Fred" (premiering Saturday), as well as a Mork-and-Mindy-esque sitcom called "Marvin, Marvin," scheduled for 2011.
Cruikshank discusses his character and his plans in this profile of the YouTube auteur-turned-Nickelodeon-star. And while you’re at it, check out this guide to fall kids TV highlights.
— Joy Press
Photo: Lucas Cruikshank photographed at the Beverly Hilton on Aug. 6. Credit: Ricardo De Aratanha.
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Really annoying...I wish I never saw this post. Thanks.
Posted by: rbk | September 16, 2010 at 11:43 AM
I am a 47 year old woman and addicted to Fred. Someone help me!
Posted by: Val Johnson | September 16, 2010 at 12:00 PM
He is just plain stupid and thanks to YouTube and stupid executives dumbing our kids here's another annoying nobody who gets to become a "star". It's the old once everybody is famous then nobody will be famous. And to be an adult and like this is just pathetic.
Posted by: Brian | September 16, 2010 at 12:21 PM
I thought this article was going to be about him getting beat up, how disappointing! You guys should use a less misleading headline.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 16, 2010 at 03:03 PM
Sadly, the movie ruined this character. Here's our review:
http://therecshow.com/ruining-fred-with-fred-the-movie/
Posted by: Ray DeRousse | September 19, 2010 at 09:59 AM
stupid, stupid, stupid. i really regret watching this with my kids. it was full of teasing and rude behavior, saddness all around a pathetic character that the kids in the show just made fun of - so awful - take it off TV
Posted by: jennie prebor | September 19, 2010 at 06:58 PM