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"Kids is Kids", also titled "Kids is Kids Starring Donald Duck" on video releases (or "Donald Duck Quacks Up" in some 1970s and '80s syndicated airings), is a TV special hosted by Ludwig Von Drake and featuring Donald Duck and his nephews. It originally aired as an episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color on December 10, 1961, and part of it was reused as the basis for the 1983 Mickey and Donald Kidding Around.

Synopsis[]

Ludwig Von Drake has written a whole book on child psychology. He first writes on a chalkboard to introduce his book, displaying the population explosion caused by parents having kids. He displays the large pile of letters from parents asking for his help. He replies that his book will help, and that "in case you get nothing from the inside, you'll find the outside useful on their little backside." He displays all his charts and graphs of his research on a "typical average family". Rather than study thousands of family and making one chart, Von Drake has studied one family and made thousands of charts. The family he picks is none other than Donald (or Mr. X, as Von Drake calls him) and his nephews. He calls the family "Family X".

After heading over to Donald's house and having a run-in with Donald and his nephews, Ludwig discusses the first chapter of his book, birthdays. From a distance, he observes Donald and the nephews - like observing any wild, dangerous animals. He then discusses the next chapter in his book, on family games. Ludwig observes as a disguised snowman, watching Donald and the nephews play hockey. He then watches as Donald and his nephews go on a scout camping trip. Next, Von Drake follows Family X on a vacation trip to cover his chapter on vacations. He follows them first to Florida and then to a woodsy retreat in Maine.

For ten years, Von Drake has followed Family X to write his book on child psychology. By this time, he discovers that the nephews are now in their teens and driving. He studies as they take their car to be repaired at Donald's service station. Von Drake goes over there as a customer himself, and then continues to observe them from a distance. Eventually, however, he decides he's had enough and decides that it's not so much the kids as the adults who are the crazy ones. By now, his car is filled high with notes. His research now is complete. But as he leaves, some of the notes fly out of the car and litter the road behind him.

Featured shorts[]

Cast[]

Airdates[]

Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color[]

  • December 10, 1961
  • April 11, 1965

The Wonderful World of Disney[]

  • April 6, 1975
  • September 10, 1978 (as "Donald Duck Quacks Up")

Disney's Wonderful World[]

  • January 6, 1980 (as "Donald Duck Quacks Up")

The Disney Channel[]

  • April 24, 1986

Disney Summer Classics[]

  • July 20, 1986 (as "Donald Duck Quacks Up")

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Some of the clips produced for this special were reused (with the dialogue redubbed) for the Disney Sing-Along Songs videos in which Von Drake was the host.
  • Ludwig claims he is a bachelor during the special, even though Don Rosa later said he was married to Matilda McDuck. It is however possible that Ludwig was not yet married to Matilda at that point and only met her later.
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