Cool News
The Coroner of Munchkinland has passed away...
Hey folks, Harry here with somber news about the somberest of Munckins in Munchkin City in the classic WIZARD OF OZ... That is right, the Munchkin Coroner, Meinhardt Raabe has just passed away at the age of 94. His wife passed away 13 years ago in a tragic car accident. I met Meinhardt years ago at an event, where I met all the surviving living Munchkins at that time and had them sign my "Ruby Slippers" - cuz, I'm that guy. Jerry Maren is still with us and I believe a couple of the munchkin ladies are still with us, but it is sad to see them go. I knew Clarence Swenson quite well - he lived here in Austin, he passed recently as well. Without Meinhardt Raabe, we never would have known that the first Wicked Witch was dead. Here ya go:
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I'm actually surprised any of the munchkin actors are still alive.
Also first, I believe. -
still lives here in florida. sad news, though
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but it was 70 years ago, Munchkins.
Get busy living or get busy dying. -
Apr 09, 2010 10:13:03 PM CDT
This is an OBIT - you will be banned from this point on if inapp
by headgeek
Seriously - be cool.
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huh.
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He did live here in Florida, just south of Jacksonville in Penney Farms. He made several local appearances at the local mall and book stores from time to time, saw him speak, nice guy.. sorry to see him pass. Nice to see the local coverage expanded upon by AICN..
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In the future will we note the passing of the last Jawas and Ewoks or can we admit right now that The Wizard of Oz is bigger than Star Wars? A friend of mine took her young daughter to a recent appearance by the Munchkins and reported having a great time meeting some very classy people.
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Apr 09, 2010 10:20:31 PM CDT
so you'll allow the most horrid trash talk elsewhere
by alphanumeric1971
But suddenly obit are off limits?
How about a decent set talk-back rules that are enforced evenly across the board?
which believe me I'm all for. -
r.i.p.
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was he the last surviving munchkin? and i remember his oscar meyer commercials...may he rest in peace...he brought joy to millions
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OBITs are sacred ground. On SERBIAN FILM - it is no holds barred, I'm fine with that. But here at AICN we care about those that have passed. It may be stunning to some to support a movie that uses puppets and prosthetics to achieve some of the most base acts which happen in just about every significant sized city in this country.
But I will BAN people that are inappropriate here. This is for fans of WIZARD OF OZ and fans of the Munchkins from that wonderful land somewhere over the rainbow. -
there's always been a tacit understanding that obits are off limits to just useless negative trolls.and there are rules elsewhere...again just tacit. no racism, no homophobia (that one's flexible) no threats, etc.
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When I was a wee-little Michael Jackson's Ghost, I would ask my parents "Why is he wearing the Quaker Oats Guy's hat?" I couldn't understand why, and I would nag my parents about "Where does the red brick road go to?" My parent's would say "A bad place!" LOL...memories.
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Way to stand up and take the high road. Wonder how many Ozers are left. Numbers must be VERY SMALL by now. Amazing, the amount of respect that this film and everything associated with it has.
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Apr 09, 2010 10:36:17 PM CDT
R.I.P. & what he's singing is that he will "AVER" (Declare)
by planetran_fan
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Never thought of him as a coroner before. I hope whoever eventually identifies my body starts a huge singalong about it though. That'd be awesome. "Ding dong, Chris is dead!"
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if you're subtle, none of the admins notice..but I notice...and I will fuck you up!
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Especially with the amount of passion that SW has brought out in people over the last week in the talkbacks here with the two big stories. It is hard to admit that Oz may be bigger. Oz is so iconic and not just "pew-pew" lasers that kids shoot. The next big question, is HP going to be as big as the other two?
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It's such an absurd thing, yet it hunts us all, this absurdity. A part of film history is gone forever. I wish the family well.
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He was a contributor to the most loved film of all time.
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That knowing how Hollywood works, they will remake it, and Tim Burton will end up directing it. You would have Johnny Depp playing the Coroner all weird with family issues or something goth. And because of that, the newer generation will know that version of the Coroner. If it was my pick, I would have Terry Gilliam direct it. But I am one of those who dislike most remakes, but if anyone could do it, he could.
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Apr 09, 2010 10:53:15 PM CDT
RIP - I wonder if he was visited by a little grim reaper
by beericecream
This joke was offered in loving jest.
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Sad to see another one of those wonderful (and often unappreciated) Munchkins pass into the great beyond. I never knew the guy, or much about him, but he seemed like a class act.
And amen to Harry for keeping things respectful here. Too often we have trolls polluting the obit talkbacks--which should be respectful, but often aren't. Thanks. -
...during this difficult time. 94 years is a good long life, we should all be so lucky to live as long. And dude had the best Munchkin hat by 1000 miles. Good on ya regarding the baninations in obits, Harry. It's about time.
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they might do Wicked (they should, I think)...or they might do McFarlane's version...but no one would ever have the stones to just do a traditional remake, would they? that's idiotic!when there were rumors about Soderbergh remaking Metropolis, I thought that was heretical enough, and I fucking LOVE Soderbergh.hands off Wizard of Oz, hollywood. seriously.
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We lose another little part of one of the greatest films ever made. It will be a sad day when all whom were involved with the film are no longer with us. RIP buddy
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What else? I totally agree there should be an off limits list. At the rate Hollywood is moving forward with remakes right now, though, I don't see much hope for those two being left alone.
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can't even imagine living that long. RIP
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will never occur again in our lifetimes, basically thanks to dvd, video, cable and the internet oz, released in 39 and then rereleased sparingly, was sold to cbs in 56 because many had yet to see it, the original broadcast garnered...get this...45 million viewers then, starting in 59 it was only rerun once a year around the xmas season...making it a special family viewing experience most people didnt even have the ability to watch it in its full glorious color till the late 60s, early 70s long gone are those days when viewing movies on tv is something special....we are all jaded bastiches
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..kind of like when your father is mad and then you all have to eat dinner together..
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you can hear all the cutlery clink on the crockery.
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Apr 10, 2010 12:29:05 AM CDT
isn't John Boorman remaking it?
by beyondthunderdome2girls1cupbillcosby
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I'm sure that not a single person on this board knew he even lived this long.
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I met Meinhardt about 20 years ago at an Oz convention. He was a nice guy and a gentleman. A colleague of mine got to be friends with him and his wife years before that when he had a gig as Little Oscar and was tooling around in the Weinermobile. He was a good man and he'll be missed.
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I had no idea he was still alive. I always thought that the coroner Munchkin was much older and long since passed, but I guess that was because of the make up. What a grand life he must have lived. Without a doubt next to the lollipop kids he was my favorite. :(
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(SARCASTIC)
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The man is gone. The history is right there on the screen. If he had died 50 years ago, it wouldn't have made a difference because his only significant contribution in life happened before that. He will live on forever as a piece of history, even though his body is rotting. He is a legend. RIP.
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I met Mr Raabe several years ago at a birthday party. He was very sweet. I remember thinking that it was sad that he was clinging to that part of his youth, but a few years ago I read an interview with him and learned more about his long professional career and long and happy marriage. I didn't feel sorry for him after reading the interview. He was long-lived, well-loved and will be missed.
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go to hell.
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are quite real
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They weren't mmunchkins... they were BRILLIANT!
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About the bannings. That really impresses and surprises me. Good job.
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Did this chap appear in any other films?
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Now there's a munchkin I will mourn for weeks when the time comes. This man had the guts to go 6 movies sweating inside a metal contraption with almost zero face time or formal recognition, just so you and I could believe that a robot had a soul.
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that he continues to freak the everloving shit out of me. RIP
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...The Wizard of Oz and A New Hope are the two best films in my book. This is sad news, but it's to be expected. We should be honored that he graced us with his life as long as he has. Rest in peace, my friend.
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Every time I cross The Wizard of Oz on DVD or Blu Ray I want to buy it even thought I already own it. Speak for yourself or others, but don't assume that there aren't people like me out there everyday who appreciate what you're saying. You're not alone, dude.
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I don't always agree with you, like a lot of the talkbackers, but damnif I don't respect you for calling out the trolls.
RIP Coroner - you will be sadly missed. -
Nice guy. RIP
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Just askin.
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Oz is one of those films that you either have to be a geek, or a kid to admit to enjoying. 94 years is a good age, and I hope he's now in a little Munchkin bar in the heavens with all the others that have passed away.
On another note, I heard that March of the Wooden Soldiers (an earlier Laurel and Hardy fantasy) is still being shown in the States. Is this true? -
Sorry, too, to hear this news. We're all getting older, but it's hard to keep that in mind when beloved films you've seen your whole life stay the same, and the actors/characters don't age.
On the topic of the "special-ness" of films, I agree. Now, you can watch OZ anytime you feel like it - or turn on TNT or TBS every few weeks or so. Some films lend themselves to multiple viewings at your discretion, of course, but when it comes to something like A CHRISTMAS STORY, it's always been (to me), why buy it? I pretty much watch it around December, and that's it. The extras on a disc are awesome, but beyond that, why would you really be in the mood to watch Ralphie & company (for example) on July 20th? Just musing. -
Harry, sorry to intrude on this thread, but I wanted to pass along news of the loss of a great contributor to film, and a fine man. Tony Nowak was the maker of the leather jackets worn by Harrison Ford and Shia in Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, as well as famous jackets worn by Bruce Willis and Arnold, and fans of Pumping Iron will know him of course as Big Tony. He died in Italy earlier this week from a heart attack. Tony was much beloved in the Indiana Jones fan community, as he offered up his talents to make jackets for hundreds, if not thousands of people after the film's release. He was always happy to interact with fans, and went to enormous lengths to make his customers and clients happy. Many here might not know of him, and I never met him myself personally, I just exchanged posts in several forums he participated in, but he was a class act, and he is going to be dearly missed.
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Definitely more influential on the music and movie scene than this munchkin, but even though he's got a few filmic credits on his resume, I can kinda see not having an obituary for him on a film site.
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I was watching this a few nights ago with my 8 year old niece and just off hand wondering what happened to some of the lesser known stars after the movie. As sad as it is to think about they won't be around much longer. Maybe there could be a write up about what some of them did after the movie, when the last person passes on?
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Thank you, Harry for letting us know. That's why I love this site, you keep tabs on the Munchkins of Oz.
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So... who pronounced him dead?Classy guy. Will Tom Cruise be gracious enough to repeat his line from Jerry Maguire when he's 90? Doubt it.
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wow....didn't remember that. lol as for the possible banning for being an ass in an obit, i see others be asses all the time in the other obits so its too be expected.
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He was always my favourite. He had a totally cool outfit.
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glad you banned the cock who made the bad comment. There are bad comments always - that's half the reason I come to this site, but seriously uncool when someone has passed away. seriously, seriously uncool.
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I hope to live as long :(
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When did this term become so commonly used? Nothing wrong with DIED.
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So Wal-mart
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A munchkin is buried in my tiny family cemetery, lost in the hills of Maysel, WV. Donna Stewart-Hardway. Had no idea until a few weeks ago. Right next to my grandparents. Wish Meinhardt's family the best.
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I'm not sure why this film has retained it's popularity, it's well shot and ground breaking but this film, like "Citizen Kane" remains a milestone. I always enjoyed it as a kid, and as an adult found more things in it to enjoy. The little people were always very cool, and I think one of the reasons the film is revered, is there's not one moment in the film where anyone thinks the munchkins are any different than anyone else in OZ. And that very thought alone makes this film stand out from almost every other film little people have been in. Thanks for posting this story!
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is the same as warning someone to behave at a funeral. There shouldn't need to BE a warning, and at the first instance of someone acting out, they should be dismissed unceremoniously through the rear entrance.
However, I do think it is fair to point out that Roy Disney didn't get an obit. The fact that he didn't get one because of some AICN vs Disney tiff should get a few editors banned. OBITS should be free of politics and infighting, and that includes Headgeek. -
...was still around. Nice to see Mr. Raabe had a long life. Hope it was a good one.
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Being a member of Trollholics anonymous, I recently got my 5 week chip. But this Harry, your temptations??
How am i FUCKING NOT supposed to troll this TB, huh Harry?!?!?!
Later that day
______________
*RING, RING *
Peanutbutterslut: "Hello, sponsor? Yeas this is PBS, need to talk man...got these cravings man. That Giner Fuck is tempting me, putting up Munchkin Coroner TB's and telling me I can't troll, that would be like saying don't troll the Paul Newman/Heath Ledger TB's, for christ sakes! I mean, MUNCHKIN CORONER. I need my STUFF DUDE!!!!! MUNCHKIM CORORNER!!!!!!
Rip (see this isn't trolling on account of my condolences, K harry? but Jesus man I'm in rehab, for fucking fucks sake!!) -
So obits are sacred ground? Yet, it's acceptable for a moderator to refer to Natasha Richardson as a MILF in her obit?
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Harry this is like putting a pound of vicodin filled snikers in front of Rush Limbaugh
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Must....keeep....five week chip.....................but....can't...resist....munchkin....jokes............
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Because it ain't disrespectful. The rules ain't difficult. Please keep up.
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Apr 10, 2010 3:57:53 PM CDT
Yes. Boorman was making a CGI version. What happened to it HEA
by planetran_fan
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Apr 10, 2010 3:58:33 PM CDT
Boorman's making a CGI version. What happened to it HEADGEEK?
by planetran_fan
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He runs the site, he can say what he wants and ban who he wants for whatever reason. If you don't like it, go...somewhere else?!?! On that note this is really sad news, RIP.
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same day I met Edwin Neal from THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. Been in contact with Ed ever since. Meinhardt will be missed.
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Gotta say, Harry, I wouldn't mind some ENFORCED rules on the talkbacks. Free-swinging, uncensored commentary is one thing, unending trash talk and pointless profanity just maintains the aura that this place ain't populated by real grown ups.
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...a life that has spanned from classic Hollywood to the modern era. It's pretty incredible if you think about it.
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Never has been; never will be. I'm not saying I approve of it or anything, but it's the reality on this site and these boards. I suspect Harry avoids setting any enforceable rules because he knows full well it would create a constant nightmare for him and the staff.
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is why many of us are here. you want PC, look SOMEWHERE ELSE
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So FUCK YOU, living fatman. And rest in peace, dead shortman.
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This was when I was a kid, and when he told me my sister and I freaked. He gave us an autographed picture which my sis still has. Man, what is it about that movie? So much time has passed, and special effects have improved one thousand percent, but the MGM film-makers still managed to make that "twister" look real; that tornado scene is still amazing. And Oz really does seem like, as Dorothy says, "a real live place"; I know that as a kid, I did not believe that Dorothy dreamed all of it (in the books of course Oz WAS a real place; I hated that MGM changed that for the movie). Rest in peace, Mr. Raabe. You will live forever in Oz, and in our hearts.
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Articles highlighting someone at their passing, whose work contributed to my love of movies, whether their part was starred or supporting or behind the scenes. As a child, I was amazed at this movie, and loved the scene in Munchkinland. I've got to believe that seeing so many little people in one place added to the feeling that it was an "event" in a way that hordes of CGI objects will never achieve. And I've always heard that little people have abbreviated lifespans because of medical issues, and to hear that he lived such a long life is a good and happy aspect of this otherwise-sad article. May he find rest and reward, his family find comfort, and all of us continue to enjoy his shining, magic, immortal moment in film history.
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Apr 10, 2010 11:01:29 PM CDT
maybe I missed it but did John Forsythe get an obit here last we
by beefywhore
I could have over looked it.
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Right...restraint. Cause Harry likes to recommend films were babies are raped.
Harry, how does your wife feel about that? She sleeps with a Pedo-lover, right?
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Death is almost always sad and it's always interesting to see which lesser known stars get obits here. I think it simply comes down to whether any of the contributors feel a true sense of loss with a passing.
There's no point in making insincere obits. -
AICN has been pimping the execrable, irredeemable Human Centipede for months now - but it's high blasphemy to dishonor an obscure dead actor.
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....but.....
Do you think that he performed his own autopsy? -
"passed"??? There is NOTHING wrong with the word "died" - NOTHING. Where did this start? Why? It is REALLY a problem. DIED, DIED, DIED.
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I am VERY sad about that.
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how many Stalinists are on here begging for rules.
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...I just wish you'd been willing to put them in place back when President Reagan died: http://tinyurl.com/yywusfc
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...I understand this is an Obit, and that respect is required - But the fact many of us still have to put up with the number of ridiculous gay haters and slanderous homophobic comments elsewhere on this site is ridiculous Harry - Get some real rules up...
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Apr 12, 2010 7:40:36 AM CDT
"here at AICN we care about those that have passed"
by damned if i can login
If so, then why no Fess Parker obit? Snubbing him was much worse than some idiot troll making stupid comments, which is the norm for these talkbacks.
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Harry, thank you for choosing the clip from Studio Kaiju. This is our family's site. Meeting Mr. Raabe and fellow Munchkin Karl Slover a few years ago and getting to interview them was a crowning achievement for us. Meinhardt was a seasoned professional even at his advanced age, and was a great gentleman. Karl was also extremely gracious and gentlemanly. It was a priviledge to meet them and an honor to have my son's interview on your site.
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