For years my Mom has had several likenesses of “Gidget,” the Taco Bell chihuahua around her house, even though she was in the process of shedding almost everything that she’ d collected in a lifetime of enjoying kitsch. Her best friend Charlene had some too, and I remember years ago her trying to tell me that Charlene’s son had “something to do with” the Taco Bell dog. It turns out our family friend Chuck actually conceived of the idea for an ad agency he was working for at the time, and that is something of a legend in that business. So now Mom still has this bobble-head Gidget in her utility room. Frankly she looks a little tired after all her years of lights, camera, action.

What Allee has to say about this:
Ahhh yes, the Taco Bell chihuahua who I loved at first and then drove me completely nuts as she and her male voice were on TV every other minute. As I always had the TV on and had at least one in every room, her/his voice permeate every memory I have of 1997, the year that this advertising campaign was birthed.

I love that you knew Chuck who conceived of the whole idea in the first place. So it makes sense that this likeness of Gidget was one thing your mom didn’t chuck out. I apologize for that. I hate writers who write things so self-consciously as the double use of ‘chuck’.

I’m assuming that your mom must’ve had one of these bobble heads in her car too. Although I love these kind of little fake suede covered creatures and especially like the way the black is sprayed on this one’s nose and mouth I saw enough of these bobbing chihuahuas in the late 90s to make me never eat tacos again.

R.I.P. Gidget (1994-2001).