A Swansea teen saved the Chuck E. Cheese characters. Now the company is giving him a title
It’s not often that people nationwide rally to keep robots' jobs from being replaced by humans — but a Swansea teen has done it, gathering thousands of signatures that have saved the Chuck E. Cheese animatronic figures from being thrown on the scrap heap forever.
Logan Carreiro, 14, of Swansea, started a petition in 2021 to stop CEC Entertainment from ending the animatronic stage shows at Chuck E. Cheese locations worldwide, replacing them with electronic screens, dance floors and humans in costume. He's being flown out to Los Angeles next month, to Chuck E. Cheese’s Northridge location, where CEC Entertainment has decided to keep an animatronic stage show on permanent display.
“They are even giving me the title Chuck E. Cheese chief animatronic officer!” Logan said in an interview. “I am so appreciative for the petitioners who supported this movement, and for the opportunities Chuck E. Cheese is providing me.”
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Chuck E. Cheese animatronics will live on in California
Chuck E. Cheese has been a hotspot for kids’ parties since 1977, with pizza, arcade games and an animatronic floor show with songs performed by life-size characters like Chef Pasqually, Helen Henny, Mr. Munch and Chuck himself.
But nearly two years ago, when Carreiro found out the Dartmouth Chuck E. Cheese location was going to phase out its cute and quirky animatronics and replace them with a dance floor, he took action. He started a blog and a petition to keep Chuck and his band on the stage.
“My online petition, which attracted thousands of signatures, catapulted me into the national news,” Logan said. “We received phone calls from our friends seeing me on the news from coast to coast.”
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That attracted attention from CEC Entertainment CEO David McKillips, who told Logan in 2022 the animatronics would remain part of the company in some form.
As it turned out, Logan said, the Northridge, California, location “will be the sole home for the animatronic gang” while all other Chuck E. Cheese locations will phase out the animatronic band.
But CEC is bringing Logan and his father, Jonathan, to California to thank him for advocating on behalf of kids everywhere who remember and love the old floor show.
“I was overwhelmed with emotion," Logan said. “Over the course of the last few years, I have spent so much of my energy trying to be creative and advocate for these mechanical creatures that have brought my heart so much joy.”
Making a difference 'thanks to platforms like social media'
Even if one Chuck E. Cheese location keeps Jasper T. Jowls and the rest of the robotic gang, Logan said his work has been worth it. Kids in the future will be able to join in on the classic Chuck E. Cheese fun.
"I do feel a sense of accomplishment ... because I don’t feel as though my efforts were for nothing,” he said. “I feel my efforts have made a tangible difference, and that is the most gratifying thing I have experienced in my 14 years.”
Jonathan said he’ll be using Facebook to livestream their visit to Chuck E. Cheese on Friday, Nov. 10, including Logan’s appointment as chief animatronics officer — follow them on Facebook for details.
“I have learned that even the voices of young individuals can resonate powerfully, thanks to platforms like social media. Age no longer restricts the ability to influence or bring about change," Logan said. “Even mammoth franchises like Chuck E. Cheese is attentive and receptive to the viewpoints of teenagers like me.”
Dan Medeiros can be reached at dmedeiros@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Chuck E. Cheese names Swansea teen chief animatronic officer
