If you’re not following @LosFelizDayCare, the hilarious feed currently blowing up Twitter, you’re obviously way too busy consciously uncoupling from cold-pressed cider like the other families at this hysterical (and totally satirical) LA institution of mindful learning. Find out the inspiration behind the feed, how the insanity of the LA school scene gets so perfectly captured, and most importantly, how you can get your precious Talulah or Axl enrolled.
photo credit: Jason Shapiro
The mind behind the madness is Jason Shapiro. When he’s not busy performing stand-up and improv gigs around town or working as script coordinator on the new ABC sitcom, “Cristela,” he serves as the brilliant voice of @LosFelizDayCare – a hysterical (and all too real) parody of the LA day care scene. Like most comedy writers, Shapiro was looking for a unique way to get his name out there, and despite his father’s suggestion that he “just get his jokes to Brad Pitt or Jon Cryer,” he decided the Twitterverse might be a more viable and less stalker-y option.
Reading his tweets, it’s hard to believe he’s not yet a dad himself, as he perfectly captures the craziness that so many Angelenos experience daily while sending their tofu-toting tots to school in this city. Shapiro’s inspiration comes from listening to his co-workers talk ad nauseum about their funny interactions with the faculty, kids and families at the prestigious day cares their kiddos attend. He believes the feed has struck a chord because “people read tweets and look at Facebook and see themselves reflected back. People find things to relate too.” (He admits he really took most of this theory from Arcade Fire.)
Because @LosFelizDayCare is so convincing in its delivery, Shapiro receives emails a few times a week from real parents asking to send their kids to LFDC. He always tries to let them know right away that the school is fake. After all, he “wants these kids to grow up and solve climate change and all that.” If anyone tweets at him though, that’s a whole other bag of organic beans. He says someone in Indiana thought it was a real day care and he played along, actually asking her to come visit.
We asked Shapiro what the application process would be like to gain acceptance to Los Feliz Day Care. He says that “Once applicants are born and being considered, they need to make sure they speak at least two languages. And children must be breastfed, vegan or at the very least meat conscious, sustainability minded, tolerant and of course, non immunized.” Seems easy enough.
Find it on Twitter: twitter.com/LosFelizDayCare
Has your family had any insanely funny LA day care experiences? We’d love to get the scoop! (And who knows, maybe Shapiro will pull from you too!)
–Jennifer O’Brien
photo credit: young boy by James Emery via Creative Commons
