A Fair to Remember

"Does a dirty diaper help?" That's a key question when planning one's strategy in the diaper derby; a fresh load can make a tyke--as comic mystery writer Kinky Friedman calls it--"highly agitato," which, in turn, can put a little zing in a baby's crawl. The diaper derby is but one of the many wonders that people can only find in one place: the local fair. In this entertaining non-narrated look at the 1994 Broward County Fair in Florida, viewers will be able to relive highlights almost more immediate than an after-the-fair corn dog burp. There's Adele doing an 80 foot dive (approx. 75 more feet than I'd be willing to brave) into the drink, Pee Wee testing his mettle in the guinea pig race, a close-up of the "largest hog you will ever see" (Jane Smiley readers will think of Earl in Moo), the Little Miss Broward County Fair Beauty Pageant, and my personal favorite--reminiscent of the ancient Greek games of yesteryear--the "cow chip toss." You'll witness bronzed gladiators--wait, make that beer-bellied farmers--debating the merits of the "dry dung" toss vs. the "moist cow patty" toss. Fascinating stuff, eh? If nothing else, this amusing walk-through might get people off the couch and into the fair for a real taste of cotton candy. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)