Shirley the Loon

Shirley "the Loon" McLoon is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series, Tiny Toon Adventures. She is one of the most frequently recurring characters on the show. Shirley is voiced by Gail Matthius.
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Biography
Shirley is a young, white loon, who wears a pink shirt and a pink bowed ribbon in her blonde hair. She speaks in a Valley Girl accent. She attends Acme Looniversity and lives in Acme Acres. Shirley is one of the few characters of the show not directly inspired by an existing Looney Tunes character, but she bears more than a passing resemblance to Melissa Duck.

Her name is derived from fellow New Age aficionado, Shirley MacLaine, while the latter part of the name is an obvious pun. More often than not, other toons refer to Shirley as "Shirley the Loon" rather than "Shirley McLoon."

Personality
Shirley is a young clairvoyant loon with extraordinary psychic powers. Her intelligence is somewhat obscured by a thick Valley girl accent and obsession with superficial New Age paraphernalia. Many characters regard Shirley as a flake, but she takes their skepticism philosophically; "I know I'm at one with the spiritual plane. Besides, in your next lives, you're all coming back as avocados, so there." Always in a state of unflappable cosmic oneness, Shirley is the spaciest toon in Acme Acres.

She is our New Age space cadet and mystic. Her head is in the clouds and her mind is in a galaxy far, far away. She's into E.S.P., telekinesis, astrology, crystals, tarot cards, tea leaves, palm reading, levitation and reincarnation. Shirley has hundreds of past lives. You name it, Shirley has been it. The aura can float out of her body, punch somebody, then return, all while Shirley is serenely meditating. The aura sometimes lags behind, causing Shirley to lean back into a room and whistle for it.

In the Music Day episode segment, Loon Lake, Shirley is a keen ballerina who has to face prejudice when attending an upmarket ballet school otherwise attended exclusively by Perfecto Prep swans, including Giselle. Jealous at her superior dance skills, they mock her accent and try to sabotage her performance at their recital, but are soon thwarted by Shirley's nimble moves and a behind-the-scenes Babs, staging a sabotage of her own.

When not meditating (sometimes levitating while chanting, "Ohm what a loon I am... Ohm what a loon I am...") or fortune-telling, Shirley hangs out with her Acme Looniversity classmates and best friends, Babs Bunny and Fifi La Fume.

Aura and Powers
Shirley is adept at mind reading, channeling and projecting her aura (a glowing likeness of herself with a mind of its own). She can levitate herself during meditation, commune with her aura (which is sometimes a separate entity from her) and also fire force-blasts from her hands when agitated. In the Love Disconnection episode segment, The Amazing Three, where Babs Bunny, Fifi La Fume, and Shirley attend a prom at Perfecto Prep (a rival university), red punch gets spilled on Shirley and she begins a rampage very similar to that of Carrie (although much more G-rated), from the Stephen King novel of the same name. The scene even goes as far as when Fifi asks what is Shirley doing, Babs dryly remarks, "Remember the movie, Carrie?"

In the Test Stress episode segment, Never Too Late To Loon, she demonstrates that she apparently also has the power to change a person's intellect, personality and appearance. When Plucky begs her to give him Einstein's intellect to help him pass a math test, which she adamantly refuses many times, she eventually gives him Einstein's intellect after his constant pestering, but in the end this doesn't help him as she (perhaps deliberately) forgot to mention that when he was a kid, Einstein failed math too. Presumably the effect is only temporary, as Plucky is back to normal in his next appearance.

Shirley is usually sitting in a lotus position, chanting, "OHMMM," while floating several feet above the ground. When the rest of the gang tries in vain to scale a wall, Shirley simply floats over it. Known to answer questions before they're asked, Shirley is not your average toon. Buster thinks Shirley is a hoot. Babs can relate to her; they're both "out there." Fifi believes in Shirley's prophesies, especially when they relate to romance. Monty doesn't believe in Shirley at all.

Trivia

 * In the New Class Day episode segment, Just-Us League of Supertoons, Shirley is a member of the mighty superhero team, the Just-Us League of Supertoons. She plays Hawk Loon, a parody of Hawkgirl.
 * An early design of Shirley (see gallery section) was much different than her final design, but because Steven Spielberg rejected it, Tom Ruegger and crew had to come up with a different design which resulted in Shirley being more similar in appearance to Plucky.

Romance
Shirley is sometimes pursued romantically by both Plucky Duck and Fowlmouth. There's indication that she is more in favor of Plucky, likely due to Fowlmouth's crude behavior and that she and Plucky are better acquainted as well as Plucky being close friends with Babs (one of her best friends). In the episode The Horror of Slumber Party Mountain, the Ouija board Shirley uses reveals that her perfect date is Plucky. Shirley has gone out with Plucky several times and occasionally they are depicted as a couple, whereas in the direct-to-video film, How I Spent My Vacation, she is reluctant to go with Fowlmouth to the movies and only gave in because of his insistence. There are times, however, Plucky shows interest in Shirley, but is rejected by her, mainly due to his ego. Ironically enough, Plucky and Fowlmouth do not appear together in her particular episodes.

Quotes

 * "Ohm what a loon I am... "
 * "Om...Or some junk."

Appearances
Season 1


 * Episode 1: The Looney Beginning -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 4: Test Stress -- Episode segment: Never Too Late to Loon (Main role), Episode segment: To Bleep or not to Bleep (Supporting role)
 * Episode 5: The Buster Bunny Bunch -- Prologue before the episode segment: Buffed Bunny (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Squish (Cameo), Episode segment: Squish (Supporting role), Prologue before the episode segment: Born to be Riled (Cameo), Episode segment: Born to be Riled (Main role), Epilogue after the segment: Born to be Riled (Cameo)
 * Episode 7: Journey to the Center of Acme Acres -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 16: Rock 'N' Roar -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 17: Prom-ise Her Anything -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 19: Cinemaniacs! -- Episode segment: Duck Trek (Minor role)
 * Episode 20: You Asked for It -- Prologue before the episode segment: Debutante Devil (Cameo: A still image is shown), Episode segment: Duck out of Luck (Minor role)
 * Episode 21: Gang Busters -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 22: Citizen Max -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 24: Buster and the Wolverine -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 30: Fields of Honey -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 33: Psychic Fun-omenon Day -- Prologue before the episode segment: Piece of Mind (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Class Cut-Up (Cameo), Episode segment: Class Cut-Up (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Rear Window Pain (Cameo), Episode segment: Rear Window Pain (Supporting role)
 * Episode 35: A Ditch in Time -- (Cameo: A medieval version is shown)
 * Episode 36: Animaniacs! -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 37: Career Oppor-Toon-ities -- Episode segment: Falling to Pizzas (Cameo)
 * Episode 39: Inside Plucky Duck -- Prologue before the episode segment: Bat's All Folks (Cameo: Shown inside a television set in Plucky's mind)
 * Episode 40: The Acme Bowl -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 42: Looniversity Daze -- Episode segment: The Learning Principal (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Eating Between the Lines (Cameo)
 * Episode 43: Best O' Plucky Duck Day -- Episode segment: One Minute Til' Three (Minor role), Episode segment: Sticky Feathers Duck (Minor role)
 * Episode 44: Hero Hamton -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 46: Ask Mr. Popular -- Episode segment: Dapper Diz (Minor role), Prologue before the episode segment: A Pigment of His Imagination (Cameo), Episode segment: A Pigment of His Imagination (Supporting role)
 * Episode 47: Son of Looniversity Daze -- Episode segment: Plucky's Dastardly Deed (Minor role)
 * Episode 48: Mr. Popular's Rules of Cool -- Episode segment: Mr. Popular's Rules of Cool (Minor role), Prologue before the episode segment: Venison Anyone? (Cameo)
 * Episode 52: The Return to the Acme Acres Zone -- Episode segment: Real Kids Don't Eat Broccoli (Cameo: A robot version is shown), Episode segment: Duck Dodgers Jr. (Cameo: A still image is shown)
 * Episode 53: The Acme Home Shopping Show -- Episode segment: Oh, For Art's Sake (Cameo)
 * Episode 54: Weirdest Story Ever Told -- Episode segment: Robin Hare (Minor role)
 * Episode 55: Viewer Mail Day -- Episode segment: Out of Odor (Minor role)
 * Episode 56: Son of the Wacko World of Sports -- Episode segment: Buster at the Bat (Minor role), Episode segment: Acme Acres Summer Olympics (Minor role)
 * Episode 58: You Asked for It Again -- Prologue before the episode segment: Hold the Sugar (Cameo)
 * Episode 59: Brave Tales of Real Rabbits -- Episode segment: Day for Knight (Minor role)
 * Episode 61: New Character Day -- Episode segment: The Return of Pluck Twacy (Supporting role)
 * Episode 62: Here's Hamton -- Prologue before the episode segment: Milk, It Makes a Body Spout (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Drawn and Buttered (Cameo)
 * Episode 64: K-Acme TV -- (Cameo)

Season 2


 * Episode 66: Pledge Week -- Prologue before the episode segment: It's All Relatives (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Lifeguard Lunacy (Cameo), Episode segment: Lifeguard Lunacy (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: The Kite (Cameo)
 * Episode 68: Elephant Issues -- Episode segment: C.L.I.D.E. and Prejudice (Minor role), Episode segment: One Beer (Minor role)
 * Episode 69: Hog Wild Hamton -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 71: Toon Physics -- Episode segment: The Year Book Star (Minor role)
 * Episode 72: Acme Cable TV -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 73: Buster and Babs Go Hawaiian -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 75: Love Disconnection -- Prologue before the episode segment: My Dinner with Elmyra (Cameo), Episode segment: My Dinner with Elmyra (Cameo), Episode segment: The Amazing Three (Main role)
 * Episode 76: Kon Ducki -- Episode segment: The Making of Kon Ducki (Minor role)

Season 3


 * Episode 79: Thirteensomething -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 80: New Class Day -- Episode segment: Just-Us League of Supertoons (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Sound Off (Cameo), Episode segment: Sound Off (Cameo)
 * Episode 88: Buster's Directorial Debut -- Episode segment: Ducklahoma (Minor role)
 * Episode 90: Toon TV -- Music video segment: It's in His Kiss (Minor role), Music video segment: Nothing Comes Close to You (Main role), Music video segment: Toon Out, Toon In (Cameo), Music video segment: Yakety Yak (Cameo: A sill image from the waist up on a poster is shown)
 * Episode 92: Music Day -- Episode segment: The Horn Blows at Lunchtime (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Loon Lake (Cameo: A still image on a poster is shown), Episode segment: Loon Lake (Main role)
 * Episode 93: The Horror of Slumber Party Mountain -- (Main role)
 * Episode 95: Weekday Afternoon Live -- (Cameo: A still image from a previous episode is shown)
 * Episode 96: A Cat's Eye View -- Episode segment: Party Crasher Plucky (Main role)
 * Episode 97: Best of Buster Day -- Episode segment: Compromising Principals (Minor role)
 * Episode 98: It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special -- (Minor role)

Film


 * How I Spent My Vacation -- (Main sub-plot role)

Specials


 * Spring Break Special -- (Minor role)
 * Night Ghoulery -- (Minor role)

Music


 * 1992 Japanese import audio CD of Tiny Toons Sing! -- Song: Tiny Toons Rap (Vocals only), Song: Girls Just Want to Have Fun (Vocals only), Song: The Name Game (Vocals only), Song: Daydream (Vocals only), Song: Where the Boys Are (Vocals only)

Video Games


 * Tiny Toon Adventures for NES: She lets the player choose between having Plucky, Dizzy, or Furrball as Buster's sidekick.
 * Babs' Big Break for Game Boy: She is the player's second helper in the Monty's Mansion level. She is captured by The Wolverine, who threatens to eat her. After you defeat him and rescue her, she will fly to Monty's mansion and break down the door.
 * Tiny Toon Adventures 2: Trouble in Wackyland for NES: She sells the players tickets for points.
 * Buster Busts Loose for SNES: She appears in two bonus rounds. She is the toon with moderate weight that the opponent gets in the Weight Guess game, and she is also one of the characters in Plucky's Bingo Shoot.
 * Acme All-Stars for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive: She is one of 12 playable characters in multiplayer mode. This is the only game she is playable in.
 * Scary Dreams/Buster's Bad Dream for Game Boy Advance: She is one of Buster's seven sidekicks and can temporarily stop time.
 * Shirley's appearances in other Tiny Toon Adventures video games are mostly cameo appearances.

Appearances outside of Tiny Toon Adventures


 * Animaniacs -- Episode 36: Critical Condition (Cameo)

Gallery
Main Article: Shirley the Loon/Gallery

Trivia

 * Her appearances in the Stephen Squirrelsky and Friends' Movie Spoof Travels are Skunkules, Home on the Range, Kermit's Winter Wonderland, and The Little Jungle Boy and will hopefully be in more.