Taco Bell Chihuahua: Where is she now?

I can't believe I am actually participating in this challenge. I hope I can make it all the way through. I'm going to need lots of Red Bull. My theme for this challenge is fictional characters including but not limited to cartoons, tv shows, video games, movies, books, etc. Now let's have some fun.


I, PTM, have commandeered the show Inside the Actor's Studio hosted by James Lipton for the A to Z challenge. James is safely being held prisoner until May. He will get plenty of food and water, no need to call the cops. For the month of April, I am renaming his show to Inside the Fictional Character's Studio.

Taco Bell used the Chihuahua in their advertisements from 1997 to 2001. You might have wondered why they stopped if every one loved that dog. I am hear to give you the inside scoop. If you have researched it on your own, you might have read it was due to some lawsuit. Well that is what the corporate big wigs want you to think. I have the truth behind the disappearance of the dog in the commercials.

Gidget is her real name. One day she went for a walk back in 2001 and some old lady snatched her up thinking she was one of her missing cats. After her disappearance the Taco Bell people got worried. They searched for her for about a week and then gave up. They didn't want to get any bad publicity so they just started running new commercials and didn't explain why. After awhile people forgot about the Taco Bell Chihuahua and the company was in the clear.

Meanwhile Gidget was trapped in this old lady's house. This old lady was convinced that Gidget was one of her missing cats. Gidget was forced to use a litter box and was fed cat food. When Gidget would bark, she was smacked so she had to learn how to meow. The old lady had other small dogs that she treated like cats. The other dogs told Gidget that there was no way out, that they have been there for years. She was held prisoner for 7 years and had convinced herself that she was a cat. In early 2009 the old lady croaked but with no family or friends nobody knew about it for months. Eventually the animals ran out of food and were forced to 'kill or be killed'. During a fight with a Yorkie, Gidget suffered a stroke and died. She will be missed and I hope this gets out and people know the real story.

PTM: I am being interviewed by Hart over at Confessions of a Watery Tart today.