Suzanne Muldowney
Encyclopedia
Suzanne Muldowney is a performance artist best known for her appearances on The Howard Stern Show to discuss and perform her dance interpretation of the cartoon character Underdog.
s. Basically I do movements that best portray Underdog. I try to do him more refined and sophisticated than the original character was."
In 1987, Muldowney began appearing in seasonal parades up and down the East Coast. Though her most famous dance interpretation is of Underdog, she has also portrayed Dracula
, Catwoman
and Supergirl
, along with self-created characters such as Shelley the South Jersey Shore Mermaid, Irish Cinderella, and Spectrum the Ghost King. She sews all her own costumes, which are known for their exacting detail and elaborate ornamentation. For example, the interior of her Underdog cape is lined with streaks of silver, representing the streaks of light trailing behind the animated Underdog.
Muldowney made several appearances on Howard Stern
's radio and television shows throughout the 1990s. A serious performer, she regrets her association with the program because of Stern's lewd jokes, and has called him her "nemesis". In 2006 she appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live
to demonstrate a new form of dancing she called "figure jogging".
In 2006 the documentary My Life as an Underdog was released by director Boris Gavrilovic.
Muldowney has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome
.
History
A longtime resident of New Jersey, Muldowney studied ballet as a child, and began performing interpretive dances of fictional characters in 1976. By 1980, she was appearing at costume contests at science fiction conventions. It was during this time that Muldowney started performing as the cartoon superhero Underdog. She has explained in an interview, "I try to do certain movements that simulate flight and heroism. I'll make like I'm flying by doing leaps and other things. I also will do some camel spinCamel spin
A camel spin, also known in Europe as a parallel spin, is one of the three basic figure skating spins, along with the sit spin and upright spin...
s. Basically I do movements that best portray Underdog. I try to do him more refined and sophisticated than the original character was."
In 1987, Muldowney began appearing in seasonal parades up and down the East Coast. Though her most famous dance interpretation is of Underdog, she has also portrayed Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
, Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
and Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
, along with self-created characters such as Shelley the South Jersey Shore Mermaid, Irish Cinderella, and Spectrum the Ghost King. She sews all her own costumes, which are known for their exacting detail and elaborate ornamentation. For example, the interior of her Underdog cape is lined with streaks of silver, representing the streaks of light trailing behind the animated Underdog.
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
's radio and television shows throughout the 1990s. A serious performer, she regrets her association with the program because of Stern's lewd jokes, and has called him her "nemesis". In 2006 she appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
to demonstrate a new form of dancing she called "figure jogging".
In 2006 the documentary My Life as an Underdog was released by director Boris Gavrilovic.
Muldowney has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome
Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...
.