My Lion King Forum

Notice: Here's a link to the Zazu Article @ The Lion King Wiki. -- The Staff

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My personal favorite. Thoughts?

Um I thought Zazu was an okay character in the first movie but he was kinda like cannon fodder for all the other characters and he could get annoying sometimes.

Well, all comedic characters are either hysterical or annoying, depending on the person watching. I though Zazu was hilarious, and the hyenas a bit on the obnoxious side, but that's just me.

I really like some of the witty lines Zazu has, both in the movie and especially on broadway. Zazu's comments about Scar are hilarious in the movie. On broadway, when Zazu's in prison he comes up with amazingly sarcastic but still technically "nice" responses to Scar's pity party, such as
SCAR: Here I am at the pinnacle, but the view is bleak. What's wrong with this picture?
ZAZU: You're in it?

Also, Zazu interacts with EVERY character in the movie, with the exceptions of Rafiki and Pumbaa. Zazu bridges (albeit unsuccessfully) the generation gap between Mufasa and Simba, he bridges the hostility Scar has for Mufasa with his sarcasm, and he even interacts with the hyenas quite a bit.

Not to mention, impersonating Zazu is oh so fun.

haha yes, I find myself laughing at a lot of Zazu's lines. He speaks few words, but each are carefully chosen to bring a smile to my face. I especially like his 'morning report' in the original release of TLK (not the song). The puns are great

That song is full of laughs if you take the time to try and understand what he's saying. Or you could just read these lyrics :] These are from the Musical, but the lyrics are very similar.

Chimps are going ape, giraffes remain above it all
Elephants remember, though just what I can't recall
Crocodiles are snapping up fresh offers from the banks
Showed interest in my nest egg but I quickly said "No thanks!"
We haven't paid the hornbills and the vultures have a hunch
Not everyone invited will be coming back for lunch

This is the morning report
Gives you the long and the short
Every grunt, roar, and snort
Not a tale I distort
On the morning report

The buffalo have got a beef
About this season's grass
Warthogs have been thwarted
In attempts to save their gas
Flamingoes in the pink and
Chasing secretary birds
Saffron is this season's color
Seen in all the herds
Moving down the rank and file

To near the bottom rung
Far too many beetles are
Quite frankly in the dung

Ehh...I still dont like the song too much. Seems a little out of place

It seems out of place in the movie, but not in the musical. In the musical, there's actually quite a substantial introduction that makes a whole lot more sense. It goes like this:

ZAZU: It's an honour and a privilege
A duty I perform
With due sense of decorum and with pride.
With deference and great respect
Very much the norm,
Plus a hint of sycophancy on the side.

To lay before my ruler
All the facts about his realm;
To fill him in on all the beastly news...

MUFASA (spoken): Yes, yes Zazu, get on with it!

ZAZU (double time): In order that his majesty
Stands sturdy at the helm
Aware of all the fauna's latest views.

MUFASA (irritated): ZAZU!! The morning report?

ZAZU: Er, yes sire, the morning report.

And, there's also better lead in dialogue, but I can't remember any of it after only seeing the musical once.

LOL, it's funnier than the movie. I really gotta see the musical some day.

I'll always like the theatrical version best, but the Musical did a good job building it up before the song actually began. I'll have to put that song on the playlist (although I know it borders legalities...)

Zazu is cute, he is a charming (though sometimes annoying) character.