Super Bowl Smiles Turn to Tears for Too Tall Girls

Twenty girls looking forward to performing in the Super Bowl halftime show with the New Kids on the Block had their smiles turned to tears when they were told they were too tall for the show.

The girls, all Girl Scouts from Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Hernando counties, were excused at the last minute because they were taller than the 4-foot-11 maximum, said Wendy Abraham, cast and rehearsal coordinator for the show.

Abraham works for the Creative Entertainment division of Walt Disney World. The division is in charge of the halftime show for Super Bowl XXV on Jan. 27 in Tampa. The performance will feature the popular teen singing group New Kids on the Block and 1,600 local children.

Apparently, the Suncoast Girl Scout Council lost a Sept. 19 letter from Disney that outlined the height requirement, said Ann McWhinney, the council’s executive director.