Verne Troyer Deserves A Little More Recognition in Centreville

If you ask me, the Austin Powers movies didn't really get "good" until the second one. And yes, I realize there were only three made, but there's one little reason I think both "Spy who Shagged Me" and "Goldmember" were the best... and that's Mini-Me.

Verne Troyer, the actor who played Mini-Me, added so much to the "oddity" in those movies. Really, despite his small stature, he added something BIG to everything he was in. He's also in one of my all-time favorite, guilty pleasure movies - "Bubble Boy" - as Dr. Phreak.

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So why, then, as a well-known, international celebrity, is he not properly honored in his hometown of Centreville, Michigan?

I looked into the life of Verne before he got famous, and it's actually really interesting what he went through. He was born in 1969, into an Amish Community, and his parents left the farm when he was very young. But, that didn't stop him from growing up.... or... rather... getting older... in the same Amish community.

"My Parents never treated me any different than my other average-sized siblings. I used to have to carry wood, feed the cows and pigs and farm animals."

Troyer graduated from Centreville High School in 1987, then moved on to acting shortly after that. His first gig was as a stunt double for "Baby Bink" in "Baby's Day Out" in 1994. From there, he got pretty regular work, appearing in about 30 movies, a couple dozen TV shows. In fact, he appeared posthumously in three films after his death in 2018.

So his life and career were pretty amazing for only living to the age of 49... and yet... all he has to show for it in Centreville (at least, that I can find), is a plaque dedicated to him, at Centreville High School, in 2003.

I can't go visit that!

The only way you're gonna see that plaque is if you're a student or teacher in the school. Even if security wasn't a factor, it's still weird that a 30-something single guy with a beard just shows up to a high school, randomly, to look at a plaque for Verne Troyer.

I could go visit his grave up the road, but that's kinda morbid, don't ya think? I wanna see recognition of him in a community where he thrived, not in a sad somber field full of headstones.

SO, I petition to the community of Centreville, give me, and other fans of Troyer, a small way to remember him in your community, and I recommend... a statue.

Right off the intersection of Main and Clark, out in front of the St. Joseph Courthouse... it's a great, beautiful place to honor their hometown celebrity. AND, since he had dwarfism, if you made it life-sized... it wouldn't cost as much as a typical statue dedication.

Put him in the mini-me suit from Austin Powers, pinky up, on a short little pedestal (maybe the chair from Austin Powers: Goldmember?)...

... it's perfect. I'd go visit that, and I'd make the trip again any time someone visits me. Then cross the street to The Local for a drink and some pizza.

And I want to make this perfectly clear, I'm not being tongue-and-cheek about this. I'm not trying to be funny, even though this is written a little light-heartedly... I'm serious. I would LOVE a place in Centreville where I could pay homage to a great character actor - one who was so memorable in many of my favorite movies.

So I petition, to the village of Centreville, honor one of my favorite little celebrities in a way I can properly pay tribute. Build a statue for Verne Troyer. The man deserves it.