Mr. Joe’s Really Big Return Of The Street Sharks Press Release

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 13, 2023 
Media Contact: Joe Galliani, Mr. Joe’s Really Big Productions 
(424)275-5528 / mrjoe@mrjoe.com

CREATOR OF STREET SHARKS CELEBRATES MATTEL’S SHARKTACULAR RETURN OF FINTASTIC FAMILY

Mr. Joe’s Really Big and Jawsome 30th Anniversary News Highlights Historic Mattel Roots and Street Sharks Secret Barbie DNA  

Redondo Beach, CA - The surprise news revealed last week that Mattel is bringing back their half/man-half/shark Street Sharks male action line in 2024 for the 30th anniversary of the Fin Force has put frenzied fans into a worldwide sharknado of euphoria. But perhaps no one is having a bigger skarkasam than their original creator, Joe Galliani, president of Mr. Joe’s Really Big Productions.

“I’ve always believed that we Street Sharks can do anything we can dream of,” says Joe. “And so many of us have been dreaming of the day when Mattel brings the Sharks back home where they belong. To have this announced while the Barbie Movie crosses the billion dollar box office line has  me doubly stoked.”

Galliani, who began his career in the toy industry at Mattel in 1985 as an $8-an-hour temp in their Samples Department, literally learned the business from the bottom up where sweeping the basement storeroom was one of his tasks. He began his creative career for Mattel in 1987 when he got a break writing one-minute stories for Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Boglins that kids dialed into by telephone to hear. 

By the late 80s Galliani was being hired to write all of Mattel’s award shows, toy fair scripts for a wide variety of core brands, product videos, executive speeches and presentations, songs for Barbie and musical comedy numbers starring the company’s CEO and top worldwide executives.

“I was lucky enough to go to the University  of Mattel at its height when the most talented people in the toy industry were making history,” says Joe. “Working with people like Jill Barad, John Amerman, Diana Troup, Dave Okada, Tim Kilpin, Kitty Black Perkins, and so many other superstars taught me everything I know, and I had the time of my life being part of that family.”

In addition to his writing and creative work for Mattel, Galliani hosted and emceed in-house events for Mattel’s employees and clients. 

In 1989 when Mattel celebrated Barbie’s 30th anniversary at an employee update presentation hosted by top executives, live reports from Joe, positioned on the Hawthorne headquarters roof, standing next to the giant pink Barbie hot air balloon, were beamed into the show throughout. 

Joe enthusiastically reported that the balloon was visible from San Diego to Malibu and that he could see cars stopping on the freeway below and overhead planes slowing their LAX landings - all to get a better look at the Barbie tribute.

“People started to recognize me as ‘that Barbie guy’ afterwards and I got the nickname  Mr. Barbie.” 

‘I began working with the Barbie marketing teams on fun, in-house songs and skits and dance routines, which was all part of the Mattel culture in those days. They really believed in playing and having fun, and working to be the best, but not taking themselves too seriously. And that fit my persona and skillset like a glove.” 

Galliani worked with Mattel’s domestic and international marketing, design, sales, licensing, promotions, and collectibles departments, learning from each. His client list also expanded to Playmates Toys for whom he wrote package copy for dozens of toys. 

In 1991 Joe wrote the story and dialog for a graphic novel based on Mattel’s man in space from the 60s, Major Matt Mason. That novel “Men from Earth,”  debuted at the ‘91 Comic Con in San Diego where the toy and TV rights were licensed by David Siegel of Street Kids. 

Siegel then hired Joe to create a male action line based on sharks and the Street Sharks were born as Joe created the four lead shark characters, the villains, their storyline, outlines for toys and vehicles and the TV animation series. 

“I created the Street Sharks based on everything I learned at Mattel, especially the fundamental lessons I got about what Mattel was looking for from an outside inventor by writing the annual Outside Inventors Awards Show,” Joe remembers. 
“It was a surreal experience. I’ll never forget when they said ‘yes’ at the pitch meeting. Then getting to collaborate with Mattel in a whole new way as we took our original concept and developed it to work with the extraordinary designs Alton  and the team were creating was exhilarating.”

In 2021 to celebrate his own 30th anniversary of creating the Street Sharks, Galliani unboxed his archived collection of new Street Sharks figures, vehicles and memorabilia. His experiences selling them on mrjoe.com has connected Joe with Street Shark fans from all around the world, with Italy, Mexico, Germany and Australia showing exceptional love for the original Street Sharks.

“The absolute coolest thing about the Street Sharks are the Fin Force Family of boys and girls who played with them, watched the TV show, read the comics and loved them with a fierce passion in the 90s,” concluded Galliani. 

“They are Millennials in their 30s now and I’ve gotten to connect with and know many of them. They are bright, kind and compassionate people who give me hope for a better future. I am honored to share the joy of the Street Sharks triumphant return with them, since they made it happen.”

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