Quick, what’s the fastest-selling DVD release of a TV movie ever?

If you don’t have any tweens in the house, you’ll have no idea.

Boomers may take offense, but "High School Musical," a Disney Channel original movie that first aired in January, is on its way to becoming the pop culture equivalent of the Beatles 1964 appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" - at least among the 8-12 set.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

Buena Vista Home Entertainment’s High School Musical, an original movie that has aired 10 times on the Disney Channel since January, debuted at No. 1 on VideoScan’s First Alert DVD sales chart after selling more than 400,000 units its first day in stores.

In case you haven’t heard, the movie centers around a high school basketaball star and a brainy new girl who break away from their cliques to land leads in the high school play (and fall in love). It isn’t high art, but the message is age-appropriate and the music is catchy. (The CD version has been dominating iTunes for a couple months).

Sure, sure, part of it is just a result of the Disney hype-machine, but these kind of numbers go way beyond mere hype. Something about "High School Musical" struck a chord with pre-teens - both girls and boys, if my anecdotal life evidence is any guide. The themes of fitting in, making new friends and singing and dancing in the high school cafeteria are powerful archtypes for kids who see high school as a mystical Emerald City of Oz.

Now, if you’re waiting for me to bash the phenomenon as tripe because the world isn’t like that, you’ll have a long wait. After all, there’s nothing wrong with 10-year-olds wishing it was.