Sayings on Muppet Shirts

[frogboy4]

I have seen many clever Muppet t-shrits over the years, but one thing bugs me - the writing on them.

I'd be perfectly happy with a simple strong character image, but most of them have some silly or child-like saying on them that weakens their value to me.

Does a Pepe shirt always have to have his name or say Jumbo Shrimp or King Prawn on it? Why can't it just be Pepe? I tend to shy away from labels and writing on clothes and would buy most of these shirts if it didn't have (what I see as) a lame saying on it. Is there anyone out there that feels the same?

 

[Cantus Rock]

You hit the nail directly on the head Jamie.

My main Muppet collections center on three main catagories: Tapes, Posters, and Shirts. My tape collection is unbias (as all things Muppet on tape are good by me), but I really am selective about the items in my shirts and posters areas.

I don't even own most of the parody shirts/posters. I just think they're really goofy. I perfer more classic-type things. Like, I love the McDonalds GMC posters, because they're so vintage-like and really cool. But like the Kermit Klien is just too silly for me. Also, I perfer things that are not time constricted, which most of the goofy posters are. The whole Calvin Klien model was rage in the 90's, but totally falls short now.

For shirts, I like things that are very simple in nature (most of which are rare items as well, which is a double positive). Like my promotional Dr. Teeth shirt. Very plain, picture of the good doctor on the front with "Dr. Teeth" under him in gold. That's it. Very classic, and classy.

For posters I feel the same way to some extent. Simplicity is less of a factor, but the classic aspect is a must. The ones that are classic are also the rarier ones, which again is a good thing for me. I have enough money that I can be a bit frivilous in my spending, and it usually goes to posters.

So to sum up; I agree with you totally Jamie. The classic nature is lost on too many Muppet shirts. One of the only new ones I really like is the latest 25th Ann. shirt, with the core characters in the gold circle and the TMS logo underneath. That is pretty classy. If the Statler and Waldorf balcony shirt didn't have the speech bubbles and comments on the back it would be a TOTAL winner, but being it does have those things it is just an "OK" item. The iron-on-style Dr. Teeth and the EM shirt from WDW is very cool (as most iron-on's are).

-Matt

 

[frogboy4]

We are so on the same page here. I have that same issue with the balcoly shirt too.

I like the parodies for calendars, and the Kermit Clein is kind of cute (although very dated), but all this Animal surfing and whatnot goes over the top. These people could put a good headshot of Animal on a poster and probably sell more of them. In fact, I'd like to see such posters for all the main characters. Just classy new shots of them like the images up in Denny's restaurants, but without the writing.

 

[Super Scooter]

I'd like to see a shirt of Kermit sitting on a log by his pond strumming the banjo. No writing, not alot of colorization, some greens and black outlines. That'd be such a brilliant shirt! You don't need writing, half the population's gonna recognize who it is.

I'd like to see some classic shirts of the Muppets. Doesn't have to be funny, but maybe something that could have sentimental value to someone. Like the shirt I just described, whenever you wear it, wouldn't it make you think of Rainbow Connection? Or even just how much pain Jim Henson musta been in to perform Kermit cramped in a glass case under the water for hours on end???

 

[Electric Mayhem]

The parody shirts were/are great. I've got 3 of 'em myself ("Kermie Hillflipper", "Dogfather", and "Too Manic").

But otherwise, simple IS better!

 

[electricmayhem]

I completely agree. Shirt companies don't seem to understand that less is usually better. That's why I tend to make my own with iron on transfers. I have that complaint with the pins too. They look so nice having a picture of one of the characters but then they have to add some stupid caption like "Oh no you didn't" or "Wazzup" (which is a terrible catch phrase to begin with!).

 

[frogboy4]

It's like, we know that Gonzo is a werdo and that Statler and Waldof say, "Boo!" There's no need to illustrate that point everytime we see the characters. I won't wear most shirts with cheesy text on it, but I would wear a simple T-shirt with Scooter's face on it.

 

[electricmayhem]

Originally posted by frogboy4
It's like, we know that Gonzo is a werdo and that Statler and Waldof say, "Boo!" There's no need to illustrate that point everytime we see the characters. I won't wear most shirts with cheesy text on it, but I would wear a simple T-shirt with Scooter's face on it.

Exactly! I would too. I'd just like to see simple shirts with just the characters or maybe a shot from one of the movies or something like that. None of this trying to make them "trendy" with their "funny" sayings The muppets don't need help being "cool". They do that well enough on their own!

 

[Super Scooter]

I'd like to see a shirt just of Scooter also. Maybe of him holding his clipboard or something. But, really, captions are silly and should remain on shirts made for toddlers.

(well, I do sorta like the SpongeBob SquarePants shirts with the captions, and the ALF shirts with the captions, but they normally make Muppet shirts with captions just stupid or silly. And they're not necessary.)

(missing Cory's complaining about SpongeBob already.)

 

[Manda:-D]

I've always wanted t -shirt w/a head shot of Dr. Teeth w/the words "Welcome to my presence" around him.
I agree, I dislike most of the captions on Muppet t-shirts. If they HAD tyo have captions, I wish it woyld be some kind of quote from the character, or something.