December 15, 2006

"I remember thinking to myself, 'What's the worst thing a gingerbread man can do?'"

Who hasn't wondered?
"The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men" depicts a small gathering at a Nazi rally. Keith McGuckin set up the display in this northeastern Ohio city Thursday night, a day before the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah begins at sundown Friday....

"I remember thinking to myself, 'What's the worst thing a gingerbread man can do?'" he said. "They're just copying things that people have done. There are no hidden messages here."

IN THE COMMENTS: I'm not sure why, but we're talking about "The Addams Family."

22 comments:

Tim said...

It is true there is nothing art cannot trivialize.

I wonder what would happen if he had Gingerbreadwomyn (pc-sic) performing the Vagina Monologues...?

Unknown said...

...and the Lionel Trains run on time.

LOL!

Lou Minatti said...

Professor Althouse,

I know this is off-topic, but I was wondering. Are you an Addams Family person or a Munsters person?

People can be Lennon or McCartney, or white bread vs wheat. Can you tell a lot about a person by their choice of strange b&w 1960s comedies?

I think you are an Addams Family person, Professor Althouse.

reader_iam said...

Weirdly interesting, the lack of response to this post, given everything.

Could just be me, without a doubt.

Ann Althouse said...

Lou: Yeah, definitely Addams Family.

reader_iam said...

Oh--Monsters!--yes:

Morticia, not Lily (though surely we can agree that Yvonne DeCarlo, objectively speaking, has her very fine charms).

Between One thing and another.

Lou Minatti said...

Morticia was smokin' hot. Gomez was a libertarian capitalist and a horndog. They were proud to be different and never made any apologies for offending their uptight neighbors. Plus, they had the coolest relatives of all time.

Herman and Lillian Munster, OTOH. They were embarrassed about being the weirdos on the block. They were no fun, except for crazy old Grandpa.

reader_iam said...

OK, Lou, I had to set up a poll.

I, at least, needed the comic relief.

reader_iam said...

[Regarding your update]

Me, I gotta theory. Or two.

Instead, I went with the comic relief potential. I'd say sorry for the piggy-back, except that 1) I'm not and 2) that wasn't the point.

I only wish I'd thought through my poll (and post) instead of dashing it off in no time flat. I'm feeling like the morning after the night before, where you think "If only I'd [asked]."

Ah, well. All I can say is, my husband just walked in, as is typical on weekend nights, from a band bar gig, and--upon being greeted with the Addams family theme song blaring through the speakers (via AirTunes)--asked:

"OK, which blog are you reading NOW?"

God in heaven, if that's not priceless, I don't know what the hell is.

Good night, y'all ... .

bearbee said...

I went searching for an image of the display. When I first saw it I felt revulsion and then began laughing (sorry) at how cookie-cutter stupid they looked doing their sieg heils, but one of the sites I searched had a sidebar image that brought on just plain revulsion.

Anyway out with all the ugliness and a Happy Chanukah to all.

Paco Wové said...

McGuckin, 50, said the subject is meant to provoke thought, not offend.

"It's supposed to make you think!" Ah, again I discern the rallying cry of Bad Art. As if no one could ever have thought about this before you dispensed your Mighty Artistic Insight unto the people.

Jackass.

Anonymous said...

They're Liberal and kooky,
Conservative and poofty,
They type like they're on roofies,
The Althouse Family.

The blog is a lyceum
Where people come to scre-am
Idea mausoleum
The Althouse Family.

(Meet...)
(Bleat...)
(Repeat!!!111!!!)

So get a squirrel shawl on
A squism you can scrawl on
Cut and paste and bawl on
The Althouse Family.

Ann Althouse said...

Thanks for the lyrics, Sippican.

It's impossible for me to think of "The Munsters" as even serious competition for "The Addams Family." TAF was already on the air when M copied. The main draw of M was, initially, the heavy makeup job on an actor who was already popular from another show ("Car 54"). The whole look of TAF was more fully realized, and the idea had depth, coming from a carefully drawn comics source. TAF had one of the greatest theme songs in TV history, too. Even before you get to the characters, TAF is far ahead of M.

Anonymous said...

Addams Family for me. Even when I was a kid.

(Great lines, Sip!)

reader_iam said...

Plus, it was much easier to parody the Addams Family Theme as a kid:

"The Addams Family started, when... "
***
"S-weet"--I'd forgotten that bit until I watched the clip last night. Now everytime I hear someone say "su-weet" I'm going to think of this theme song.

Anonymous said...

Nazi gingerbread men and the Addams Family. Jesus. Don't you people have anything better to do?

It's a nice Saturday morning in December. Have you done your Christmas shopping? Thought of anything for Uncle Fester yet?

What about those leaves you left in the yard since October? Are you going to rake them, or are compost piles in the front yard a new trend in landscaping? If you spend all your time on this blog crap, your house is going to look like it's ready for the Addams Family.

You'll all wind up looking like the Addams Family, too, spending all that time sitting on your ass in a dark room in front of a computer.

Maybe you should start your own ghoulish TV show. Only problem is you'd be really scary. You'd have to get actors to play you so you'd seem more normal.

Get off your asses and get to work, or are you looking for Morticia's health tips on the internet?

reader_iam said...

Bea, this morning I am:

Keeping an eye on kids practicing their Christmas pageant.

Ordering gifts over the Internet.

Formatting articles for a newsletter as they come in.

Answering phones.

Next up: Get the Christmas tree. Etc.

Ever year of multi-tasking?

Anonymous said...

Bea is obviously projecting his own shortcomings elsewhere in a vain attempt to avoid the truth about himself.

Anonymous said...

Wenn Ich heraushören die Wort Pfefferkuchen, Ich bin bereits erreichend als mein Serviette.

Anonymous said...

"When I hear the word gingerbread, I'm already reaching for my napkin."

Kev said...

Sippican--great song parody! That's the best laugh I've had so far today...

Ron said...

I'm blowing up a model train with a lightbulb in my mouth as we speak!

Is Sullivan the blogospheres' Pugsley? or Lurch? Is Kos Fester?

Who's hairy enough to be Cousin It?

Is Instapundit Thing? (there's a phrase for ya!)

I just don't think the spider dress is Althouses' cuppa!