11/25/2004 Entry: "The 1987 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!"

Just in the nick of time, here's a look back at the 1987 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I was actually at this one live, but my best memories of it are being painfully cold and poorly dressed. Though not as jam-packed with strange cool shit as some of the previous parades I've reviewed, this one isn't without its charms: California Raisins, Marvel Comics, Clifton Davis, need I, say more? Two page review with an additional two page look at many of the commercials that aired during the parade, along with dozens of video clips. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving, all! I'm off to stuff mushroom and sleep.

Chestnuts roasted by Mike Fireball @ 11/25/2004 02:18 AM EST

Is it just me, or is the flyer that's being used for wallpaper behind the parade review advertising "Turkey Breasat"? What the heck is a "Breasat"?

Chestnuts roasted by yougotrealugly @ 11/25/2004 02:20 AM EST

The Commercials are the best thing on this amazing site...keep them coming dude...the whole site rocks...good thanksgiving all!

Chestnuts roasted by Jeff @ 11/25/2004 04:10 AM EST

I know for sure I watched the 1987 parade. I bet I was begging my dad to buy me all the toys I saw in the commercials. Those ads are good stuff. I miss the old Snuggle the new one is too smug. Too bad Mc Donalds doesn't show the food like that anymore. The Tyco cliffhangers ad made me think about watching Fun House they always seemed to show that commerical a lot.

Chestnuts roasted by pikachulover @ 11/25/2004 04:56 AM EST

Every May, I feel a little twinge of sadness for what might have been. I know it's going to be especially sucky this year in particular; I'll just be pooting along attending to my duties as a human, when suddenly I'll remember that it's May, and I'll say to myself,

"Aw, shit... Jim Henson's been dead for fifteen years."
I might start to cry, too.

But... this is a far better feeling I get, watching him receive his Major Award for balloon antics. I always loved seeing him and Kermit perform side by side, as it were; Jim never made an attempt to hide moving his lips, and he didn't need to, because Kermit has his own stage presence. He may have been doing the voice, but Jim was still just watching as Kermit stole the show, and loving every minute of it.

I wish I could have seen this in 1987, but perhaps it's better that it was saved for this year. Thank you so much, Matt.

Chestnuts roasted by G'Tron @ 11/25/2004 06:49 AM EST

Great article Matt!
Happy U.S. Turkey Day to all of you!

Chestnuts roasted by Croww @ 11/25/2004 07:00 AM EST

DAMN!!! i thought i would be first...it said no comments Oh well...great to see this again, i remember playing with my crappy HESS truck(from the xmas before),while my friends downsairs brought there awesome RC corvette upstairs...they made fun of me merciallisly.....i hate HESS trucks...i still get them every year for christmas.....but i love Macy day parades!!! Even though as an adult they suck. Anyways 9 hours for the tryptophyne to kick in! Enjoy your Thanksgivings!!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Ralph @ 11/25/2004 08:37 AM EST

I know Matt said he was going to post a Stuffed Mushroom recipe, but I just came across one and thought I'd share it. We can compare. :-)

Prep: 15 minutes Total: 35 minutes

2 C stove top stuffing mix for chicken
1 C hot water
16 large mushrooms (about 1 lb)
3 TBSP butter or margarine
1/2 small green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small red pepper, finely chopped
2 TBSP butter or margarine, melted

Preheat broiler. Mix stuffing mix and hot water in medium bowl; cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove stems from mushrooms; chop stems. cook and stir mushroom caps in 3 TBSP butter/margarine in large skillet until lightly browned. Arrange in shallow baking dish. Add stems and peppers to skillet; cook and stir until tender. Stir into stuffing. Spoon into mushroom caps; drizzle w/ 2 TBSP melted butter. Broil 5-7 inches from heat for 5 mminutes or until heated through. Makes 8 servings, 2 mushrooms each.

I don't know. Thanksgiving is bringing out the cook-from-scratch homemaker in me. I'm kinda scared.

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 11/25/2004 08:58 AM EST

Oh, yeah. Happy Giant Ape Juice Day!

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 11/25/2004 08:59 AM EST

The article was short, but it was worth it just for the 102-year-old Russian lady and, of course, the Marvel float. If I was nine again (which would have been in 1992), I would have been freaking out, especially since WOLVERINE was on the float (although he's getting his ass kicked by frickin' Enchantress). By the way, why the heck was Robocop on the Marvel comics float? "Prime Directive: Make random appearance on somewhat awesome yet crappily choreographed Marvel comics float with Power Man." But seriously, anyone who likes Marvel comics had to be happy with the assortment of heroes and villains on that float. Man, I'm having a wet-dream thinking about the possibility of Macy's combining the Marvel float with the MOTU float.

Chestnuts roasted by Darth Monkey @ 11/25/2004 09:33 AM EST

Loved the article, up until you said you would rather have your own snuggle bear than your own Gizmo. WTF? I thought I knew you. You're dead to me now

Chestnuts roasted by Julie @ 11/25/2004 09:39 AM EST

Don't worry, Julie. I was lying.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 11/25/2004 10:23 AM EST

Proof that the Snuggle Bear is, in fact, one of the most terrifying white stuffed bears ever to set foot in your washing machine: http://www.exquisitedeadguy.50megs.com/snuggle.html

Matt, I was seriously questioning your sanity when I read that blurb. I feel the need to bleach my brain of the memory of it all.

Oh, yeah. Why does the big puppet of Charlie Brown have plastered down bangs? I don't ever remember the Chuckster sporting the Bryl cream sassy hairstyles of the 50's. Also, when did he get that cap?

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 11/25/2004 10:46 AM EST

Thanks again Matt. Last year the Macy's parade articles were what caught my attention, and I've been coming back ever since. This new article makes me think back to that wonderful day one year ago, when I discovered this site. Can't wait for next year's 'Alf-parade'.

One question though, Matt: these reports are from the 80's, when rock 'n wrestling was big. But I don't see any wrestlers involved in the parades. Was WWF/Hogan ever involved in the parade?

Chestnuts roasted by Sjoerd @ 11/25/2004 10:50 AM EST

I have not seen any WWF/E appearances in the parades I have, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 11/25/2004 10:52 AM EST

Great article once again Matt. It was well worth the month wait to see this funny piece. Just wish those flash ads wouldn't interrupt the download of the images (on 56k sadly), because I have to use another browser to look at the page.

Cursed Sony Walkman.

Chestnuts roasted by Rirse @ 11/25/2004 10:57 AM EST

(like a girl) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! CLLLOOOOWWWWWNNNSSSS!!!!!

OK. Now that I've goten that out of the way and finished the parade portion of the article, it's time for a word from our sponsor. But first I need to get some breakfast. Nate will be right back after this complete breakfast and these messages.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/25/2004 11:05 AM EST

Yea 32nd responce!

9:46am and I see Spongebob Squarepants looks even creepier as a giant balloon then he does as a cartoon.
I remember one of the last years they dragged the rapidly disintigrating Superman balloon down the parade his left wrist was completly deflated, leading David Letterman and Johnny Carson to both make 'limp wrist' jokes Mr Roper would have been proud of.

Chestnuts roasted by Garrison @ 11/25/2004 11:16 AM EST

Great article Matt, Happy Thanksgiving to all, and I too have no clue what Robocop was doing on that float. God bless the cameo!

Chestnuts roasted by Shonuf1 @ 11/25/2004 11:26 AM EST

Matt, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to write this article; it really means a lot to me and everyone else here.

Good luck with the job!

Chestnuts roasted by Scorn the Terrible @ 11/25/2004 12:22 PM EST

OH MY GAWD, the kid in the Mrs. Hatcher commercial looks just like ET. Freak!

Chestnuts roasted by Zorbs @ 11/25/2004 12:35 PM EST

I think those scary molester peanuts characters may perhaps be scarier than the treehouse trolls, either way i'm shakin in my boots...

-kevin

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 11/25/2004 12:59 PM EST

I'm positive WWF was at one of the parades back in the 90s...I remember Bret Hart, Razor Ramon, Paul Bearer and a smiling Undertaker along with a few other wrestlers being on a float. They didn't do any kind of skit though, they just waved.

Chestnuts roasted by three @ 11/25/2004 01:27 PM EST

Nicely done article Matt. I agree with Garrison that the Spongebob's ballon is kind of creepy, but it not as scary as Al Roper say that he going to watch Garfield the movie after seeing the ballon :0 Also, doesn't it, from an angle, Captain America is hugging Hulk than pushing off the edge?

Chestnuts roasted by Beta-Theta @ 11/25/2004 01:57 PM EST

I believe WWF had a float as well in 2001 and 2002. Had HHH, Trish Stratus, the McMahon family on a float built as a ring.

Chestnuts roasted by .... @ 11/25/2004 02:02 PM EST

The fact that Luke Cage is on the Marvel float is cool and all, but why the hell is Robocop there? Look when Cap tells Cage to "clean up", tell me that isn't Robocop who pokes his head out!

Chestnuts roasted by StreetShaman @ 11/25/2004 02:16 PM EST

guys guys GUYS!!!! Im from the uk, but even i rember seeing the Robocop Cartoon from 1987 and the toyline. still have some. Belive the show was Robocop and the Ultra Police. Made by Sunbow and Marvel productions if memory serves me correctly.

plus marvel did loads of robocop comics and specials too.

Happy turkey day. man, why dont we have a turkey day or something like wise over here...

Chestnuts roasted by Soapdish @ 11/25/2004 02:33 PM EST

OK, I'm back, but it wasn't just after my breakfast, OR those messages. It was also after a shower AND a boring-assed class.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/25/2004 02:49 PM EST

Wait a minute. I SO rememember that whole house-graphic thing from Our House. Yep, good all Wilford Brimley wqas movin' faster than the speed of light, which further proves my theory that god ol' Mr. Brimley is one of them superheroes!

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/25/2004 02:51 PM EST

Umm...is Wilford Brimley still alive?

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/25/2004 02:52 PM EST

I've seen Wilford Brimley doing diabetes commercials, so I think he's still around.

Anyone remember him from "The Thing" where he went nuts and smashed up the communications room? "I'lll KIIIILLLLLL YOU!!!" That was awesome!

Chestnuts roasted by Number5 @ 11/25/2004 03:55 PM EST

Great article as always, Matt. Loved the California Raisens appearnce. God, those looked creepy. I must ask again where you found all these parade tapes. Ebay, yard sales, what? Did you find them all at once or over the years?

As for this year's parade, it wasn't half bad. The first hour was horrible though. It kept switching from Broadway musical to Al Roker interviewing celebrities from shows I don't watch. No balloons, no floats, just Broadway/Roker.

Once it picked up, though, it was fine. The balloons were impressive, as usual. Kermit looked great, as did Charlie Brown and Mr. Pennyworths (though they kept calling him Mr. Monopoly). The Big Bird balloon had those annoying feather bits hanging over his eyes, which was distracting. And shouldn't Pikachu have retired by now. Oh, and the Garfield balloon is still fashioned after the cartoon as opposed to the movie. That's good.

That chick who played Barbie on the "The Princess and the Pauper" float... worst lip synch I've ever seen. The people operating the Sesame Street Muppets weren't doing good either. Oscar's mouth started moving half way through his bit on the song.

Otherwise, fine parade. Fine.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 11/25/2004 05:00 PM EST

God, that Barbie float. *shudders*

This is something I could easily see being made fun of on another nostalgia site, years from now.

They really need to stop with those damn barbie movies, that's all I have to say.

Chestnuts roasted by Number 5 @ 11/25/2004 05:07 PM EST

Mr. Mr. Mr., they officially changed his name to Mr. Monopoly a few years back. And I think I remember Matt mentioning that he'd picked up a tape with several parades on it.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 11/25/2004 05:24 PM EST

Call me a traditionalist, but I think Rich Uncle Pennybags is a more interesting name than Mr Monopoly. What's next? Are they going to change the victim in Clue from Mr Boddy to Mr Clue?

Chestnuts roasted by Garrison @ 11/25/2004 05:29 PM EST

(drunk) I agree, Mr. G. The Moneybags name had a lot of history behind it. "Mr. Monopoly" sounds like what someone from, I dunno, Eurasia who'd never played the game would call the little metal piece he/she drew out of the box. Okay back to (drunk).

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 11/25/2004 05:32 PM EST

On second glance, I'm pretty sure that gorilla with a bra and the guy next to it are supposed to be from Cabaret.

Nothing says Thanksgiving more than a musical about sex and Nazis.

Chestnuts roasted by Gavok @ 11/25/2004 05:48 PM EST

I agree that the barbie Float/song were the most atrocious things I have seen in recent years. Ughh...

Chestnuts roasted by Cameron T. @ 11/25/2004 06:09 PM EST

i have an inflatable baby shamu thats like 6 feet long, its looks exactly like one in the parade except with handles attached to its head

Chestnuts roasted by Diarrhea Dave @ 11/25/2004 06:18 PM EST

New topic...what's everyone's alltime favorite Macy's balloon? I think Matt has said his was Garfield (version 1. Even though I'm too young to have seen it first run, or even in syndication,
I always liked the Underdog balloon. I think it represents a time for me when the balloons were made because they were good characters and not just an advertisement for " the Movie", coming to theatres this Winter.

Also another bit of bizareness in the Kermit clip...Casper and Richie Rich marching side by side...proving once and for all that Casper is NOT the ghost of Richie after he got crushed under a fresh truckload of thousand dollar bills.

Chestnuts roasted by Garrison @ 11/25/2004 06:56 PM EST

I'd have to say Snoopy's my personal favorite. Garfield's a close second, though.

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 11/25/2004 06:58 PM EST

Matt next thnaksgiving i need you to do an article on the 1988 and 89 thanksgiving parade's. Beacuse there were commercials i remember and there was something about Roger Rabbit in either one of those two parades.

Think you can do that next year. If it 's not too much trouble? I want to see them and the commercials that aired. The years were different and so were the commercials. Just make a note of that for next year. I'll keep my fingers crossed. if you do i hope you really do that!

Chestnuts roasted by Kevin @ 11/25/2004 07:17 PM EST

Ahh.. the old days where I watched the Thanksgiving Day parades every year... I miss it.

Though that Marvel float bit? That was so awful I simply couldn't finish watching it. Im not sure if it was the cheese or the Back to the Future music, but I couldn't take anymore of it...

Chestnuts roasted by Bloodcat @ 11/25/2004 07:23 PM EST

Wow,the parade today doesn't even come close to the parades of the 80's & 90's. Back then the floats were mostly about...toys.Now there are 1 or 2 floats. Plus not even 1 toy commercial on the parade. Wow,I've really miss the days when the battleground for toy companies was the Macy's parade.

I also want to see the 88 and 89 parade next year,if it's possible.

Chestnuts roasted by Stargunner @ 11/25/2004 07:23 PM EST

Matt - thanks for the memories. Once again, you have produced the kind of content that makes this the best 'nostalgia' site on the internet. The comercials are what do it for me - I was 11 in 1987 and I remember all those the comercials - I can't say I ever wanted an Atari XE though! NES forever, baby!

Chestnuts roasted by Jason @ 11/25/2004 07:24 PM EST

I can't believe the marvel float used the BTTF theme! That had to of confused the people watching it!

Chestnuts roasted by Oobie-Doobie-Kenoobi @ 11/25/2004 07:48 PM EST

Thanks, Matt, now I'll giggle hard when I hear the theme from "A Different World" now.
Best improv of theme lyrics ever.

Chestnuts roasted by AngeFaitore @ 11/25/2004 08:24 PM EST

Yeah,Robocop appeared on the Marvel float becuase his cartoon was made by the animation division Marvel had at the time.

I wouldn't be suprised if the reason there aren't any more toy-based floats in the Macy's parade becuase some people were tired of it being turned into a huge toy commercial. Thus,no Bratz floats or anything like that in recent years. Just a hunch.

Chestnuts roasted by Overlord @ 11/25/2004 09:04 PM EST

My take on the Macy's parade, not any specific one just in general.

Chestnuts roasted by Jason @ 11/25/2004 09:42 PM EST

Most Macy's balloons and floats are bought corporate space now, and that's why 75% of them are based on characters no one has heard of until that point. It's never been more blatantly obvious, with this year's features of the Barbie song coincidentally based on the new video, and a Tutenstein float(you watch Tutenstein, right? Right? though we got to hear "walk like an Egyptian" again, which was cool). Ditto with the musical guests hired. I have a feeling the record companies paid to get them in, not the other way around. "And on this float is teen singing sensation TODD ZAKEIFQJA!!" Oh wow, it's really HIM!

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 11/25/2004 09:46 PM EST

First of all, happy Thanksgiving Day to all American bloggers (and belated Thankgiving to the Canadians). Like last year, I hope everyone else still had as much fun with these parade reviews as I did.

I'm afraid the Marvel Comics float wouldn't have been impressive to me in '87 (when I would have been about 8) or now. I'm more of a DC Comics person - seeing Superman made me happier. Being a girl, Barbie and the Cabbies were also interesting, and the Peanuts float ranks as a "nice try," even if I agree that the suits came out scary.

The only commercials mentioned that I remember are the sentimental McDs classics, especially the one involving the teacher. Yes, I cried at it. I've always been a fool for sentiment.

I may have seen bits and pieces of this in passing, but as a kid, I also swore by the Philly parade. As I live in Southern New Jersey, they made more use of familiar local personalities and it just made more sense to support your local Boscov's. The Philly parades haven't been nearly as fun in the past decade, though, hense my switch to the Macy's parade.

Oh, yes, and I DID actually get to see most of the parade this year. There were some nifty floats, especially the two that revolved around animals, but I agree with Matt that the "Barbie's Princess and the Pauper" number was excruciating. Overall, I had far more fun this Thanksgiving than last year - my brother and I just spent the afternoon between parade and dinner playing Nintendo Game Cube.

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 11/25/2004 09:55 PM EST

Nice. Very nice.

Chestnuts roasted by Dixon Deeper @ 11/25/2004 10:07 PM EST

Was I hallucinating, or did John (Cougar) Mellencamp sing during one of the football games halftimes? I swear I saw his snubbed nose and floppy brow. The tv sound wasn't on, so I have no idea if it was actually him by hearing his singing voice.

But, i gotta say, watching football w/ the sound turned off is a lot better than watching Bill Gaither and the Gaitherettes sing non-secular music in accapello for the 9th year in a row.

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 11/25/2004 10:37 PM EST

You're damn right it was cold, I was in Arizona for Thanksgiving in 87 and it fuggin' SNOWED. Unless someone was playing a rather elaborate joke on me.

Chestnuts roasted by EvilTheMime @ 11/26/2004 12:29 AM EST

Another great parade article and another great batch of commercials.

Damn, the Atari XE Flight Simulator II, from back in the era when the series was being produced by a company called SubLogic (before Bruce Artwick gave the copyright to Microsoft for Flight Simulator 3.0), sucked, and I don't mean compared to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, or, for that matter, even, say, MSFS 4.0, I mean compared to the PC version of FS II. I mean, okay, the PC version only had undetailed outlines of the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center and maybe the Chrysler Building for all of Manhattan back then too, but it was running a couple of frames a second. What's that frame rate on the XE... 1 frame every 2 seconds?

I'm a little disturbed by that McDonald's commercial... the bit when everyone raises their hands looks kinda like the zombie hands on the posters for Shaun of the Dead.

And it seems that Pierce Brosnan's agents were already beginning to prime him to play Bond eight years before Goldeneye hit theatre screens.

By the way, even though I'm Canadian and, to me, Thanksgiving was a month and a half ago, I actually did watch most of this year's Macy parade, with the main coverage on NBC and the alternate coverage (with Broadway show tunes!) on CBS, usually switching to the show tunes every time NBC had one of those abhorrently wholesome pop acts pop up, which seemed like every two minutes or so this year. They also had a puppet from Avenue Q, the adult Sesame Street spoof, but they didn't perform any of the great songs like "The Internet is for Porn", for some reason. And they had the Kermit balloon this year too, but no Jim Henson. :'( I appreciated seeing the 1987 footage of him.

Chestnuts roasted by Steve Brandon @ 11/26/2004 12:41 AM EST

Turkey Fact #12:
Turkeys are filled with enough L-tryptophan to knock you on your sorry
Thanksgiving ass.

Chestnuts roasted by Luap @ 11/26/2004 01:33 AM EST

A selection from The Hooples' Horrible Holiday, by Stephen Manes, copyright Avon Camelot, 1986:

Annie piped down and turned toward the screen, where floats and balloons and bands and majorettes were marching along. Not-so-famous television stars described the action as if nothing so important, astonishing, and amazing had ever taken place in the history of the universe.
Then came some singers. "Hey, they're not really singing!" Annie cried. "They're just moving their mouths!"
"That's for sure," said Alvin. The singers were so phony, so obvious about mouthing the words to something they'd recorded long before, that even a two-year-old would have noticed. It wasn't even in sync. "Look at that guy. Words are coming out of his mouth even when it's closed. Next thing you know the balloons will start singing."
The big helium-filled balloons of cartoon characters didn't sing, which was probably just as well. But the commmercial jingles more than made up for them. There were ads for candy and cereals like the ones on the weekend-morning shows. But mostly there were toy commercials.
It seemed to Alvin that three minutes couldn't go by without a bunch of commercials for a bunch of new toys or new accessories for old toys. Even with the remote control, he couldn't change channels to avoid them, because all three stations ran their commercials at the same time. There were commercials for dolls, there were commercials for toy cars, there were commercials for robots, and there were commercials for games. And Annie claimed she wanted every single thing she saw.
"You don't want a dump truck that can run over other dump trucks," said Alvin.
"Yes, I do," said Annie.
"You don't want a stuffed pig that comes with its own birth certificate," said Alvin.
"Yes, I do," said Annie.
It didn't matter what it was: Annie said she wanted it, and that was that. Alvin remembered when he was Annie's age and wanted everything, too. He wondered how his parents could have stood it.
"That's what I want most of all!" Annie cried, pointing to one of the little pictures in the corner of the screen. "Change the channel!"
"Don't be silly, Annie."
"Change it!" she shrieked in a voice so loud it made Gramps stick his nose in the door and say, "Simmer down in there."
Alvin changed the channel, but he knew what he was going to hear. The one toy Annie wanted most in the whole world, next to a Carly Cutie doll, was a FuzzBot. It was a giant stuffed robot that could turn into half a dozen different kinds of furry animals. Alvin thought it was the stupidest toy he'd ever seen. And by now he knew the jingle by heart, since Annie had heard it on all the Saturday-morning cartoon shows for weeks and sang it almost every chance she got.

FuzzBots are tough with a hide of fur,
FuzzBots are fun for him and for her.
FuzzBots can be anything you please,
FuzzBots are lots of fun to squeeze.
FuzzBots are cute,
FuzzBots are hot,
So get yourself
Your own FuzzBot.

"FuzzBots by ToyBotics," said the announcer. "Clothes and accessories sold separately."
"That's my favorite toy in the whole world," said Annie.
"That's the dumbest toy in the whole world," said Alvin. "Who ever heard of a fuzzy robot? It's just stupid, that's all."
"It certainly is," said a silly voice at the door.
"Is not," said Annie.
She and Alvin turned toward the voice. It was coming from a tall grown-up in a curly green wig, a big plastic nose, a bushy fake moustache and eyebrows, and glasses with windshield wipers on them. There was snow all over this person's fur coat. "It is too stupid," the comical figure said, "and I should know."

--

To read more of this classic story of 1980s Thanksgivings, you can buy the book!

Chestnuts roasted by G'Tron @ 11/26/2004 02:16 AM EST

I thought the Barbie Princess and the Pauper float was pretty bad. And there was way too much Raven. She was in the parade and then she was doing some kind of half-time segemnt on the CBS game. There were hardly any toy Commercials on and the ones that were on were mostly for preschool toys. Did they retire the Cheeros bee,Arthur, and Snoopy ballons?

Chestnuts roasted by pikachulover @ 11/26/2004 02:36 AM EST

Happy Thanksgiving.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/OhGodtheRats/turkeystufflowqualsmall.jpg

From my psyche.

Chestnuts roasted by OhGodtheRats @ 11/26/2004 09:14 AM EST

Ahhh. Gotta say, I had a good night's sleep last night on account of the tryptophan OD. The only thing that woulda made the meal better was some champagne instead of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider. Not that the latter isn't good, it's just that I prefer champagne. Hmm. Maybe I'll pick up some today for a post-Thanksgiving celebration.

Anyway, I feel great this morning. I hope all of you feel the same.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/26/2004 10:47 AM EST

re:luap
Crow, no!

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 11/26/2004 12:10 PM EST

Matt- Thanks for all the hard work. You rock.

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 11/26/2004 01:26 PM EST

Don't remind me about the damned Barbie float. It sucked bad and the song and float memory will be stuck in my head forever.

Chestnuts roasted by AngeFaitore @ 11/26/2004 01:35 PM EST

Barbie Float?
You take one scoop of vanilla ice cream, one Barbie, and some Giant Ape Juice......

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 11/26/2004 03:47 PM EST

Sadly, Mary Hart passed away a year later from her shame. Now she's hosting Entetainment Tonight in Hell for all eternity. Delicious buns you have Matt, by the way.

Chestnuts roasted by Shroudie @ 11/26/2004 03:48 PM EST

Mary Hart was alive in 1988 and is still alive today.

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 11/26/2004 04:08 PM EST

If you can call what she does "living." She used to co-host an afternoon talk show here in the Thooner Thtate back in the late 70's-early 80's. Now she fights encroaching age and sends people into fits with the mighty power of her voice.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 11/26/2004 05:00 PM EST

Dear Matt,
I love you.

Chestnuts roasted by Rainbowfeet @ 11/26/2004 05:21 PM EST

That Barbie float... thank the gods I have sons and absofreakinlutely no reason to pay attention to that crap. Not that I'll be able to scrub that image from my brain any time soon.

On another note, ABC here in St Louis played the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Special last night. I had completely forgotten it until I saw your review, and then, there it is. Coincidence? I think not.

Chestnuts roasted by deus-ex-maria @ 11/26/2004 07:12 PM EST

It just occurred to me the Matt ended the intial entry with the phrase "I'm off to stuff Mushroom". Not Mushrooms. But 1 large mushroom.

Is this the new slang all the kids are using these days for sex or something?
"Hey baby, let's go stuff mushroom, eh?"

Chestnuts roasted by OhgodtheRats @ 11/26/2004 09:14 PM EST

Heck, if you can get another one in in the next few days, I don't think we'll quibble much. I hear a Sonic the Hedgehog balloon tore down a lamppost in a 1990's parade. Do that one.

Chestnuts roasted by mtvcdm @ 11/27/2004 12:30 AM EST

excellent Seinfeld reference, kingklash!

Chestnuts roasted by Jason @ 11/27/2004 12:42 AM EST

It's kind of interesting, this whole Thanksgiving thing. I had three thanksgiving dinners, and I was thankful for still being alive after that third helping of yams and Giant Ape Juice, which was something like Grape. A fuzzy grape, with big teeth. I hope everyone had a good one, even though this is one evening late, but you know, I passed out. Giant ape juice, giant ape juice, giant ape juice. I bid ye farewell in some foriegn language.

Chestnuts roasted by Legenerale @ 11/27/2004 01:07 AM EST

Well Thanksgiving has passed and now I'm being annoyed by Christmas commercials. Pretty much all commercials are annoying, especially Old Navy. Makes me want to kill. Anyways, had some good grub this thanksgiving, and got upgraded to a wireless network so my laptop can be used on my lap

Chestnuts roasted by heeloyd @ 11/27/2004 03:13 AM EST

Also, I noticed a lot of the old favorites are still in the macy's parade this year: Kermit, Garfield, Ronald, and Spidey! And the new favorite: Spongebob!

Chestnuts roasted by heeloyd @ 11/27/2004 03:16 AM EST

Hmmm. Matt must really be workin on that new X-mas layout. I most certainly can't wait to see it. I'm also looking forward to the new Playmobil calendar. In fact, I may go looking for one today just because they're so retarded yet so cool. I'm wondering if they're even available here in Canada. How much are they?

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/27/2004 09:14 AM EST

'these otherwise deadly robot folks belted out a tune that'd make Fierstein himself sit up and shout "GAY."'

Chestnuts roasted by dfgfdg @ 11/27/2004 10:27 AM EST

OMIGOD!!

Okay, has anyone else seen the Charlie Brown live action and animation TV movie thing with Snoopy's brother Spike called something along the lines of "It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown"?!

Doesn't Jill Schultz look like the girl in the red truck? AHH! I have to go find the tape I have that on. I haven't watched that in years.

Chestnuts roasted by Nikkii @ 11/27/2004 11:45 AM EST

I forgot in all my Girl in the Red Truck excitement...

...HOW MUCH I HATE BARBIE AND THE ROCKERS!! I'm so incensed by their appearance in TWO parades, especially during the years that Jem and the Holograms were having their heyday. Jem was fifty times cooler than the stupid Rockers...she deserved a float in the parade, not that bitch Barbie. Not only are Barbie and the Rockers a complete ripoff of Jem and the Holograms, but Barbie's outfit in this parade is way too close to Jem's signature dress. God I hate you Barbie.

It's Barbie's fault the Jem dolls didn't last as long as they should have, because no parent wanted to buy clothes and accessories for two different doll sizes. And now Mattel has the gall to release 11.5" dolls itself? Barbie, you suck.

Chestnuts roasted by Nikkii @ 11/27/2004 11:58 AM EST

According to Ken, Bqrbie does indeed suck, but not very well.
Here is a question very much in the style of our fearless leader: Is there a local ad that you wait for, whose appearance means the true start of the Christmas season for you? Here in the State Shaped Like a Meat Cleaver, there is a jewelry store that was founded right before X-mas and so their anniversary sale kicks in right about now. It is announced with a jingle that is known to all those within earshot, and even displaced Okies will have in-state relatives record the song off of TV or radio just so they can hear it where-ever they are. Funny thing, the first line is, "Jewelry is the gift to give/'cause it's the gift that'll live and live." In these here parts, that's all it takes for folk to get all warm 'n' fuzzy inside. Closest thing for comparison I can find is the old Norelco commercials with Santa zipping about in a shaving head. Only in America!

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 11/27/2004 02:13 PM EST

Now that it's the Christmas season, I'm getting a bit curious. Since Matt's a big Christmas fan, the well of Christmas-based articles (that aren't action figure-based) is drying up. I'm confident that he's got plenty of good stuff ready for review, though.

Still, I can only hope that The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus gets reviewed one of these years. Or as I call it, Santa's Incredibly Fucked Up Origin Story with the Worst Theme Song Ever Created.

Chestnuts roasted by Gavok @ 11/27/2004 02:34 PM EST

I didn't know they made new playmobil stuff. I saw a commercial the other day and it caught me off guard. Guess i just don't pay enough attention...

kevin

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 11/27/2004 03:20 PM EST

Is "stuffing mushroom" a term for making love?

Chestnuts roasted by ChloeT.O. @ 11/27/2004 03:25 PM EST

I wouldn't worry much about there being enough Christmas content on the site. I live for Christmas. We're well prepared. You can't expect the same kind of full-length article runs that I've been able to do in previous years, but fortunately I've had enough time to figure out how much time/energy I'll have and how to get the maximum holiday fun out of it. We start, as always, on December 1st.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 11/27/2004 04:48 PM EST

Chloe-Oh thanks a lot! I just really love thinking of having sex as "stuffing a mushroom." Thanks to you, the next I bang my girl, I'll be sure to envision her hoo haa as a mushroom and my little soldiers as the stuffing. Gross! (umm..how do you do that "sick" smiley thing)

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/27/2004 05:11 PM EST

Chloe-Sorry, it was actually OhGodTheRats who initially brought up that sort of imagery. Actually, it was Matt, because he was the one who said he had "to go stuff mushrrom." My God, Matt! I don't want that kind of imagery!!! But I do want x-mas articles. You go, Matt!

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/27/2004 05:17 PM EST

well i guess mushrooms do have a nice texture to them...it all makes sense...i think...

<3

Chestnuts roasted by heeloyd @ 11/27/2004 05:52 PM EST

Sometimes, you ain't got mushroom up in there.
Now I will take all rightful punishment for making that joke.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 11/27/2004 06:12 PM EST

Hey Matt do you need/want anything else for your Christmas articles? Because if you want I can send you the X-Mas episode of the old Super Mario Brothers cartoon, The Night Before Cave Christmas. If you want it e-mail me at MetalWarriorsUnite@yahoo.com

Chestnuts roasted by Meat Popsicle @ 11/27/2004 08:36 PM EST

I really want the Playmobil calender this year. If anyone is interested, here's a link to a few that I've found: http://www.utoypia.com/search.php There's actually a variety to choose from.

I'm going to refrain from the "stuffing musshroom" jokes, only b/c I know I'll get a little crazy and go off on some loony tangent, and we all know we don't want that.

Kingklash, no particular commercial means Christmas to me, but I know that Santa is on his way when I hear "Carol of the Bells" being played. For some reason, that song conjures up everything warm and cocoa-filled for me. I'm actually kind of bummed that no one else has answered your question yet. I was interested to see what the survey... SAYS!

I think Grape Ape drinks Giant Ape Juice. It only makes sense. Magilla Gorilla only drinks orange juice, though. He's picky like that.

"It's a gor-il-lil-lil-lil-a!"

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 11/27/2004 09:39 PM EST

I should mention that I don't necessarily hate mushrooms, depnding upon the context. Love 'em on pizza.

I'm actually enjoying a nice Jones Green Apple Soda right now. Yum yum. Of course, this is just after having enjoyed something not so green, and not so apple. Dook dook dook!

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/27/2004 09:46 PM EST

Mmmmm...mushrooms

Chestnuts roasted by Shroudie @ 11/28/2004 12:41 PM EST

You are a genius, mein freund.

Chestnuts roasted by steveo @ 11/28/2004 02:23 PM EST

Makes me almost want to actually watch one of those parades...someday. The reviews are better.

What's with the stuffed mushrooms? Is this an east coast thing? I hadn't heard of them until my Rhode Islandish friend complained all last Thursday that he was away at college and not eating his aunt's stuffed mushrooms.

Chestnuts roasted by Mara @ 11/28/2004 02:36 PM EST

Makes me almost want to actually watch one of those parades...someday. The reviews are better.

What's with the stuffed mushrooms? Is this an east coast thing? I hadn't heard of them until my Rhode Islandish friend complained all last Thursday that he was away at college and not eating his aunt's stuffed mushrooms.

Chestnuts roasted by Mara @ 11/28/2004 02:36 PM EST

Sorry about the double post. *chants to self* impatience is not a virtue, impatience is not...

Chestnuts roasted by Mara @ 11/28/2004 02:36 PM EST

Wow...just wow is all I have to say right now....

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 11/28/2004 10:44 PM EST

I have an Atari XE and a NES, I can tell you the Atari XE got played VERY rarely. Probably because we only had 2 games for it. After watching the commercial(which I don't remember ever seeing before), I see the games we had came with the system. Flight Simulator 2 which SUCKED, I could never figure out how to play it, way to complicated for a 7 year old. Bug Hunt was pretty fun. We just had the system advertised, nothing aditional. I found the Atari XE in the attic last fall when we were cleaning and I brought it down. Me and my friends would play it after we got wasted, it was alright then. We haven't played it in at least 8 months.

Chestnuts roasted by Fay @ 11/29/2004 03:55 AM EST

Just gotta thank you Matt for giving us these Thanksgiving Day reviews. They truly are f'n awesome!

Chestnuts roasted by J-Dog @ 11/29/2004 09:54 AM EST

Matt, you have done it again!!! Great review, and when I get home from work tonight, I'll have to look at these ads!!!!!!! I'm at school right now, and I'm supposed to be reading the novel I picked up for a class last week.

So Jim Henson had his hand shoved in placed you don't want to know about?????? And, you were there?! Awesome.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 11/29/2004 10:19 AM EST

Sorry I'm late. Yeah that is the Marvel float that got me into my first euphoric, hunger induced (Werent allowed to eat until dinner. WHY!?)high when I was 9! THANKS MATT!

And yeah, what the heck was Robocop doing there? And I guess that Wolverine was the best at slinking away after losing a battle with Enchantress back then.

Panty waist.

Chestnuts roasted by gl2899 @ 11/29/2004 11:41 AM EST

Was Ataria really compairing a keyboard to ROB the robot. Robots are always cooler then keyboards...

Chestnuts roasted by LordSorrow @ 11/29/2004 12:22 PM EST

Actually marched in the 87 parade. We were a group of Boy Scouts that marched with a very stoned Ben Vereen after Reagan made his appearance.

Ah the memories.

Chestnuts roasted by Rich @ 11/29/2004 01:21 PM EST

Man, those Peanuts guys were kinda scary. I hate Barbie and the Rockers. Lousy Jem rip off and to anyone wondering, those "gay robots" are part of an Andrew Loyyd Webber show called "Starlight Express" which is about (get this) TRAINS!

Chestnuts roasted by The Dragonrider @ 11/29/2004 01:50 PM EST

I actually did a search for "Starlight Express." Despite the clip showcasing what looks like a miserable failure, this musical somehow is still going on. They even had two Ford commercials in Germany, thus proving that Germany is insane. I realize they love their Hasselhoff, but I draw the line and Starlight Express. You can see the commercials as well as performance clips here http://www.reallyuseful.com/shows/starlight/sights/Starlight+Express+video+clips/

Chestnuts roasted by Ed @ 11/30/2004 01:11 AM EST

It was Joe Bologna who played the dad on Rags to Riches.

Chestnuts roasted by Another Matt @ 11/30/2004 08:40 PM EST

Much applause for Matt...

Matt, thank you so much for the nod to the greatness of Jim Henson. Regarding him openly puppeteering Kermit, he didn't like pretending the puppets were some independent creature (like a ventriloguist dummy saying "I'm going to sleep in my box now", but I think he did like showing off how the Muppets were pulled off.

There was an episode of the Jim Henson hour where they showed the Muppeteers and how they did the show.

I was in Disney World (Disney World/Land specials I looked forward to, too) when they were filming Muppets in Walt Disney World. I got to watch them work. They were the funniest most creative people I've ever seen. I got to talk to Jim Henson (I think I said I was looking forward to seeing the TMNT movie), and then as he was walking away, I watched some guy bump into him.

I later saw them again and got his autograph. Frank Oz's, too. What killed me later was I realized I had purchased a Empire Strikes Back poster earlier that day, and could have a Yoda signed Empire poster. I'm more than happy with the autograph's I do have, though.

Anyway, thanks Matt for the hard work you do to keep all of us happy. I hope your Christmas season isn't too stressful, and vacation will find you soon.

Does Robocop pay the power bills?

Chestnuts roasted by Darth Muppet @ 11/30/2004 10:53 PM EST

Wild stuff! That Marvel float was WEIRD to the extreme. The music being played during that whole surreal scene is, in fact, the main theme music from the Back To The Future movies -- all of them.

Marvel must have gotten permission to use that music, because Back To The Future debuted in theaters in 1987, I think.

Keep up the good work!

Chestnuts roasted by Jennifer @ 11/30/2004 11:08 PM EST

Does ANYONE out there have a copy of this parade on tape? I am desperately trying to find it for a relative who was in one of the bands. Neither NBC or Macy's has it that far back.

Can anyone help?

Chestnuts roasted by Thommy @ 12/01/2004 01:31 PM EST

Jennifer-

Back to the Future was released in 1985. Which would make hearing the music on the Marvel float even weirder for people because they'd already heard that music and associated it with the movie.

"Let's see if you bastards can do 90."

Chestnuts roasted by Darth Muppet @ 12/01/2004 03:41 PM EST

Thommy,

Actually I think my family taped it since I marched in it. I may have a copy.

Chestnuts roasted by Rich @ 12/02/2004 03:43 PM EST

Rich,

If you have a copy, that is amazing! I have searched high and low.

Could you please email me (makesmovies@yahoo.com) so we can discuss the possibility of my getting a copy?

It would make the most incredible Christmas Gift for my relative who marched, but never saw the parade!

Thank you so much!

Chestnuts roasted by Thommy @ 12/02/2004 05:17 PM EST