04/10/2005 Entry: "Smurfs Stuff!"

I've had this box of Smurf-related toys and collectibles collecting dust and being the straw that breaks the camel in half and prevents me from being able to shut one of our closet doors laying around for months, and I'm sick of seeing blue, so here's a big review of ten weird Smurfy things, all random, including everything from Smurfberry Crunch cereal to Smurfs stickers that smell like peanut butter. Look, it had to be done sometime.

It's getting really nice out. Almost feels like Christmas. I'm taking a week's worth of mini-update images, so expect a semi-lively blog schedule starting tomorrow. I bet you won't bet on it. But I'll make you eat crow, oh yes. Oh, I promised a photo of a guy in a shark suit around St. Patrick's Day...here tis. Told you what I saw, I did.

Chestnuts roasted by Kmann @ 04/10/2005 07:58 PM EST

Wow, this is the closest I've ever come before. I love the Smurfs and spent so much time tracking down a box of Smurfberry Crunch. I was pretty smurfin' happy when I got it!

Chestnuts roasted by Czar Matthew @ 04/10/2005 07:59 PM EST

I did a little Googling and here is what I found.

http://www.debased.com/debased/content/literature/t/turmoil.html

Chestnuts roasted by Joe in OH @ 04/10/2005 08:01 PM EST

Joe -- I don't know if this connects to what you're saying, but there was some book out a while ago that made a case that many toons (and other kid junk) had intentional/unintentional double meanings that were EVIL. I'm pretty sure Smurfs figured big into some of the arguments.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 04/10/2005 08:02 PM EST

Or there's, you know, that.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 04/10/2005 08:03 PM EST

Matt, does this mean you (or X-E) are products of Satan? (You promoting He-Man and the Care Bares so much and all.) hahahaha

Chestnuts roasted by Joe in OH @ 04/10/2005 08:05 PM EST

I draw stars in the sand for white purposes only, swear.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 04/10/2005 08:07 PM EST

"The first toy I saw was one called Skeletor, which was holding a ram's head staff in its hand. I immediately recognized the ram's head as an occult symbol; I decided to buy the toy."

That's the exact same reason I decided to buy the toy as well!

Chestnuts roasted by Kmann @ 04/10/2005 08:10 PM EST

I wanna read that book. Apparently even My Little Pony is in league with the Devil too! That's so cool!

Chestnuts roasted by Joe in OH @ 04/10/2005 08:11 PM EST

two things.....

1. Smurfberry Crunch was the shit although it made your shit a mass of horrible colors.

2. Smurf Rub-Downs.....that just doesn't sound right....I fear the day I encounter Vanity Smurf trying to go for the rub down. OK maybe i'm just being wrong.....

P.S. Althogh he is/was your fave smurf the one major flaw was Brainy's anyeurism inducing voice and whining.

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 04/10/2005 08:33 PM EST

Simply smurfin, Matt!!!

That smurf plastic mug is still in my parents' cupboard... I just wish it still looked as pretty as the one in this article.

I vaguely remember eating the cereal but I have a yellow "I Brake for Smurfs" bicycle license plate that I think came out of a box of Smurfleberry.

Chestnuts roasted by Carri @ 04/10/2005 08:55 PM EST

I love that there are two sharks in that picture...WHY?!?!? What on earth do sharks and Irishmen have to do with each other?
How dare you disparage the sacrifice Papa Smurf made to found our country. The man (sprite? nymph?) is determined, and it shows on his face.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 04/10/2005 08:57 PM EST

Oh yeah I was wondering what your take on CBS' masterpieces Springbreak Shark Attack and Locusts is/was?

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 04/10/2005 09:01 PM EST

Matt: You wouldn't happen to be talking about the classic David Benoit book from the early 1990s, Fourteen Things Witches Hope Parents Never Find Out, would you?

Undercover "witches" trying to slip obscure pagan references into television programming being, of course, a problem endemic in the entertainment industry.

Chestnuts roasted by Steve Brandon @ 04/10/2005 09:31 PM EST

Actually this is the book we were talking about. I'm going to have my wife pick this up at the library tomorrow so I can read it. Matt - please do a review on it. You can get it for 10 cents from Amazon.

click here

Chestnuts roasted by Joe in OH @ 04/10/2005 09:52 PM EST

When I think of Smurfs, I think of Smurf Mountain at Kings Dominion (for those who don't know, it's a theme park here in Virginia.) It was basically a train that went through a mountain while you saw Smurf scenes (pretty much everything the name "Smurf Mountain" implied.) The worst part is that it played the theme song constantly while you were in there. Just close your eyes and picture that song playing in a loop over and over and over... If your ears are bleeding, you've got it.

They used to have Smurf-themed stuff EVERYWHERE. They even had Smurf Cones (I don't remember what they were actually called - my dad refused to buy over-priced theme park food. Yes, we were the family in the parking lot with the cooler.) It was just vanilla soft serve with blue food coloring, but anyone who had one walked around with blue (Smurfy blue) lips for what seemed like an eternity. Ahhh...good times, good times...

Chestnuts roasted by Lori @ 04/10/2005 09:54 PM EST

I never watched the SMURFS. It had nothing to do with their Satanic alligences and everything to do with the fact that they were a little too....Smurfy for me. Good article though.

I picked up the "Sneak Preview" droid and a General Grevious. AND, I sent away for some of the KELLOGG's premiums. 2 things I know that all X-Ers already know about but no one has mentioned yet: The KB exclusive 12 inch Chewie and the M-Pire commercial. I showed that one to the students and I am awaiting a check from MARS CANDIES any day now.

Traj, think nothing of it. I completely understand. We are still buds.

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 04/10/2005 10:19 PM EST

Also worth mentioning, Phil Phillps Saturday Morning Mind Control... I think all three of the books linked to in this thread have significant Smurf content for the reason mentioned by the conspiracy theory nut in Richard Linklater's Slacker, they all resemble little blue Krishnas.

Chestnuts roasted by Steve Brandon @ 04/10/2005 10:20 PM EST

I'm pretty tired so I'll finish reading this tomorrow. I wanted to comment about the drop a comment return to x-e at the bottom the article. It looks like the words made out of those candy letters you put on birthday cakes.

Chestnuts roasted by dohopoki @ 04/10/2005 10:37 PM EST

Smurfs at King's Dominion?!? Wow, I never knew. We tried to go there once when I was a kid but after driving down from NY we were turned away at the gates because the park had reached maximum capacity and they couldn't allow any more visitors. And no, no one thought to go Clark Griswold on the place.

I refuse to believe that park could play the Smurf theme to anymore of an annoying degree than was heard in the Coleco/Atari Smurfs game. Did anyone else have this?

Chestnuts roasted by Carri @ 04/10/2005 10:39 PM EST

ahem.

Booberry makes me shit blue as well. I refuse to believe it's only me, I know someone else noticed that.

Chestnuts roasted by Bryan @ 04/10/2005 10:56 PM EST

Hey
you forgot the coolest smurfy thing. the glasses from hardees9or carl jrs as some know them as) there were like 12 oz (or 8 oz maybe) and glass and had smurfs on them.. the first collectiable glass. sooo cool we hada set until they all broke.

Chestnuts roasted by mlp @ 04/10/2005 11:11 PM EST

I hate to be a nit-picker but I have to... It's in my nature.

Anyhoo... Matt, HANDY Smurf didn't have the tattoo... HEFTY Smurf did!

I know this because my (dear departed) mother was a BIG Smurf fan. Collected all the crap you have in the article, and about 50,000,000 more things besides.

Chestnuts roasted by Cuddles @ 04/11/2005 12:12 AM EST

Fundamentalist rant books kinda piss me off, because these assholes often get their way.

One book even almost killed the comics industry!

Anyway, ever read the actual smurfs childrens books by peyo?

Chestnuts roasted by Tetsu Deinonychus @ 04/11/2005 12:24 AM EST

Lori, I was at Kings Dominion last year, and yes, I have heard of Smurf Mountain, which is now defunct and the Volcano coaster now stands in its place. In it, besides the train, I beleive was also a log flume and something else

And on the inside of the mountain (and outside) you can see remnants of those old rides, like the tracks in the water for the flume ride, and the ride station for train ride. And the insdie of the mountain is suprisingly empty, and you would think that PKD would put some theming into one of its most popular (and best) rides.

As for Smurf merchandise, I really don't think I had any, but who knows? Also, I run a Cartoon Trivia Game and last night I had Smurfs as a category (requested by an above poster, mlp)

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 04/11/2005 12:31 AM EST

Manimal, as you know already (not to be rude) but I work in a KB and yes, I've known about the Exclusive Chewbaccas, and thought that no one went after them till I just realized thatthere were none left when I last worked, last night.

And my link is the Trivia Room in question concerning my above post

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 04/11/2005 12:39 AM EST

There was a Golden Girls shoutout on Arrested Dev tonight: Lucille went to Shady Pines rehab.
So looking forward to a busy blog week. Will we be seeing more Star Wars?

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 04/11/2005 01:16 AM EST

Shark Guy at last! My work here is done.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 04/11/2005 01:29 AM EST

I remember somebody telling me Smurfs were satanic when I was little. It confused the heck out of me.

Hah, that tale about Smurfberry Crunch should've gotten around more than it apparently did, because this is the first I've heard of it.

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 04/11/2005 01:52 AM EST

So...does anyone know anything about the actual Peyo? I know he was a European cartoonist and that the Smurfs originally debuted in comic strip form, but that's about it. How much influence did he have over the wildly popular American version? I'm guessing "diddly-squat."

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 04/11/2005 01:54 AM EST

The ROBOTS cereal that ties into the animated film tastes a LOT like Smurfberry Crunch. Get it while you can.

Oh, and I think that Smurf Berry Crunch-getting-pulled-off-the-shelves might be an urban myth. I remember it being around for quite a while, and while it did turn your stool funky colors I don't remember it being that big a deal to anyone. (Robots cereal does the same thing by the way, junior scientists)

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Satanism @ 04/11/2005 01:56 AM EST

I was thinking I'd be the one to prove you wrong about ownership of Smurf merchandize, cause I couldn't remember having any as a child. Then I got to the picture of the Smurf cup and mug, and realized; we had that mug. I can remember drinking milk out of it. I don't know why I remember this, or why I had forgotten it for so long...but I see now that I was wrong to doubt you.

Chestnuts roasted by Shiamirei @ 04/11/2005 02:08 AM EST

I can't say I loved the Smurfs as much as, say, the Transformers, but I had a lot fo the toys, and Smurfberry cereal ruled. Just flat out ruled. Thanks for another great article Matt. Bye the way, I have a near-perfect copy fo an old TMNT cereal commercial, one featuring the Turtles driving around in the Party Wagon, and capturing Bebop and Rocksteady in a net. Would you be interested in a copy of it?

Chestnuts roasted by Destro @ 04/11/2005 02:32 AM EST

I'm sorry, but Smurfs scare the crap out of me. They are just so god damn creepy.

I think it has to do with bad childhood experiences at other people's houses, when I would see other kid's rooms, and they would have these huge collections of mini Smurf figures on a shelf hang on their walls.

Chestnuts roasted by The Jays @ 04/11/2005 03:15 AM EST

Those old Smurfs video games were friggin' awful.

Chestnuts roasted by d-roc @ 04/11/2005 03:30 AM EST

my parents smurfed the hell out of me. I had every Smurf merchandise made in the early 80's from stuffed animals to pajamas to a really cool little smurf chair. and up until a couple of years ago there was a bottle of smurf vitamins in my parents cupboard. the bottle was shapped like a smurf and you had to twist his head off to get the vitamins out. little blue smurfs and red azrael heads.

Chestnuts roasted by evadrad @ 04/11/2005 03:58 AM EST

I would only watch Smurfs when I was home sick, so now whenever I see anything Smurf I start to feel nauseous. Ugh. Same thing for that old Nickelodeon show "Eureka's Castle". I actually kinda liked that one, though.

Chestnuts roasted by Eddie Lightning Frog @ 04/11/2005 04:37 AM EST

Hi there!
Someone here wanted to know how much Peyo had to do with the Smurf cartoon, and I'd say quite a lot, especially in those early episodes (I think those are being shown today as "Smurfs Adventures" or something like that). Many of the plots including the original 100 Smurfs (that is, without the Smurf kids and that Gargamel's assistant) were based on original comics made by Peyo - I think that Baby Smurf was the last one that appeared in the comics first.

Chestnuts roasted by Papa Taz @ 04/11/2005 05:05 AM EST

You know, they could have just advertized the part involving blue excrement. I'm sure many people would buy it.

Chestnuts roasted by Yama the Space Fish @ 04/11/2005 08:15 AM EST

It had the best song...ever...set to the dance of the sugar plumb ferries from the Nutcracker. All sing.

"Smurf Berry Crunch is fun to eat,
A Smurfy fruity breakfast treat,
Made by Smurfs so happily,
It tastes like crunchy Smurf Berries,
It's berry shaped and crispy too,
In berry red and Smurfy blue."

Chestnuts roasted by Paste Pot Pete @ 04/11/2005 09:07 AM EST

The first Smurf-related thing that came to my mind when reading that article was this e-mail I remember getting as a freshman in college. It was a twisted and lude story about Smurfette and the once-in-50yrs or so ritual that took place between her and the rest of the fella smurfs. It basically explained why they're blue.

Chestnuts roasted by bad karma @ 04/11/2005 09:11 AM EST

Did Anyone else notice how wrong Smurfette looks on the Smurf Punchballs?

She looks like a painted crack whore version...

Chestnuts roasted by Poopants the Scrunge @ 04/11/2005 09:12 AM EST

I have both Turmoil in the Toybox books! I did a college research paper arguing against these books and put up a pretty good fight on behalf of He-Man, My Little Pony, Ghostbusters, GI Joe, and Rainbow Brite.

I used that same paper as my presentation in Public Speaking class and my evaluator agreed with the book and that just about all 80's toys were evil. I'm not a very convincing public speaker I guess. Here is a summary of my paper:

According to the book, My Little Pony is evil because some of them fly. Airplanes fly, so that makes them evil. Other ponies are evil because they are unicorns and unicorns are evil in the bible. The truth is the "unicorn" described in the bible had one horn surrounded by 10 horns. I don't know of any ponies that have that many horns.

The reason Rainbow Brite was evil was because the rainbow represented the New Age Moment that teaches people that they are their own god (straight out of the book folks). The rainbow orginally represented Gods promise to never flood the Earth again. Rainbows arn't evil and neither is Rainbow Brite.

The big problem with GI Joe was the violence. The problem with Ghostbusters were all the ghost and the violence. So I had to say everying in those cartoons and toys was religiously symbolic.

Matt, how about you trade me some Smurf stuff for the Turmoil in the Toybox books. I'm done with them Maybe I'll post my research paper on my site.

Chestnuts roasted by Kennef @ 04/11/2005 10:24 AM EST

Dude, Smurfs cereal isnt the only cereal to turn tha kaka dooky blue. I just recently went on a lucky charms binge and the following day after taking care of business i looked in the bowl and was like WTF? and then i remembered i ate lucky charms and i went on my way.

the last time that happened i was like 7 and it was the day after a friends birhtday party where they had a pacman cake and a ghost cake that were yellow and blue respectively. the next day it was like hunt for the red october in a sickening shade of green.

Chestnuts roasted by boojwahz @ 04/11/2005 10:57 AM EST

I trust that those mini updates are coming along with the site redesign? j/k

Hey have you ever considered having someone help out? Not with content but with design and getting you a navigatble archive
i certainly would be willing to help

Chestnuts roasted by thejyav @ 04/11/2005 11:19 AM EST

I had that mug

Chestnuts roasted by Thejyav @ 04/11/2005 11:42 AM EST

I heard that the Smufs were telling kids to join the KKK, something to do with Papa Smurf having a red hat, I donno whatever, I watched 80s cartoons growing up and Im not evil!

I had a Smurfette stuffed toy and on her dress it had the smurfs logo all over it instead of the O's on front, it always bothered me!

Chestnuts roasted by IHAQ @ 04/11/2005 12:10 PM EST

All the colored poop reminds me of this one line, and Tarjeal, among a few others, will know what it means: Nothing Wrong Here.

My preacher had some of those books. Annoyed the hell out of me. I thought, "Wow, a Chick Tract in novel form." But also, according to some, because I was raised with a lot of traditions from my tribe, I could go to Hell for "Practicing Paganism." Well, bite me.

I like Smurfette's Loni Anderson hairdo.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 04/11/2005 12:13 PM EST

I meant Trajeal, sorry. That's what happens when someone tries to talk to me while I am trying to post.

Smurf me 'til I'm smurfin' out my smurf.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 04/11/2005 12:16 PM EST

incredible hulk chocolate syrup made my poop green as well.

Chestnuts roasted by hulk poop green! @ 04/11/2005 12:32 PM EST

Isn't Smurfberry crunch just the same thing as Capt. Crunch all berry Crunch... good stuff though hard to find now. I think they changed it into the Carnival Crunch. Which for some odd reason tastes different.

Chestnuts roasted by Wenthral @ 04/11/2005 12:39 PM EST

SMURFS! Haven't read the article yet, but I am hoping to find some of the following Smurfy things I used to have in it:
-Smurf Pajamas: basically a flannel Smurf costume, complete with tie-on white hood for the top!
-Smurf Roll On Soap for the tub:we used to write on the walls with that stuff
-Smurf mugs/glasses: I never drank out of anything else for awhile
-Mini Plastic Smurf figures that were only good for throwing at my brother
-SMURFAGHETTI
Now- to the article, and all its Smurfy goodness

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 04/11/2005 12:52 PM EST

I was one of the blue poopers when this cereal was new. Yay for me!

Chestnuts roasted by Naoko @ 04/11/2005 12:57 PM EST

Well....alas, no Smurfaghetti- that's what I was most hoping to see, but knowing Matt, he'll find an ancient can somewhere, someday.

Still a good article, and I am longing for the cereal- I never got to try it!:

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 04/11/2005 12:59 PM EST

My memory of the Smurfs is really sketchy, but one day my brother and I were avoiding homework, watching Smurfs, and there's chaos in the little mushroom village because Gargamel is coming or something... Smurfs are running like crazy all over the place, freaking out, and Papa Smurf bursts out of his mushroom house and says (and we both heard it clearly): "What the SMURF is going ON here?!" It took a couple of seconds to register, but to this day, we will occasionally replace expletives with variations of "Smurf".
"Smurf off!"
"What the Smurf is THIS?!"
"That is Smurfing GREAT!"
...etc.

Chestnuts roasted by Gretchen @ 04/11/2005 01:01 PM EST

GASP! The Smurfs Colorforms set!!! I had that and loved it....I had TONS of Smurfs shit..TONS....and now I could really care less about the little blue guys except I heard channel 9 is showing them like at 8 am on weekday mornings which gave me some hope for the future generations who are raised on BooBahs and Dora the Explorer

Chestnuts roasted by Melissa Y. @ 04/11/2005 01:08 PM EST

Muppet Baby -- Use the search, I've done a whole article on Smurfs Pasta. There's also a Smurfs Christmas special review somewhere.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 04/11/2005 01:14 PM EST

Yes, Frisbee is indeed the trademarked name for the flying disk. A while ago, some friends and I tried to come up with similar situations in which we universally call a product by its trademarked name. For instance:

Band-Aid is J&J's trademarked brand of "adhesive strip." No one says, "hey man, I cut my finger, got an adhesive strip laying around."

There are others, like some people call all tissues "Kleenex," but it's not as universal as Band-Aid. Here in NY, we all call a coke a "Coke" whether it's Pepsi or RC or C&C.

I think Maxi-Pad is the brand name for feminine tissue, but the ladies out there would know better than I.

I think Hula-hoop must be another.

Now this is killing me trying to come up w/ more . . .

Chestnuts roasted by Pedro @ 04/11/2005 01:42 PM EST

Yep, from the Wham-O website "HULA HOOP® brand hoops." Unreal. WTF else would you call such a thing?

Chestnuts roasted by Pedro @ 04/11/2005 01:45 PM EST

Don't forget Jell-O!
Or back in the 70's, when every game console was called "An Atari."
Or that very first web-log that called itself a "blog."
Not to mention when any rip-off Change-bots, Robo-changer, Galactic Robo Warrior, et al, were just called "TransFormers."

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 04/11/2005 02:30 PM EST

I used to love that mug! I wonder what ever happened to it.

Pedro...I learned in my marketing class about stuff like that. A brand that is so popular that every product is called by that brand name. A Q-tip is another one. Nobody asks for a "cotton swab". Another loose one is Xerox-ing something (instead of "copying".

I forget the techical term for products like these.

Chestnuts roasted by Y2JB78 @ 04/11/2005 02:40 PM EST

I believe "Yo-yo" was a trademarked name for the Duncan company a long time ago, but they sued someone who used it and I think the result of the trial was they lost the exclusive rights to the name because it had become so common.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 04/11/2005 02:41 PM EST

An emerging example would have to be Tivo...I switched from Tivo to the Comcast DVR because I wanted to get rid of my land line and I still say that I tivo my programs..

Another would probably be Xerox..I don't think people say it as much..but it was a good example...

Chestnuts roasted by Goody @ 04/11/2005 02:45 PM EST

Oh, sorry Y2JB78...I didnt see you already said Xerox...my bad...

Chestnuts roasted by Goody @ 04/11/2005 02:46 PM EST

Oh..and Smurf colorforms ruled....I wonder if that was the same set I had...i just remember the Smurf with the soccer boll...and the separate "peyo" colorform that I thought was the name of the soccer player Pele at the time...so I always put the "Peyo" colorform next to the soccer smurf...

Yeah...

Chestnuts roasted by Goody @ 04/11/2005 03:03 PM EST

Has no one here lived in Europe and been to The Smurf Park. thats right a smurf related amusement park. It was great fun, never any long lines and smurfs everywhere.

Chestnuts roasted by RAS @ 04/11/2005 03:24 PM EST

on the topic of the hula hoop, I have another one: in the credits for the HUDSUCKER PROXY, it gives WHAM-O credit for inventing the "hula-hoop", not Norville Barnes.

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 04/11/2005 03:27 PM EST

"Xerox," oh yes, I remember that anything that was photocopied was a Xerox. Unless of course, it was ditto!! Remember those awful things?

Fun stuff. There's got to be a book or website devoted to this . . .

Chestnuts roasted by Pedro @ 04/11/2005 03:45 PM EST

Instead of a fourth BIRTHday, I had a SMURFday. Well... all the party hats said Happy Smurfday instead of Happy Birthday. Crazy.

Chestnuts roasted by Carri @ 04/11/2005 03:53 PM EST

To this day nothing brings out the urge to yank my brain out my nose with a crochet hook quite like the Smurf theme song when it gets stuck in my head.

Except maybe the "Super Bowl Shuffle".

Chestnuts roasted by Monster Dog @ 04/11/2005 04:01 PM EST

Is Google another one? Has that reached that status yet? I dont really use any other search engines...but when its used as a verb I could see it being used to just describe searching the web in general

Chestnuts roasted by Goody @ 04/11/2005 04:13 PM EST

All this smurf talks reminds me of an old joke.
Guy sees a buy scittering across the floor and says spider, squishs it and then looks at his shoe and says smurf. Anyone get it?

Chestnuts roasted by RAS @ 04/11/2005 04:47 PM EST

Let me give a try at this here fancy new yorkin' compooter html buisness. Here is a link to the next Star Wars Mr. Potato head offering:

Mr. Potato Head Spud Trooper

...And here is a link to my Satan Toys reasearch paper I am so proud of:

Satan: Now in Plastic

Chestnuts roasted by Kennef @ 04/11/2005 05:40 PM EST

I recal going to a friend's dorm room once only to find a copy of one of the old Smurfs movies from the late 60s. This would've been great if we could watch it, but we couldn't. Why? Because the damn tape was a frickin BETA! Apparently his family owned a BETA player. I think this was the first time I'd ever even seen a BETA tape.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 04/11/2005 05:43 PM EST

Hey Pedro, i always say Vaseline and q-tip as opposed to petrolium jelly and cotton swab

Chestnuts roasted by Shannon @ 04/11/2005 05:47 PM EST

Shit. Did I say the late '60s. I meant the early '80s. I think it was that magic flute movie or sumthin like that. Shows how much I know about Smurfs. Matt was right. We were never purely devoted Smurfs fans, but we all watched it from time to time, and had at least one piece of SMurfs merchandise. For me, that was a Smurfs cup. It might've been one in the article with the handle. I remember it ahaving a handle. However, I'm not entirely sure if that's it.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 04/11/2005 06:00 PM EST

it's the second most awesome cereal of all time.

Chestnuts roasted by Jay Amabile @ 04/11/2005 06:43 PM EST

Sweeet, I have the cup on the right in the picture at my house, it's my cheetos cup.

Chestnuts roasted by Scuba @ 04/11/2005 06:59 PM EST

Punchballs ruled. Smurfs still plays occaisionally as a "It's 7:30 in the morning let's throw something on" show on our fox network. Also had Smurf glasses.

I'm kind of suprised the Smurfs hasn't made at least a nostalgic comeback. Every other popular 80's character (and then some) has: Scooby Doo, Flinstones, Jetsons, Alf, Chipmunks, He-Man, GI Joe, Transformers, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, etc.

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 04/11/2005 07:54 PM EST

First time post-er, long time reader...I have to know something, Matt...how in the hell do you find all this cool vintage stuff...I mean smurf berry crunch cereal...where...and in good shape no less...I need to know your secret...

Chestnuts roasted by darknight @ 04/11/2005 08:50 PM EST

Along the Hula Hoop and Frisbee line, Crescent Wrench (WTF is an "adjustable wrench"?)

Chestnuts roasted by bad karma @ 04/11/2005 08:59 PM EST

Peyo, the father of the Smurfs

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 04/11/2005 09:10 PM EST

I remember two of the items in this article, the Smurfberry Crunch (don't remember if we ever had it - we DID have the later version with marshmallows) and the cups. I think we had those cups, or some like them. We had this Smurf Christmas wrapping paper for so long, the last of it was brittle when we finally got rid of it. The cartoon was very hard to avoid. NBC ran it for at least two hours during its heyday, and it was also prominent in reruns and on the USA Cartoon Express morning block.

Tetsu Deinonychus, my first comics were Smurf comics. I think they were more based after the cartoon, but I had them for years, well into my teens. All I remember is they were just a simple series of silly stories. Two were action-y stories featuring Gargamel. The others were all silly little shorts, often with a running gag.

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 04/11/2005 09:18 PM EST

kingklash:

I always though Red Razzberry Zingers sounded like a good idea for a cereal. I always laugh like hell where that little girl pukes up the "bloody red mess"!

The Sharp Cereal Professor seemed like a good guy to me.

"I'd tell 'em eggs taste good"

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 04/11/2005 09:50 PM EST

Funny, kingklash, I just happened to start rereading that. Red Razzberry Zingers sounds more like a Kool-Aid (hey, there's another one, Pedro!) flavor than a breakfact cereal.

Speaking of - is cereal marketed for anything besides breakfast? Why even bother w/ the "breakfast" part? Seems redundant.

"Pampers" is another brand name turned generic word. Does "Kraft dinner" count for Canadians?

Has anyone actually watched an old Smurf cartoon lately? We have Boomerang w/ our satellite service, which is like a trip back in time for cartoon fans. Everything from The Flintstones to The Hair Bear Bunch to The Banana Splits to The Snorks to Popeye to Tom & Jerry. They're tagline is, "It's all coming back to you." Yes, it certainly is. But, I digress. The Traj-lettes and I were watching The Smurfs and, holy crap, how did I not remember how annoying Papa Smurf's voice is? He sounds like he's getting a rubdown by the Magic Fingers while being shot through w/ a couple hundred volts of electricity. I was seriously shocked and started thinking that maybe they switched his voice actor over the years. But, unless they went back and redubbed every Papa Smurf line w/ some new guy, then his voice has always sounded like that. Very distracting, I might say.

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 04/11/2005 11:02 PM EST

We have one cable channel that has a revolving door and it is on BOOMERANG right now! The Herculoids need to come out with an action figure line.

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 04/11/2005 11:12 PM EST

"Mac and Me" coming to DVD April 12?

Chestnuts roasted by springsprite @ 04/11/2005 11:27 PM EST

Evadrad, I remember those vitamins too. I LOVED them. But, I remember them as blue regular smurfs and red Papa Smurfs. Could there have been variation.

And, don't feel too bad Kennef. Any teacher that buys into that horseshit has no business teaching!

And, BTW, thanks for the links, ME!

Chestnuts roasted by Tetsu Deinonychus @ 04/12/2005 12:03 AM EST

That's the best shark suit.. ever!

Chestnuts roasted by Review the World @ 04/12/2005 03:40 AM EST

Mac & Me? Oh Matt you gotta review that.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 04/12/2005 08:56 AM EST

Manimal, The Hurculoids do have an action figure line. They come in sets of three I do believe.

Chestnuts roasted by Kennef @ 04/12/2005 10:30 AM EST

Matt, Strawberry Shortcake and myself were manufactured by Kenner. You should expect a letter from our attorney, sir.

Chestnuts roasted by Huckleberry Pie @ 04/12/2005 10:32 AM EST

Would Unicron count as a guise of Satan? If so, then I'll need to find a Malbolgia figure to start a set of Devil Toys. Or Deveel, if you've ever read the Myth Adventures books.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 04/12/2005 11:27 AM EST

springsprite, you just made my week. I still Matt should hold off reviewing the film until he wants to retire from the site, as it could very well be the ultimate X-E review.

Tetsu, you're welcome. I am not around as much, but I am happy to see other posters quick to the draw with links.

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 04/12/2005 01:12 PM EST

Incidentally enough, I got to thinking about Mac & Me and Flight of the Navigator on the bus ride in today, for no reason at all. Would like to review one soon, and I'd probably go with Mac first. But it won't retire the site!

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 04/12/2005 01:24 PM EST

Does anyone else think of that farside with the two aliens, on saying you put imcompatable earthlings together and in a little tank is a guy and a bear eating him when they think of Flight of the Navigator? I really wonder if that sentance made sense.

Chestnuts roasted by RAS @ 04/12/2005 02:35 PM EST

It kind of made sense RAS. I don't remember the cartoon, but I think I have an idea what you're getting at.
Yeah! Flight of the Navigator too. Been a long time since I've seen that one. I believe when I was on safety patrol, all of us got out and saw that one as a reward for our year-long tour of duty.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 04/12/2005 03:06 PM EST

Strangely enough, eating Smurfs themselves causes your poop to turn blue, but you never hear me complain.

Chestnuts roasted by Gargamel @ 04/12/2005 04:24 PM EST

I've got a Smurf playground slide sitting in my basement somewhere. For a tiny little slide, it sure provided hours of entertainment, especially when turned upside down and used in thoroughly un-slide-ish ways. It made a great blue plastic armchair, for instance, and it had a tendency to shock anyone or anything that touched it with static electricity. Ah, the memories...

Chestnuts roasted by Pirate7L @ 04/12/2005 09:45 PM EST

You haven't seen the Smurfs until you've seen it in German. Whoever does the voiceover of Papa Smurf sounds like Hitler.

Chestnuts roasted by Great Bison @ 04/13/2005 01:01 AM EST

i had some smurf sheets when i was a kid. they still sit in my mom's linen closet.

Chestnuts roasted by JulieS @ 04/13/2005 03:56 AM EST

Just thought I'd drop a comment about Peyo being French. Smurfs are originaly called Schtroumpfs (difficult to say even if you're french). They were first seen in 'Johan et Pirlouit', an earlier strip, and by the early 50ies, they had their own strip in 'Spirou Magazine', one of the two oldest comics magazines in France (the first issue was published in 1938, and it's still running, the other being Tintin Magazine)

There's a few original scans here:
http://www.lambiek.net/peyo.htm

Living in Quebec, smurf stuff was just everywhere, and the original comics are still being sold in bookstores. I had little smurf figures (now collectibles it seems) and I remember seeing smurf's houses for the figures, back when I was maybe 5 or 6.

I also had a talking plastic smurf. It scared me then, and it still scares me now.

Chestnuts roasted by Paffou @ 04/13/2005 12:43 PM EST

I maybe wrong on this but I believe back in the day before Happymeals McDonalds offered specials on glasses. I have this vague memory of having smurf glasses from McDonalds, most likely wrong. The were glear glass with the painted on figures or scene.

Chestnuts roasted by Tweety @ 04/13/2005 03:15 PM EST

Anybody remember Snorks? You know, the Smurfs of the sea?? Hanna Barbera was good at ripping off its own creations! I liked these little cuties better than the smurfs!!

I never really cared much for the smurfs, but then again, I dont even really understand what they're saying. Anyone ever see a cast list for this show? It's freakin long, and it'll blow your mind!!!!!! They really pooled the talent of the Hanna Barbera favorites for this one!!!!!! Look @ the cast list on IMDB if you don't believe it!!!!!!!

NOW, I really gotta go to class!

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 04/13/2005 03:31 PM EST

G'nap! G'nap g'nap!

Chestnuts roasted by Angry purple kingklash @ 04/13/2005 03:46 PM EST

Oh Man! Thank God! I thought I was imagining eating Smurf Cereal as a Child! I think there was a Strawberry Shortcake cereal as well........

Chestnuts roasted by Special K @ 04/13/2005 09:54 PM EST

Special K: Yes there was, and I've done an article on it -- use the search!

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 04/14/2005 09:09 AM EST

I liked the layout for that article, it was purdy.

Chestnuts roasted by Pedro II @ 04/14/2005 11:33 AM EST

Just saw this Sin City ad on AICN, and it is funny that Yellow Bastard was actually Smurf Blue Bastard in the studio.

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 04/14/2005 02:09 PM EST

The Smurfs had their own pasta meal from Chef Boyardee too IIRC.

There were Smurf bedsheets too. How come you didn't mention those, Matt? I happen to know of their existence because I used to sleep in Smurf linens and pillowcases.

Chestnuts roasted by Bert Raccoon @ 04/14/2005 03:55 PM EST

i still have a talking smurffete toy, you pull the string and shes says things like " hi my name is smurfette"

Chestnuts roasted by satas @ 04/14/2005 07:35 PM EST

I used to have a smurf punching bag when I was really young. Even when I was little I thought it was funny that the point of the toy was to punch smurfs. I think it ended up with a hole in it from overuse.

Chestnuts roasted by Kristina @ 04/15/2005 09:23 PM EST

I spent too much time dancing to smurf records.

by myself in front of the mirror.

I guess it was exercise. Remember the Smurf All Star Show anyone?

Chestnuts roasted by dfgdfg @ 04/16/2005 10:12 AM EST

In the original French, the Smurfs don't live off of Smurfberries but "salsepareille" -- sarsaparilla.
Oddly, the English translations of the comics tend to use "cranberries."
I have no clue why it suddenly turned into Smurfberries for the show, other than perhaps a natural linguistic evolution due to the Smurf's habit of calling everything 'smurf.'

Well, anyway. So if you're wondering what Smurfberries taste like, the answer is: "kind of like root beer."

Chestnuts roasted by Talia @ 04/17/2005 01:08 AM EST

great articals matt!! the sticker book and stickers artical went right to the heart!
smurf berry crunch was the absolute best!!!i can walk into my moms house and know right where that smurf mug is!!either my best friend and i where jsut a couple of pussys but doesnt one think the scariest episode of the smurfs ever!!!! was the one where the little purple fly bit the tails of the smurfs turning them evil and violent and purple running around yelping "anap"ruining all of smufdome??? gave me coldsweats for weeks oh the nightmares!!!
big round of applause on you artcial on sharckleberryfin!!!

Chestnuts roasted by jay b @ 04/17/2005 05:50 AM EST

They need to bring back poop color changing foods. And market them as such

Chestnuts roasted by thejyav @ 04/17/2005 09:45 AM EST

Whoa, I had those exact same Smurf Colorforms! Totally forgot about them until today- Thanks, Matt! My brother and I had A TON of Smurfy things. I specifically remember my Smurf Powercycle and Smurf record player. You guys were right about the Smurf "satanic" controversy, though. I remember our pastor talking about how the Smurfs were Satan's tool to use the media to ensnare innocent little children or some crap like that. Luckily, my mom and dad didn't buy it. SMURFS FOREVER!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Jillybeann @ 04/17/2005 12:00 PM EST

Eh? Papa Smurf as George Washington? Wasn't he from Belgium?

Chestnuts roasted by Andrew @ 04/17/2005 01:53 PM EST

Matt, once again you have crawled into the recesses of my brain and typed out every childhood thought I've ever had about SMURFS!

Smurf ya later
dave

Chestnuts roasted by dave @ 04/17/2005 03:54 PM EST

I have never owned a single piece of smurf anything.

PS: I'm not lying

Chestnuts roasted by Connor @ 04/17/2005 10:33 PM EST

hey pedro, Q-tip is another one.

Chestnuts roasted by boojwahz @ 04/19/2005 12:28 PM EST

That cereal sounds so cool! And by the way, I never had any Smurfs merchandise.

Chestnuts roasted by Anna @ 04/19/2005 12:53 PM EST