The Rise and Fall of Mr. Blobby - Kim Justice
Added 2018-06-07 23:05:40 +0000 UTCNew video! Uploaded earlier than normal as I'm off to Glasgow this weekend. Unfortunately this also means that ads are on as I won't have any chance to edit before Monday...feel free to ad block (let's face it you probably do already lol :)) -- anyway, here's the almighty story of Mr. Blobby, Blobbymania, and an Amiga game to boot. Thanks to Iain Roberts for the request!
Comments
I thought I'd closed the door on this particular nightmare. I'm going to need a beer before returning to crinkly bottom. *deep breaths*
The Retro Collective
2018-06-08 19:40:57 +0000 UTCAs for Mr Blobby - he was of course initially conceived not as a children's character, but as an ironic parody of the absurdity of 80s kids tv. In the early episodes when he was just there to set up unwitting celebrities it was genuinely very funny. Like a low brow version of Ali G or Borat interviewing celebs who don't know they are a joke character. Innevitably the problem with such characters is that once they become famous, they can't trick people anymore... but they are successful and TV bosses want more content, and we're left with an awkward period when the joke character has to become a real one - see the Ali G scripted movie (not terrible, but nowhere near as powerful as his appearances on the 11 o'clock show). As a kid of the 80s and 90s I liked Mr Blobby, and found the fact the themeparks became desolate, rotten and unloved quite sad. But they never should have been built in the first place, he wasn't popular enough for that, and it was clearly a passing fad. I'm sure that at least 50% of the people who bought the single and maybe a cuddly toy or whatever did it ironically (I certainly did) not because we were pledging an undying love for the character and everything he adorned for the rest of all eternity. Mickey Mouse or Sonic the Hedgehog he was not. Sadly for Noel Edmonds, Blobby is his finest achievement, and it seems like he'll never stop trying to relive the "glory" days by bringing him back. I'm 100% behind Blobby appearing once a year or so on comedy shows or retro 90s documentaries, but under no circumstances should the BBC try to make a proper, regular show with him. And preferably, no more Noel Edmonds either - he's outstayed his welcome. Worth pointing out (I don't recall it being mentioned in the video) that the guy responsible for the single and album was Simon Cowell - he often produced such novelty crap chart singles based on tv shows in his early career - Power Rangers WWF Wrestling, Teletubbies etc.
Pixels.Ltd (Samuel Victor)
2018-06-08 07:47:50 +0000 UTC
