At first, when we saw the TV commercial, my wife and I thought it was a joke. After all, we were watching a show that satirizes politics and this just seemed to fit in with its comedic sensibilities. But a quick check on the web proved it to be true. Joseph Enterprises, the company that brought you the Chia pet and Chia herb garden, has a new product -- a special edition of our 44th president -- Chia Obama.
For $19.99, plus shipping and handling, you can receive a bust of the president with a specially designed scalp. Sprinkle on the seeds that come with the kit, add water, and before you can say “Yes We Can,” your Chia Obama will sprout a green head of hair. Water him enough and eventually the seeds will grow into an afro, making Chia Obama look more like Barack did back in the day when he was Barry.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
But wait! Don’t order yet, there’s more. You can have your choice of Baracks. There’s the happy Obama who’s grinning over his head of greenery. And then there’s the determined Obama -- confident he’ll be able to grow the best shrub-do possible. Decisions.... decisions.
Is this the most ridiculous president-related product ever put out by someone trying to cash in on the popularity of a Commander in Chief ? That’s sure what I was thinking as I watched the animated example continuously grow hair on the Chia Obama website (http://www.chiaobama.com).
But I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, so I did some digging. This is what I found.
BOBBLEHEAD DOLLS - With a growing collector’s base for bobbleheads of varying notoriety (Bobblehead Jesus!), it isn’t surprising that quite a few former POTUS (or is it POTUSes?) can be had in this form. I easily found Franklin Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Harry Truman, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and both Bushes. Yet, for some reason my favorite is George W. He just seems like a bobblehead natural to me.
After all my searching, I have to say I didn’t find anything as cheesy as Chia Obama. But I did find two that come pretty close.
The first is a Nixon Ring Toss Game. Introduced in 1968, the object of the game is to hook as many rings as possible on this plywood version of Tricky Dick’s nose.
PAPER DOLLS - Numerous presidential families also pop up in this popular toy form, including the Obamas. But the obvious choice here would be the Clintons. Hey, if Bill can drop his pants whenever he wants, why can’t we?
BOARD GAMES - Presidential board games have grown in popularity recently. The trend started with Kennedy and has been going strong ever since. The only president that didn’t generate one was Gerard R. Ford. Some of the presidents have inspired multiple games. Though many are tempting to play, the one that stand out is Reaganomics. It’s a game that appears to combine elements of Monopoly, Risk and Poker. Sounds just like the 1980s to me.
ACTION FIGURES - What better way to keep your G.I. Joes in check than with a presidential action figure? Again, the usual suspects show up... Clinton, Reagan, Carter... both Bushes. But I also ran across some unlikely ones... Andrew Jackson... Ulysses S. Grant. My favorite is the 12-inch, talking Nixon. Though I wasn’t able to verify if one of the 25 different phrases he says is “I am not a crook.”
COMIC BOOKS - It made news earlier this year when Marvel Comics published a special edition of Spiderman featuring Barack Obama. But years before the current president teamed up with a superhero, John F. Kennedy made the pulp pages. Not only does he appear in the February, 1964 issue of Action Comics (#309), JFK also plays a key role in the plotline. Superman is being honored for his heroic deeds and his closest friends have gathered to pay tribute. To avoid suspicion, Superman needs Clark Kent to be among the well-wishers. Who does he trust to impersonate his alter ego? None other than our 35th president. “After all,” the Man of Steel reasons, “If I can’t trust the President of the United States, who CAN I trust?”
The second item doesn’t involve a president, per say, but it’s the next best thing. Submitted for your approval, The Hillary Nutcracker. Place your favorite shelled nut between her pants-suited legs, and with a simple squeeze -- cracking happens.
And I think nothing more needs to be said on that.
