On profiting off of a dead kitten t-shirt

[demiurgent]

Like I said over on Snarkoleptics, I'm all for folks making money. And I'm not offended by the Sore Thumbs "Cy" tee shirt. I just think it's tasteless and a little sad. Which isn't the same as offense.

I think, in the end, it's because it's Crosby and Gieni. And they don't do tasteless and wrong as their stock in trade. So I'm uncomfortably aware of the fact that it's actually meant to be cute and sweet, when it's a tee shirt of a freak kitten who died.

If J. Grant or D.J. Coffman made this shirt, in their inimitable styles? I'd probably not buy it, but I'd end up laughing my ass off. I'm just sure of it. Potentially far less tasteful, and yet more appropriate. If that makes sense.

Comments

[darthparadox.livejournal.com]

It does make sense. With people like Grant and Coffman, as you imply, "offensive", "wrong" subject matter is indeed their stock in trade, and this shirt coming from one of them genuinely fits with their sense of humor. But coming from Sore Thumbs, it seems cynical and greedy - more of a "here's a trend we can cash in on" than any real part of their artistic mood.

Not offensive, but tasteless. I think you've got it.

[jinwicked.livejournal.com]

Link?

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

Here's the link to the comic and the shirt. http://www.sorethumbsonline.com/d/20060111.html

I'm not sure what I think about it. I've never been a fan of Sore Thumbs, so tasteless sounds about right from what I know of the comic.

[jinwicked.livejournal.com]

You know, I've refrained from ever using song lyrics in any of my work because I've read that you can get in major doodoo if you don't pay licensing fees to whomever owns the music.

I don't find that shirt/comic particularly offensive, just kinda stupid and unfunny.

[dirkdada.livejournal.com]

I'm of mixed minds when it comes to stuff like this. I like absurd humor, and what's more absurd than a cyclopian kitten?

Then again, it actually existed and died after a painfully short life, revealing that other kind of absurdity, the dark "of life" kind, that isn't funny at all.

So, real dead kittens = not so funny.

Dead puppies, tho. I think we can all agree here. They aren't much fun. (http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/d/drdemento6577/deadpuppies248767.html)

You don't think SORE THUMBS is tasteless and wrong on a regular basis?

[chriscrosby.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I guess we're gonna have to start trying harder.

Re: You don't think SORE THUMBS is tasteless and wrong on a regular basis?

[demiurgent.livejournal.com]

I guess I persist in thinking of you as having a soul, sir. ;)

Re: You don't think SORE THUMBS is tasteless and wrong on a regular basis?

[chriscrosby.livejournal.com]

Souls are reserved for adorable cyclops kittens and old dirty bastards!

[thenintengenius.livejournal.com]

The whole thing is one big "eh" for me. The comic was eh, the fact that the comic's spawned a shirt is eh, really most of it is just eh.

But PUFF DADDY lyrics? Now THAT'S wrong.

[ryuko-midori.livejournal.com]

I agree on the 'eh' front.

[point5b.livejournal.com]

The whole Cy thing creeps me out. A little deformed kitten incapable of living and doubtlessly suffering awfully until it died isn't cute.

[inspectorzutto.livejournal.com]

Seconded.

[5eh.livejournal.com]

When I first saw the tshirt, it was on an advert at Something Positive (http://www.somethingpositive.net), and to be honest, I thought it was Randy pimping something silly. Now that I know it is Sore Thumbs, I'd still wear it. The actual comic the tshirt is from brings up *cough* some relevant issues, and one could *cough cough* think that ST is actually trying to make a point.

I cried when I read about the cyclops kitten. I know that kittens don't have their eyes open for a while after they're born, and I know he was exploited because he was an anomaly, and I sure as hell knew he was going to die. The whole internet cried out for that kitten, he was probably the most loved/hated kitten in the world for that brief moment. Cy was tragically cute, which is easily exploitable, and to be honest, I think ST did a nice job with the happy kitten going to heaven. I think the Puff Daddy lyrics are dumb.

my two cents.