This will take a bit of set-up.
A while back, for SOME reason, I admitted over on Emily and Ken’s blog that when I was a child, and I watched Willy Wonka, the Oompa Loompas gave me a very weird feeling. I think the words I used on Emily’s blog were “disturbingly sexual.” Please note that I did not say that I found Oompa Loompas “pleasingly sexual” – but that there was something DISTURBING about them, something … ikky, if you will … and they made me feel a bit weird. Like – God help me if I run into a bunch of Oompa Loompas in a dark alley.
Needless to say, Emily has never let me forgotten my shameful confession on her blog. I figure I deserve all the ribbing I get, because what the hell was I doing admitting such a weird thing on SOMEONE ELSE’S BLOG in the first place?
Long embarrassing story longer and more embarrassing:
The other day, during the “plushie” mania going on on It Comes in Pints …
Well, suffice it to say, that Oompa Loompas came up again. There were a couple of suggestions about Photoshopping that old black and white photo of mine, and Ken, in about 5 seconds, did just that. Emily then wrote a commentary about the doctored photo, to be read like a blurb in a museum catalog.
High comedy ensued at my expense and I thought I would share it.
Click into the Extended Entry to see the photo, and to read Emily’s commentary:
On “Expressive Woman With Colorful Midgets”:
“Surrounding our subject are a number of colorful little people, commonly referred to as ‘Oompa Loompas’ and originally made popular by the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, who form a symetrically pleasing pattern that frames the work’s center. The focus of the piece settles on a woman who appears to be either experiencing gross pain or immense pleasure, rendering her objective and mysterious. The viewer is left but to wonder of the task her companions have set themselves to, as they hover behind and appear to be cramming things up her ass.”
PPPPPPHHHHHFFFFFFTTTTTT!
*hack* *cough* *choke*
Oh my god, I am never going to get all the coffee out of my keyboard!
Mr. Z –
When I saw the photo, and read Emily’s commentary, I had to get up and go take a walk, to calm down, and stop guffawing inappropriately.
It’s one of the funniest most disturbing things I have ever seen in my life.
I think it’s time to write some Sheila/Oompa fanfic.
Certainly a brave, if not foolish, post, Sheila.
But ‘Plushie mania’ going on on It Comes in Pints?
*ahem*
…and that photo could easily be categorised as a Plushie Cuddle Party.
Oh, I know I started it. But Emily took it to another level.
She did seem to have the relevant links bookmarked in advance…
hahahahaha
What a great sport
That’s why we love you, Sweetness….
I screwed up in that blurb, though. The book is called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The movie is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Look at the second Oompa Loompa from the right. He’s got this expression on his face that seems to say “hey! Get a load of this!”
Alternatively, Emily, he could be saying.. “Ken? What are you doing over there with that rabbit?”
I can’t really comment on that photo, because, er, how can one? But you & the Oompa Loompas reminded me a) of R. Crumb’s brother’s obsession with the movie Treasure Island – he started drawing pirate comics with obsessive intensity, because of his secret love for Bobby Driscoll, who played the boy in the film. And b) that I had some weird fascination with the band Sugay Ray when they first appeared, which could not be explained by any great love of their music – rather it was inspired by Mark McGrath alone, who I realized resembled very mean very sexy bully in my old neighborhood.
Oh, and speaking of taking things places, folks, I think you should know that last night I sat down with my guitar and began composing the Plushie [Shaggers] first tune, “Getting Sploogey”. Don’t even talk to me about levels, man. There are apparently none in my world.
Anne – woah. R. Crumb’s brother haunts me to this day. Charles. Jesus. I remember the shot of his journal when finally, language left him altogether … and he was just filling up all the pages with teeny tiny squiggles. My god. I think somewhere I felt: There by the grace of God go I. What an incredible and haunting character – the true genius in the family, I would say. Sad.
Oh and damn those mean sexy bullies. Why are they so compelling? They’re usually a bit blurpy too, which makes it all so much worse.
Oh. My. God. You people are whacked. (But sooooo entertaining.)
Emily … I MUST hear that song when it is completed.
If the songs turn out half-decent, maybe I can make a CD. “Code Name Buttons” is turning out to be a pretty rockin’ tune.
gosh, red, i found a picture from your vacation. and here we actually believed you went to ‘ireland’. gosh, again.
Lyrics and, if technically possible, a .mp3 file must be posted, Emily.
jaysus, that’s insane.
Oh my last comment was to Bingley.
There’s your band, Emily!
Given the nature of this thread, I think it was absolutely necessary that you point that out, Sheila.
Huh.. I’ve been called worse ;)
heh heh heh Yeah, really. Like there is ANYthing sane going on here …
Well, the bully in question once held me down and threatened to “mash” me, so it wasn’t just some distant theoretical appeal…
Anne –
Woah.
Too much info? (I ask Oompa Loompa girl?)
No! That’s not what my ‘woah’ was about. Not at all! I am queen of TMI. Inadvertent TMI, sometimes, but TMI nonetheless.
No – it’s just kind of a sexy story, that’s all.
It reminded me of Welcome to the Dollhouse a little bit.
This is hilarious. That picture gave me a cramp. They do seem to be “cramming” in a most workmanlike manner.
DBW:
Maybe it was their workmanlike qualities that freaked me out when I was a kid. It seemed creepy and robotic.
And what the hell is coming out of that spout beneath me? What are they DOING to me??
See why I have tears on my face? I am being tormented in the ass-area by Oompa Loompas.
It’s the not knowing that makes art so provocative, wouldn’t you agree, Sheila?
And yet.. despite the alleged torment, no-one is getting smacked in the nose.. hmmm.
There’s a fine line between pain and pleasure.
Or so I’ve heard.
It’s just that …
Oompa Loompas?? Ick. They make me shiver.
Ah.. pain/pleasure and revulsion…
You know Freud made a fortune out of this kind of thing.
God. No wonder I got out of therapy. Whatever the hell is going on, I do not want to KNOW!
I didn’t say he was right, Sheila.. I just said he made a fortune out of it.
VERY good distinction.
and there was a certain expensive experimental pharmaceutical that needed to be paid for.
I never thought much about Oompa Loompas one way or the other. Teletubbies, on the other hand, are mightily disturbing.
Just to be clear about it
No Oompa Loompas were harmed in the making of this post, though some may be growing hair on their palms….
Just to be clear about it
No Oompa Loompas were harmed in the making of this post, though some may be growing hair on their palms….
What a great sport
That’s why we love you, Sweetness….