I don't think the front page is really the right place for this kind of political robble rousing. posted by Atom Eyes at 11:24 AM on January 17, 2011 [34 favorites]
I remember a conversation with friends in which we determined that it would be awesome if someone with the last name McCheese were to rise through the ranks and become Comptroller McCheese. Then everyone would try to convince him to run for mayor, but no, he likes being comptroller, the name is really a coincidence, but thank you for your interest.
We then imagined a feature film on this topic. A mass conspiracy of people - lead by the maniacal Hamburglar and his loyal henchmen the Fry Guys - would go on a killing spree to try to install McCheese as the Mayor, for no other reason than the fact that it would be funny for them. Leave it to the main character, the heavy, ominous, reformed criminal Grimace, to put an end to the madness. (Ronald McDonald himself would be an unseen presence, and he would only show his face for the Dark Knight-esque sequel.)
The whole movie would completely repurpose the tone, imagery, and techno-elegiac score of Tony Scott's Man On Fire, and it would be awesome. posted by Sticherbeast at 11:24 AM on January 17, 2011 [10 favorites]
I'm not against this post because it is a campaign/petition/sign up for this crap post. I'm not even against McDonald's. I'm against Mayor McCheese.
Growing up, the playland at my local McDonald's had the play equipment shipped in directly from Soviet Russia. That's right: play equipment so terrible that Soviet children chose early conscription over playing on these things. The Mayor McCheese was a small little tower that you could climb inside of. Only two things happened with Mayor McCheese. Either you fell out of the tower/off the ladder, and got hurt, or Mayor McCheese had become somewhere around 140F and you burned yourself. posted by Mister Fabulous at 11:29 AM on January 17, 2011 [6 favorites]
HAMBURGLAR FOR MAYOR posted by Sys Rq at 11:30 AM on January 17, 2011
I find this campaign a little hard to swallow. posted by sambosambo at 11:30 AM on January 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
Growing up, the playland at my local McDonald's had the play equipment shipped in directly from Soviet Russia.
When I was first hired at eBay back in 2003, we could submit wacky listings we found - whereupon the most wacky would be posted in the break room. I scored by finding an old Playland fixture from the 70s in the form of a giant Mayor McCheese head. By "giant" I mean 6 feet in diameter. It was listed for thousands of dollars - no shipping offered, of course.
The seller rightly claimed: "The ultimate McDonald's collectible!" posted by Joe Beese at 11:32 AM on January 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
Too many ingested prions. posted by Burhanistan at 11:32 AM on January 17, 2011
"Rubble-Rubble" posted by clavdivs at 11:33 AM on January 17, 2011
I wasn't the only person who immediately thought of this mayor, was I?
(The Mayor McCheese playland toy wasn't the hamburger prison that you could climb into?) posted by jeather at 11:34 AM on January 17, 2011
If I put my name on one online petition, that would be one. This would be two? Unless I only did one, in which case this would be one. I'm confused. Not signing, but confused. posted by fixedgear at 11:43 AM on January 17, 2011
Mister Fabulous, are you sure you aren't talking about Big Mac the policeman?
I stand corrected. However, I don't recall the one in my hometown being open in the middle. I remember it being very dark inside with just the hole at the top. posted by Mister Fabulous at 11:49 AM on January 17, 2011
Huh. Sid and Marty Krofft claimed that Mayor McCheese was a ripoff of HR Pufnstuf.
Paul Simon claimed that the HR Pufnstuf theme song was a ripoff of the 59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy).
Los Lobos claimed that Paul Simon literally stole songs from them.
Has McDonalds claimed that anybody ripped them off? Has anyone claimed that Los Lobos ripped them off? posted by Flunkie at 11:55 AM on January 17, 2011 [5 favorites]
Pushed aside by corporate interests? I heard he came down with mad cow disease. posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:02 PM on January 17, 2011
You know, I was really inspired by his positive and hopeful campaign, but now I can't help but grimace. posted by Kabanos at 12:30 PM on January 17, 2011 [7 favorites]
Screw your junk-food wannabe mayor. As probably the biggest non-stoner fan of H.R. Pufnstuf, I'm glad that the Kroffts got theirs back. posted by Halloween Jack at 1:25 PM on January 17, 2011
I will gladly sign your petition on Tuesday for a hamburger today. posted by Sailormom at 1:29 PM on January 17, 2011 [4 favorites]
I wrote McDonalds a letter and asked them to bring back "Birdie the Early Bird" and asked for an autographed photo, but I guess she's too important to have time for her fans. My letter was ignored. posted by cjorgensen at 1:33 PM on January 17, 2011
Civilization would not lie to me. posted by The Whelk at 4:31 PM on January 17, 2011
Civilization lies to you every day. The Colonel is the only man we can trust. posted by sebastienbailard at 4:39 PM on January 17, 2011
Not without Grimace and Fry Guys. As long as it's not Mac Tonight, though. posted by IndigoRain at 5:53 PM on January 17, 2011
Grimace freaks me out. What the fuck is that thing? posted by deliquescent at 6:55 PM on January 17, 2011
Grimace is an engorged stomach, obviously. posted by Sys Rq at 7:08 PM on January 17, 2011
Based on more recent literature, it appears Grimace may be a carbosilicate amorph who doesn't morph much. posted by oneswellfoop at 7:19 PM on January 17, 2011
Those of us who worked in McDonald's as teenagers and cleaned the shake machines know exactly what Grimace is. posted by Burhanistan at 8:24 PM on January 17, 2011
Bring back the McRib first. posted by boghead at 9:14 PM on January 17, 2011
posted by basicchannel at 11:19 AM on January 17, 2011