10 Responses to “Im not just Arnold Drummond – Gary Coleman Glasses”

  1. Allee Willis

    I went so insane when I saw this that I have to add “Gary Coleman glasses” to your title last anyone might miss coming to this page or should I say spot on the shelf here at the Allee Willis Museum of Kitsch. I didn’t even watch that show and I’m nuts about anything Coleman.

    That you have six of these glasses is truly astounding. Did you get them all at once or add to them separately? And do you know what year they were made? I’m assuming in the 2000s as I don’t think Gary would have been anyone’s Nizzle before that.

  2. windupkitty

    Yeah, so I was and AM a HUGE Diff’rent Strokes fan. That of course,was my first exposure to GAry Coleman and yeah, you gotta get the dvds (only the first 3 season are out, much to my dismay). The kid was genius. He had timing that would’ve slain the vaudeville scene….He had so much talent and I’m sure still does. He got my vote for governor because yes, he was Gary Coleman, but i can assure you, despite the kitsch factor, Schwarzeneggger DID NOT!!!!!!!

    I love Gary Coleman and it sucks cause he really is suffering physically…the poor guy has paid his dues, ya know? I wish he’d return to stage or screen.

    Believe it or not, I got all these glasses from Urban Outfitters online. My little sister likes things from there and I was looking for a gift for her and came across these glasses. I called them up, almost out of breath and bought every last one they had (they were on deep discount and apparently, there weren’t many made or sold cause I was asking where I could get more!). There’s no manufacturer, but there is a sticker that says MADE IN USA. I’m guessing it might’ve been around 2003 when he had his name on the ballot for CA governor, my ability to recall dates has been trashed by chemicals!

    • Jason Mecier

      where do you draw the line on what is kitsch? cause if Urban Outfitters put it out that to me is a trendy knockoff on real kistch because they are re-making and spoon feeding cool ideas to the masses…the nizzle is a snoop dogg reference…not to say that it is not legitimate, or a cool drinking glass, but its different then the real thing, TO ME. dont mean to dis the kistch, but im a purist and dont like modern re-makes the same way as the funky things that were originally put out.. just sayin. shizzle my nizzle. SO SORRY! are we allowed to argue om AWMOK?

        • Allee Willis

          Well, first of all, I’m glad you couldn’t delete it as I love there being a discussion of what is and what isn’t Kitsch. As for the ability to delete comments once you hit submit that’s something that effects the entire interface that way we built this in WordPress. Many of the other Facebook capabilities are here (in a much prettier form!). For now, if there’s something you really want to yank, e-mail me at [email protected] and I’ll pour the Draino on it.

      • Allee Willis

        @Jason – Yes, absolutely, you’re so allowed to argue or, as I prefer to look at it, debate the validity of something as being Kitsch or not. The whole purpose of AWMoK is to explore all aspects of Kitsch. My version of it is very different from the traditional definition of kitsch anyway. As for whether something can or cannot be Kitsch that’s a knowing reproduction of something that was originally kitsch, I used to define that as you have, confined to the original vintage object. But as literally the first person documented to have started collecting this ilk of pop culture stuff I’ve stretched my definition to include all items and works having to do with anyone who’s inherently and iconicly Kitsch. And Gary Coleman certainly is a card-carrying member of that definition. But, believe me, I completely respect the side of the debate you’re on as I held to it steadfastly for years and there is no doubt that the originals sit on a far more comfortable throne in the Kitsch Kingdome than the newer products attempting to play on nostalgia. I’m totally selective who I’ll bend the rules for too. Really has to be someone who remains Kitsch to this day, as Coleman does, for me to be interested in a newly manufactured object. I do want to stress that there’s a huge difference between newly manufactured object and straight repro, the latter of which I detest in all ways, shapes and forms. I don’t at all mean things that are made to look like the real thing like would be in a repro 1950’s diner. I mean a whole new set of items from someone who remains Kitschfast no matter what decade their products appear in.

        As for “the nizzle is a snoop dogg reference‚Ķ” I acknowledged that in my first comment re the date. You know I know my stuff there.

  4. windupkitty

    @jason yeah, i like that you’re questioning the kitsch factor! it’s all cool! you shouldn’t worry about conflict etc….this is a great conversation topic! ya know, i’m not always sure what is considered kitsch myself…..i have a lot of things that i think are cool, but don’t really know what crosses the line into deserved glorification or kitsch, if you will…..i mean, i guess i’m pretty lax about my guidelines for kitsch and don’t really understand other peoples’ guidelines until i encounter them, and totally respect the “purist opinion” too…I think what you’ve offered up is important! that’s what this site’s all about…sharing stuff and opinions and i’m glad you said what you did! it’s awesome! it’s funny, ya now, i know that ‘nizzle’ is a snoop dog reference and i still find it kitschy cause to me, the word is just funny and silly! I mean that in a good way…no disrespect to it’s creator or users, it’s just, i honestly can’t seem to look at anything without a sense of humor, and yeah, the word nizzle just cracks me up completely….and used in reference to the child version of gary coleman, well, it crosses into kitsch for me, but i totally get what you’re saying too and respect that,for sure……it’s all good, for shizz……