Did you catch the annual ToughPigs Halloween Parade earlier this week? You'd better check it out! It's a pretty big deal.

ToughPigs' own Scott Hanson, who is also an administrator on the Muppet Wiki, has been collecting pictures of people dressed as Super Grover (hey, we all need hobbies!), and he was generous enough to share the pictures with us. And damn but is it a great collection!

So now, presenting the further adventures of everybody's favorite superhero, the man who is faster than lightning, stronger than steel, smarter than a speeding bullet... it's (people dressed as) Super Grover!






























Special thanks to Scott Hanson for providing these amazing pictures!

Click here to take flight on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: fanaticism, Halloween

Halloween has once again come and gone. Not only did we eat our weight in sweets, but we encouraged strangers' children to do the same. And while we work off those extra calories in preparation for indulging on Thanksgiving turkey (which we'll burn off before gaining Christmas dinner calories, which we'll burn off before Groundhog's Day brunch... it's an endless cycle), let's take a peek-a-roo at all of those nutty people who decided it was a good idea to dress as a puppet.

For past ToughPigs Halloween Parades, give these a click: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008.

And as always, give those naughty images a spanking a click to embiggen. Now let's get on with this craziness we attempt to pass off as entertainment!

I have to wonder how most ladyfriends react when their boyfriends suggest that they dress as Kermit and Miss Piggy. There's got to be at least a few who are insulted at the insinuation that she look like a snout-less pig. Still, it almost always ends up being a sickeningly cute couples costume. Also, I'm enjoying the number of people who modify a green hoodie with a collar and eyes for a simple Kermit costume. I would totally buy a collared Kermit hoodie for everyday use (are you listening, Disney???).

The Gonzo costume in the middle is my favorite of this collage because of the purple tux. That's all it takes to win my affection. He could be orange and I'd still award him bonus points for the tux. Though the Baby Gonzo in the upper right corner is a good-lookin' costume, even though he's way bigger than a baby. Minus points for the guy dressed as Jim Henson (top row, orange shirt) for thinking it's okay for Jim to be holding an Elmo puppet. It's not okay, and I wish you'd stop. Don't make me open a can of Muppet Wiki on you.

Now that's how you make a Jim costume. Alls you need is a beard, a brown jacket, and, y'know, a puppet that Jim actually performed.

This is what it would look like if your parents dressed up as Kermit and Miss Piggy. "Look kids! We're ruining your beloved childhood icons!"

People sure do like dressing up as Beaker for Halloween. I always love seeing the different ways folks build the giant cylinder head (of course, with the exception of the guy in the upper right corner). The Bunsens aren't bad either, though I don't think I've ever seen a Bunsen costume that wasn't paired with a Beaker. There's no love for (solo) Doc Honeydew.

The picture on the left is of ToughPigs' own Alaina, who went all-out on her Dr. Teeth costume, molding the necklace out of sculpey and threading the vest herself. If you could see the whole costume, you'd see that even the boots are accurate (thanks, Palisades action figure!). As for the people dressed as Animal, I have a theory that they only chose that costume so they'd have an excuse to shout obscenities after getting drunk.

The picture on the left is how the Electric Mayhem would look if they were real people. The picture on the right is how the Electric Mayhem would look if they were attending your wedding.

Apron? Check. Bow tie? Check. Giant eyebrows? Check. The Swedish Chef costume gets a lot of play every year, probably because he kinda looks like a real dude, and you can make it out of stuff you've got lying around the house. I'm giving double points go to the guy in the middle of the upper row, who actually built a puppety head that looks just like the Chef. But then I'm taking away all of his points because he gave himself puppety hands too. You came so close to accuracy, bro!

SCENE 1: COSTUME STORE, INTERIOR, DAY. "Hey look, that wig looks like David Bowie's hair in Labyrinth! If I just buy a Jack Sparrow shirt and some gray tights, I can dress as Jareth for Halloween! I'm probably gonna have to stuff the tights though..."

Sad Ludo has no friends. What'd you do to piss off the rocks, Ludo??

That sure is a lot of Sesame Street costumes. But really, I can't stop staring at that Telly costume in the lower left corner. I'd dress as Telly every day if I owned that costume.

In the past, I've complained that the giant-head Bert and Ernie costumes were starting to creep me out. The picture in the upper right corner has convinced me that the bigheads aren't so bad. Also, I am totally digging on those crocheted Bert and Ernie hats in the lower left corner. Though they are looking a little surprised to be hats.

So wait. Which ones are the real Bert and Ernie?? Too many unibrows!!!

Guys, seriously, you're not helping to stop those rumors about you right now. On an unrelated note, it looks like Bert's been working out.

There are apparently only two important things to keep in mind when putting together a successful Count costume: the sash and the widow's peak.

As far as couples costumes go, this is way better than the "plug and outlet", "Raggedy Ann and Andy", and "brick and brick layer" costumes put together.

You might've noticed how I (unintentionally) put these pictures in decreasing order of fuzziness, yet increasing order of grouchiness.

The Yip-Yip Martians make their triumphant return to the Halloween Parade, once again as one of the most popular Muppet costumes of the year. I wonder if the word "redundant" is in their book. ("Book, book! Uh huh, uh huh.")

I was surprised at the lack of Fraggle costumes this year: only one Red and two Doozers that I could find. I'm especially amazed at the girl on the left for her excellent Doozer helmet. Next year, I'm hoping for at least one Trash Heap costume.

The runner-up for the My Favorite Muppet Costume Award goes to this unbelievable Grover costume. If Grover was human-sized, this is exactly what he'd look like. If I saw that in real life, I don't think I'd be able to resist the urge to give him a hug.

But my favorite costume of the year goes to this Miss Piggy costume. Not because it's a terribly remarkable Piggy, but because it's obviously Miss Piggy from The Muppets Take Manhattan. She's got the 80s dress, the white purse, and the frizzy hairdo. But most importantly, she's got the scowl. Maybe she just saw Kermit giving Jenny the "huggies".

And that's it for this year's batch of Muppet costumes! Special thanks to Joy Satterwhite, Stephanie Kaye, Lucy Posen, Jonathan Little, Robyn Learn, Jen and Tim Coles, Alaina Breeden, and everyone else involved for sending in their pictures of themselves or their loved ones dressed like characters from a kiddie show.

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Labels: fanaticism, Halloween

There's only one thing I like more than eating my own weight in Milky Ways, and that's dressing up as my favorite Jim Henson creation. Actually, I'm a little too lazy to try and design an accurate Sherlock Hemlock costume, so I might as well live vicariously through the people who bothered to make the costumes themselves.

So without further ado (though I make no promises that there won't be a little ado by the end of this article), I bring you the latest installment of ToughPigs' Halloween Parade!

Don't forget, clicky clicky the pictures to make them biggie biggie.

Here's some group shots of some Muppet Show characters to start us out. Never has there been a better use of papier-mâché. I'm a little surprised at the number of Zoots, though there's always room for more Zoots in the world. Note the bottom left image, which contains Muppet Show guest star Loretta Swit.

Here's a few random Sesame Street characters. I'm shocked, simply shocked, that Bert is hanging out with Rubber Duckie. But my shock has abated after seeing The Count's abacus.Beaker, as always, is a popular character. I wonder if he feels safer in a car with Miss Piggy than in Bunsen's lab. I'd ask Bunsen, but apparently he's busy eating that guy's face.
Super Grover is one of my favorite costume ideas. That first guy makes me want a Super Grover hoodie for myself. And apparently, if I ever own a dog, that's how I'll dress him. Every day.
The Swedish Chef is a simple costume, so I'm always happy when someone goes that extra inch to make it more recognizable than a short-order cook. Like a scruffy moustache, or a baby dressed as a chicken, or hanging out with Zoot.
This is a pretty weak Red costume, but a well-done Gobo! I'd say that the banjo makes the costume, but really it's the yellow shirt and vest. Five seconds after this picture was taken, Gobo and Red started making out.Ah, now this is how to do a Red costume. Pom-pom hair, furry feet, a tail, yellow tights, and GIANT EYEBALLS! I know whenever I think of Red Fraggle, the first things that comes to my mind are eyes that can peer into your very soul.
None of these Cookie Monster costumes are anything to write home about, but the accessories are. A girl dressed as a cookie! A grouchy pal! Being on the equestrian team! Being a dog!Hey, it's Kermit!
Hey, it's Piggy!
Hey, it's Kermit and Piggy!And in case you were wondering what Kermit and Piggy's lovechild would look like...
Those two old guys in the balcony are pretty funny. I'll ask them what their names are once they wake up.
Aw, don't be so sad, Sad Elmo! Cheer up! I know what you need: a good tickle! No? Ok, fine. Be sad, Sad Elmo. See if I care.
Funny, I never thought of the Snowths as being Mahna Mahna's lady groupies, but somehow this picture makes it seem plausible.
Why would someone dress as Lew Zealand? Just for the halibut.
The laziest costumes in the history of history:
Ever wonder what Janice would look like if she was designed by Guillermo Del Toro?
I know I made this joke last year, but I'm constantly surprised when a guy dressed as Gonzo convinces his girlfriend to dress as a chicken. At least she didn't insist on him wearing his chili pepper shirt.

I normally wouldn't post this picture, because they look like Fraggles, but they very well might not be. But that one in the middle is obviously Boober. And maybe you can identify the Fraggles/ravers I couldn't.Those are some pretty rad Gobo and Red costumes, but I've never seen anyone actually dressed as Fraggle Rock! I hope he doesn't accidentally eat any of that insulation though.
So, do you think her head comes off? More importantly, do her pants?
Today was the day when I realized that Dr. Teeth looks like a hobo.
Crazy Harry, on the other hand, has always looked like a hobo.Someone call Wayne Szalinski, we've got a Doozer that needs shrinking.
That's right, it's a Bruno costume. I heard that's how Caroll Spinney came up with the idea.
Jareth from Labyrinth was another popular costume idea. The crystal ball is a nice touch, but the baby Toby is a nicer one.
No Halloween Parade is complete without one Sweetums costume. But just one.No, your eyes are not deceiving you. That is a Rowlf Cerberus costume.
In case you were considering dressing as a Yip-Yip Martian for Halloween next year, it's been done.
Oh, and kids sometimes dress up for Halloween too.
Thus ends the Halloween Parade for this year. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a Butterfinger with my name on it.

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Labels: fanaticism, Halloween

The tree is lit, the mistletoe is hung, and there's a fat man on the roof. That must mean it's everyone's favorite excuse to eat eggs and throw chocolate (or the other way around): Halloween! It's the time of year when everyone reaches deep into their psyche and pulls out a costume idea that will set the world ablaze. Or at the very least will get your drunken photos onto TMZ.

This year, many people decided to mock what you and I hold most dear by dressing up as their favorite, or least favorite, Muppet characters. Let's take a peek at some of the best and most embarrassing hilarious pictures that I stole from Flickr, shan't we?
Here we've got a couple of giant-headed roommates, Bert and Ernie. C'mon guys, you couldn't find some stripey shirts?
Two extracool points go to this Two-Headed Monster for remembering that the one on the left has horns that go up, while the one on the right has horns that go down.
Boy, that Cookie Monster costume looks warm, doesn't it? I guess Big Bird wouldn't know, since he can't see a damn thing.
Ignore the wolf-in-grandma's-gown, take note of the Swedish Chef. I give an extra point for the bow tie, but I'll take it away again for thinking he has a goatee.
Golden teeth and golden tones (and a few feather boas) make this costume extra nifty.
This Doozer costumes looks more like a chubby construction worker. The confused look on his face make him look like a construction worker who lost his favorite wrench.
I can imagine that a Gonzo costume is near impossible to pull off, so I'll give points for the purple tux, as well as convincing his girlfriend to go as Camilla.
Guess what Elmo's thinking about today? That's right, Elmo! Let's ask a baby what Elmo looks like. Hey baby...
A very strange attempt at a Jim Henson costume. I guess the gray beard means this is 1989 Jim Henson, though I don't understand the Kermit puppet with his neck on fire. Though I really don't get the lady next to him. I'm afraid to ask.
This Pepe costume might be my favorite of the bunch. She's got the extra arms (and the strings to make them work), the blue hoodie, and the spiky hair to simulate antennae. 100 Muppet points to you, King Prawn!
Sweetums in da house! This is one really well-made costume. I want to buy one, then run around town with a suitcase, shouting "Wait up, you guys! I wanna go to Hollywood!"
Statler and Waldorf here get my approval for actually being two old guys. Oh, and the portable balcony doesn't hurt either.
Halloween? Uh huh, uh huh. Book! Book book book. Yip yip yip.

Now let's take a look at some repeated costumes I found. Then we can compare and thrown toilet paper over the house of the loser.
Red Fraggle showed up at a couple of parties. Both Reds have the red shirt/yellow face combo, but only one managed to grow pom-poms on her head. Oh, all for the sake of Halloween!
No Halloween is complete without a few Kermit the Frog impersonators. Kermit #1 gets cool points for bringing his own banjo, though Kermit #2 gets supercool points for actually making her costume out of a green jacket. Nice historical reference, and I'm sure it was completely intentional.
This one's a no brainer. Oscar #3 wins by default for having a trash can without two gangly legs sticking out from the bottom.
And here we've got three sets of Kermits and Piggys. The first pair obviously put a lot of effort into their costumes, while couple #2 looks more bored than if they were watching the Muppet Treasure Island Sing-Along. Of course, the brilliant pairing of a child and a dog makes us all forget that the first two ever existed.
And let's finish up with some group shots. In the first picture, I really enjoy the Yip-Yip Martians, as well as the brave attempt at the Two-Headed Monster. Super Grover and Guy Smiley are neat, but the icing on the cake is... Farley? No, Sherlock Hemlock. No, Green Anything Muppet. Yeah, that's it.
I like the mix of giant heads and real people in this one. Kermit and Piggy are completely awkward, but they look great alongside Lew Zealand, Bunsen and Beaker, and most of the Electric Mayhem. Take note of the failed attempt at Scooter in the back there.
Lastly, a traditional family picture, which I think is way too adorable for words. The hand-made Oscar does it for me, though I doubt he'd much enjoy living in a Rubbermade can.

That's all for this year! Happy tricking and happy treating! Save a Mars Bar for me.

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Labels: fanaticism, Halloween