Martini-Marinaded Metrosexual Muppet Misses Monkey; Mama Makes Meatballs.
Written: Apr 03 '04 (Updated Apr 10 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Stunning likeness, great accessories.
Cons: Promoting Italian American Stereotypes. But hey, who isn't?
The Bottom Line: Johnny Fiama, coming through! He may sign autographs after the show. But I wouldn't count on it.
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Jim Henson's Muppets Johnny Fiama Action Figure |
Although Palisades’ line of Muppet action figures started out with a focus on The Muppet Show during that program’s 25th Anniversary year, it soon expanded to other corners of the Muppet universe. This has included Muppet Treasure Island, earlier Muppet movies, and the short-lived recent Muppet television series, Muppets Tonight. Muppets Tonight was pretty hit and miss; one of its failings was that it introduced too many new characters at once, shunting aside old favorites like Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and (most blasphemous of all) Kermit. They were replaced en masse with other characters who I wasn’t in love with, wasn’t friends with, and I generally regarded as inferior. In that mess of new Muppets, a few emerged as solid characters—more than parodies, more than stereotypes…a few new souls made of felt, foam, and fur.
One of these new characters who worked was Johnny Fiama. At first I thought he was just an Italian American lounge singer stereotype—because that’s what he was. Somehow, the interaction between Johnny Fiama and his monkey manservant Sal Manilla elevated Johnny above stereotype to a more well-rounded character. It was probably in the Tony Bennett episode, where Johnny fires Sal and eventually welcomes him back with open arms...well, open until he realizes Sal is getting monkey hair on his new suit.
When I first heard Palisades Toys was making a Johnny Fiama action figure, I thought “I’d really rather have another Kermit. Or Piggy. Or Gonzo.” I’m officially eating my words. Once again, Palisades has taken an ancillary character and made a toy that I’m head over heels in love with.
Johnny Fiama is something of a clothes horse…dare I say “metrosexual?” I dare. He’s obsessed with his hair, clothes, and jewelry—all of which has to meet his exacting standard of quality. No wonder he needs a helper monkey. In order to approximate pretty boy’s vast wardrobe, Palisades has given us three different outfits and sets of accessories for Johnny. The first is the signature version, wearing a pinstripe suit; the other two include a sharkskin suit and a more casual smoking jacket. I plan on getting all three, but the one I bought first is the pinstripe suit.
In the course of making an action figure, there are many things that can go wrong—with Johnny, everything seems to have gone right. The likeness on his face—the arrogant expression with a raised eyebrow, the somehow lipless Muppet lips, the chin, his slicked back salt and pepper hair—all of which is exquisite. His stance is perfect for his lounge singing, down to his pinkies held out, better to see his pinky rings. His pinstripe suit is painted perfectly—a problem I was expecting to see after a few other Palisades paint mishaps. Everything from the collar pin and tie tack to the tassles on his shoes—pure Fiama perfection.
His articulation is better than you’d expect for a guy in a suit—ball jointed shoulders and hips, jointed knees, elbows, wrists, and bicep. My favorite joint may be his neck, giving him more emotion for those really deep songs like “Monkeys in the Night.”
Johnny’s accessories complete his ensemble—he comes with a microphone, a bar stool, framed picture, and record album. Like his suits, the accessories come in three different styles: the pinstripe version comes with a framed autographed picture of Johnny himself. Other versions come with framed photos of his Ma (Mama Fiama) and his monkey, Sal. The record comes with a removable cardboard sleeve, and there are three different records for the three different Johnnys. The pinstripe album is “Johnny We Hardly Heard Ya: -- a Rowlf Records release. Songs include “I Left My Wallet in San Diego,” “The Very Thought of Me,” and “Steppin’ Out With My Monkey.” A great addition to the figure, making him a little more real—and funny—than he’s ever been to me.
The only thing wrong with my Johnny Fiama action figure is that he doesn’t have his monkey Sal with him. The two of them are inseparable—it’s like having Statler without Waldorf, or Bunsen without Beaker. Hopefully before too long Sal will be joining his boss with the rest of the Muppets on my shelf. Until then, this sallow-skinned, martini-soaked metrosexual goombah will have to sing alone. Or maybe the Electric Mayhem and Rowlf will let Johnny sing with them.
Where can you buy Jim Henson’s Muppets action figures? There are a lot of places, and the list is growing. These are already on the shelves at Suncoast, Sam Goody and Media Play stores, as well as EB and EBX. They’ll be rolling them out at Toys R Us within a few weeks, and if it’s more convenient, there are many online sources as well. I happened to get mine from www.boxingcow.com, and they had competitive prices and fantastic customer service.
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MORE MUPPETS!
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 8.99
Type of Toy: Action Figure
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Epinions.com ID:
JediKermit
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Member: Quinn
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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