From turn-of-the-century novelties and Depression-era distraction, through wartime comfort, to Hello Kitty and Jeff Koons, cuteness has thrived in the fertile soil of modern media and pop culture. What is it about fluffy bunnies with bows, baby ducks splashing in puddles, kittens snuggled in baskets and little lambs on their way to school? "Happy Kitty Bunny Pony" celebrates the 'cult of the cute' in all its camp, kitsch, ironic glory. With more than 200 images from the print and advertising archives of the Charles S. Anderson Design Company, this collection is an amazingly rich testament to our fascination with cute things. The hilarious commentary by "Mystery Science Theater 3000" host Mike Nelson, spiked with fun and curious facts, bits of sarcasm, and dry and not-so dry wit, is as surprising and bizarre as the images themselves. So go ahead and join the fun - everyone from art students to your grandma is already shouting the cult-of-the-cute battle cry: 'Happy Kitty Bunny Pony!'
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
The Charles S. Anderson Design Company is ranked by Graphis magazine as one of the world's 10 most influential design firms. Their clients include Ralph Lauren, Warner Brothers, Coca-Cola, Levi's and Nike. Michael J. Nelson, an actor and writer, was the head writer and on-air host of the legendary television series Mystery Science Theater 3000. He is the author of Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese, Mind over Matters, and the novel Death Rat.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is filled with odd, quirky and overly cute images apparently used in advertising in days gone by. The commentary by Michael J. Nelson (former head writer and performer on Mystery Science Theater 3000) ranges from thoughtful to hilarious and sometimes both, but it is spread fairly thin throughout, and not all images have comments associated with them. The pictures range from odd to funny and not all of them are cute even though they all seem to be going for that, and Mike Nelson's comments do at times point out their shortcomings in typically humorous fashion. This book is not nearly as consistently laugh-out-loud funny as Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese or the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Episode Guide, but it is amusing and a very quick read given the brevity of the text. If you enjoy looking at quirky advertising art from the past, reading Mr. Nelson's humor, or both, then you will find this book at times hilarious and at worst moderately enjoyable and amusing. Recommended.
26 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The previous reviewer, B. Daley, seems to have missed the spirit in which this book was written, so allow me to clarify...it's funny! In "Happy Kitty Bunny Pony", Mike Nelson has written text designed to mock the ridiculous obsession world culture has with adorable animals. His insightful text joyously exposes the dark side of fuzzy-wuzzy, cutesy-wootsy little animals. I personally loved the paint by number images. Brought back wonderful memories of my youth. Perhaps it takes a certain cynical attitude to truly appreciate the work of Mike Nelson. If so, then I am glad to be cynical, for Mike is genius!
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Hezaa
Format:Paperback
I picked this book up as a reference source for my work. As a graphic artist who's a bit girly I bought it compleatly for the crude/funny/scary tribute to all that is cute. I was really surprised when I got to the back of the book to see it was Michael J. Nelson's brand of humour I was half-reading.
For reference or for reading, this is a good tool for someone trying to deconstruct cute simple graphics. Not to mention good reference for someone creating their own super cute flat/vector art. The humour in this book is like finding a five dollar bill in an old jacket, unexpected and nice!
For reference or for reading, this is a good tool for someone trying to deconstruct cute simple graphics. Not to mention good reference for someone creating their own super cute flat/vector art. The humour in this book is like finding a five dollar bill in an old jacket, unexpected and nice!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Darn Funny,!
I loved this darn book so much as well as the other 2 books. I have bought two of each, One to save and one for crafting with. Read more
Published on January 30, 2008 by MiladyDoyle
1.0 out of 5 stars
Fit only for decoupage.
A collection of retro animal imagery with a smattering of extremely brief remarks that are sometimes amusing, often flat. Read more
Published on December 28, 2007 by R. C. Bell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funny and Handy
This is a funny book, but the humour for me is a bonus, I really bought the book to use for reference and inspiration. Read more
Published on September 17, 2007 by A. Cartwright
2.0 out of 5 stars
I just knew it
I picked it up, unknowing, thumbed through it for a minute or two, and thought "MST3K." But without the cleverness. Read more
Published on June 7, 2007 by wiredweird
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dry humor for the weiner joke masses.
Mike Nelson of MST3K fame was a better writer than a host. I liked him on MST3K, but he really made an imapct when he was crafting the jokes as opposed to delivering them. Read more
Published on January 30, 2007 by T. Crowell
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pukey Sweet
Ok, I just have to say that this book is by far the cutest thing I have ever seen. It is very funny and a good converstaion piece for your coffee table. Read more
Published on January 4, 2007 by S. Sandys
4.0 out of 5 stars
Warning: may induce hernia.
The Charles S. Anderson Design Co. and Mike Nelson, Happy Kitty Bunny Pony: A Saccharine Mouthful of Super Cute (Harry N. Read more
Published on January 3, 2007 by Robert P. Beveridge
5.0 out of 5 stars
Available to users on many levels; toddler to granny.
A family with a sense of humor, or even a touch of quirkiness, will enjoy this book. Example: when the book arrived at my house, the kids all asked who it was for. Read more
Published on July 11, 2006 by Kathleen Hoppe
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for MST3K or Mike Nelson fans
To tide you over until the next "Movie Megacheese" or whatever. Very funny captions, worth a look. A nice book in its own right, but not very much to it other than the very brief... Read more
Published on September 16, 2005 by Sara Austin
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cracking wise on "cute"
Any fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000 will instantly recognize the very funny writing style of Mike Nelson. Read more
Published on September 8, 2005 by John Watson
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