The Snuggie Threatens To Take Over The World One Cold Arm At A Time
We have another classic case of something so absurd that there's no other word to describe it, but deliciously fantastic. I'm sure you all have seen the late night hit infomercial plenty of times. The Snuggie, described as a handy solution freeing your arms from the evils of the armless slots of a blanket is basically an oversized robe worn backwards. Snuggies went on sale in August, began TV advertising in October and started shipping to retailers in December. Already, 4 million have been sold.
So why is it such a hit? I think it's because the infomercials are so corny you can't help but love them. That along with their attractive pricing point (two for $19.95, plus free book light online and on TV, about $14.99 for one in stores) it makes it hard to resist, plus, what college kid wouldn't love to brag and sport his Snuggie around campus during this Texas cold front. He would be the big man on campus with all the girls fawning over him and thanks to the Snuggie he can now easily hug them all.
Indeed, Snuggies seem to be everywhere. See them on Facebook - nearly 250 groups, pro and con; one fan club lists 5,999 members. Watch them on YouTube - nearly 300 parody videos posted, including one titled "The Cult of the Snuggie," with 146,000 views as of Tuesday.
There are also snarky Snuggie-love sites on the Internet, such as SnuggieSightings.com, where fans post photos, videos and "news." Did you know that Snuggie drinking games are sweeping colleges? Students take a swig every time a Snuggie ad airs after midnight. How brilliant and ingenious is that, it makes me miss college.
As a disclaimer, I will not judge you if you are part of the 4 million who bought one. Actually, my arms are freezing as I type this entry and I know the perfect solution to my problem!