Click here to visit the new home of AOLTV!

Hot on HuffPost TV:

See More Stories
EDITION: U.S.
CA Canada US United States UK United Kingdom
Powered by i.TV
February 10, 2012
 
CONNECT    

Muppet says: Drink Wilkins or die

by Adam Finley, posted Jun 2nd 2006 1:04PM

wilkins muppet commercialBefore The Muppet Show came along, a few of Jim Henson's puppet creations appeared in a series of commercials. Several very funny (and very violent) ads were made for Wilkins Coffee that featured a sorta Kermit-like figure trying to convince a squat, rather shapeless puppet how great Wilkins is. The puppet always refuses, and the other puppet responds by shooting him, or blowing him up, or electrocuting him, or whatever. It's like a more sadistic version of Green Eggs and Ham. What I like about these old commercials is that they're actually really funny, and other than the image of the Wilkins Coffee can at the end, absolutely nothing is said whatsoever about the coffee or why it's worth buying. There's a montage clip after the jump, but I also invite you to check out a bunch more of these commercials here.

Link Squad

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

4 Comments

Filter by:
mobiles

oby OB, how did you saw those commercials at RADIO ? :)Also I think this are so funny

August 08 2006 at 4:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
P A

I have the vinyl puppets they sold for $1 as part of the promotion. The offer was on the top of the coffee can. They are not in very good condition but were played with lovingly for years before Jim Henson was a household name. I saw a Christmas show Henson gave in Maryland when I was a kid before he made it big. He is one person I wish was still in the world. There is no one like him.

June 05 2006 at 9:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
pat

"I" remember seeing those commercials on tv back when they originally aired--you know--back in the olden times. In fact, I think I had plastic replica puppets of them. Also, my dad actually worked at the Wilkins coffee plant on RI Ave, NE, in Wash, DC for a while. And we lived just a few blocks away from there. Phew! THAT was a long, long time ago.

June 03 2006 at 1:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Toby OB

I remember seeing these at the Museum of Television and Radio. The Muppets involved had names - Wilkins (the pro-drinking Wilkins one) and Wontkins (the poor schlub who got "blowed up real good").

June 02 2006 at 2:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

Follow Us

TV Squad Hot Topics

From Our Partners