Spitting Image was a satirical series focusing on politics and pop culture that aired in the UK from 1984 to 1996. American audiences may have caught a few primetime specials featuring the grotesque puppets, but other than those specials and Genesis' video for "Land of Confusion," the characters never really took hold in the US. It's somewhat of a shame, because they were really funny, and a lot better than D.C. Follies, Sid and Marty Krofft's lame attempt at political puppet humor. Not even Fred Willard could save that series.

Recently, two Spitting Image puppets, Margaret Thatcher and Gordon Brown, were purchased at an auction for £5,040 and £4,800. Had I known they were up for sale, I would have bid on them myself. What's £5,040 translate to in American dollars? Like a buck fifty? Or is that just a fantasy I've concocted to convince myself I could ever actually own one of those puppets?