How the Grinch Stole This Blog

I just want you all to know before I even kick this series off that I do realize the 12 days of Christmas actually refers to the days after Christmas, thus one would think that my 12 holiday specials of Christmas blog series would begin after Christmas, and you would be wrong.  Nobody wants to read about Christmas after Christmas so I’m doing it now.  It will also end on Christmas Eve, because I don’t want to post anything on Christmas.  I most likely will not even get on the computer on Christmas.  With all this out of the way, let us kick off this series (also, I did not do the 1 of this and then 2 of that etc all the way up to 12 so sorry if that’s what you were expecting).

 As you should be able to tell by the title, this one is all about the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.  I did just recently watch both of specials (yes, there are 2).  I watched the classic animated one first, and then the updated Jim Carrey movie.  I will tell you this, I thoroughly enjoy both of them, but there is a special place in my heart for the classic Christmas specials, so I do prefer the original animated one.  Jim Carrey and Ron Howard do an excellent job of brining the Grinch to life and expanding on the story, but I love the original.  Quick side-note, I know for a while people would argue about who was better; Jim Carrey or Adam Sandler and I just want to say that I’m on Team Carrey (that’s right, a tiny bit of a Twilight reference).  I just to clarify, It is not because this is a Christmas post and Sandler is Jewish.  Carrey is just a better actor.  Glad we got that cleared up.

If you can't tell, Original Grinch

Jim Carry as the Grinch

Here is a fun fact for you all to share with your friends and loved ones, in the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the guy who sings the classic song about the Grinch is all the same guy who does the voice of Tony the Tiger (once you know this, the next time you hear the song you will just be waiting for him to go “and he’s grrreat!”).  I learned that while watching a special about the original.  During this special I started thinking of all the different Dr. Seuss stories and characters and came to a conclusion.  The Grinch is the most BA (does not stand for Bachelor’s of Art) Dr. Seuss character there is.  There are some troublemakers and schemers and not so good guys, but none of them compare to the Grinch.  Just think about it, this guy stole Christmas not from just one Who household, but from everyone in Whoville.  Why did the Grinch go to these extreme measures?  Because his heart was 2 sizes too small is the textbook answer.  I’m going with my opinion.  He was in a bad mood so he did it out of spite.  Can any of you imagine doing nearly that much evil just out of spite?  I didn’t think so.  Even hardened criminals wouldn’t do something like that just out of spite.  Let alone, who is capable of pulling off such an incredible act in one night?  Sure, Santa brings presents to everybody in one night, but the Grinch not only stole those presents, but he also stole anything that had anything to do with Christmas.  He stole trees, stockings, decorations, and even every last crumb of food in all of Whoville.  See, it wasn’t enough that they couldn’t have Christmas favorites to eat; the Grinch decided they weren’t going to eat anything at all.  You name one other character capable of performing what the Grinch did and I will give you a candy cane (the good ones too, Hershey’s Chocolate Mint Candy Canes).

I could dissect the Grinch’s song, or the similarities and differences of the 2 versions but that just doesn’t feel like my style.  Instead, I want to point out that in the Jim Carrey version, Molly Shannon was a perfect cast as Betty Lou Who.  Not because of her acting ability (not that I have a problem, I think Molly is a very funny actress) but because she already looks kind of like a Who.  I mean no insult in this statement.  It’s just something I kind of noticed and feel this is a good place to share.  Christine Baranski kind of looks like a Who in real life as well.  If you’re not sure who she is, she played Martha May Whovier.  The one who Betty Lou Who was competing against in the Christmas light contest and she is also who both the Mayor and the Grinch have a major crush on (some of you should’ve saluted and said “Major Crush” crush out loud and some of you will not get that joke).  There is one more actress who I think looks like a Who.  I’m quite sure none of you will know here by name.  I have said from the very moment I saw her that Amy Ryan looks like a Who.  Who is Amy Ryan you may request, why she plays Holly Flax on NBC’s the Office.  But was she in How the Grinch Stole Christmas you may wonder, well then I will give you a moment to ponder.  Perhaps you are looking it up right now to see, on that site that they call IMDB.  If you did this then you probably already know, that the answer to that inquiry is a simple no.  Though she looks like a Who without even trying, she was not cast but don’t start crying.  I am done with this rhyming it isn’t much fun, so after this sentence I promise to be done.  (The attempt at writing in rhyme just sort of came to me, so don’t judge…unless it’s positive judgment).

Molly Shannon

Amy Ryan

Christine Baranski

I hope none of you readers were hoping for a complete summary of the movies, because that’s just isn’t what this series is going to be about (or my blog in general).  I hope you all stay tuned for what else is next in this Christmas Series.  I don’t want to give anything away (mainly because I haven’t thought this through yet, I don’t even have the 12 topics picked) but I can promise that there will be some stop-motion Christmas Classics, as well as at least one for the Muppets.  I also plan on maybe doing some more obscure ones, not sure yet.  All I can say is I plan to follow through with one a day for the next 11 days (oh, also, I wasn’t kidding when I said I would give you a candy cane if you thought of a more BA Dr. Seuss Character).

Merry Christmas (since the Grinch did bring Christmas back…oops sorry…should’ve said Spoiler Alert)

-LD