Two Thumbs up for Fonzploitation

Earlier this week, the headlines blared forth the news of the Bronze The Fonz fundraising project. Milwaukee's most popular resident may be fictional, but he is more iconic than Steve Miller, Gene Wilder, and Dick Bacon combined. And so, local residents banded together erect a statue of Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli. Minneapolis, you can stick your Mary Richards, because Brew City gets The Fonz! Ayyy!

This touched the cockles of my heart because Fonzie was one of my idols as a kid. My biggest goal in life was to wear a leather jacket, make things work by hitting them, and live over my friend's parent's garage until I was well into my thirties. Funny thing is, I wasn't a fan of Happy Days at all. Sure, I watched it from time to time, but I didn't really like the antics of those clean cut kids. The only time I really paid attention to what was happening was when the Fonz was on the screen.

And I don't think I'm alone, because of all the break out characters from that piece of sitcom nostalgia fluff (Mork, Laverne and Shirley, the completely boring Joanie and Chachi), the only one that really became an icon was Fonzie. In fact, the Bronze The Fonz campaign is just the latest in a long line of Fonz exploitation. Need proof? First, let's start with the celebrity endorsements. (note: Bowie only speaks of Fonzie a bit at the beginning of his interview)

Now check out everything the Fonz did for the kids.

The Fonz is still being exploited, be it either through Happy Days tributes from Weezer, commercials by car companies, crap pop-punk bands, or even Henry Winkler himself - who is still jumping the shark (in that classic moment on Arrested Development. Not on YouTube, but you should own those DVDs anyway).

Related links:
Fonzie biography
The sounds of The Fonz
Jumping the shark, the definitive crap-tastic TV moment
Henry Winkler reflects on jumping said shark
Who is The Fonz?
The Heyettes, "Fonzie Fonzie, He's Our Man" album.
Fonzie: A Cool Coloring Book Cover 1 2 3
Grudge Match: The Fonz vs. Captain Kirk
How did you produce this exquisite creature?

I felt bad for ignoring the original show, so here, for your enjoyment, is a classic Fonz moment.

Comments

[Dale Hazelton]

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly a unique fun character can be overexposed -- I wonder how much money Garry Marshall made off of cartoon spinoffs and toy promotions. I prefer how Winkler played Fonz in the first couple of seasons...the quiet and tough hoodlum who was more mystery than actual danger. And before Lords of Flatbush, he just wore that blue cotton Eisenhower-type jacket. You had to be tough to wear that powder blue number.

[PTBartman]

I was a huge Fonzie mark, I was in Middle School, When Happy Days was in it's prime.

My Favorite Fonzploitation moment was when Neil Diamond called Henry Winker up during his "Love at the Greek" television concert and had him sing "Song Sung Blue" the way the Fonz would do it.

Tried to find the clip but its not on yahoo etc. It was on the album so if you want to hear it get in touch with me and I'll send you the Mp3.

[CoHo]

My older sister was a cheerleader in the 70s. I recall reading the following cheer one of the mass-published cheer books and it permanently implanting itself my 12 year old brain.

"We may not win the gold
But we will win the bronze
Cause we've got spirit
Just like the Fonz
Ayyyyyyyyyyyy."

[mike]

I was hoping for "The Fonzarelli Slide" from Fonzie's Favorites. Well, "hoping" is too strong an emotion, perhaps.

[jamesie]

Yes but the irony was - he could not ride a motorcycle. I preferred the Lords of Flatbush movie where he started it all off.

[margi]

So children should eschew all natural instincts and try to sound like a goose in heat when they're in danger? At least they'll look cool in their morgue shots I guess.

[Jeff]

And bonus points for the ad using the wrong version of "it's."

You know there was some anal-retentive little kid who had nothing better to do than point that out to his friends.

Not me. Some other kid.

[Account Deleted]

And if you look closely at the Colorforms ad near the bottom (click for larger view), you'll see that they spelled Fonzie's signature catch phrase as "Ayeee!". Which seems more like a scream for help.

[RichieCunningham]

Here's a news report about the Bronze Fonz from WISN news in Milwaukee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUgy-7HI4r4

[Less Lee Moore]

Ah The Fonz. Inexplicably, I adored Happy Days as a kid, and would rush to the living room to watch it and Laverne and Shirley on Tuesday nights. Watching it now, I'm so embarrassed because it's truly awful. At some point in the 90s, right around the time of the "Buddy Holly" video by Weezer, I found a plastic Fonzie coffee mug at a thrift store and bought it to bring myself back down to earth whenever I felt uppity. And not too long afterwards, I found an old Fonzie poster in my grandma's junk room which sadly, was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

The most horrific Happy Days episode I can recall is the one where Richie became temporarily blind and the Fonz had to give him some speech so he wouldn't be filled with despair. I only wish I was kidding!

[Ben.H]

Less Lee Moore, I was hoping against hope you were going to say that the episode ended with Fonzie magically restoring Richie's sight by hitting him in the eyes.