Monsters with high self-esteem?

November 2, 2007 9:36 AM

"Me not ugly, me is beautiful." Do you know what monster might have said this?

I'm not sure of the exact wording. I'm not even sure if it's something I read or saw or just made up in my head.

Specifically, I'm thinking of a scene, possibly in a children's show, where a person is talking about an "ugly" monster. The monster overhears, and pipes up -- possibly in monsterly broken English, but maybe not -- that he is beautiful, not ugly. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

More generally, I'm looking for any examples of monsters that consider themselves beautiful, despite common opinion to the contrary. Anything in literature, TV, or movies, whether for children or adults. I'm curious how common a theme this is.

I'm pretty sure I'm not thinking of Shrek. It might be Sweetums from the Muppets, but I haven't found anything resembling the scene above. Any ideas?

posted by Metroid Baby to media & arts (24 comments total)

Grimlock said something like this, once.
posted by bonaldi at 9:39 AM on November 2, 2007

Well, Bizarro said this, but his meaning was the opposite.
posted by luriete at 9:40 AM on November 2, 2007

Grundles Good?
posted by almostmanda at 9:53 AM on November 2, 2007

Him from Wonder Showzen?
posted by The Straightener at 9:54 AM on November 2, 2007

2ding luriete . . . sounds like Bizarro to me . . .

& for monsters with high self-esteem . . . well, you don't really need to look farther than Sesame St., or the Muppet Show, now do you?
posted by deejay jaydee at 9:56 AM on November 2, 2007

Grimlock's exact quote is:
"Me Grimlock, no want ugly paint job!!!! Me pretty as am..."
He talks that way normally, it seems (bottom of page).
posted by Hargrimm at 9:58 AM on November 2, 2007

It was one of the blue monsters from Sesame Street. Either Grover or Cookie Monster.

I have no way of proving this....
posted by Jofus at 10:09 AM on November 2, 2007

Jofus, that was my first instinct too.
posted by bassjump at 10:13 AM on November 2, 2007

Grover, Cookie Monster, Herry, and Frazzle from Sesame Street. Fuzzy and Blue --
posted by Flakypastry at 10:24 AM on November 2, 2007

There's the monster at the end of this book. But he's loveable and furry, not beautiful.
posted by Eringatang at 10:32 AM on November 2, 2007 [1 favorite]

I immediately thought cookie monster, but could also have been grover, after reading Jofus.
posted by ms.v. at 10:32 AM on November 2, 2007

Except Grover doesn't speak like that. He has very precise English. I'm going with Cookie Monster.
posted by briank at 10:38 AM on November 2, 2007

Not the quotation you're looking for -- but Shrek is darn proud of his repulsiveness:

"Shrek went slogging along the road, giving off his awful fumes. It delighted him to see the flowers bend aside and the trees lean away to let him go by....

"Wherever Shrek went, every living creature fled. How it tickled him to be so repulsive!...

"An hour later, Shrek himself was unconscious. He had fallen asleep along the way. He dreamed he was in a field of flowers where children frolicked and birds warbled. Some of the children kept hugging and kissing him and there was nothing he could do to make them stop. He woke up in a daze, babbling like a baby: 'It was only a bad dream...a horrible dream!'"

See the book by William Steig -- the pictures are great, especially the one that shows Shrek weeping at being hugged by children! (The duet between Shrek and his bride-to-be about wonderful, monstrous ugliness is also funny.)
posted by MonkeyToes at 10:47 AM on November 2, 2007

This immediately reminds me of the Amazon women from Futurama.

GUARD #1
How Tonk look?

GUARD #2
Tonk look good. Me fat.

GUARD #1
No, you look good. Tonk fat.
posted by utsutsu at 10:55 AM on November 2, 2007

I had an instant flash that it was the hairy monster seen in a coule of Bugs Bunny cartoons -- who is apparently named Gossamer, for some reason.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:57 AM on November 2, 2007

This immediately reminded me of the big furry monster from 'Labyrinth' but I don't think it talks.
posted by Totally Zanzibarin' Ya at 10:58 AM on November 2, 2007

Or maybe Sloth from 'The Goonies'.
posted by Totally Zanzibarin' Ya at 10:59 AM on November 2, 2007

It was Cookie Monster.
posted by Kololo at 11:05 AM on November 2, 2007 [5 favorites]

I instantly thought of Ludo from the movie Labyrinth but this may be more because of how he speaks than the actual phrase you're after.

Oh look, he even has his own fan site.
posted by click at 11:06 AM on November 2, 2007

Okay, Kermit is not a monster, but to answer your second request, has any creature even sung a more eloquent (if bittersweet) defense of being different than It's Not Easy Being Green?
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:58 AM on November 2, 2007

I watched Labyrinth just two nights ago and I can confirm it isn't Ludo.

Labyrinth is great, everyone should watch it. Scripted by a Python, don'tcha know.
posted by tiny crocodile at 12:00 PM on November 2, 2007

Thanks all! I wouldn't ever have thought of Cookie Monster, but I have a feeling that clip is probably closest to what's in my head. Seems like the differently-beautiful monster is a pretty Muppety theme (there's also the Ugly Song). Grimlock and Ludo might have contributed to my mental image, too, though Ludo didn't say anything of the "I'm beautiful" nature.

Eringatang, thanks for sharing that link! That's one of my favorite books ever.
posted by Metroid Baby at 12:29 PM on November 2, 2007

Mr Toad says it better in the Wind and the Willows:
'I have a very elegant figure— for what I am.'
posted by LarryC at 1:17 PM on November 2, 2007 [1 favorite]

Thanks to this thread (and sorting through random youtube clips it brought up) I have now found the Sesame Street clip I have actually had (friendly) arguments over the existance of - The Mysterious Nose Snatcher. Hopefully this will stay on youtube long enough to share with the doubter!

All thanks to you, Metroid Baby!
posted by batgrlHG at 6:08 PM on November 2, 2007