# What kind of creature is the McDonald's character Grimace supposed to be?: the mystery is solved **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 5, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404 "2013-10-05T00:15:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/21 "2013-10-05T15:25:50Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Originally the characters lived in a trippy alternate world that so greatly resembled the works of Sid & Marty Krofft, that a federal court told them to them stop. As a result of that suit, the characters transitioned to living in our world and a lot of the characters were dropped in the 80s, including another baddie, Captain Crook (oddly, not Grimace who IMHO is the most Pufn’Stufian character, but the Kroffts were more upset about Mayor McCheese). The new characters that McD’s introduced were friendly, like early bird, happy meal gang, etc. > > TL;DR - it was the 70s. [The Master Speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1343/was-mcdonaldland-plagiarized-from-the-old-h-r-pufnstuf-kids-tv-show) ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/22 "2013-10-05T15:28:54Z")
> [@Stoned\_stoner](#): > > The quote was from a user on [wetcanvas.com](http://wetcanvas.com) who did some research on Grimace. Rule number 2 of the Straight Dope - Do your own research and be prepared to cite primary sources. ---
**Author:** ![Stoned\_stoner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stoned\_stoner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoned_stoner)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/23 "2013-10-05T15:36:46Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Rule number 2 of the Straight Dope - Do your own research and be prepared to cite primary sources. Sorry about that. But for those interested, here’s where I found the quote: [http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72212](http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72212) ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/24 "2013-10-05T16:22:29Z")
> [@Stoned\_stoner](#): > > Sorry about that. But for those interested, here’s where I found the quote: [http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72212](http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72212) Which starts with an uncredited quote of Cecil’s copyrighted column. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/25 "2013-10-05T21:36:30Z")
I vaguely remember the four arms. I guess the blueberry shakes were his children and he was opposed to humans consuming them. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/26 "2013-10-05T21:49:10Z")
> [@Stoned\_stoner](#): > > “grimace was introduced in 1971 as the mascot for their new blueberry milkshake. **he used to be blue with purple dots to look like the milkshake.** he also used to have 4 arms and was a bad guy in McDonaldland who used to steal children’s milkshakes.” > > Ok, the quote clearly says he’s supposed to be a milkshake. Do you have any evidence to prove he’s something else? No, no, no. He turned that color from _drinking_ so many blueberry shakes! he had 4 arms so he could steal more of them. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/27 "2013-10-05T21:56:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Which starts with an uncredited quote of Cecil’s copyrighted column. Which means that the “user” there was probably also an SDMB poster, whose post got stolen too. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/28 "2013-10-05T23:26:52Z")
> [@Stoned\_stoner](#): > > Sorry about that. But for those interested, here’s where I found the quote: [http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72212](http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72212) And her claim that he was spotted like a blueberry milkshake is uncited. I call bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/29 "2013-10-06T00:16:37Z")
[2007 toy version of the 1971 Grimace](http://toymomsattic.esellerproimages.com/I/547/8/HCK-MCD-SDCC07-00087.jpg): purple and no spots. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/30 "2013-10-06T00:23:31Z")
[No sign of spots in this old McDonaldland commercial.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97YXbNaAyzA) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/31 "2013-10-06T00:26:09Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > It doesn’t say that he was drinking the milkshakes, only stealing them. I tend to think he was just the first step in a bizarre sort of underground railroad; stealing the shakes and starting them on their journey to a distant land where they could live free of bondage. [Drinking them seems to be the idea. He _is_ thirsty.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP6WSOS0rUc) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/32 "2013-10-06T16:40:15Z")
I’m disappointed that Ronald always resorted to subterfuge and outright lying to rescue the shakes and icy cold Coca Colas. In the mailman ad in particular, he’s on Grimace’s property stealing back the cups. It’s not like McDonaldland has no police - Big Mac could have obtained a warrant and recovered the stolen cups himself, \*and \*put Evil Grimace behind bars. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/33 "2013-10-07T08:12:38Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Ahh, so they rebooted the character, like they did with the [Hammurderer](http://www.theonion.com/articles/mcdonalds-drops-hammurderer-character-from-adverti,127/). Hey, that story explains what became of The Grapist! ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404/34 "2013-10-07T16:23:17Z")
Grimace doesn’t have spots in the early ones, but his chest does appear to be. . . lump? Which could be construed as spots, I guess. Maybe he suffered from NF? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-creature-is-the-mcdonalds-character-grimace-supposed-to-be-the-mystery-is-solved/670404.md?page=1)