Haha, you know how a couple of weeks ago, everyone was scratching their heads and going, "Really?? Sesame Workshop approached American Apparel for a Sesame Street throwback T-shirt licensing deal?? Can you guess which one just doesn't belong here?"
I guess Sesame's been hearing about it, because they are sending out emails claiming they're not involved:
We do not have a direct relationship with American Apparel and we did not approve the press release that was issued by American Apparel.Hmm. not approved, but not false?
According to Jezebel, which obtained a copy of such an email, Sesame Workshop said their license was with a totally different company, "Might Fine," which is probably Mighty Fine, who "manufacture a line of Sesame Street shirts which are sold at American Apparel stores."
Eh, er, yes, except that American Apparel is the manufacturer, and Mighty Fine is a licensing "design studio." According to Impressions, The Decorated Apparel Authority,
The process includes turning the original drawings into line illustrations, which can then be printed on American Apparel T-shirts. According to the company, customers will be able to choose from dozens of color backgrounds.And yet, even though Mighty Fine is the licensee and the "design studio," it's American Apparel's graphic designer who is quoted.
So either:
A] Sesame Workshop hands over all its artwork, no questions asked, what you do with it, they don't want to know [fingers in ears, LALALALALA], just send us our 8% every quarter.
OR
B] Sesame Workshop knew exactly what was going down, and may have even approached American Apparel just as claimed, but didn't want to do a deal directly with the skeevy pornmeisters, so they use a cutout design studio/manufacturer--which neither designs nor manufactures--to sign the license, and if people complain, they can be all Dov Charney? Dov Charney who?
Can you tell which explanation doesn't belong here?
Hmm, maybe the quotes should be around "disavows": Sesame Street Disavows American Apparel "Collaboration" [jezebel]
Oct. 12: American Apparel to Launch Sesame Street T-Shirt Line [impressionsmag.com]
Previously, Oct. 7: Bend over for the camera, Prairie Dawn
Lazy reporting from Jezebel? Color me surprised. C'mon, the shirts are fun and cute and since they do in fact exist, this is all sort of moot.
eh, as my headline indicates, I started this story ready to call Dov Charney a liar, too. It's partly a function of his skankiness, but also because of the goodwill toward Sesame Street which we all have burned into our brains from birth. Which is exactly why Sesame needs to be called out when they lie about exploiting it.