Forums: Index > Article Content > Are we counting any word with a Robo prefix a reference to RoboCop
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Back in 2008, a user who only ever edited that one page noted that Gonzo's Captain Robohook was a reference to RoboCop. We now have a page for RoboCop with an item based on that information, but I just watched the Muppet Babies scene and I'm not sure it's referencing the movie. Gonzo's hand is just a hub for various utilities.
Surely the 1987 movie had an influence on pop culture, but is Robo-anything a reference to RoboCop? —Scott 
(talk) 18:35, 2 March 2023 (UTC)
- In general, I'd say no. But the specific episode came out the same year as RoboCop 2 and toys were on the shelves, Muppet Babies was constantly referencing current or recentish movie stuff, and in this case its explicitly used as a name, not a description of a device. I think there's enough there to suggest this one was intentional in the script at least, however the design ended up in animation. Maybe rephrase as "recalling the movie RoboCop, whose sequel came out that year." We've done that in other "close but maybe not quite" cases. That sounds better than "spoofing" anyway for this one. (And the page has the Muppet Meeting Film thing, which is more explicitly a movie reference). I just tried it out on the episode page here. -- Andrew
18:51, 2 March 2023 (UTC)
- In general, I'd say no. But the specific episode came out the same year as RoboCop 2 and toys were on the shelves, Muppet Babies was constantly referencing current or recentish movie stuff, and in this case its explicitly used as a name, not a description of a device. I think there's enough there to suggest this one was intentional in the script at least, however the design ended up in animation. Maybe rephrase as "recalling the movie RoboCop, whose sequel came out that year." We've done that in other "close but maybe not quite" cases. That sounds better than "spoofing" anyway for this one. (And the page has the Muppet Meeting Film thing, which is more explicitly a movie reference). I just tried it out on the episode page here. -- Andrew
- Here's the exact quote: "From the people who brought you RoboBoss, The Terminated, and Downsizing Miss Daisy." Specifically used as a movie title with other titles explicitly based on specific movie titles.
- I did just see The Indian in the Cupboard note though added to the page, which I think is a bit overdetailed and drifting, since it has nothing to do with the different scene with a Creature Shop supplied rat. I think we can trim that to a sentence, as otherwise it could lead into "this character was also in Night at the Museum 2 which had Oscar" notes. -- Andrew
19:07, 2 March 2023 (UTC)
- Just revised, adding the full meeting film quote, context for the Muppet Babies bit, and trimmed Indian in the Cupboard to one sentence (I don't think noting he says "Halt" is really useful for our purposes). -- Andrew 19:19, 2 March 2023 (UTC)
- Just revised, adding the full meeting film quote, context for the Muppet Babies bit, and trimmed Indian in the Cupboard to one sentence (I don't think noting he says "Halt" is really useful for our purposes). -- Andrew
- Excellent! I could have sworn I saw RoboCop in a Muppet Magazine, but I searched my OCR'ed copies last night and couldn't find the text. It wouldn't have been in the movie reviews as it was rated R, but I thought maybe I saw a pic in a Mondo Muppet or something. More likely a false memory. —Scott (talk) 11:52, 3 March 2023 (UTC)
- Excellent! I could have sworn I saw RoboCop in a Muppet Magazine, but I searched my OCR'ed copies last night and couldn't find the text. It wouldn't have been in the movie reviews as it was rated R, but I thought maybe I saw a pic in a Mondo Muppet or something. More likely a false memory. —Scott