The Friday 5: Broadway Merch I Don't Get

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE READER UPDATE BELOW!!

Loyal readers know I'm a Broadway hoarder collector. I have collected an embarrassing amount of things over the years, from a HUGE window card collection to an even HUGER Playbill collection. I also have a decent number of t-shirts, mugs, buttons, pins and scripts/theatre books.  I have even worked merch for both The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked national tours over the years.

I tell you all of this to show how much I love Broadway merch - probably too much, if I'm being honest with myself. And I judge no one for their collections (my best friends have magnet and key chain collections). I say good for all of us! So, if you collect any of these 5 things, more power to you.  I just don't understand why they are...

THE FRIDAY 5: 

BROADWAY MERCH 

I DON'T UNDERSTAND

5. KIDS STUFF FOR "ADULT" SHOWS

Looks like The Book of Mormon corners this market... I mean I understand the frog in the context of the show... but a stuffed animal of one?  And a bib/onesie? Really? (And, yes, I think it's funny. For a minute...)

4. SHOW COMPACTS

Nothing says Aladdin or Anastasia like a compact, I guess. Though I can't really picture Jasmine or Anya using one...

3. POP SOCKETS

I'm showing my age here, I guess.  I had to look up what these were... Useful, I guess. But you can't even see it when you use it...

2. SHOW JOURNALS

I'm all for writing.  By hand.  And keeping your thoughts in a safe, personal space.  I'm even willing to concede that it kinda goes with Dear Evan Hansen and their stans.  And I'm shocked Mean Girls doesn't have a Burn Book version. (Why not exploit the nasty teens that do that bullying crap every day?) But are you obligated to write fan fiction about the show on the cover?

1. THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HUH?"

To walk your dog to the clam bake?

You, too, can be
as self-absorbed as Evan Hansen

What were they thinking? Enough said.

READER UPDATE: THANKS TO MY TWITTER FRIEND, @amgreenberg (and my clever new friend @MisterJaredGray). After lamenting my lack of knowledge about pop sockets and what they have to do with The Band's Visit.  Within minutes he replied with this picture:

and this response:

I love it!  Thanks for the input guys!