Following in the footsteps of The Grinch, Grumpy Cat will soon be bringing her signature looks of misery and discomfort to Christmas in “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever.”
The special, written by “SpongeBob SquarePants” writer and producer Tim Hill and Jeff Morris, is based on Grumpy, who plays a pet-store cat, and the 12-year-old girl who can communicate with her.
“It brings fun and irreverence that we haven’t had at Lifetime,” VP of original movies, Arturo Interian, told The Hollywood Reporter. “We’re so known for our heartfelt sentimentality that it will poke fun at those stereotypes.”
Grumpy (real name Tardar Sauce, purposefully misspelled) first burst onto the scene in 2012 as an internet sensation after her owner’s brother posted a photo of her on his Reddit account. Ironically, Grumpy isn’t all that grumpy, and according to owner Tabatha Bundesen, it is Grumpy’s brother, Pokey, who has been known to be a bit moody. The only reason she looks to be in a bad mood is because of her feline dwarfism and under bite.
“She looks nothing like her mother or father,” Bundesen said. “She looks similar to a Ragdoll or Showshoe; but there have never been any of that breed around the house. Her mom is a calico domestic short hair cat and her father has grey and white stripes.”
After taking the web by storm, Grumpy went on to conquer social media and currently has more than 5 million likes on Facebook, 373,000 followers on Instagram and 222,000 followers on Twitter.
Licensed merchandise, including t-shirts and mugs are available on Grumpy’s website and sold at Hot Topic stores and plush toys in her likeness are currently in the works. By May 2013, the products had brought in what was said to be a “low-six-figure” number and the corporation behind the goods, Grumpy Cat Limited, has an estimated value of $1 million. Grumpy is also in the beverage business (his signature drink, “Grumppuccino,” is being produced by Grenade Beverage LLC) and has her own book and calendar.
As for her latest project, manager Ben Lashes (who also has Keyboard Cat and Nyan Cat as clients) told The Hollywood Reporter that Lifetime “is the perfect venue” for Grumpy.
“When I go home for Christmas, there are movies that we always watch,” Lashes said. “It becomes a tradition. I like that aspect of Christmas movies.”
Bundesen is also on board with her cat’s starring role, telling the magazine, “I’m sure she’ll have the poshest trailer a cat has ever had on-set.”
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Photo: Adam Rifkin/Wikipedia
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