Our Green Heaven: Color is ubiquitous and not just on St. Patrick’s Day

Kirk Baird

Monday, March 17, 2003 | 8:15 a.m.

"It ain't easy being green," as once dryly noted by Kermit the Frog.

But it is popular.

Green is everywhere, or seems to be, in pop culture.

And unlike, say, pink, green is more than just a color.

It represents both life and decay. It's used to create a palette of emotions, from skin-crawling chills to gross-out laughter. And, if a certain urban myth is true, it has the power to make one horny.

Here's a look at how green has spread like ... mold.

Comic book heroes

Movies

Wicked Witch of the West: A practical question: If water comprised 90 percent of the human body, and the witch is deadly allergic to water -- as in she melts on contact -- how did she manage to survive on a day-to-day basis? Still, you gotta give the Mean One props for having a cool army of winged monkees. "What a world, what a world ... "

Frankenstein's Monster: Played by several actors with different makeup designs, it's Boris Karloff's square-head lumbering beast with green skin and two electrical bolts jutting out of its neck that's most associated with the Monster. Other film incarnations have used a more lifelike skin tone for the Monster, rendering it more human, but they're not nearly as chilling or fun.

Advertising icons

Green M&M: Of course, most everyone is aware of the urban legend of green M&M's and their propensity to make one randy. Candy maker Mars Inc. certainly had that myth in mind when it created a female green M&M alongside its two male M&M's characters. Mars has since made a publicity stunt of additional M&M colors, such as blue, but it's the green M&M that holds the most mystique.

Jolly Green Giant and Little Green Sprout: The Green Giant was introduced as a brand name for a can of "Great Big Tender Peas" by the Minnesota Valley Canning Co. in 1925. At first he was gray, but later colored green to better represent the fresh green vegetables he was hawking. The icon proved so popular the canning company adopted Green Giant as its name 25 years later. In 1973 the Green Giant got a little assistant called "Little Green Sprout" to help him tend the vegetables in his valley. Ho, ho, ho.

Television

Kermit: Muppet creator Jim Henson's first character, Kermit was often the anchor to the zaniness around him, be it on "Sesame Street," "The Muppet Show" or the several Muppet films. As told in "The Muppet Movie," Kermit had dreams of stardom and big-city life. Leaving his home in the swamp behind, the world's most famous frog (with apologies to the WB logo) was joined on his journey by other goofy-but-lovable Muppets. Eventually, of course, he found stardom and fell in love with a spunky but high-maintenance pig possessing a wicked karate chop. Ain't love grand?

Gumby: After the Eddie Murphy characterization on "Saturday Night Live," it's nearly impossible not to think of Gumby as a foul-mouthed aging borscht belt comedian with a penchant for smoking cigars. In fact, that's probably the best way to remember the '50s Claymation icon.

Grinch: The beloved Dr. Seuss character with a heart two sizes too small began life as a character in a book, then on a half-hour cartoon annually trotted out by the networks come Christmas time. Then came the film, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch, and its $260 million haul at the box office, not to mention DVD sales, games, clothes and figurines. No wonder he was green ... and it wasn't out of envy.

Sigmund the Sea Monster: One of Sid and Marty Krofft's most popular characters, Sigmund is (horrors) a friendly sea monster. His genial disposition doesn't sit well with his family, and so he runs away. He's befriended by two teenage brothers, Johnny and Scott, who cart him away to live in their clubhouse. Sigmund was later joined by a wacky genie played by former Las Vegas resident Rip Taylor.

The Great Gazoo: There was nothing truly great about the mini-alien with magical powers ... except his ability to ruin a long-running animated cartoon series. When Gazoo appeared on the "The Flintstones" early in its sixth season, the introduction of a futuristic character into a prehistoric world reeked of ratings desperation. Nearly one season later, "The Flintstones" was canceled.