When the streets of your hometown look more like Sesame Street than suburbia this Halloween, there's one person to thank: Mitt Romney.
During the first presidential debate in Denver on Oct. 3, Romney discussed his plan to cut what he considers non-essential items to the budget. "I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I’m going to stop other things," he said. "I like PBS, I like Big Bird."
Social media immediately picked up on Romney's "zinger," as Big Bird starred as a trending topic even hours after the debate. A week later, with the media's focus shifted towards the upcoming VP debate, new job numbers and information out of Libya, the backlash about Big Bird continues to have a lasting impact. Big Bird has inspired memes, Democratic campaign ads, and t-shirts. The famous Bird even made his way onto Saturday Night Live.
On Oct. 31, the impact of Romney’s statement will be seen in another way.
According to ABC News, the “Sassy Big Bird” Halloween costume sold on costumecraze.com has been flying off the shelves. Although Big Bird Halloween costumes were already a big seller prior to the presidential debate, sales have increased 500 percent. Halloween Express also saw a spike in searches for their Big Bird costume since the debate.
Costume World CEO and founder, Marilynn Wick told ABC News that this year’s couple costume winners were Big Bird paired with Obama and its counterpart, Big Bird and Mitt Romney, with one addition. The Romney/Big Bird pairing also included “a machine gun doing Big Bird in.”
Who ever said Mitt Romney was bad for the economy?