In the pantheon of Kickstarter, there are thousands of amazing projects that have been given life thanks to people willing to back a crazy idea. For some, it was something as simple as a dance film like Girl Walk // All Day (2011). For others, it was a gizmo or comic book that needed that extra something something to get off the ground, and there is something fulfilling about seeing those dreams come to life. As someone who works entirely through independent means, I admire anyone who is able to turn these twisted ideas into something practical that exists in the real world and stands to change the world or, as in the case of Isiah Whitlock Jr., something that will brighten up your day.
While watching Da 5 Bloods (2020) this past weekend, I was reminded of something that’s built into seeing Whitlock, well, anywhere. Not only is he a good actor who has been a delight to watch for almost 20 years, but he is the type of person that you want to walk up to and ask him one question only.
If you don’t know him, the question (and this post) will not really make sense. However, there is this implicit desire to hear Whitlock say “shit.” Okay, there’s more to it than just saying a common piece of profanity. Much like Tommy Chong saying “man,” you’re buying into a persona whose cadence of the word is infectious to the ears. You want to have it on repeat just so you can admire this gift of human vocal chords.
For Whitlock, “shit” isn’t just a word. It can be an entire sentence where a single syllable can waver and become this poetic study. This is best exemplified by his ability to hit a unique frequency that comes across as a mild form of agitation while sounding like the coolest guy in the room. It’s hard to describe, but the general consensus is that it sounds like “sheeeeeeeeeit!” Yes, all nine of those e’s are needed. No more, no less.
Sure enough, Whitlock said “sheeeeeeeeeit!” in the film, and it’s become an endorphin rush to hear him say that line. There’s so much to love about it that Spike Lee would even have his crew members, in unison, say Whitlock’s catchphrase in a post-credit scene that serves as a small moment of levity.
If anyone deserves to bank off of Whitlock’s catchphrase, it’s Lee. After all, his film The 25th Hour (2002) was the first film that featured the actor using that drawl to its fullest effect. It’s something that would define his career for the rest of his life, gaining bigger popularity when he starred on the groundbreaking TV series The Wire as corrupt politician Clay Davis. His character was ubiquitous with “sheeeeeeeeeit!” Once he got on, the phenomenon kicked into full gear, producing shirts and other merchandise that praised his unique way of saying “shit.”
If you haven’t heard him say this word, I encourage you to take a break from this article. Go over to YouTube. I am very sure that there are compilations aplenty to be pulled from that find him saying this phrase like a lyrical acrobat.
Now that you’re back, I want to see that smile on your face, recognizing this small joy that you’ve discovered. See what I mean? Wasn’t that great?
I understand that catchphrases can be a fickle mistress, and the minute that they become tiring a whole career could be over. I’m promising you that Whitlock’s career is more than waiting for him to say the word. My eagerness in Da 5 Bloods to see him say it is just a side effect of following his career and knowing what to expect. In light of the film, I’ve even felt some quarantine-induced sadness that I couldn’t experience a Whitlock “sheeeeeeeeeit!” in a crowded theater where we all knew what to expect.
That may explain why Whitlock took to KickStarter in 2015 to capitalize on the phrase. As he would state in the initiative video, he wanted to make it for the time when you needed to hear him say “sheeeeeeeeeit!” to reflect your inner frustration. It didn’t always come when you ran into him on the street, and the moment would pass with a different reason to yell in frustration. Maybe it’s Whitlock’s fault, where he’s not in the mood to say his catchphrase for whatever reason.
Thus the Isiah Whitlock Jr. Talking Bobblehead was born.
From a personal perspective, I never understood the appeal of bobbleheads. To me they’re cute little toys, but they’re nowhere near as satisfying as just getting an action figure. Maybe bobbleheads are built with stronger material, are more durable, but like the Funko Pop that proceeded them, they’re just expensively designed art pieces that feel too fragile to play with and lack any other value than a stylized paperweight.
Even with the fact that this bobblehead has three catchphrases (all involving “sheeeeeeeeeit”), I was left confused on what its value is. It’s ridiculous and excessive. While it achieves what’s on the tin, the most joy that can be pulled from it is the idea that you get to hear a tinny version of Whitlock’s voice that can sit on your desk. While him saying “sheeeeeeeeeit” in a variety of scenarios will always be endearing, just having an inanimate object curse at you feels underwhelming once you’ve outlived its purpose.
That is why it’s difficult to fully appreciate the marketing campaign behind Whitlock’s novel invention. On the one hand it’s a great joke. Someone had the audacity to make this bobblehead – a product generally geared at children – and added this adult spin to it. That’s a funny concept, and a perfect way to expand The Wire brand into something unexpected and strange.
It’s also a very Clay Davis thing to do, especially since he was known for embezzling money and doing everything to improve only his image. The whole campaign feels more like performance art, trying to knowingly sell you a dud and getting rich off of your limited appeal. As it stands, the KickStarter campaign currently suggests that all price levels were basically differed by how many bobbleheads you were allowed to get. I’m not sure if I missed an edit from a previous model that may have had more behind the scenes features, but it’s amazing how surface-level this creation is.
Upon getting the prototype, Whitlock decided to make it into a reality, mass-producing them and selling them on the website aptly titled sheeeeeeeeeit.com. You can currently buy them for $35 a pop (two per international sale).
The project was only expecting a couple thousand dollars to become a reality. But, as the story goes, its March 2015 launch defied expectations when the project met its goal over the course of 12 hours and, within 24 hours, reached over 500 backers (or 478% funded). By the time that it closed, the project had earned an impressive $100,000+ from backers (or over 800% funded). If there was any reason to believe that this project would be a phenomenon, it was this. The positive press, which somehow seemed unnecessary, only helped to improve the product’s image.
If there was anything fun about the marketing of the product, it was Whitlock’s ability to bring in friends to make comedic takes on the product launch. There were videos uploaded to YouTube that featured Anna Chlumsky and Jamie Hector playing into Whitlock’s belief that he was selling them on the future. In the latter’s case, it’s depicted like a drug deal being pulled out of a box. As the bobblehead is removed, there is clear laughter as they realize that the coded language was for something more inconsequential.
There would also be limited edition versions signed by Whitlock that included gold and silver-plating going for $75 to $125. Given that the Kickstarter closed in 2018, it’s telling that these limited editions are still for sale. It’s arguably the only crazy idea that most people didn’t go for.
Even if the bobblehead continues to exist, to look through the Kickstarter is to see one of the most fascinating milkings of a single product imaginable. In 2016 there was the launch of The Isiah Whitlock Jr. Talking Money Head, which was basically a talking piggy bank (you can guess what it says). Unlike the bobblehead, it came with a funnier and apt purpose:
The Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Talking Money Head will let you take money out of politics—and keep it for yourself!The incredibly handsome Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Talking Money Head is like having your own SuperPAC right in your home or office. And every donation you make is yours to keep!
Yes, the one Kickstarter campaign that made history as one of the most successful launches in the website’s history was now reduced to making plastic that said “sheeeeeeeeeit!” It’s cute, but given that he used events such as March Madness and National Bobblehead Day to sell his product, it was a joke that was outstaying its welcome.
Though there is a happy ending to this story. While he was out filming Pete’s Dragon (2016), Whitlock got a letter from The Wire creator David Simon to send him a bobblehead immediately. It wasn’t clear why at the time, though it became obvious when Simon had interviewed President Barrack Obama, who was famously a big fan of The Wire. According to Simon, Obama said that the bobblehead would probably save his voice five times a day and that “This is less than $300, so I’m keeping it.”
To be honest, I’m not tired of the Whitlock cult of personality. I was personally thrilled to hear him said “sheeeeeeeeeit” in Da 5 Bloods. There is something thrilling about seeing cinema work in ways that fulfill your anticipation. However, I don’t know that it would be enough to make me buy a bobblehead that curses at me. It’s funny and is a good reminder that The Wire is one of the greatest shows ever made, but honestly I can only accept this as a joke in the vein of “you can’t be serious.”
I’m very sure this was all done tongue-in-cheek and that makes it more tolerable. Even the fact that it fits the Clay Davis ethos beautifully makes me less mad about it. Even then, nothing compares to the real thing and while I’m proud of Whitlock’s success being paid in dividends, his branching out into the toy division is one that I’m relieved stopped before getting into the world of doorbells and kitchen timers. There’s only so much “sheeeeeeeeeit” that I’m willing to put up with.
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