Hey Funko Pop! I Have Some Ideas for Some Iconic Stars

A couple of years ago, I wrote a blog entry about this Funko Pop vinyl figurines of various icons from pop culture, from advertising characters and movie/television characters to athletes and musicians. Collectors of all sorts have jumped on these figures, including this music collector. Now, I have scaled back my collection, perhaps a bit too much, but, all-n-all, I am pleased with my current collection. As of 2020, there are over 200 Pops in their Rock collection.

Back when I discovered these creations back in 2012, I purchased a set of the original Kiss figures for my mom’s doll collection. If Alzheimer’s had not taken her brain away from us, I know this line of Pops would have been right up her alley. She collected movie star dolls and advertising dolls, so those Pops would have been naturals in her collection. That’s why Kiss made perfect sense for her, as those four men in their iconic makeup would remind Mom of the teenage version of her older son. Unfortunately, she never really got to enjoy them as her mind was quickly wiped of her memories of all the years after 1970. By the time we put her in a nursing home’s memory care unit, I was a “nice man from church” while her older son was just a baby and my brother had yet to be born. So, it is no wonder that I am attracted to this line of unique collectables.

Now, when I downsized, I made a huge mistake by selling those Kiss guys, Alice Cooper and my Amy Winehouse figure. But, I was wise to keep Joey Ramone, Rick James, Kurt Cobain, all three versions of Prince, my Rush three-pack, the two versions of Elton John, Rivers Cuomo, all five members of Duran Duran, the three musicians of Queen plus a Seventies and an Eighties Freddie Mercury AND Debbie Harry of Blondie. Of the non-vaulted Pops in the Rock collection, I’d love to get The Police, the new Run-DMC and Billy Idol, since many of my college friends associate me with him.

But, something has been bothering me since I noticed that the company was beginning to do a couple of retreads from their early days, such as the aforementioned Run-DMC, Tupac, The Notorious BIG and now Elvis Presley. I mean, the newer versions are terrific, especially their details. But, they have all been done before. So, today, I am here to suggest 50 more rock stars (I have well over 100 possibilities!), along with a couple of lines that might pay off for Funko. In addition to the Rock line, I feel like they should start a Comedy line, along with a SNL Cast Member line and a Late Night Talk Show Host line. With that said, here are my initial suggestions for each line.

The Rock Line:

1. ABBA (Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, & Anni-Frid Lyngstad)
2. Beastie Boys (Mike D, Ad-Rock & MCA)
3. Bee Gees (Barry, Maurice & Robin Gibb)
4. Beyoncé
5. Bob Marley
6. Bruce Springsteen
7. Cheap Trick (Rick Nielson, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson & Bun E. Carlos)
8. Cyndi Lauper
9. Daft Punk (both “robots”)
10. Daryl Hall & John Oates
11. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana)
12. David Bowie (can be from several of his eras)
13. Destiny’s Child (Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams)
14. Devo (Mark Mothersbaugh, Jerry Casale, Bob Casale, Bob Mothersbaugh & Alan Myers)
15. Donna Summer
16. Elvis Costello
17. Eurythmics (Annie Lennox & Dave Stewart)
18. Fleetwood Mac (Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie & Stevie Nicks)
19. Fugees (Lauren Hill, Pras, Wyclef Jean)
20. Gwen Stefani
21. Janet Jackson
22. Jay-Z
23. Lady Gaga
24. Lana Del Rey
25. Led Zeppelin (Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham & John Paul Jones)
26. Madonna (like Bowie, she has many eras that can be immortalized)
27. Pearl Jam (Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament & Matt Cameron)
28. R.E.M. (Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills & Bill Berry)
29. Red Hot Chili Peppers (Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith & John Frusciante)
30. Robert Smith (The Cure)
31. St. Vincent
32. Stevie Wonder
33. Taylor Swift
34. The B-52’s (Fred Schneider, Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson, Kate Pierson &
35. The Bangles (Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, Vicki Peterson & Michael Steele)
36. The Go-Go’s (Belinda Carlisle, Jane Wiedlin, Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock & Kathy Valentine)
37. The Jacksons (Michael, Marlon, Tito, Randy, Jermaine & Randy)
38. The Monkees (Mickey Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith & Peter Tork)
39. The Rolling Stones (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Woods, Bill Wyman, Mick Taylor & Brian Jones)
40. The Runaways (Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Cherie Curie, Jackie Fox & Sandy West)
41. The Supremes (Diana Ross, Mary Wilson & Florence Ballard)
42. The Temptations (Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin & David Ruffin)
43. The Weeknd
44. Tina Turner
45. Tom Petty
46. U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen Jr.)
47. Village People (Cop, Cowboy, Indian, Construction Worker, Soldier & Biker)
48. Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips)
49. Wham! (George Michael & Andrew Ridgeley)
50. Whitney Houston

SNL Cast Member Line:

1. Adam Sandler (SNL)
2. Aidy Bryant (SNL)
3. Amy Poehler (SNL)
4. Andy Samberg (SNL)
5. Bill Hader (SNL)
6. Bill Murray (SNL)
7. Billy Crystal (SNL)
8. Chevy Chase (SNL)
9. Chris Farley (SNL)
10. Dan Aykroyd (SNL)
11. Dana Carvey (SNL)
12. Eddie Murphy (SNL)
13. Fred Armisen (SNL)
14. Garrett Morris (SNL)
15. Gilda Radner (SNL)
16. Jan Hooks (SNL)
17. Jane Curtain (SNL)
18. Jason Sudeikis (SNL)
19. John Belushi (SNL)
20. Jon Lovitz (SNL)
21. Kate McKinnon (SNL)
22. Kenan Thompson (SNL)
23. Kristen Wiig (SNL)
24. Laraine Newman (SNL)
25. Lorne Michaels (SNL)
26. Martin Short (SNL)
27. Maya Rudolph (SNL)
28. Maya Rudolph (SNL)
29. Mike Myers (SNL)
30. Norm Macdonald (SNL)
31. Phil Hartman (SNL)
32. Rachel Dratch (SNL)
33. Tina Fey (SNL)
34. Will Ferrell (SNL)
35. Will Forte (SNL)

The Comedy Line:

1. Abbott & Costello (Comedian)
2. Amy Schumer (Comedian)
3. Andy Kaufman (Comedian)
4. Bernie Mac (Comedian)
5. Bill Burr (Comedian)
6. Bill Cosby (Comedian)
7. Bill Hicks (Comedian)
8. Bob Newhart (Comedian)
9. Cheech & Chong (Comedy Team)
10. Chris Rock (Comedian)
11. Dave Chappelle (Comedian)
12. Dick Gregory (Comedian)
13. Don Rickles (Comedian)
14. Eddie Murphy (Comedian)
15. Ellen DeGeneres (Comedian)
16. Gary Shandling (Comedian)
17. George Carlin (Comedian)
18. Gracie Allen & George Burns (Comedy Team)
19. Jeff Foxworthy (Comedian)
20. Jerry Seinfeld (Comedian)
21. Jim Carey (Comedian)
22. Jim Gaffigan (Comedian)
23. Joan Rivers (Comedian)
24. John Mulaney (Comedian)
25. Jonathan Winters (Comedian)
26. Kevin Hart (Comedian)
27. Lenny Bruce (Comedian)
28. Lewis Black (Comedian)
29. Lily Tomlin (Comedian)
30. Louis C.K. (Comedian)
31. Mitch Hedberg (Comedian)
32. Moms Mabley (Comedian)
33. Mort Sahl (Comedian)
34. Patrice O’Neal (Comedian)
35. Phyllis Diller (Comedian)
36. Redd Foxx (Comedian)
37. Richard Pryor (Comedian)
38. Ricky Gervais (Comedian)
39. Robin Williams (Comedian)
40. Rodney Dangerfield (Comedian)
41. Sam Kinison (Comedian)
42. Sarah Silverman (Comedian)
43. Steve Martin (Comedian)
44. Steven Wright (Comedian)
45. The Marx Brothers (Comedy Team)
46. The Three Stooges (Comedy Team)
47. Tig Notaro (Comedian)
48. Wanda Sykes (Comedian)
49. Whoopi Goldberg (Comedian)
50. Woody Allen (Comedian)

The Late Night Talk Show Host Line:

1. Amber Ruffin
2. Arsenio Hall
3. Bill Maher
4. Carson Daly
5. Chelsea Handler
6. Conan O’Brien
7. Craig Ferguson
8. David Letterman
9. Dick Cavett
10. Graham Norton
11. James Corden
12. Jay Leno
13. Jimmy Fallon
14. Jimmy Kimmel
15. John Oliver
16. Johnny Carson
17. Jon Stewart
18. Larry Wilmore
19. Lilly Singh
20. Samantha Bee
21. Seth Meyers
22. Stephen Colbert
23. Steve Allen
24. Tom Snyder
25. Trevor Noah

Now, let me know what you think. And, Funko, if you are out there, I am available for hire as an idea guy. Just contact me through this blog, then I will allow you to enter the World of Keller, which my family, friends and former students can all vouch is a rather weird place to inhabit. Of course, until next time, peace.