‘Schitt’s Creek’ Sign Outside Hudson Valley Business Causes Laughter and Outrage
Sometimes a good ol' laugh is just what you need to get through the day. That's what some people are doing after a business in Upstate New York hung up a sign from an Emmy winning television show, but others are allegedly very angry.
Matthew's Signs, located in Stockport, New York, was spotted with a cloth pennant outside their business that was a replica of what some know as the "Welcome to Schitt's Creek" sign from the Emmy-winning, Canadian television series 'Schitt's Creek.' The sign shows two founding members of the small town in a "suggestive pose," and a few days after it went up, the shop's owners added a sign that is identical to the one in the hit series — "Don’t worry, it’s his sister!"
If you're a fan of the show, you'll think this is funny. However, it seems that some don't see the humor in the sign. According to the Times Union, complaints have been made to the state Department of Transportation and the town to demand it be taken down.
“The sign on Route 9 I find, if not obscene, at least sexist,” she wrote to Stockport Town Clerk Sandy Novak according to the Times Union. “If that were a Black man standing over a white woman or a white man standing over a Black woman or a Jew over a Christian or a Puerto Rican over a Lebanese it would be considered sexist, racist something like that.”
The same woman wrote to local newspapers, including the Times Union, to say that Matthew's Signs is promoting incest. Clearly, she's not a fan of the show.
Meanwhile, the owners of Matthew's Signs don't seem phased by the complaints, saying "all publicity for our business is good publicity for our business,"
The sign was made for a 'Schitt's Creek' themed birthday party. Characters' faces were cut out of the sign and friends posed for photos as party mementos. But ever since the sign was put up, it's drawn quite the crowd of people.
“Everyone thought it was funny," co-owner Misty Brew-Kusewich said. "People are stopping by, taking pictures. I’m asking them to tag me. Everyone thinks it’s great.”
They also say it's changing their business. They've been getting new customers, and they're planning to leave it up for a bit longer.
“I’m getting tons of calls. Since COVID, people need to laugh," said Brew-Kusewich. "I want to laugh and see something funny. Most people shake their heads and see something cute. … We are not doing anything wrong.”
The Time Union reports the DOT said it does not have jurisdiction over non-advertising signage within private property and outside of the state right of way. Stockport Supervisor Matt Murrell told News 10 that the town is investigating to see if they can have the sign removed.
Not familiar with the show? 'Schitt’s Creek' is a Canadian sitcom created by Eugene Levy and his son Dan Levy. The series follows a formerly wealthy family, including the Levys, Catherine O’Hara and Annie Murphy, that moves to the town of Schitt’s Creek, which they once bought as a joke, and their journey of life in the small town they never knew they would grow to appreciate. The show won nine Emmy Awards for its final season last year and continues to grow in popularity on Netflix.
Is this offensive to you? Or, maybe you're like me and think it's funny (but I might be a bit bias because it's my favorite show of all time?) Let us know inside our station app.
LOOK: TV Locations in Every State
MORE: Some of the Memes & Tweets That Have Made Us Laugh (and Maybe Think)