MST3K Mt. Rushmore

[sidmelton]

OK, here's a very, very tough task. MST3K Mt. Rushmore. Only 4 spots. Who gets them?

The nominees:
Joel - The one no-brainer. He created the show and starred in it for half its run. What MSTie doesn't adore Joel?

Mike - Head Writer for Seasons 2 through 10. Countless guest starring roles during Joel's run. And kept the show going after replacing Joel.

Trace - Dr. Forrester AND Crow for 7 seasons. If he had been relegated to just one of those roles, he still would be beloved by MSTies. He was that good.

Kevin - A part of the show for the entire run and the definitive Tom Servo.

Frank - My favorite Mad and responsible for some of the show's most hilarious moments.

Jim - Won't win any popularity contests around here but he's as connected to the show as anyone.

Bill - Did the impossible and successfully took over for Trace.

Mary Jo - I'm not a fan of her performance as Pearl but, she was a main character for the show's final 3 seasons and a writer for most of its run.

OK, my votes:

Joel: The man who started it all and somehow brought heart to a show that's built around making fun of people.

Trace: Has there been a performer on MST3K who garnered more laughs? I can't imagine. The man is a genius.

Mike: The show wouldn't have made it past Season 5 had he failed. He filled enormous shoes and did so brilliantly.

Kevin: Apologies to Josh, Kevin IS Tom Servo. And there's no MST3K without Tom Servo.

1st runner-up: Frank. I love him. He deserves his own monument.

[posturepal]

Seen strictly through an MST3K prism, I also have to go with Joel, Trace, Mike, and Kevin, and in that order. But cumulatively through the years, when taking into account Rifftrax, CT, and other works from everybody (including social media), I have to go Mike, Bill, Trace and Joel.

[sidmelton]

Great point about Bill. He really is hilarious on Rifftrax. He's no longer the newbie (although he was always strong on MST3K) and his delivery is so strong.

[Afgncaap5]

If we're talking performers, I wouldn't want to pick. Too many good choices and too few slots. (Seriously, with just one more face it'd get easier, I think.)

However, if we're talking characters it becomes much, much easier. Joel, Mike, Servo, and Crow. In fact, I'd argue that becomes *too* easy. Same thing if we limit it to certain factions of characters (like, if you just go with The Mads then you only have to leave two people out, if you limit it to bots you have exactly the right number since Magic Voice is never seen, etc.)

What I'm saying is that I want my version of Mt. Rushmore to just be all the different versions of Cambot.

[satmorning91]

If your including the rifftrax and c. Titanic its going way toward the rifftrax crew and joel. Cause bill has done proly more riffs then trace has. Cause thiers alot more rifftrax then thier are CT. i dunno if that offsets trace doing more mst then bill but its gotta be close. I mean for me , the rifftrax sharknado and starship troopers are epic moments in the mst3k/ct/riff universe. I like that josh came back to do ct. It keeps him from being almost a footnote in mst3k history.