LA Native Has a Hand in Oven Mitt Romney

Here's a novelty product that gets our full endorsement. Available at Santa Monica boutique The Quilted Monkey as well as online, the $12.99 Oven Mitt Romney is a kooky novelty product dreamed up by the New York trio of Norma Lana, Ron Dreyer and Frank Cefalo. With a big design-assist from a fourth pal, Andrew Weissman, who was born and raised in Encino. "I came up with this silly idea over the winter," Lana tells FishbowlLA via telephone, "but we waited until Rick Santorum dropped out of the race. We wanted to basically make sure Romney was going to be the Republican nominee." "We're all friends," she adds. "Ron and I did improv and voiceover work together. I put this oven mitt on one night and started joking around. There are a few other ones out there, but they're terrible quality. We wanted to do something that was really well-made." Weissman's mom, an avid Republican, just happened to have a booth at the party's recent North Carolina state convention. So that's when and where Oven Mitt Romney was officially launched at the beginning of June. "People went crazy for it," Lana says. "We tried to do something that appeals to both Republicans and Democrats. So far, no one has been offended. And putting this product together has been like getting a degree in marketing." Lana works as a writer, editor and actor; Dreyer is an actor and designer; Cefalo does marketing. All this shows up playfully on the product website, which proudly proclaims that - 'In an uncertain political climate, one thing's for sure: With Oven Mitt Romney, you won't get burned! Update - 09/04/12: Post Republican National Convention, we thought we'd check in with the Oven Mitt Romney gang to see how things are going. Here's what Norma told us, via email: "Individual sales are going very well. We have website orders coming in every day from all over the country. Oven Mitt Romney has also been a big hit at BBQ festivals." "A couple of chain stores have been in contact with us. We are also planning an Oven Mitt Romney flash mob in the next few weeks, at a secret location, which we'll post on YouTube."

Fishbowl

LA Native Has a Hand in Oven Mitt Romney

Richard Horgan

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Richard Horgan