Like football fans tailgating despite terrible weather, the rain didn’t stop more than 60 die-hard customers from lining up outside the Johnny Cupcakes Newbury Street store awaiting something new and fresh-baked from John “Johnny” Earle, himself, last month.

Some huddled under a makeshift tarp tent, others with no umbrella at all and even some coming as far as Washington D.C., all in anticipation to be one of the first to see the result of Johnny’s collaboration with Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes.

Blast: We’re here today at the launch of the Johnny Cupcakes Looney Tunes collaboration. So, tell us a little bit about this collaboration with Looney Tunes.

Johnny: I was approached last year by someone at Warner Bros. while I was out in LA and Looney Tunes was a huge part of my childhood so I was pretty excited to do this.

Blast: What makes this launch exciting?

JE: We actually have limited edition cartoon cells. Each one comes in a sealed envelope with a certificate of authenticity and no two are the same so those are really cool. I didn’t even get one. We only got 20 of them from Warner Bros. and they’re each going to the first 20 customers. We also have some carrot cake cupcakes as a tribute to Bugs Bunny.

Blast: As far as the design for the shirts, how did that work? I know you have your own designer and how specific was Warner Bros. in the use of their cartoon designs?

JE: Yeah, they were very specific”¦down to the exact color of the whiskers on Bugs Bunny and how many whiskers he has to have. They provided us with all of the specifications and guidelines and we just followed those and then of course they had final approval on each design.

Blast: Which character did you absolutely have to get on a t-shirt?

JE: Definitely Foghorn Leghorn. He’s just funny and crazy, going around giving beat downs.

Blast: You definitely did a great job of getting key characters on the shirts, my personal fave is Yosemite Sam with the cupcakes coming out of his pistols!

Aside from what you have at the launch today, can we expect to see any more Looney Tunes shirts?

JE: Thanks! Yeah, there will be a few more and I definitely want to get Gossamer on a shirt.

He’s the big, hairy orange guy with the eyes and no mouth that use to always sneak up on Bugs Bunny and scare him. He rocks!

Blast: We definitely remember him now. So, that’s really cool. We can expect some more Looney Tunes Johnny Cupcakes designs. Any other upcoming collaborations?

JE: Yea, you can definitely expect to see some more. We’ve got some really cool things in the works. We’re designing some men’s ties, dress shirts for guys, dresses for girls, wallets, cardigans, varsity jackets, New Era hats.

Blast: How about sneakers?

JE: Not yet but yes, we actually do have ideas for some that we want to hammer out for 2010.

Blast: Very cool! Ok, so one last question. What’s your favorite flavor cupcake?

JE: Hmm. Yea that would have to be these cupcakes my friend Lana makes. They’re maple flavored with like a cream cheese frosting”¦they’re really good and I always eat extra frosting and she gets really mad at me but I always like to have more frosting than actual cake.

Blast staff photos/Steve Osemwenkhae

About The Author

Heidi Hall is a Blast correspondent

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