This is a slightly confusing issue for me, because I'm a huge Bewitched fan (with a webpage devoted to Liz and Bewitched) and a witch. Basically, TV Land is giving the city of Salem a 9 foot bronze statue of Samantha Stephens (opening credits cartoon version) sitting on her broom to be placed in a busy public park and the city powers that be have voted that it's OK.
Is it tacky? Yes
Is it blatant commercialism? Yes
Is a big cartoon statue of a witch incongruous in the midst of a 300+ year old town? Yes
Will it hurt tourism in Salem? No, it will be yet another photo-op for tourists
Will it actually be harmful to Wicca? No, if anything it will soften the public's image of witches even further, which in this scary fundamentalist age can't do anything but be helpful
Do I love that cartoon image? Yes, I have a little bobble head of Samantha sitting on my desk and there are about another dozen little Bewitched collectibles on the bookcases behind me (Barbies, salt & pepper shakers and more kitsch).
Am I pissed at TV Land? No way, they've saved so many of the shows I grew up with and presented them in both a tasteful and fun format so today's audience's can discover them for themselves. And BTW, TV Land has also placed statues of other TV icons in appropriate cities: Mary Richards in Minneapolis, Bob Hartley in Chicago, Ralph Kramden in New York, and Andy and Opie Taylor in Raleigh, NC.
Do I still want to visit Salem someday? Hell yes!
For more opinions and info see below:
Bewitched statue plan bothers, bewilders
Bewitched statue gets go-ahead
TV Squad - Salem says yes to Bewitched statue
"Bewitched in Salem" (Thomas Doherty article) & Witches Voice Readers Comments
In city of witch killings, Bewitched statue may be a curse
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered
Wow, here's a quick little flash movie that tells it like it is, good work!