Always remember: pop-culture references negate the “too soon” factor.

We here at Shirt.Woot are no strangers to topical humor. Well, attempts at topical humor. Well, hastily-sketched shirts featuring the meme-of-the-minute. But there’s a fine line and a snap judgment to be made between “hilariously rife with parody potential” and “too soon, man. Too soon.” That’s why you guys sending in your “hilarious” Muammar Gaddafi designs will be waiting awhile. See, there are rules to follow:

Tragedies are off limits, obviously. And making fun of anything happening in a foreign country just comes off as ignorant. Definitely steer clear of anything racial. Celebrities are fair game, unless they have cancer or something people will empathize with. Political jokes are a great way to see a sales surge in one demographic while permanently alienating another; keep it as vague as possible so both sides can see something in it and assume you’re identifying with their beliefs.

But the financial crisis? The systematic and purposeful theft of millions of Americans’ financial security, homes, and prosperity? The class war being waged by the extremely wealthy through their influence in our government and top levels of just about every industry in the country? Comedy gold, baby! After all, the sooner we start making fun of it, the sooner everyone stops thinking it’s a big deal and goes back to watching the E! Network.

Oh, we almost forgot: cartoon characters. Cartoon characters definitely help.

Wear this shirt: While perusing the classified ads for the third time this week.

Don’t wear this shirt: If you can’t afford to buy one. Practice fiscal responsibility!

This shirt tells the world: “Uh, I dunno. I vaguely remember hearing something about rich people being bad. To be honest I’m more of a Man vs. Wild guy than a ‘news’ guy.”

We call this color: I was saying Royal Blue-urns.

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