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I’m not sure why those responsible for erecting a statue to a beloved children’s television icon would design a scary, craggy monster looking statue; but then again, this is Pittsburgh (I have no factual basis to make that claim)?

The six-year project was unveiled on a drizzy day yesterday with the 11-foot bronze statue as a center piece to a children’s tribute area.  Still.  Did NO ONE look at the statue?!?  It is as frightening as the actual Fred Rogers was comforting and inviting.  It looks like the mythical Jewish rock Golem.

It’s like robot central around here with the Gundam love and then the Alaska mecha this morning.  Anyway, above is an 18-foot-tall, 1200-lbs. statue of Bumblebee – classic ’80s Bumblebee that you all know and love, obviously.

Tom Rhodes who lives in Lemoore, Calif. constructed the little guy using an actual Krom Volkswagon Beetle.

It’s easy to see Michael Bay’s logic in not recreating the classic look of the cartoons for the big screen — that would look quite silly — however, at least you can see the clearly delineated features on this robot instead of it looking like a massive dump of twisted steal, hydraulic parts and whatnot. 

Also?  This robot probably doesn’t talk with an offensive voice a la Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars or more pertinently, like Jazz, as stereotypical scatman Caruthers. 

Robots do not talk.  They communicate through radiowaves.   And, end of rant. 

Back to Rhodes, who’s next project involves some kind of semi-truck. Do with that what you will.   Check out more pics over at Daily Stab. [via Geekologie]