Who knew that the foam cheesehead hat was so controversial? It turns out, this week's Social Circle question – "Have you ever worn a cheesehead hat?" – sparked some pretty strong commentary. Milwaukeeans see them as either a squishy yellow embodiment of team spirit or a complete embarrassment.

For the local historians and pop culture enthusiasts out there, the first foam cheesehead hat appeared in 1987 at a Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago White Sox game. It was spotted on the head of fan Ralph Bruno by center-fielder Rick Manning who saw it while playing. Bruno later started a business to sell the hats, but today, the "cheesehead" trademark is owned by Foamation, Inc. in St. Francis.

On Monday, OnMilwaukee.com polled our Facebook likers and Twitter followers and asked them – along with some well-known Milwaukeeans – to get their thoughts on whether or not wearing a cheesehead is plain ol' fun or a total fashion faux pas.

John Alder: "No, my head is already oddly shaped."

Mike Brenner: "Nah. I try to only participate in Milwaukee stereotypes that DON'T make the rest of the world laugh at us."

Robin Burns: "Yes, I've worn one to away games in Minnesota and Detroit to tick off the home teams and once on Christmas Eve at Lambeau (something had to hold the tree up.) Put it on my blow-up deer head in college and it actually got moldy."

Scott Carlson: "No, I have not. I think that I have done enough tacky Wisconsin cliches to allow me to skip that one. Plus, it's too mainstream now. I'll wait for the foam cheese Crocs."

Elizabeth Kay: "Yes, I had one as a kid and I would wear it around the house almost every day. One said said, 'It ain't easy being cheesy.'"

Casey Harding: "My family had one. We would wear it around the house for fun or for games. Then our dog got hurt and we cut a hole in it and replaced her 'cone of shame' with it. It was brilliant. She was clearly way more comfortable because it was soft and she could use it like a pillow because of the flat sides. It was the most use we had gotten out of it over the years that we owned it."

Mike Hogan: I received one as a joke once. I used to wear it at home with my kids watching the game, but never in public. I have no idea what happened to it. Probably gave it away or re-gifted it."

Katie Maedke-Hall: "I wore one in the airport gift shop entertaining the kiddos while we waited. I think we all wore them come to think of it."

Adam Levin: "Nope, not a fan of food on my head."

Jackie Valent Lucca: "Yes! During the Super Bowl! I own my cheesehead-ness!"

Zee Monstah: "I took a cheesehead with me to a soccer game in England. I got thumbs up from people around me."

Ted Perry: ""While I'm extremely impressed that someone had the smarts to take an unflattering nickname and turn it into a cottage industry, I have not, would not and will not wear one. Does anyone really put one on and say, 'Damn, I look hot in this?' I wish the company well but I'll show my state pride in other ways. Like the new cow-udder change purse I'm developing."

Kristi Reinders: "That fake cheese wearing on the head is embarrassing and degrading. It makes nice, normal people look like douche bags. Seriously. Packers fans would get a lot more respect if they stopped looking like they have giving up on caring what they look like. That fake cheese has got to go. And while we're on the subject, when did the vernacular change from 'cheddarhead' to 'cheesehead?' I really, really dislike being called a 'cheesehead.'"

Patty Pritchard Thompson: "I wore one to the Seattle Seahawks vs. The Packers game in Seattle, Nov. 27, 2006. It snowed in Seattle, we couldn't get home from the game and had to sleep on the floor of my brother's office building."

Maria Delgado Tully: "Love my cheesehead. Wore it during post season games. Had to give it to my 5-year-old grandson who loves it more. My daughter moved to North Carolina and lives among Steelers fans and my husband and 15-year-old son had to wear her cheesehead when the Packers beat the Steelers. Great for laughs and for flaunting that special Wisconsin spirit."

Deanne Wecker: "Absolutely not. Being a 'cheesehead' is my least-favorite Wisconsin stereotype."

Andie Zacher: "No, I think it (would) be as embarrassing as cheering what happened last night (the death of Osama bin Laden) like it was a sporting event or something. Well, maybe not THAT embarrassing, but embarrassing nonetheless."