(Owen Murphy is a featured writer for the Musicarium who will be contributing columns every so often. He might attend BC Law School! He’s also cooler than Dan Baxter.)
The year was 1992; the Danny Tartabull experiment was underway in New York, Danny DeVito captured our hearts as the Penguin in Batman Returns, and a new and promising administration was taking the reigns in Washington. Yes, there certainly was cause for celebration, and what more hilarious way to convey these feelings of joy and optimism than to pop some Right Said Fred (“I’m Too Sexy” hit number one on the charts in 1992) into the tape deck and switch on one of those pointless annoying dancing flower toy things.
Interested in capturing the title of "funny guy at the office?" In search of a novelty item to create small talk near the DJ booth at a party? Seeking a way to tell others, "Hey! I'm a fruity jerk!?" There were a million reasons manufacturers suggested that we purchase this item, but after careful contemplation I am pretty sure those are the only three plausible examples of why anyone would.
The pointless annoying dancing flower toy thing, defying all logic, became a popular item in the early 90's and I'm not sure anyone knows how. Essentially, this battery powered waste of good Ninja Turtle plastic was equipped with a small motor, initiated by a music recognition device that propelled the plastic flower portion of the toy to sway back and forth, in a "clever" attempt to suggest the activity of dance. To the device's demographic; small children, dim witted yokels, and lonely old people, the device proved amusing for no more than 2-3 minutes at which point it was placed in the back of an attic and forgotten about forever.
I think the best way to draw out that last point is by making an allusion to The Simpsons. Some of you might recall the episode where Homer's brother, Herb Powell, seeks both temporary housing and a business loan from Homer. Herb had become homeless after squandering his fortune by allowing Homer to design a concept car for his once profitable automobile company. Anyways, Herb eventually comes up with a great invention, and during his business presentation places on the table a plastic bird which perpetually bobs up and down above a small bowl of water as if it were drinking. Of course, Homer mistakes this plastic bird as Herb's invention and goes on to declare it a work of genius; the joke being that Homer is easily amused and that any reasonably minded person would tire of this item instantly. The entertainment value of The Simpsons’ drinking bird and the dancing flower thing are quintessentially one and the same.
As computer technology became more commonplace to the American household in the mid 90's, the jig was up for the dancing flower. Retailers across the country moved the item into discount bins in a last ditch attempt to bait any morons that might have been in a coma throughout the three previous years... it didn't work. Eventually the devices were pulled from shelves completely, and one can only hope, set ablaze in a dumpster somewhere.
Dancing flowers in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr3eDTRCSxQ.
Owen Murphy
This is great.
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