Big Mouth Billy Bass
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Big Mouth Billy Bass is an Animatronic singing toy, resembling a Largemouth Bass, popular in 2000 and 2001. Made of rubber stretched over a mechanical frame, at first glance it closely resembles a mounted fish. Designed by Gemmy Industries, it turns its head outwards and then wiggles on its trophy plaque and sings kitschy cover songs, such as "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (the music was taken from the original Bobby McFerrin recording) and "Take Me To The River" by Al Green (the recording was arranged and produced for Gemmy Industries by Al Thomas of Designer Music). The singing mechanism was originally activated by a motion sensor and was originally intended to startle a passerby. Eventually a button was added to activate it. There have also been several copycat toys based on it, featuring various animals such as Rainbow Trout, Lobsters, fish bones and even the great white shark. Some of these were created by Gemmy Industries for example Travis the freshwater Trout but many were created by other companies. The concept was also adapted into a large mounted deer head. [1]
[edit] Appearances in popular culture
Due to the success of the Big Mouth Billy Bass, it has become something of a cultural icon. The toys appeared frequently in pop culture at the time, featured on various television programs. It was also shown briefly in an episode of 90210, when it was shown as part of a yard sale. A November 2006 Verizon Wireless commercial featured one that sang Christmas carols. Big Mouth Billy Bass was also mentioned in Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie wherein Jeff Foxworthy said that a person with more than three of the toys (which Jeff himself is admittedly guilty of) "might be a redneck". Queen Elizabeth has a copy of the singing novelty, which she displays on the grand piano of Balmoral Castle [1]. A 2009 McDonald's commercial for the Filet-O-Fish sandwich features a singing fish mounted on a wall[citation needed]. It was briefly seen in the 2008 film WALL-E. It is also seen in the television show The Sopranos. It also appeared in Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2008 with a singing fish doing the Jeremiah Wright speech. And reappeared again on the Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien as "Big Mouth Biden Bass". On the television show George Lopez, George has a singing fish in his office.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Schuessler, Heidi, Getting Under the Skin of a Fish That Can Get Under Yours, The New York Times, December 14, 2000, last accessed May 7, 2008.
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