The Clapper

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The Clapper as used to control a table lamp

The Clapper is a sound activated electrical switch, sold by San Francisco, California based Joseph Enterprises, Inc and marketed with the slogan "Clap On! Clap Off!". The Clapper works with any American standard electrical outlet.

Two upgrades have been made.

  • The Smart Clapper allows control of two devices, based on if one claps two or three times.
  • A design revision known as the Clapper Plus includes a remote control function in addition to sound-based activation.

The Clapper can sometimes be triggered by coughing, a dog's bark, or clapping that emanates from televisions and stereo speakers set at high volume, making it somewhat inconvenient for households with dogs and loud appliances.

There is also an away setting on the clapper that turns on whatever is plugged into it at any detection of noise. It can also be used to turn lights on whenever a room is occupied without having to clap.

The Clapper, was issued US Patent #5493618 on July 9, 1985 and first sold to the public on September 1, 1986.[1]

The melody of the catchy jingle used in the commercials ("Clap on, clap off...") had been used earlier back in the mid 1980s for Sine-Off cold medicine, in a commercial featuring women at an army base.

[edit] In popular culture

 Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (October 2008)
  • In the pilot episode of Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns, Leroy Brown talked about how he went to a store and asked an employee if the store were selling The Clapper. Brown, however, referred The Clapper as "The Clap".
  • In the 2006 film,Accepted, Bartlby (Justin Long) set up a clapper in his dorm room to activate a disco ball and mood lighting.
  • In the 2006 film, Night at the Museum, when Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is at the Job agency presenting his resume, he mentions that he created "The Snapper", and that "The Clapper" stole "a bit of his thunder".
  • In the 2004 film, Garden State, when Sam (Natalie Portman)'s family and Andrew (Zach Braff) are applauding her ice skating video, the lights turn off because of their clapper, and Titembay (Ato Essandoh) has to clap twice to turn them back on.
  • In the 2003 dark comedy, Duplex, Alex (Ben Stiller) installs the clapper in Mrs. Connelly's TV so that he can turn it off from his apartment below by clapping. One night the two of them go back and forth in a clapping battle, Alex turning her loud TV off, and Mrs. Connelly turning it back on, and back off, and then back on, etc.
  • In the 1993 comedy, Hot Shots! Part Deux, Saddam Hussein uses the clapper right before he goes to sleep as a commando raid was in progress.
  • The Clapper appears in Bruce Almighty where God clapped off the lights, then recites "The Clapper" jingle.
  • In the TV series Roseanne, Dan and Roseanne use a Clapper in their bedroom.
  • in the movie Blonde and Blonder featuring Denise Richards and Pamela Anderson, Dee(Pamela Anderson)has the snapper in her condo.
  • It was featured in "Wayne's World" in the middle of advertisements on a TV at the beginning of the movie.
  • It was also featured in "The Simpsons" whereby Homer announces his desires to join the navy, claiming that starting a war in the present era would be as easy as turning on a lamp, attempting to use a non-existent Clapper in his bedroom to demonstrate.
  • In the 1995 film "Friday", Craig uses the clapper to turn off the lights before going to bed.
  • The 1990 movie Repossessed features the Clapper advert on TV.
  • In the Home Improvement episode "A House Divided", Tim claps when approaching Al and Benny outside Benny's house to get them going, activating The Clapper, turning on a lamp while the stove has a gas leak, and blowing up the house.
  • In the Becker episode "Nightmare on Becker Street", John says that he knew that his stalker is Ms. Firth because "before she hung up, I heard her clap the lights off."
  • In Boomerang (1992 film) when Marcus ends up in bed with Lady Eloise, she uses a clapper to turn off the lights in the bedroom.
  • In a mid-90s episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, an audience member asks a stagehand how the studio's lights are activated, prompting the stagehand to clap twice. The audience's applause in response caused the lights to flicker wildly.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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