Muppet Wiki

Kermiteye Welcome to Muppet Wiki!


Please visit Special:Community to learn how you can collaborate with the editing community.

READ MORE

Muppet Wiki
Register
No edit summary
m (Reverted edits by Kinoy03 (talk | block) to last version by Scarecroe)
(48 intermediate revisions by 22 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:Ticklemeelmo.gif|thumb|300px|"That tickles!"]]
+
[[File:Tickle_me_elmo_box.jpg|thumb|300px|"That tickles!"]]
  +
[[File:Tickle Me Elmo commercial|thumb|right|300px|TV commercial.]]
'''Tickle Me Elmo''' is a plush [[Elmo]] doll that giggles and says "That tickles!" when his belly is squeezed. Three squeezes in a row sends him into a laughing, shaking frenzy. Produced by [[Tyco]] in [[1996]], Tickle Me Elmo became that year's hottest toy -- and the hardest to find toy since the Cabbage Patch Kids craze in 1983.
 
   
 
'''Tickle Me Elmo''' is a plush [[Elmo]] doll that giggles and says "That tickles!" when his belly is squeezed. Three squeezes in a row sends him into a laughing, shaking frenzy. Produced by [[Tyco]] in [[1996]], Tickle Me Elmo became that year's hottest toy -- and the hardest to find toy since the Cabbage Patch Kids craze in 1983.
In July 1996, the Tyco marketing team sent a Tickle Me Elmo doll to daytime talk show host [[Rosie O'Donnell]] for her one-year-old son, and another 200 dolls to the show's producer. In one ''Rosie'' episode in October, O'Donnell used the toys in a stunt based on [[Groucho Marx|Groucho Marx's]] ''You Bet Your Life'' program -- whenever a guest said the word "wall", she threw a doll out into the audience. [[Sesame Workshop]] says that O'Donnell's show "had an early hand in launching the Tickle Me Elmo sensation."<ref>"[http://www.sesameworkshop.org/parents/advice/article.php?contentId=933& Mama Rosie]", P.J. Tanz, ''Sesame Street Parents'' website</ref> One source claims that sales of the toy jumped after the promotion on ''Rosie'', and jumped again in November when [[Bryant Gumbel]] held a Tickle Me Elmo toy throughout most of a ''[[Today Show]]'' episode.<ref>"[http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/handouts/advertising_marketing/tickle_me_elmo.cfm Tickle Me Elmo: Using the Media to Create a Marketing Sensation]", Media Awareness Network</ref>
 
   
  +
==History==
On Black Friday, the day after [[Thanksgiving]] and the "official" start of the [[Christmas]] shopping season, Tickle Me Elmo sold out of stores around the country within two hours.<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F00F14F93E5B0C748CDDAB0994DE494D81 A Strange Twist in Christmas Gifts]", Jennifer Steinhauer, ''The New York Times'', Dec 7, 1996</ref> Tyco, which had originally expected to sell 400,000 Tickle Me Elmos, couldn't keep up with the demand, even though they continued to ship new product from their factories in Asia throughout the Christmas season.<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FA081EFF3D550C718EDDAB0994DE494D81 Elmo, the Spirit of Christmas]", Joe Sharkey, ''The New York Times'', Dec 22, 1996</ref> The company reportedly sold over a million Tickle Me Elmo dolls by Christmas.
 
 
In July 1996, the Tyco marketing team sent a Tickle Me Elmo doll to daytime talk show host [[Rosie O'Donnell]] for her one-year-old son, and another 200 dolls to the show's producer. In one ''Rosie'' episode in October, O'Donnell used the toys in a stunt based on [[Groucho Marx|Groucho Marx's]] ''You Bet Your Life'' program -- whenever a guest said the word "wall", she threw a doll out into the audience. [[Sesame Workshop]] says that O'Donnell's show "had an early hand in launching the Tickle Me Elmo sensation."<ref>"[http://www.sesameworkshop.org/parents/advice/article.php?contentId=933& Mama Rosie]", P.J. Tanz, ''Sesame Street Parents'' website</ref> One source claims that sales of the toy jumped after the promotion on ''Rosie'', and jumped again in November when [[Bryant Gumbel]] held a Tickle Me Elmo toy throughout most of a ''[[Today Show]]'' episode.<ref>"[http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/handouts/advertising_marketing/tickle_me_elmo.cfm Tickle Me Elmo: Using the Media to Create a Marketing Sensation]", Media Awareness Network</ref>
   
News reports of trampled store clerks<ref>"[http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rch&an=9612201526 Elmo Saves Christmas]", Tom Gliatto, ''People'', Dec 23, 1996</ref> and fights erupting over the last doll in the store<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F20E10F63F5B0C7B8CDDAB0994DE494D81 Waiting for Elmo]", Anthony Ramirez, ''The New York Times'', Dec 8, 1996</ref> were not uncommon. Disappointed shoppers became even more disgruntled when ''The New York Daily News'' reported that John Gotti, Jr., son of the reputed mob boss, had purchased a case of Tickle Me Elmos at a Toys "R" Us store in Queens, [[New York]], weeks after the store had sold out of them<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FB0B1EF6355A0C7B8DDDAB0994DE494D81 A Christmas Tale of the Gottis and Tickle Me Elmo]", Dan Barry, ''The New York Times'', Dec 18, 1996</ref>; corporate officials stated that Gotti "was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time" and was afforded no special treatment.<ref>"[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19961219/ai_n10283863 Enough already, Elmo: Backlash begins]", Meg Kissinger, ''The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', Dec 19, 1996</ref>
+
On Black Friday, the day after [[Thanksgiving]] and the "official" start of the [[Christmas]] shopping season, Tickle Me Elmo sold out of stores around the country within two hours.<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F00F14F93E5B0C748CDDAB0994DE494D81 A Strange Twist in Christmas Gifts]", Jennifer Steinhauer, ''The New York Times'', Dec 7, 1996</ref> Tyco, which had originally expected to sell 400,000 Tickle Me Elmos, couldn't keep up with the demand, even though they continued to ship new product from their factories in Asia throughout the Christmas season.<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FA081EFF3D550C718EDDAB0994DE494D81 Elmo, the Spirit of Christmas]", Joe Sharkey, ''The New York Times'', Dec 22, 1996</ref> The company reportedly sold over a million Tickle Me Elmo dolls by Christmas, and over 5 million between 1996 and 1997.<ref>''[[40 Years of Sunny Days]]'' pop-up trivia on "[[Elmo's Song]]"</ref>
   
A black market quickly sprang up in classified ads and on the internet, and there were reports of parents spending hundreds of dollars on the toy, which originally retailed at $29.99.<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F30610FC3B550C708EDDAB0994DE494D81 Elmo Black Market Goes on Line]", Hubert B. Herring, ''The New York Times'', Dec 23, 1996</ref> Cartier even put a Tickle Me Elmo, draped with a diamond necklace and bracelet worth $1 million, in the window of their flagship store on Fifth Avenue in [[New York City]]; the doll was offered as a free gift with the purchase of the necklace and bracelet.<ref>"[http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-96/12-20-96/a04wn038.htm#XINDEX9 People, places & things in the news]", ''South Coast Today'', Dec 20, 1996</ref>
+
News reports of trampled store clerks<ref>"[http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rch&an=9612201526 Elmo Saves Christmas]", Tom Gliatto, ''People'', Dec 23, 1996</ref> and fights erupting over the last doll in the store<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F20E10F63F5B0C7B8CDDAB0994DE494D81 Waiting for Elmo]", Anthony Ramirez, ''The New York Times'', Dec 8, 1996</ref> were not uncommon. Disappointed shoppers became even more disgruntled when ''The New York Daily News'' reported that John Gotti, Jr., son of the reputed mob boss, had purchased a case of Tickle Me Elmos at a Toys "R" Us store in Queens, [[New York]], weeks after the store had sold out of them<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FB0B1EF6355A0C7B8DDDAB0994DE494D81 A Christmas Tale of the Gottis and Tickle Me Elmo]", Dan Barry, ''The New York Times'', Dec 18, 1996</ref>; corporate officials stated that Gotti "was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time" and was afforded no special treatment.<ref>"[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19961219/ai_n10283863 Enough already, Elmo: Backlash begins]", Meg Kissinger, ''The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', Dec 19, 1996</ref>
  +
  +
A black market quickly sprang up in classified ads and on the internet, and there were reports of parents spending hundreds of dollars on the toy, which originally retailed at $29.99.<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F30610FC3B550C708EDDAB0994DE494D81 Elmo Black Market Goes on Line]", Hubert B. Herring, ''The New York Times'', Dec 23, 1996</ref> Cartier even put a Tickle Me Elmo, draped with a diamond necklace and bracelet worth $1 million, in the window of their flagship store on Fifth Avenue in [[New York City]]; the doll was offered as a free gift with the purchase of the necklace and bracelet.<ref>"[http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-96/12-20-96/a04wn038.htm#XINDEX9 People, places & things in the news]", ''South Coast Today'', Dec 20, 1996</ref>
   
 
Although Elmo had been gaining prominence and popularity on ''[[Sesame Street]]'' since [[Kevin Clash]] took over the character in [[1985]], it was the publicity from the Tickle Me Elmo craze that gave the character his biggest exposure and helped him skyrocket to even greater fame.
 
Although Elmo had been gaining prominence and popularity on ''[[Sesame Street]]'' since [[Kevin Clash]] took over the character in [[1985]], it was the publicity from the Tickle Me Elmo craze that gave the character his biggest exposure and helped him skyrocket to even greater fame.
  +
  +
The toy was invented by [[Ron Dubren]], who came up with it seeing two kids tickling each other helplessly. He thought of how he could translate the sillyness into a toy, and he and his assistant created [[Tickles the Chimp]] from a toy monkey, which did nothing but laugh. Twelve companies turned it down until Tyco realized it's advantage and tested the toy in front of adults. The reaction showed that they would have to make the toy somewhat better, and they took a motor now used today to make cell phones vibrate and created Tickle Me Elmo.<ref>''[[Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street]]''</ref>
   
 
==Tickle Me Elmo Variations==
 
==Tickle Me Elmo Variations==
Line 19: Line 24:
   
 
===Tickle Me Elmo Surprise===
 
===Tickle Me Elmo Surprise===
Tickle Me Elmo Surprise, also known as the "Surprise Edition" of Tickle Me Elmo, was released in the fall of [[2001]]. This Elmo has five ticklish spots, but he only goes into his trademark laughing fit when the right spot is tickled. A contest was held in conjunction with the release of the doll, in which five of the "Surprise Edition" Elmos would stop laughing on January 9, [[2002]] and announce to the people squeezing them that they had won a prize. The grand prize was $200,000.
+
Tickle Me Elmo Surprise, also known as the "Surprise Edition" of Tickle Me Elmo, was released in the fall of [[2001]]. This Elmo has five ticklish spots, but he only goes into his trademark laughing fit when the right spot is tickled. A contest was held in conjunction with the release of the doll, in which five of the "Surprise Edition" Elmos would stop laughing on January 9, [[2002]] and announce to the people squeezing them that they had won a prize. The grand prize was $200,000.
   
 
===T.M.X.===
 
===T.M.X.===
T.M.X., which stands for Tickle Me Extreme or Tickle Me 10 (in honor of the tenth anniversary of Tickle Me Elmo), was released on September 19, [[2006]]. T.M.X. Elmo has three ticklish spots, on his chin, belly, and foot. When Elmo is tickled once, he laughs and slap his leg twice, then sits down and rocks himself back up. When tickled twice, he falls backwards and kicks his feet, laughing even harder. And when tickled a third time, Elmo rolls over onto his stomach, pounding the floor with his fists (still laughing, mind you), and then stands back up again.<ref>"[http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/19/news/companies/elmo_tmx/index.htm?cnn=yes Top-secret Elmo revealed!]", Parija B. Kavilanz, ''CNNMoney.com'', Sept 19 2006</ref>
+
T.M.X., which stands for Tickle Me Extreme or Tickle Me 10 (in honor of the tenth anniversary of Tickle Me Elmo), was released on September 19, [[2006]]. T.M.X. Elmo has three ticklish spots, on his chin, belly, and foot. He comes in a box that says either "Warning" or "Top Secret". When the lid is lifted, Elmo giggles and says phrases like "Uh, uh, uh! No peeking!" and "Elmo feels really ticklish in here!" When Elmo is tickled once, he laughs and slaps his leg twice, then sits down and rocks himself back up. When tickled twice, he falls backwards and kicks his feet, laughing even harder. And when tickled a third time, Elmo rolls over onto his stomach, pounding the floor with his fists (still laughing), and then stands back up again.<ref>"[http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/19/news/companies/elmo_tmx/index.htm?cnn=yes Top-secret Elmo revealed!]", Parija B. Kavilanz, ''CNNMoney.com'', September 19, 2006.</ref>
  +
  +
TMX won "Toy of the Year" from the Toy Industry Association's annual Toy of the Year Awards; it also won the "Infant/Preschool Toy of the Year".<ref>"[http://www.kidscreen.com/articles/daily/20070212/toty.html Elmo giggles all the way to the podium - T.O.T.Y. award winners announced]", Lana Castleman, ''KidScreen Magazine'', February 12, 2007.</ref> It was available in both English and Spanish-language editions. The toys sold for as much as $400 on eBay, around 8 times the SRP.<ref>Vito Pilieci, "[http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bitsandbytes/archive/2008/02/15/the-hottest-toy-for-christmas-2008.aspx The Hottest toy for Christmas 2008]", ''Ottawa Citizen'', February 15, 2008.</ref>
  +
  +
<gallery bordercolor=transparent>
 
Image:Tmx1.jpg
 
Image:Tmx2.jpg
 
Image:Tmx3.jpg
 
</gallery>
   
 
===Barbie with T.M.X. Elmo Doll===
 
===Barbie with T.M.X. Elmo Doll===
A [[Barbie]] doll was released to coincide with the premiere of the T.M.X. Elmo doll. The Barbie is wearing an Elmo shirt, she is carrying a bag with an image of Elmo's face on it, and she comes with a small Elmo doll that giggles when you squeeze his tummy. The tiny Elmo comes in a small replica of the "top secret" T.M.X. box.
+
Two different [[Barbie]] dolls were released to coincide with the premiere of the T.M.X. Elmo doll. Each Barbie is wearing an Elmo shirt, she is carrying a bag with an image of Elmo's face on it, and she comes with a small Elmo doll that giggles when you squeeze his tummy. The tiny Elmo comes in a small replica of the "top secret" T.M.X. box.
   
  +
===T.M.X. eXtra Special Edition===
<gallery>
 
  +
Released in 2007, the T.M.X. eXtra Special Edition Elmo doll laughs, rolls, sings and hiccups when tickled. He has a variety of responses to very specific sequences of posing him and tickling him, such as raising his arm and tickling his tummy to make him sing. A "clue" is provided for each of these tricks; the first clue comes with the doll. A new rhyming clue was revealed each week on the [[Fisher-Price]] website during 2007; all clues will be available starting January 2, 2008.
  +
  +
<gallery bordercolor=transparent>
 
Image:Tosstickleelmo.jpg|Toss and Tickle Me Elmo
 
Image:Tosstickleelmo.jpg|Toss and Tickle Me Elmo
 
Image:Ticklesuprise.jpg|Tickle Me Elmo Surprise
 
Image:Ticklesuprise.jpg|Tickle Me Elmo Surprise
 
Image:Tmx.jpg|TMX Elmo
 
Image:Tmx.jpg|TMX Elmo
Image:Tmxbarbie.jpg|Barbie with T.M.X. Elmo Doll
+
Image:Tmxbarbie.jpg|Both available Barbie dolls with their T.M.X. Elmo
  +
Image:ElmoTMXeXtraSpecialEdition.jpg|TMX Elmo eXtra Special Edition
  +
TickleMeElmoJapaneseVersion.jpg|Tickle Me Elmo Surprise Japanese version
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
==Other "Tickle Me" Characters==
+
==Other "Tickle Me" characters==
"Tickle Me" versions of [[Big Bird]] and [[Ernie]] were released in February [[1997]], with "Tickle Me" [[Cookie Monster]] (both regular and large versions) following in May. Although the toys hit shelves mere months after Christmas 1996, they never neared the popularity achieved by Tickle Me Elmo.
+
"Tickle Me" versions of [[Big Bird]] and [[Ernie]] were released in February [[1997]], with "Tickle Me" [[Cookie Monster]] (both regular and large versions) following in May. A "Shake & Giggle [[Grover]]" was also released in 1997. Although the toys hit shelves mere months after Christmas 1996, they never neared the popularity achieved by Tickle Me Elmo.
   
  +
The "Tickle Me X-treme" platform expanded with new versions of the Tickle Me Ernie and Cookie Monster dolls which were released for the 2007 holiday season.
<gallery>
 
  +
Image:Ticklebird.jpg
 
  +
<gallery bordercolor=transparent orientation=portrait>
Image:Ticklecookie.jpg
 
  +
tickle me big bird.jpg|Tickle Me Big Bird
Image:Tickleernie.jpg
 
  +
Image:Ticklecookie.jpg|Tickle Me Cookie Monster
  +
Image:Tickleernie.jpg|Tickle Me Ernie
  +
File:Shake_and_giggle_grover_1997.jpg|Shake & Giggle Grover
  +
Image:Tmxcookie.jpg|TMX Cookie Monster
  +
Image:Tmxernie.jpg|TMX Ernie
  +
Image:tickle me zoe.jpg|Tickle Me [[Zoe]]
  +
Image:KitzelmichErnie.jpg|[[Kitzel mich Ernie]], made for the [[Germany|German]] market in 1997
  +
Image:Samson555.jpg|[[Kitzel Mich Samson]], made in 1997
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
==Book Tie-ins==
+
===LOL Elmo===
  +
In 2012, [[:Category:Hasbro|Hasbro]] released a new version called [[LOL Elmo]]. This toy upped the stakes -- not just laughing and shaking, but also telling jokes and rocking back and forth.
  +
  +
==Book tie-ins==
 
In 1997, [[Western Publishing]] and [[Random House]] published books that featured a tickle theme.
 
In 1997, [[Western Publishing]] and [[Random House]] published books that featured a tickle theme.
 
*''[[Big Bird's Ticklish Christmas]]'' (1997)
 
*''[[Big Bird's Ticklish Christmas]]'' (1997)
Line 49: Line 78:
 
*''[[Tickle Me: My Name is Elmo]]'' (1997)
 
*''[[Tickle Me: My Name is Elmo]]'' (1997)
   
==External Links==
+
==External links==
  +
* [http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=10&e=sesstLanding Fisher-Price's Sesame Street products]
  +
* [http://www.supereviews.com/Fisher-Price-TMX-Tickle-me-Elmo TMX Tickle Me Elmo] -- Product Review
 
* [http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/tickle/ Sesame Workshop] -- Virtual tickle
 
* [http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/tickle/ Sesame Workshop] -- Virtual tickle
 
* [http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=594&Itemid=38: T.M.X. Elmo: The Review] -- Review of T.M.X. Elmo
 
* [http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=594&Itemid=38: T.M.X. Elmo: The Review] -- Review of T.M.X. Elmo
Line 58: Line 89:
 
{{wikipedia}}
 
{{wikipedia}}
 
[[Category:Sesame Street Plush]]
 
[[Category:Sesame Street Plush]]
  +
[[Category:Tyco]]

Revision as of 03:29, 15 January 2016

Tickle me elmo box

"That tickles!"

Tickle_Me_Elmo_commercial

Tickle Me Elmo commercial

TV commercial.

Tickle Me Elmo is a plush Elmo doll that giggles and says "That tickles!" when his belly is squeezed. Three squeezes in a row sends him into a laughing, shaking frenzy. Produced by Tyco in 1996, Tickle Me Elmo became that year's hottest toy -- and the hardest to find toy since the Cabbage Patch Kids craze in 1983.

History

In July 1996, the Tyco marketing team sent a Tickle Me Elmo doll to daytime talk show host Rosie O'Donnell for her one-year-old son, and another 200 dolls to the show's producer. In one Rosie episode in October, O'Donnell used the toys in a stunt based on Groucho Marx's You Bet Your Life program -- whenever a guest said the word "wall", she threw a doll out into the audience. Sesame Workshop says that O'Donnell's show "had an early hand in launching the Tickle Me Elmo sensation."[1] One source claims that sales of the toy jumped after the promotion on Rosie, and jumped again in November when Bryant Gumbel held a Tickle Me Elmo toy throughout most of a Today Show episode.[2]

On Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and the "official" start of the Christmas shopping season, Tickle Me Elmo sold out of stores around the country within two hours.[3] Tyco, which had originally expected to sell 400,000 Tickle Me Elmos, couldn't keep up with the demand, even though they continued to ship new product from their factories in Asia throughout the Christmas season.[4] The company reportedly sold over a million Tickle Me Elmo dolls by Christmas, and over 5 million between 1996 and 1997.[5]

News reports of trampled store clerks[6] and fights erupting over the last doll in the store[7] were not uncommon. Disappointed shoppers became even more disgruntled when The New York Daily News reported that John Gotti, Jr., son of the reputed mob boss, had purchased a case of Tickle Me Elmos at a Toys "R" Us store in Queens, New York, weeks after the store had sold out of them[8]; corporate officials stated that Gotti "was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time" and was afforded no special treatment.[9]

A black market quickly sprang up in classified ads and on the internet, and there were reports of parents spending hundreds of dollars on the toy, which originally retailed at $29.99.[10] Cartier even put a Tickle Me Elmo, draped with a diamond necklace and bracelet worth $1 million, in the window of their flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City; the doll was offered as a free gift with the purchase of the necklace and bracelet.[11]

Although Elmo had been gaining prominence and popularity on Sesame Street since Kevin Clash took over the character in 1985, it was the publicity from the Tickle Me Elmo craze that gave the character his biggest exposure and helped him skyrocket to even greater fame.

The toy was invented by Ron Dubren, who came up with it seeing two kids tickling each other helplessly. He thought of how he could translate the sillyness into a toy, and he and his assistant created Tickles the Chimp from a toy monkey, which did nothing but laugh. Twelve companies turned it down until Tyco realized it's advantage and tested the toy in front of adults. The reaction showed that they would have to make the toy somewhat better, and they took a motor now used today to make cell phones vibrate and created Tickle Me Elmo.[12]

Tickle Me Elmo Variations

A new Elmo doll has been released every year following release of Tickle Me Elmo, including Let's Pretend Elmo and Chicken Dance Elmo, but none of these toys have achieved the success or popularity of the original. Three of these variations have included "tickle" features.

Toss and Tickle Me Elmo

Toss and Tickle Me Elmo was released in 1998. As the name suggests, he laughs when squeezed, just like the original Tickle Me Elmo, and when tossed.

Tickle Me Elmo Surprise

Tickle Me Elmo Surprise, also known as the "Surprise Edition" of Tickle Me Elmo, was released in the fall of 2001. This Elmo has five ticklish spots, but he only goes into his trademark laughing fit when the right spot is tickled. A contest was held in conjunction with the release of the doll, in which five of the "Surprise Edition" Elmos would stop laughing on January 9, 2002 and announce to the people squeezing them that they had won a prize. The grand prize was $200,000.

T.M.X.

T.M.X., which stands for Tickle Me Extreme or Tickle Me 10 (in honor of the tenth anniversary of Tickle Me Elmo), was released on September 19, 2006. T.M.X. Elmo has three ticklish spots, on his chin, belly, and foot. He comes in a box that says either "Warning" or "Top Secret". When the lid is lifted, Elmo giggles and says phrases like "Uh, uh, uh! No peeking!" and "Elmo feels really ticklish in here!" When Elmo is tickled once, he laughs and slaps his leg twice, then sits down and rocks himself back up. When tickled twice, he falls backwards and kicks his feet, laughing even harder. And when tickled a third time, Elmo rolls over onto his stomach, pounding the floor with his fists (still laughing), and then stands back up again.[13]

TMX won "Toy of the Year" from the Toy Industry Association's annual Toy of the Year Awards; it also won the "Infant/Preschool Toy of the Year".[14] It was available in both English and Spanish-language editions. The toys sold for as much as $400 on eBay, around 8 times the SRP.[15]

Barbie with T.M.X. Elmo Doll

Two different Barbie dolls were released to coincide with the premiere of the T.M.X. Elmo doll. Each Barbie is wearing an Elmo shirt, she is carrying a bag with an image of Elmo's face on it, and she comes with a small Elmo doll that giggles when you squeeze his tummy. The tiny Elmo comes in a small replica of the "top secret" T.M.X. box.

T.M.X. eXtra Special Edition

Released in 2007, the T.M.X. eXtra Special Edition Elmo doll laughs, rolls, sings and hiccups when tickled. He has a variety of responses to very specific sequences of posing him and tickling him, such as raising his arm and tickling his tummy to make him sing. A "clue" is provided for each of these tricks; the first clue comes with the doll. A new rhyming clue was revealed each week on the Fisher-Price website during 2007; all clues will be available starting January 2, 2008.

Other "Tickle Me" characters

"Tickle Me" versions of Big Bird and Ernie were released in February 1997, with "Tickle Me" Cookie Monster (both regular and large versions) following in May. A "Shake & Giggle Grover" was also released in 1997. Although the toys hit shelves mere months after Christmas 1996, they never neared the popularity achieved by Tickle Me Elmo.

The "Tickle Me X-treme" platform expanded with new versions of the Tickle Me Ernie and Cookie Monster dolls which were released for the 2007 holiday season.

LOL Elmo

In 2012, Hasbro released a new version called LOL Elmo. This toy upped the stakes -- not just laughing and shaking, but also telling jokes and rocking back and forth.

Book tie-ins

In 1997, Western Publishing and Random House published books that featured a tickle theme.

External links

Sources

  1. "Mama Rosie", P.J. Tanz, Sesame Street Parents website
  2. "Tickle Me Elmo: Using the Media to Create a Marketing Sensation", Media Awareness Network
  3. "A Strange Twist in Christmas Gifts", Jennifer Steinhauer, The New York Times, Dec 7, 1996
  4. "Elmo, the Spirit of Christmas", Joe Sharkey, The New York Times, Dec 22, 1996
  5. 40 Years of Sunny Days pop-up trivia on "Elmo's Song"
  6. "Elmo Saves Christmas", Tom Gliatto, People, Dec 23, 1996
  7. "Waiting for Elmo", Anthony Ramirez, The New York Times, Dec 8, 1996
  8. "A Christmas Tale of the Gottis and Tickle Me Elmo", Dan Barry, The New York Times, Dec 18, 1996
  9. "Enough already, Elmo: Backlash begins", Meg Kissinger, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec 19, 1996
  10. "Elmo Black Market Goes on Line", Hubert B. Herring, The New York Times, Dec 23, 1996
  11. "People, places & things in the news", South Coast Today, Dec 20, 1996
  12. Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street
  13. "Top-secret Elmo revealed!", Parija B. Kavilanz, CNNMoney.com, September 19, 2006.
  14. "Elmo giggles all the way to the podium - T.O.T.Y. award winners announced", Lana Castleman, KidScreen Magazine, February 12, 2007.
  15. Vito Pilieci, "The Hottest toy for Christmas 2008", Ottawa Citizen, February 15, 2008.
Wikipedia has an article related to: