As kids, we all had some sort of childhood toy that we would always play with. Toys like Hot Wheels, Beyblades, and so much more were common in our living rooms, but in the 1990s other toys were all the craze. Barney plushies, Power Ranger action figures, and Tamagotchi virtual pets were the hottest toys of the 90s, but in the summer of 1996, a new toy hit the stores which sparked a national phenomenon. Invented by Greg Hyman and Ron Dubren, "Tickle Me Elmo" was a plush toy that when squeezed would shake, vibrate, and recite his trademark giggle, "Uh-ha-ha-ha-hee-hee!". It was originally presented to Tyco as "Tickles The Chimp", but wasn't interesting enough. Because Tyco had the right to make Looney Tunes plushies, they started to create "Tickle Me Tasmanian Devil" as well as baby Bugs Bunny and Tweety. Only months into production they lost the rights but gained the rights for Sesame Street, thus introduced the era of "Tickled Me Elmo".
Released in July of 1996, Tyco had a supply of around 400,000 units. It remained relatively stocked until October when Rosie O'Donnell promoted the Elmo doll on her popular TV show, which sparked an increased demand. Shortages began spouting at the stores that sold the doll, and the shopping craze began to occur. Crazy things happened like two women being arrested in Chicago for fighting over the doll and some parents in New York ran after delivery trucks, hoping to get their hands on Elmo before it reached stores. The craziest thing happened in a Wal-Mart in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. During a Midnight Madness sale on December 14, a crowd of around 300 ran after an employee who was spotted to have a box of the toys. He was trampled and suffered "a pulled hamstring, injuries to his back jaw and knee, a broken rib, and a concussion". By the end of the holiday season, one million "Tickle Me Elmo" toys were sold. After the craze died down, more Tickle Me plushies were being made for other Sesame Street characters, like Big Bird and Cookie Monster, but never had the same craze as Elmo.
Today, we can compare this craze to the one a decade before in the Cabbage Patch Kids as well as other plushies after Elmo like the Furby. Even with these crazy stories, millions of kids were brought happiness and smiles with their friend Elmo.
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