Clap on! (CLAP, CLAP)
Clap off! (CLAP, CLAP)
Clap on, Clap off – The Clapper!
The Clapper was the modern eighties way to turn your electronic devices on
or off without the hassle of getting off the couch. The switch was
designed to respond to a specific acoustic signal: two claps.
Joseph Pedott, founder of Joseph Enterprises, Inc., began selling the
Clapper in 1985. (You’ve probably heard of Joseph Enterprises' other
super-popular invention,
The Chia Pet.)
Here’s the original Clapper commercial from 1986:
And a more advanced clapper with the “Away” function, so your lights turn
on at the first sound they hear. Fancy!
The next stage of Clapper development was the
Smart Clapper in 1992. It was the original Clapper that won our
hearts, though, and that iconic jingle is the one we eighties kids will
always remember.
When I started college, my friend had a Clapper hooked up to a decorative
traffic light in his den. It was pretty much the coolest thing ever; it
CHANGED COLORS with each clap-clap. It’s true, though, that the Clapper
responded to loud bass thumps in music, door knocks, and even coughing,
making it less than ideal in many circumstances. I learned from Peter
that there was really only one reliable way to get the Clapper to
perform; you had to sing the song in order to get the claps timed just
right.
Today, you can still purchase a
Clapper, as well as some creative Clapper offshoots like the
Clap-Off Bra and the
Clapper with remote control. If you’re into tricky electronics, you
can even purchase a
Make Your Own Clapper kit.
Still not sure you actually need a Clapper? In “Austin
Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” Austin (Mike Myers) demonstrates
how a Clapper attached to his gas log fireplace is an integral part of
his swingin’ bachelor love pad:
C’mon,
sing along!
