# Target's Batty Boys Telling Jokes Like Zombie -F's Buckies



## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

I saw these at Target today. Zombie-F ought to sue  They tell jokes to each other just like the ZF's Buckies on his deck a couple years ago.

Batty Boys Product Link


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

I saw the lawnmower legs that Spookyblue made for sale commercially yesterday at the card shop. I have mixed feelings about companies taking the private haunt community stuff and commercializing it. Just ask FE. LOL We've gone over that discussion again and again.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

This is the first product I've personally seen in the stores that's so close to a very unique presentation by a DIY haunter's. You can push a button to hear the bats tell jokes in their package at Target. The voices, jokes, laughs and pauses in between are so close to Zombie-F's buckies it's ridiculous. Then again we get inpsired by some of the products we see. But this one you have to hear it to believe it. For those who don't know what I'm talking about. Watch ZF's video of Talking Skeletons. Then go to Target and play with those bats. http://www.unpleasantstreet.com/index.php?x=videos/2005&y=main


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Are the jokes/dialogue the same? Because bantering/joking props are nothing new.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

I'm sure ZF got the idea from that basic premise somewhere else himself. I pressed the bat button 3 times. The jokes weren't verbatim to ZF's. But they sounded very close. One involved a skeleton but I can't remember it. Another was about a spirit crossing the road to "get to the other side". There's only so many Halloween-related bantering jokes you could think of telling. And cheesy ones at that. Some of them show up on greeting cards with the punch line inside. Like "Where does a Vampire brush his teeth? In the Bat-room". Mr. Jabber Jaws the 36" poseable skeleton they've sold for a couple years tells insult-comic-style jokes. Yes it's an age-old joke telling scheme. But the whole tone of two bats telling jokes sounded too much like ZF's buckies. You'd just have to hear for yourself. I've heard it and judge it too darn close myself. I'm sure there's props like you say. But I've never seen a duo of Halloween props do that. Does it really matter? Probably not. But it's interesting to note. And I immediately thought Man I wouldn't be surpised where they got that.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

OK these are the bantering jokes the Target Batty bats tell. Except that when I played them the second time thru they told the wrong jokes. For example one would start one of the joke questions and the other would answer with the wrong set-up line.

How do you know a vampire is sick?
I'll bite. How do you know a vampire is sick?
He's a coffin.
hahahahaha.

Why didn't the skeleton go to the party?
I don't know. Why didn't the skeleton go to the party? 
Because he had no body to go with.
hahahahaha.
Ya get it?

What did Dracula say after he bit the skeleton?
Fangs for nuthin.'

So why did the bat go to the seance?
To get to the other side.

Say Squeaky. What does a skeleton order at a restaurant?
Spare ribs.

Hey Batty. What music does the Mummy listen to?
(w)rap music.


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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

Just so you all know, I scoured the internet for bad Halloween jokes when I wrote their dialog. I just altered it a bit so it was more like a banter between the skellies and less like random jokes.

I also got the basic idea from Scary Terry's Joking Skeleton Heads.

I'm flattered that you all thought I was being ripped off though. 

I do think that the shaking skeletons in cages that are sold at Halloween did originate from my idea though. I was the only person to have had a prop that did that exact thing up until two years ago. At least, as far as I'm aware.


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## SpectreTTM (Aug 22, 2005)

Sickie Ickie said:


> I saw the lawnmower legs that Spookyblue made for sale commercially yesterday at the card shop. I have mixed feelings about companies taking the private haunt community stuff and commercializing it. Just ask FE. LOL We've gone over that discussion again and again.


I Thought Scary Terry was the 1st to do the Kicking Legs?

Since we are on the subject.

I have see Spooky Lanterns show up as well. These were conceive in Prop forums/ Web Sites. 
Me thinks Companies might be trolling the net looking for New Ideas.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Anybody seen this?

http://www.spirithalloween.com/decor_animatronics/vibrating-haunted-hedge/

I designed a bush shaker with sound and LED eyes two seasons ago. Worked really well - the kids dropped their bags and ran. Now I see them for sale at Spirit. I guess the marketeers do lurk around here...


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

Here you go. I bought those Joke Bats I started this thread with at Target's 50% off sale. I videotaped them today telling their six jokes. I gave Zombie-F and Scarry Terry plugs in the video description for non-commercial DIY animated joke-telling.

My "Joke Bats Bat-A-Bing Bat-A-Boom Halloween '07" [nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BttKXvyluAQ[/nomedia]


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## skeletonowl (Aug 8, 2006)

I though allan was the first with kicking legs? 
http://softlyspokenmagicspells.com/halloween/index.html#FX


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## slightlymad (May 25, 2006)

Does it really matter we invent and build for our own enjoyment. The greatest form of flattery is being copied. Not to mention no matter how hard they try the store bought stuff never seems to measure up. But it does make it easier for the masses to participate which furthers our cause and inspires us to do more better.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

Following the second half of that thought in most cases I'd agree. But these joke bats are one case where the commercial manufacturers measure up and got it right considering price points, materials & size etc. The only thing is that they have to be activated somehow other than motion detection or programming. The "Try Me" button wiring didn't work well in the store. It works perfectly with batteries. But the voice talent is really good and the jokes are cheesy but aren't lame. The amount of animation is just right. The IR sensors work great. The size of the bats is manageable and overall it's fun. The good thing about youtube is if people see the video of the bats they can see the links to ZF's buckies vidoes and get inspired or at least appreciate what can be done via DIY techniques.

I'd say there's nothing wrong with crediting people for their inventions or accomplishments. A lot of time I don't get credit for what I've done (haunting or otherwise). I always make it a point to give credit where credit is due if I can remember where I saw something. I still have to dig thru the Vortex thread and find out who's idea the trash bag on the outlet idea was. And who knows maybe they got it from some one else. But that's where I heard about it first and they deserve some credit. I think it encourages the camaraderie and community involvement. As long as it doesn't turn into a contest. And that's maybe where the "who did it first idea" can get a little sticky. That's just my 2-cents.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

Bump (in the night)

Do you guys remember the Groovie Goolies cartoon. It's on DVD now. They tell some good Halloween-related jokes like: "Q: What do you call a Haunted Wig-Wam? A: A Creepy Teepee". There's some episodes and the opening on youtube:
[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkJ3tIZeK4M[/nomedia]
[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaQPPQL9Kbo[/nomedia]


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## Liam (Mar 23, 2007)

I just got back from Transworld, and can't tell you how many companies are selling witch jar labels like Aranamuerta's. Crazy I tell you. They're lurking here and stealing all of our ideas. Sad, really.

L


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

...(I was going back thru my old threads to see what videos I haven't posted yet. This has a dead link).

So this is two topics in one.

1) On the other hand we reverse-engineered knocked-off DeathLord's (is that who's idea it was) Vortex Fusion chiller. Some did 120qt fishing coolers, kitty litter pails, I did the Coleman Cube Cooler. eh but no one made any $ off of it  I always give a plug to vortexchillers.com. I try to give credit when I can. It's only fair. there's about 200 youtube videos that don't. It just makes it look like its their idea since we had about 5 in 2006.

The ghostsofhalloween Trash Can chiller is always one I call out by name. There's an Instructibles Magazine (that obviously makes ad money) knocking it off in a youtube video. No credit. They let me post a comment though drillin 'em a new one. Ironically ghostsofhalloween doesn't use that anymore lol They use a perforated garden irrigation tube.

I give CountZero credit for the lawn & leaf bag on the chiller outlet as far as I could tell in that monster Vortex thread. I learned life-size PVC props from Scary Terry scarefx.com But who knows if that's original or modified.

That's the thing with Haunters. We personalize similar ideas ot the point unless it's really unique like ZombieF's skelllies you can't remember who to give credit to. A cauldron creep is something I'd like to do. There's so many videos on those I'd never know who to give credit to.

I give hauntforum a plug when I can.

2) Back to animated props. I haven't seen too many serious animated Halloween items outside of Spirit that do something like Yard Haunters try to do. I'm waiting for a Monster in a Box. They do have commercial ones at the Cedar Point amusement park HalloWeekends I go to.

But Gemmy inflatables at Wal-mart are big. They got that market cornered.Small skellies playing Dixie or Another One bites the Dust at Wally World.

Anyway if my video link works (the original is broken) here's the old Target joke bats that reminded me of ZombieF's clever joke skeletons. I like them for 50% off. They really do work. The flapping wings are a bonus. they're hard to hang up though. I guess if you're going to rip it off. Do it well. And these do. 




"Hey Batty. Did you hear about the one who ripped off a yard haunt idea?" lol


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