Happy Birthday, Elmo!

In 1996, a doll that captured Elmo's distinctive laugh went on the shelves, but "Tickle Me Elmo" wasn't an immediate sell-out. Rosie O'Donnell received one for her son, and in October she gave out the dolls to audience members in a game. The hysteria built, leading to black market prices (reportedly up to $2,000) and a store stampede that left Wal-Mart employee Robert Waller with a pulled hamstring, broken rib, concussion and, most ignominiously,... more 

In 1996, a doll that captured Elmo's distinctive laugh went on the shelves, but "Tickle Me Elmo" wasn't an immediate sell-out. Rosie O'Donnell received one for her son, and in October she gave out the dolls to audience members in a game. The hysteria built, leading to black market prices (reportedly up to $2,000) and a store stampede that left Wal-Mart employee Robert Waller with a pulled hamstring, broken rib, concussion and, most ignominiously, "the crotch...yanked out of [his] brand-new jeans." As for the voice of Elmo, Clash told the Baltimore Sun in 1996 that he bought one at the store before the toy got big. Later, he received four cases, and the toys proved useful during his renovations with contractors. "Well, they find out I do Elmo and they trade me for some of this stuff..." less