Skip to main content

Hey, Kid! (1991)


The Hey, Kid!, more commonly known as the Hell Kid after later events, was originally developed in 1991. 

At the Chicago Toy Fair in 1991, the Hey, Kid! was announced with much fanfare as it was leaps above the other toys being marketed at the time.

Gabriel Tanner, the Hey, Kid!'s engineer was quoted as saying, “What we tried to do was create a synthetic life form. Now we know that the Hey, Kid! doesn’t have any form of artificial intelligence built in, but what it does have is a vast library of actions and words its can use depending on the circumstance.”

At the fair, it demonstrated several of its built in commands. Dress was one of these. Gabriel stood in front of a crowd of onlookers and pointed to a pile of clothing.

"Dress!" He commanded the Hey, Kid!

The Hey, Kid! went over to the pile and, to the delight of the rapt audience, began to dress itself. When it finished, it turned back to Gabriel and said, “I’m a real kid now!” 

It was slated to have a dominate 4th quarter market share based on projected Christmas sales. Unfortunately, the Hey, Kid! never made it to market.

On October 2, 1991, police responded to a 911 call at Gabriel Tanner’s house. What was found shocked and horrified the responding officers.

Gabriel Tanner was found dead in his study. Cause of death was ruled as suicide by gunshot to the heart.

Mark Tanner (10) was found hiding under the table in the dining room.

"I told it to dress," Mark is quoted as saying. "But I pointed at Jerry."

The Hey, Kid! was found standing in the middle of the room that the Tanner brothers shared, wearing Jerry Tanner’s (11) skin and repeating the same phrase over and over to onlooking police.

"I’m a real kid now!"

"I’m a real kid now!"

"I’m a real kid now!"

---

(Source: kimerling.sk)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Wish Come True (A Short Story)

I woke up with a start when I found myself in a very unfamiliar place. The bed I was lying on was grand—an English-quilting blanket and 2 soft pillows with flowery laces. The whole place was fit for a king! Suddenly the door opened and there stood my dream prince: Katsuya Kimura! I gasped in astonishment for he was actually a cartoon character. I did not know that he really exist. “Wake up, dear,” he said and pulled off the blanket and handed it to a woman who looked like the maid. “You will be late for work.” “Work?” I asked. “Yes! Work! Have you forgotten your own comic workhouse, baby dear?” Comic workhouse?! I…I have became a cartoonist? That was my wildest dreams! Being a cartoonist! I undressed and changed into my beige T-shirt and black trousers at once and hurriedly finished my breakfast. Katsuya drove me to the workhouse. My, my, was it big! I’ve never seen a bigger place than this! Katsuya kissed me and said, “See you at four, OK, baby?” I blushed scarlet. I always wan...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hans and Hilda

Once upon a time there was an old miller who had two children who were twins. The boy-twin was named Hans, and he was very greedy. The girl-twin was named Hilda, and she was very lazy. Hans and Hilda had no mother, because she died whilst giving birth to their third sibling, named Engel, who had been sent away to live wtih the gypsies. Hans and Hilda were never allowed out of the mill, even when the miller went away to the market. One day, Hans was especially greedy and Hilda was especially lazy, and the old miller wept with anger as he locked them in the cellar, to teach them to be good. "Let us try to escape and live with the gypsies," said Hans, and Hilda agreed. While they were looking for a way out, a Big Brown Rat came out from behind the log pile. "I will help you escape and show you the way to the gypsies' campl," said the Big Brown Rat, "if you bring me all your father's grain." So Hans and Hilda waited until their father let them out, ...
2 comments
Read more

I've Learned...

Written by Andy Rooney, a man who had the gift of saying so much with so few words. Rooney used to be on 60 Minutes TV show. I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person. I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows. I've learned .... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day. I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world. I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right. I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child. I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in any other way. I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with. I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. I...
Post a Comment
Read more