The Hypnotoad is a large toad-like creature that has large oscillating multicolored eyes, and emits a droning hum. His eyes glow all the time. The toad apparently uses these as a power of hypnotism on surrounding people and animals.[1] The Hypnotoad hypnotizes sheep into a pen at a pet contest and then hypnotizes the judges and the audience into awarding him first prize (see clip below). He is also known to hypnotize crew workers into committing suicide when his show is interrupted and to hypnotize people into writing internet articles about ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD.
Origins[]
The origins of the Hypnotoad are unknown, but it's speculated that he is an alien, mutant, or a product of genetic engineering. It would also appear that he is the only one of his kind on Earth. However, it's possible that a creature similar in design to the Hypnotoad found on Kif Kroker's homeworld is part of his ancestry.[2]
The Hypnotoad also has its own television show called Everybody Loves Hypnotoad. It consists of a stationary camera filming the Hypnotoad and his noise continuously. Despite the odd premise behind the show, it ran successfully for over three seasons, possibly because he hypnotized the audience into watching it.
Trivia[]
- The sound he makes was called “Angry Machine" and was part of their editing system, as mentioned in the DVD commentary.[3]
- The noise used is an auditory notice played when a button is pressed erroneously in the editing program the show uses, a product from Avid. An unnamed editor, most likely audio editor Paul Calder, titled it Angry Machine and looped it for the Hypnotoad. It was originally a temporary sound, but the audience and staff both liked it.
- The Hypnotoad is one of Matt Groening's favorite characters.[4]
- He made a cameo appearance in the trailer for Bender's Big Score where he said "Buy it, Buy it, Buy it, Buy it."
- The Hypnotoad might have been inspired by the V-frogs from Isaac Asimov's novel Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus. They are frog like, three-legged creatures who can control the emotions of those around them, mostly serving as a defense mechanism against predators. A trance like that of the Hypnotoad is also possible when large numbers of V-frogs are working together. Due to their emotional control, they are extremely popular as pets.
- The Hypnotoad might also be inspired by the game Star Control, which features a race called the Dnyarri who "resembled large, brown toads with two suckers at the end of each of the four legs, a grossly pulsating skull and sinister looking faces". The Dnyarri have the ability to mind control most other species. This race have managed to rule over their galaxy for several millennia.
- The Hypnotoad eyes are naturally green colored. However, they do not automatically revert to green the moment it stops hypnotizing.
- The Hypnotoad can be seen in The Simpsons opening sequence of "Treehouse of Horror XXIV". It was directed by Guillermo del Toro.
- It can be presumed the Hypnotoad has a kid(s) and an ex-wife according to a brief look at the whiteboard in "The Thief of Baghead", one of the first photos the paparazzo are supposed to take is a case related to "Hypnotoad Paternity Suit”[5]
- It is possible that the Hypnotoad uses the delta brainwave to hypnotize people. This is evident when Fry, the only person who lacks the brainwave, was capable of commenting on Everybody Loves Hypnotoad by saying "This show has been going downhill since season 3" and everyone else seemed to like it.
Internet popularity[]
- There are many people who have not watched Futurama but are still familiar with the Hypnotoad from internet forums, where it has practically achieved meme status. It's sometimes a surprise to these people, when they start to follow the series, that the Hypnotoad is a comparatively minor character.
- The line "ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD!" used by the judge of the animal show has became an internet sensation and is used on many Hypnotoad video clips and images. Some examples include "This whole video is point ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTAD".
YouTube Videos[]
Video | Description |
---|---|
An example of Everybody Loves Hypnotoad | |
Our Great Overlord in 3D/HD |
Appearances[]
Episodes[]
- "The Day the Earth Stood Stupid"
- "Bender Should Not Be Allowed on Television"
- "Rebirth"
- "In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela"
- "Attack of the Killer App"
- "The Late Philip J. Fry"
- "Overclockwise" (on a poster)
- "Decision 3012"
- "Viva Mars Vegas"
- "Forty Percent Leadbelly"
- "Leela and the Genestalk"
- "Simpsorama"
- "The Impossible Stream"
- "Related to Items You've Viewed"
- "I Know What You Did Next Xmas" (Xmas tree ornament)
- "All the Way Down"