Strange But True
The Whoopee Cushion Was Invented in Toronto
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The modern rubber whoopee cushion is a Toronto invention. Sources differ on the exact date, but most place it around 1930, at the JEM Rubber Company, where workers were reportedly experimenting with scrap rubber.
The joke king said no
JEM first showed the idea to S.S. Adams, the novelty maker behind the joy buzzer and sneezing powder. Adams found it indelicate and passed. JEM sold it through the Johnson Smith & Co. catalog instead, and Adams later released his own version, called the Razzberry Cushion.
What it was called first
Early names included “poo-poo cushion” and “boop-boop a doop”. Mental Floss reports JEM settled on “whoopee” in 1932.
What it cost
PostCity, citing Heritage Toronto, says the original was green, made of two sheets of rubber, and sold for 25 cents, with a deluxe fabric version at $1.25.
An older prank?
Mental Floss says the Roman emperor Elagabalus supposedly slipped air cushions under dinner guests. Treat that one as a story, not a record.
A plaque for the factory
Heritage Toronto planned a plaque for the former JEM factory site near Dundas Street West and Scarlett Road, according to BlogTO.
If your own gag-gift taste is a little more useful than rude, see our gag gifts that are actually useful.