Chubby bunny
Encyclopedia
Chubby bunny is a recreational game
that involves the placement of an increasing number of marshmallow
s or similar items into one's own mouth
and stating a phrase that is intended to be difficult to utter with a filled mouth. The phrase can be "chubby bunny" or its variants, but the suppressive structure is typically more important than which words are used. The game is often played where marshmallows are readily available, such as around a campfire
.
On June 4, 1999, 12-year-old Catherine "Casey" Fish died after choking on four marshmallows while playing Chubby Bunny. The contest was scheduled for the annual Care Fair held at Hoffman Elementary School in Chicago
's North Shore
area. It was to be supervised, but Casey and some of her friends began playing while the teacher was momentarily away. She collapsed, and was taken to Glenbrook Hospital, where she died a few hours later. Fish's parents subsequently sued the school district and appeared on Oprah
to warn about the dangers of Chubby Bunny.
On September 12, 2006, Janet Rudd, 32, from London
, Ontario
, Canada
died in a Chubby Bunny competition at the Western Fair
. St John Ambulance volunteers came to Rudd's aid with a defibrillator and suction equipment, but were unable to remove the blockage in the unconscious woman's throat.
The dangers of Chubby Bunny have been showcased in an episode of 1000 Ways to Die
and in YouTube
videos titled "My Mum Makes Me Munch Marshmallows" by vlogger Charlie McDonnell
and "Death by Marshmallows" by vlogger Ian Hecox on the channel IanH as part of his weekly series Ian is Bored.
Game
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
that involves the placement of an increasing number of marshmallow
Marshmallow
The marshmallow is a confection that, in its modern form, typically consists of sugar, corn syrup, water, gelatin that has been softened in hot water, dextrose, vanilla flavourings, and sometimes colouring, whipped to a spongy consistency. Some marshmallow recipes call for egg whites...
s or similar items into one's own mouth
Mouth
The mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food andsaliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth....
and stating a phrase that is intended to be difficult to utter with a filled mouth. The phrase can be "chubby bunny" or its variants, but the suppressive structure is typically more important than which words are used. The game is often played where marshmallows are readily available, such as around a campfire
Campfire
A campfire is a fire lit at a campsite, to serve the following functions: light, warmth, a beacon, a bug and/or apex predator deterrent, to cook, and for a psychological sense of security. In established campgrounds they are usually in a fire ring for safety. Campfires are a popular feature of...
.
Rules
In the game, each participant usually places a marshmallow into their mouth and says something similar to "Chubby Bunny". If they are able to state the whole phrase, usually in a comprehensible manner that the other participants wholly concur to, they pass that round. Each successful player then adds an additional marshmallow to the one already in his or her mouth and repeats the phrase. A player who fails to complete the phrase is eliminated from the game. The process continues until only one player remains. After the penultimate player loses the game, the winning player might have to place one more marshmallow into his or her mouth and may have to state the phrase once more. The winner of the game is the player who fits the most marshmallows into his or her mouth. Some variants of the game require the winner to actually ingest the marshmallows.Cases of Deaths
Chubby Bunny has caused at least two deaths, both from suffocation due to the throat being blocked with marshmallows.On June 4, 1999, 12-year-old Catherine "Casey" Fish died after choking on four marshmallows while playing Chubby Bunny. The contest was scheduled for the annual Care Fair held at Hoffman Elementary School in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's North Shore
North Shore (Chicago)
The North Shore is a term that refers to the generally affluent suburbs north of Chicago, Illinois bordering the shore of Lake Michigan.- History :Europeans settled the area sparsely after an 1833 treaty with local Native Americans...
area. It was to be supervised, but Casey and some of her friends began playing while the teacher was momentarily away. She collapsed, and was taken to Glenbrook Hospital, where she died a few hours later. Fish's parents subsequently sued the school district and appeared on Oprah
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
to warn about the dangers of Chubby Bunny.
On September 12, 2006, Janet Rudd, 32, from London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
died in a Chubby Bunny competition at the Western Fair
Western Fair
The Western Fair is a fair held annually in London, Ontario, Canada in early September.The first Western Fair was held in September 1868 in downtown London, northeast of the current location of Victoria Park. Organizers had hoped to use the Crystal Palace Barracks as the main exhibition area...
. St John Ambulance volunteers came to Rudd's aid with a defibrillator and suction equipment, but were unable to remove the blockage in the unconscious woman's throat.
The dangers of Chubby Bunny have been showcased in an episode of 1000 Ways to Die
1000 Ways to Die
1000 Ways to Die is a docufiction anthology television series that premiered on May 14, 2008 on Spike. The program recreates unusual supposed deaths and debunked urban legends and includes interviews with experts who describe the science behind each death...
and in YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
videos titled "My Mum Makes Me Munch Marshmallows" by vlogger Charlie McDonnell
Charlie McDonnell
Charles Joseph "Charlie" McDonnell is a British vlogger and musician from Bath, Somerset, England. , his YouTube channel, charlieissocoollike, is the most subscribed in the UK...
and "Death by Marshmallows" by vlogger Ian Hecox on the channel IanH as part of his weekly series Ian is Bored.