Sock puppet
Encyclopedia
A sock puppet is a puppet
made from a sock
or similar garment. When the manipulator fits a hand into the closed end of the sock, the puppet can be seemingly made to "talk". The puppet's mouth is formed by the region between the sock's heel and toe, with the puppeteer's thumb forming a jaw. At a minimum the shape of the hand will instantly form the shape of a mouth, but sometimes the mouth is padded by putting in a fairly hard piece of felt (often with a tongue glued inside).
The sock is stretched out fully so that it is long enough to cover the puppeteer's wrist and part of the arm. Often, but not always, the puppeteer will hide behind a stand and raise up his or her hand above the stand so that only the puppet is visible. Many sock puppeteers, however, stand in full view along with their puppets and will hold conversations with their own sock puppets, using ventriloquism
.
s of any color of the puppeteer's choosing. Socks are usually bought brand-new from the store in order to make sock puppets, as socks that are too tattered may fall apart during performance, although any sock may be used. Various additions can be glued on in order to give the sock a personality. Streamers and felt strings are popularly glued on for hair. Buttons or googly eyes
(obtained from craft or fabric stores) are glued on for the puppet's eyes. Sometimes clothes can be added, but this is not frequently seen.
s would be used. The process of making sock puppets is popularly taught as a creative activity in elementary schools. Many schools teach children to make sock puppets and then have the children put on shows or plays for the whole school with them, sometimes with all the sock puppets singing.
Sock puppets also appear in children's television series
where they can be used alone on the puppeteer's hand, without a complex stage or show. Two orange
sock puppets named "Fu" and "Fara" are used in teaching German children how to read. In the United States, sock puppeteer Shari Lewis
was well known for her television show Lamb Chop's Play-Along
featuring the sock puppets Lamb Chop
, Charlie Horse, and Hush Puppy.
Sock puppets have also been used in television programming aimed at adults. The 1990s saw the introduction of the Ed the Sock
character on the MuchMusic
video network, and the Sifl and Olly
show on the MTV
music network. Both of these were aimed at teenagers and young adults. Sock puppets have also appeared in advertising
geared towards adults. During the late 1990s, the ecommerce company Pets.com
used a "spokespuppet" in its advertising to much critical acclaim.
In 1873 John Carpenter, the famous English sock puppeteer, was said to have created the largest sock puppet known measuring 18.7 inches in length and requiring both his arms to operate effectively. The sock was one of a pair of the famous "Musty Socks" of Musty in Scotland, a small village South of Glasgow known for the manufacture of large warm socks.
Professional wrestler
Mick Foley
has long used a sock puppet by the name of Mr. Socko as an aid in his finishing maneuver, a nerve hold called the Mandible Claw (or Socko Claw), which is usually preceded by Foley theatrically pulling the sock from somewhere on his person. On World Wrestling Entertainment
's Raw
program, this has traditionally been a cue for commentator Jerry Lawler
to complain about "that stinking, sweaty sock!" Mr. Socko has often served as a sidekick for Foley's Mankind character, having been introduced to the world during a skit on WWE television as a means of "cheering up" WWE owner Vince McMahon
, who had just been beaten by nemesis Stone Cold Steve Austin
. The sock puppet unexpectedly became a hit with wrestling fans, garnering chants from a crowd of 10,000 plus at the following week's program.
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
made from a sock
Sock
A sock is an item of clothing worn on the feet. The foot is among the heaviest producers of sweat in the body, as it is able to produce over of perspiration per day. Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can evaporate the perspiration. In cold environments, socks decrease...
or similar garment. When the manipulator fits a hand into the closed end of the sock, the puppet can be seemingly made to "talk". The puppet's mouth is formed by the region between the sock's heel and toe, with the puppeteer's thumb forming a jaw. At a minimum the shape of the hand will instantly form the shape of a mouth, but sometimes the mouth is padded by putting in a fairly hard piece of felt (often with a tongue glued inside).
The sock is stretched out fully so that it is long enough to cover the puppeteer's wrist and part of the arm. Often, but not always, the puppeteer will hide behind a stand and raise up his or her hand above the stand so that only the puppet is visible. Many sock puppeteers, however, stand in full view along with their puppets and will hold conversations with their own sock puppets, using ventriloquism
Ventriloquism
Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is an act of stagecraft in which a person manipulates his or her voice so that it appears that the voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered "dummy"...
.
Composition
Sock puppets can be made from socks or stockingStocking
A stocking, , is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg. Stockings vary in color, design and transparency...
s of any color of the puppeteer's choosing. Socks are usually bought brand-new from the store in order to make sock puppets, as socks that are too tattered may fall apart during performance, although any sock may be used. Various additions can be glued on in order to give the sock a personality. Streamers and felt strings are popularly glued on for hair. Buttons or googly eyes
Googly eyes
Googly eyes or wiggly eyes are small plastic craft supplies used to imitate eyeballs. Googly eyes traditionally are composed of a clear, hard-plastic shell, with a smaller, black plastic disk trapped within. The plastic shells come in a variety of sizes ranging from 3/16" to over 3" diameter...
(obtained from craft or fabric stores) are glued on for the puppet's eyes. Sometimes clothes can be added, but this is not frequently seen.
Uses
Sock puppets are often used for the education and entertainment of children. They can be used in often elaborate puppet shows or children's plays, much as marionetteMarionette
A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms...
s would be used. The process of making sock puppets is popularly taught as a creative activity in elementary schools. Many schools teach children to make sock puppets and then have the children put on shows or plays for the whole school with them, sometimes with all the sock puppets singing.
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
where they can be used alone on the puppeteer's hand, without a complex stage or show. Two orange
Orange (colour)
The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The...
sock puppets named "Fu" and "Fara" are used in teaching German children how to read. In the United States, sock puppeteer Shari Lewis
Shari Lewis
Shari Lewis was an American ventriloquist, puppeteer, and children's television show host, most popular during the 1960s and 1990s...
was well known for her television show Lamb Chop's Play-Along
Lamb Chop's Play-Along
Lamb Chop's Play-Along is a children's television series that was shown on PBS in the United States from 1992 until 1997, as well as on YTV in Canada. It was created and hosted by puppeteer Shari Lewis, and featured her puppet character Lamb Chop. Appropriately, Lamb Chop was a sheep; other...
featuring the sock puppets Lamb Chop
Lamb Chop (puppet)
Lamb Chop is a sock puppet sheep created by comedian and ventriloquist Shari Lewis. In 1957, Lamb Chop, a ewe, first appeared with Lewis on Hi Mom, a local morning show that aired on WNBC in New York....
, Charlie Horse, and Hush Puppy.
Sock puppets have also been used in television programming aimed at adults. The 1990s saw the introduction of the Ed the Sock
Ed the Sock
Ed the Sock is a puppet, created and voiced by Steven Kerzner, that became a Canadian television personality in the 1990s, best known for his appearances hosting programming on MuchMusic and his own talk show, Ed's Night Party, later renamed Ed & Red's Night Party...
character on the MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
video network, and the Sifl and Olly
Sifl and Olly
The Sifl and Olly Show is a comedy TV series that used sock puppets, animation, and music. Musicians Liam Lynch and Matt Crocco, friends since childhood, created and performed the series. The first episode aired on MTV in 1997. The show was cancelled in 1999...
show on the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
music network. Both of these were aimed at teenagers and young adults. Sock puppets have also appeared in advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
geared towards adults. During the late 1990s, the ecommerce company Pets.com
Pets.com
Pets.com is a former dot-com enterprise that sold pet supplies to retail customers. It began operations in February 1999 and closed in November 2000. A high profile marketing campaign gave it a widely recognized public presence, including an appearance in the 1999 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...
used a "spokespuppet" in its advertising to much critical acclaim.
In 1873 John Carpenter, the famous English sock puppeteer, was said to have created the largest sock puppet known measuring 18.7 inches in length and requiring both his arms to operate effectively. The sock was one of a pair of the famous "Musty Socks" of Musty in Scotland, a small village South of Glasgow known for the manufacture of large warm socks.
Professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
has long used a sock puppet by the name of Mr. Socko as an aid in his finishing maneuver, a nerve hold called the Mandible Claw (or Socko Claw), which is usually preceded by Foley theatrically pulling the sock from somewhere on his person. On World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
's Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
program, this has traditionally been a cue for commentator Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
to complain about "that stinking, sweaty sock!" Mr. Socko has often served as a sidekick for Foley's Mankind character, having been introduced to the world during a skit on WWE television as a means of "cheering up" WWE owner Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
, who had just been beaten by nemesis Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
. The sock puppet unexpectedly became a hit with wrestling fans, garnering chants from a crowd of 10,000 plus at the following week's program.
See also
- Sockpuppet (Internet)Sockpuppet (Internet)A sockpuppet is an online identity used for purposes of deception. The term—a reference to the manipulation of a simple hand puppet made from a sock—originally referred to a false identity assumed by a member of an internet community who spoke to, or about himself while pretending to be another...
, an online identity used for purposes of deception within an online community - Hand puppetHand puppetA hand puppet is a type of puppet that is controlled by the leg or face that occupies the interior of the puppet. Glove puppets are a variation of hand puppets...