Dr. Fad

Do you remember the Wacky Wallwalker? Sure you do. I remember it being a wonderfully fun toy that also ate away at the paint in my bedroom growing up! The person we have to blame... er, thank... for that invention is a man by the name of Dr. Fad.

I remember Dr. Fad because of his Saturday morning TV show on CBS. It was along the lines of Doctor Doctor in quality, meaning that it wasn't very good; this also means that it was perfect for kids. On the show, three kids would compete to come up with a new invention that wasn't just trendy but also useful. There were also the expected segments about the Slinky, the Wallwalker, and so on. The mess turned out to be a strange mixture of Mr. Wizard's World and Double Dare minus all pretense of originality.

It's noteworthy that there was a Dr. Fad handheld LCD game in '89, and that the Dr. has his own quotes gallery (just look at 'em all!) He also wrote a book about fads; if you're considering creating a wacky wallwalker that also slices potatoes into blue, chocolate-covered french fries, you might want to consult with the good doctor.