Kick The Cheat

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[[File:Kick The Cheat.PNG|thumb|The doll and the logo]]
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[[File:Kick The Cheat.PNG|thumb|The doll and its logo]]
{{about|discontinued talking doll}} {{forgame|Kick The Cheat (game)}} {{for|[[running gag]]|Kicking The Cheat}}
{{about|discontinued talking doll}} {{forgame|Kick The Cheat (game)}} {{for|[[running gag]]|Kicking The Cheat}}
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'''Kick The Cheat''' (also known as '''Kick The Cheat The Cheat''') is a plush doll of [[The Cheat]] that first appeared in [[Everybody Knows It]] (as a unique, handcrafted doll with a few differences) before being sold in the [[Store Toys#Kick The Cheat|Store]] for a brief time. It is equipped with a voice box, so it alternates between four different [[Lack of Intelligible Speech|The Cheat noises]] when struck or [[Kicking The Cheat|kicked]]. It is 10 inches high, 13 inches wide, and 30 inches around.
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'''Kick The Cheat''' (also known as '''Kick The Cheat The Cheat''') is a plush doll of [[The Cheat]] sold in the [[Flash Store|Flash]] and [[Yahoo Store]]s from 2004 to 2007. It is equipped with a voice box, alternating between four different [[Lack of Intelligible Speech|The Cheat noises]] when struck or [[Kicking The Cheat|kicked]].
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It was first made available for purchase on the [[Flash Store]] on February 16, 2004. It cost $32 at first, but the price was eventually raised to $39. A [[Kick The Cheat (game)|promotional game]] was made around the same time. It sold out sometime after January 2005, but was brought back due to popular demand on September 12, 2005. The doll was finally sold out in December 2007. Despite being discontinued, the dolls continue to make appearances in the [[Homestar Runner (body of work)|Homestar Runner]] body of work.
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== As Merchandise ==
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{{seealso|Store Toys#Kick The Cheat}}
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[[File:Adopt The Cheat Foundation.png|thumb|Save The Cheat!]]
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''Yahoo Store description:''
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<blockquote>This soft, huggable plush image of The Cheat is 10" high, 13" wide and 30" around. He's equipped with a voice box, so whenever he's kicked or struck, he screams four different exclamations in his native language of The Cheat.</blockquote>
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Kick The Cheat dolls are prominently featured in [[Puppet Stuff]]. In some early toons, a regular doll was used in place of The Cheat, instead of the unique [[Puppet Character Variations#Puppet The Cheat|handcrafted version]] of the doll. In [[Dangeresque Puppet Squad: The Hot Jones Hijack]], Kick The Cheat dolls are used as puppet versions of [[Gunhaver]], [[Reynold]], [[Fightgar]], and [[Crackotage]], with the unique handcrafted doll in the role of [[Firebert]]. In September 2020, a [[Kick The Cheat voicebox replacement surgery]] tutorial was posted on [[YouTube]], with instructions to replace the doll's batteries.
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The Cheat plushies were first mentioned as being "in the works" by [[Matt Chapman]] in a [[Homestarrunner.net Interview - 21 May 2003|May 2003 interview]]; by [[Club Aquatica Interview - 29 Oct 2003|October of 2003]] Matt predicted they would be available for sale by February.
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In November 2017, one of the last remaining Kick The Cheat dolls was offered as one of the potential prizes for donating to [[Worldbuilders]].
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The plush toy was first made available for purchase on the [[Flash Store]] on February 16, 2004. Its initial price was $32, later raised to $39 (though [[Store Front Page News 2006|sales would regularly reduce the price]] to [[Store Front Page News 2007#July 23, 2007|as low as $24]]). It sold out sometime after January 2005, but was brought back to the [[Yahoo Store]] due to popular demand [[Store Front Page News 2005#September 12, 2005|on September 12, 2005]].
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A [[Kick The Cheat (game)|promotional game]] was made around the time of its initial release to market. Accessible from the Flash Store rather than any [[games]] menu, the simple game featured [[Strong Bad]] using a large mechanical foot to kick one of the plush toys into a brick wall.
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[[Main Page Messages]] referred to Kick The Cheat as "endangered" when less than 200 remained; they were dubbed "extinct" when the doll sold out [[Store Front Page News 2007#December 12, 2007|in December 2007]], with the store page remarking that all had "found warm, loving homes".
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Although the toy remains discontinued, they have been offered as prizes on rare occasions. A [[Store Front Page News 2009#June 3, 2009|2009 store promotion offered "the last remaining Kick the Cheat"]] as a prize, anyone making a purchase from the store during the month of June was entered in the contest. In 2017, a chance to win "one of the last remaining Kick the Cheats" {{prs|936064642702602242|29|Nov|2017|alt=was offered as an incentive}} for donating to [[Worldbuilders]].
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The toy's voicebox had potential to fail, especially after years of use. The store offered a 30-day warranty for defective voiceboxes. In September 2020, a [[Kick The Cheat voicebox replacement surgery]] tutorial was posted on [[YouTube]], with instructions to replace the doll's batteries. Strong Bad has also posted several times about having spare voiceboxes (occasionally referred to as "larynxes"), most prominently {{prs|site=Instagram|BYO0e6kjNm9|25|Aug|2017|alt=showing a bin's worth on Instagram}}.
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== In Toons ==
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[[File:PuppetReynold.png|thumb|[[Hot Jones|Warm Jenkins]]]]
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The antecedent of the Kick The Cheat doll was [[Puppet Character Variations#Puppet The Cheat|a handmade plush of The Cheat]], first visible in [[Pulse Interview - 1 Aug 2003|the 2003 ''Pulse'' feature]] and officially shown in [[Everybody Knows It]]. As discussed in [[Club Aquatica Interview - 29 Oct 2003|a 2003 interview]], this was the prototype for the mass-produced dolls. This unique plush is typically used as Puppet The Cheat, with some exceptions: a Kick The Cheat doll was used as a puppet version of The Cheat in [[Puppet Time]], and [[Mike Chapman]] shows one to Puppet [[Homestar Runner]] in [[Some Puppet Stuff]].
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In [[Dangeresque Puppet Squad: The Hot Jones Hijack]], Kick The Cheat dolls are used for the puppet versions of [[Cheat Commandos]] [[Gunhaver]], [[Reynold]], [[Fightgar]], and [[Crackotage]], while the unique doll portrays The Cheat's alter-ego [[Firebert]].  
==Appearances==
==Appearances==
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*{{postref|site=Instagram|Blhe46Fhml7|21|Jul|2018}}
*{{postref|site=Instagram|Blhe46Fhml7|21|Jul|2018}}
*[[Kick The Cheat Voicebox Replacement Surgery]]
*[[Kick The Cheat Voicebox Replacement Surgery]]
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== See Also ==
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*[[Puppet Character Variations]]
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*[[Strong Bad Talking Plush]]
[[Category:The Cheat]][[Category:Toys]][[Category:Store]]
[[Category:The Cheat]][[Category:Toys]][[Category:Store]]

Revision as of 00:02, 4 February 2023

The doll and its logo
This article is about the discontinued talking doll. For the game, see Kick The Cheat (game). For the running gag, see Kicking The Cheat.

Kick The Cheat (also known as Kick The Cheat The Cheat) is a plush doll of The Cheat sold in the Flash and Yahoo Stores from 2004 to 2007. It is equipped with a voice box, alternating between four different The Cheat noises when struck or kicked.

Contents

As Merchandise

See also Store Toys#Kick The Cheat
Save The Cheat!

Yahoo Store description:

This soft, huggable plush image of The Cheat is 10" high, 13" wide and 30" around. He's equipped with a voice box, so whenever he's kicked or struck, he screams four different exclamations in his native language of The Cheat.

The Cheat plushies were first mentioned as being "in the works" by Matt Chapman in a May 2003 interview; by October of 2003 Matt predicted they would be available for sale by February.

The plush toy was first made available for purchase on the Flash Store on February 16, 2004. Its initial price was $32, later raised to $39 (though sales would regularly reduce the price to as low as $24). It sold out sometime after January 2005, but was brought back to the Yahoo Store due to popular demand on September 12, 2005.

A promotional game was made around the time of its initial release to market. Accessible from the Flash Store rather than any games menu, the simple game featured Strong Bad using a large mechanical foot to kick one of the plush toys into a brick wall.

Main Page Messages referred to Kick The Cheat as "endangered" when less than 200 remained; they were dubbed "extinct" when the doll sold out in December 2007, with the store page remarking that all had "found warm, loving homes".

Although the toy remains discontinued, they have been offered as prizes on rare occasions. A 2009 store promotion offered "the last remaining Kick the Cheat" as a prize, anyone making a purchase from the store during the month of June was entered in the contest. In 2017, a chance to win "one of the last remaining Kick the Cheats" was offered as an incentive for donating to Worldbuilders.

The toy's voicebox had potential to fail, especially after years of use. The store offered a 30-day warranty for defective voiceboxes. In September 2020, a Kick The Cheat voicebox replacement surgery tutorial was posted on YouTube, with instructions to replace the doll's batteries. Strong Bad has also posted several times about having spare voiceboxes (occasionally referred to as "larynxes"), most prominently showing a bin's worth on Instagram.

In Toons

Warm Jenkins

The antecedent of the Kick The Cheat doll was a handmade plush of The Cheat, first visible in the 2003 Pulse feature and officially shown in Everybody Knows It. As discussed in a 2003 interview, this was the prototype for the mass-produced dolls. This unique plush is typically used as Puppet The Cheat, with some exceptions: a Kick The Cheat doll was used as a puppet version of The Cheat in Puppet Time, and Mike Chapman shows one to Puppet Homestar Runner in Some Puppet Stuff.

In Dangeresque Puppet Squad: The Hot Jones Hijack, Kick The Cheat dolls are used for the puppet versions of Cheat Commandos Gunhaver, Reynold, Fightgar, and Crackotage, while the unique doll portrays The Cheat's alter-ego Firebert.

Appearances

See Also

Retrieved from "http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Kick_The_Cheat"
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