Inspired by... The Crazy Frog

Who remembers Crazy Frog? How many times in the early 90s did you look at someone and then say “A ding ding ding ding…” before they threw something at you?

I remember exactly where I was the first time I saw it. I don’t remember who emailed it to me, but I remember watching it, sat at my desk in work and roaring laughing. I don’t know how many people I forwarded it on to but I couldn’t get enough of it. I must have watched it at least ten times over before I sent it on.

I was amused when the Axel F song came out, but after that Crazy Frog really did become The Annoying Thing, as it was originally called.

When I was writing Inspired by Night, I wanted Olivia to be already well established in her career. I didn’t want her to be another plain, uninspiring girl, who gets swept off her feet by the rich successful older man. So I made her the older successful one of the relationship, (while still being a young woman with her own set of insecurities). So I gave her career an early boost with the creation of a character that was inspired by Crazy Frog. Olivia’s character is called Jerk Chicken, described as a slack jawed chicken singing “Chick chick chick chick chicken, lay a little egg for me.”

I actually wish I was capable of 3d animation so I could create Jerk Chicken. I secretly hope someone will make one… “inspired by’ inspired by night.’” I own the intellectual proprty to that idea though, right??

What was your most viewed/forwarded email from back then? I was also quite partial to the guy auditioning for Pop Idol, singing Eye of the Tiger, but I always felt really guilty for laughing.

Takes a lot of guts to get up and sing, I kind of hate all those shows now that I know how it works, shame on the pre judges for putting people through if they were either brillaint or so bad they’re funny. To be ridiculed by Simon Cowell and his mates for believing they’ve got any talent is particularly horrible, especially when they’re only stood in front of the celebrity judges after getting through pre-judging – who wouldn’t start believing in themselves if they’ve made it through?

Still, I’m only human, so this still makes me laugh*.

*Please don’t judge me, I’m not a bad person.

Inspired by... The Crazy Frog