When I worked in a pet store the amount of people who asked for a pet that didn't need food or water made my head explode. I wish we had sold pet rocks for these idiots.

The Pet Rock 32-page manual wasn't overkill. It was the entire value of the product.

"Disgruntled customers." They bought a rock. What, exactly, were they expecting?

As someone who's entire family used the flowbee during the entire decade of the 1990s, I can confirm that it was a fantastic invention. It sounds a little stupid when you first hear about it, but it really works very well once you get used to it surprisingly. My aunt and uncle still have their original generation one flowbee and my uncle still uses it to this day.

Pet rocks are amazing! I've had my Sherman since Christmas 1975. He's the most loyal companion a person could ask for. And he does about 10 tricks!

The pet rock is brilliant! When somebody knicks your wallet and runs off you can still yell " Get'em Boy ! " As you trow it at him.

I literally witnessed a mid forties friend of mine bring himself to tears laughing by using the farting horn on my Tesla as people walked by at a drive in movie theatre. Our daughters were horrified. Lol

Can we get a Chia Pet in the shape of Simon's head? Then we could use a Flowbee on it.

My pet rock is very clever. Over the years, I taught it to speak, a few basic words at first, "yes", "no" but now we converse quite well every night.

I remember mom bringing home a Pet Rock when I was a kid - ours actually had a lanyard screwed into it. I was young enough to *almost* believe that rock was special and became rather attached to it lol

You should make an episode about the inventions (generally the As Seen On TV ones) that seem dumb (i.e. the Slap Chop & Snuggie) but are really useful for disabled people, but need to be sold to non-disabled people to be financially viable.

Problem with pet rocks is when they get out they can break the neighbors windows.

I gasped in shock as Simon informed us that he was bald. I’ve been told not to trust my own eyes the past couple years…

I honestly think that whoopee cushions will never stop entertaining people, especially kids. I loved them as a kid, my son did too and I'm getting my six year old grandson one as part of his Christmas present this year - he's going to love it too!

12:53 "armed with this ground breaking information" Me: don't you mean WIND breaking information. no, i will not leave. Get your hands off of me!

everyone laughs at the flowbee until they go into quarantine

"So, how does the Suk-Kut work, exactly?" "Well, as you can see, it sucks as it cuts!" "It certainly does suck!"

Someone send Simon a Chia Pet so he can experience the awe that is growing pottery.

The Bob Ross Chia Pet is the most 80s/90s thig ever and I love it. The pet rock guide book is exactly why I think it succeded, it made a cute package.

Never thought id hear Simon mention Bloodhound Gang for any reason whatsoever... Such an awesome, inspiring group. Without them, i never would've realized a lap dance is so much better when the stripper is crying. Game changer.

Had 2 Pet Rocks as a teenager, both gifts. Second one was a freakin' Drama Queen! "Stonie" the rock was always demanding affection/attention. ;)

Simon, you’re supposed to put the length guards on your flowbee

“The pet rock isn’t selling” -“what if we make them look like animals and grow sprouts on them”

Funny story about the Flowbee: at least back in the 90's, it used to have a button that functioned as an emergency release for the device. Sounds like a pretty decent feature, right? Here's the catch-- it was a protruding button that spun while the device was operating. I promise nothing says "irony" like like your hair getting caught in the spinning emergency release, and winding straight up to your scalp with the mass of entrapped hair preventing the emergency release from actually functioning. Pro-tip: plug the vacuum into a socket that's operated by a wall switch plate and set up your cutting area within easy reach of said switch. If you get intro trouble, flip the switch; you'll scramble less than trying to shut off the whole vacuum.

From what I understand about the Pet Rock, the manual was the real "content". More like a humorous book with very elaborate packaging.

I thoroughly enjoy your videos, thank you. Simon. You have to be the best narrator on youtube. My hearing is no longer so good but I can always understand you easily.

"Joy buzzer" does not refer to a whoopee cushion. It was a a small device worn on the finger that, when you shook someone's hand, would buzz and vibrate, startling the person whose had you shook. There was also a version that delivered a small shock.

Flowbee for dogs, because we know how much they love being around running vacuums.

I must register my complaint that I have damaged my keyboard from too much "smash that like button" after binge-watching Simon's channels all week. 🥰

What exactly does a disgruntled purchaser of a pet rock look like? What did it not do for you that you expected it to? I'm genuinely curious.

Out of all this video.. Simon talking about whoopie cushions and the numerous names and like, is the best part, just because his surprise at it is so genuine.

The title definitely sounds like an OGBB vid.

"If something looks stupid but works, it isn't stupid." - Murphy's laws of combat.

The great Britcom, "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin" had a lot of this sort of thing. His boss, CJ, had whoopee cushions in the chairs of his office for ages until one day when Reggie sat down and nothing happened. "New chairs, from Japan. Silent, but deadly!" Then Reggie went on the found Grot, which guaranteed that everything it sold was useless, including his son-in-law's homemade wine, "Pea Pod Burgundy." To his intense disgust, sales of everything went through the roof.

0:40 - Chapter 1 - Flowbee 3:30 - Chapter 2 - Pet rock 6:15 - Chapter 3 - Chia pet 8:40 - Chapter 4 - Million dollar homepage 11:25 - Chapter 5 - Whoopee cushion 13:40 - Bonus whoopee cushions facts

"Givin myself a mullet, hook the flowbee to the Kirby" from the song Mope is the line he's talking about. I was thinking about that song as soon as he said flowbee.

Pet rocks (and shell pets) have been available my whole life at every UK seaside town. I was born in the 80s so perhaps he did have the original idea but I find it hard to believe they didn't exist at all before then given that humans love drawing faces on inanimate objects.

If Simon were made a chia pet you’d put the seed mixture on his face for a growing beard.

As someone that worked in a store that sold only pet supplies, not pets, you would be surprised at how popular "mineral water for pets" in either 8 to 10 ounces were. They were crazy expensive (like 3.50 for 1) and the vendor told me it was his fastest selling product in the northeast. They sold in different flavors, like a Koolaid. I was kidding with him and asked if he sold any toilet water flavored mineral water because I hear that flavor is popular with dogs.

that bob ross painting himself with cress almost made me nose-coffee. i invented the term nose-coffee by the way.

It's pretty rad that the Flowbee Is still made and actually made in the US.

I’ve had a Flowbee for maybe 10 years. I quit going to barbers back in the mid 70s and cut my own hair useing thinning shears and a razor comb. I thought a Flobee might be a good addition to my cutting tools, and despite my wife’s continued dismay with my self-cutting, I doubt I’ll ever go back to a barber. Now, a Flowbee operation every few months, with trimming in between, I figure I’ve saved $$$ over the past 40 years. I’m in my 70s now 😊

The Flowbee essentially mechanized hair cutting techniques commonly used by hairstylists. In this way it reduces the possibility of error. Taking away the clippings at the same time is just a win-win.

The Flow-bee is a great tool. I’ve used one for over 30 years. The deluxe unit has it’s own vacuum pump which is also very nice. Highly recommend them.

Keeps saying he's bald like everyone's believing it. The smoothness is green screened in! Don't think I won't do a sub reddit

When this video started, I thought you would be mentioning the tv-advertised "Topsy Tail" , a thing which could turn a ponytail inside out to create a new hairstyle. The lady who invented it made millions selling this overpriced plastic coated loop of wire.

Simon, you can always use the Flowbee on your beard lol

I lived in San Diego in the '80's and '90's. I bought my Flowbee in '97 and have been using it since. I do my wife's hair as well. Just two days ago I did my sister's and brother-in-law's. My father tried it and soon bought himself one. We all can afford "professional" haircuts, so economics isn't the reason. It's the convenience and consistency that are most attractive. It's a great product. Kudos Flowbee!

I remember seeing Chia Pet commercials back in the 80s and wondering, "can you eat those seeds?" Turns out you can; chia seeds are a big fad now. The biggest problems is they don't taste like anything.

This sounds like a business blaze topic.

Never heard of a Flowbee. But we used to use something called a flogee all the time. Also called bong-buster.

The Flowbee left behind by a friend worked well enough for a military haircut and not having hair everywhere was a bonus. Used it for years.

"You don't need to be smart to laugh at a fart, but you have to be an idiot not to." - Louis CK

Who needs a flowbee? 🤣 I just let my hair grow ‘til it stops by itself.

More of a re-invention, my favorite is the corporation who made loyal customers who'd self-identify themselves as anti-corporate, used single-use paper and plastic for customers who'd identify themselves as ecologically conscious, and had a markup for a product these customers had in their wage-slave offices.

“Windy Blasters” sounds so wonderfully British with your accent, Simon.

Great video. More like this one would be awesome!

We had a Flowbee when I was growing up. My mom got a lot of use out of it, and I had many haircuts with it. It worked well enough, but eventually we quit using it.

Aaahh, The Clapper! Had one of those, very handy in general. However, if a headboard hits the wall at the right rhythm the light goes on...and off...and on...

Garth: IT'S SUCKING MY WILL TO LIVE! Wayne: The Suckut. Well it certainly does suck.

" It sure does Suck!" Wayne Campbell of Waynes World

The Bob Ross Chia Pet is the only Chia Pet I ever wanted

2:30 It's kind of ironic to thing about, but even with the world's biggest vacuum just on the other side of the wall, they still use a machine like the one in your utility closet. You don't want to dump bits of hair and dust into an orbit that matches your spacecraft.

This would have been a good video for Business Blaze, when it was called Business Blaze! 😄

Flowbee works great. I do everyone in my family’s hair. My nephew is a hair stylist. He said the haircuts look very professional.

If only there was a business based channel to put this on

I had a woopie cushion when I was a kid that my brother popped and I'm still bitter about it.

I'd use a Flowbee, assuming it worked. Especially if you have kids (and pets), those haircut costs add up. And it's a PITA to vacuum after each haircut, given how much other cleaning up after a haircut you do. Thanks for the video!

The Bob Ross chia pet looks like a very happy Thanos

if this video gets 50,000 likes, then Simon has to trim his beard with a flowbee

12:10 I think that was teenage Emperor Heliogabalus. "There's a sucker born every minute" - - PT Barnum

Love your voice. Love the script and it’s delivery and love that beard! Suits you! Bernie in locked down Sydney

Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view!" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment?

We had a flowbee growing up... It was really convenient

Subject does well on Blaze. Simon to all other writers. "Make me that exact script for my other channels!" Hahaha 🤣

“You think the ‘pet rock’ was a really great idea?” “He made a million dollars!” - Office Space

My mom bought a flobee when I was a kid. She cut my hair one time, under protest from me. I wasnt happy with the results, so I tried fixing it. Which turned out horrendous worse. Then to come to find out we had family photos later that week🙄🤣. So ended up having to go to a barber to work some magic. She never tried to cut mine or my brothers hair after this. But turns out the flobee was amazing at cutting our cockerspanal's hair! He absolutely loved getting trimmed up by it 🤣

The logic behind these ideas: "There's a sucker born every minute."

I had a Chia Pet, a Clapper in college, and an OG Whoopie Cushion... all in the 90s. Fun times.

This is a gift. Thank you.

The hair one sounds good for during lockdown. If only they made the blades sharper.

I still kinda want a chia pet tbh. Surprised no anime company has done any licensed ones with how batshit the hair designs can be tho lol.

the best part of Pet Rocks is that in the manual you can train the rock to attack, by throwing it

Drill sergeants in the army love pet rocks. They lose them from time to time tho and it's hard to find them

Well the first invention is actually smart, I seen a barber shop in Singapore using professional versions of it.

SIMON. . . You need to update this one! The oldest recorded joke in history was from the Sumerians in 1900 BC and plays well into women finding the fart funnier. The joke reads: Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband’s lap It's perfect for this episode! Also, good job.

I am so happy the Bloodhound Gang got a mention here.

If you want a pet you never have to take walkies just adopt 1 of your spiders. As the comic Jon Steinberg said "when you live in a basement apartment, you are never alone."

Tamagotchi should've been on this list. Basically a digital cross between the pet rock and Pokemon concepts. Full disclosure, I was gifted one by my after school program and I never kept it alive long enough to go through all the evolutions. So I was constantly having to reset it back to the ubiquitous black circle.

That was fun! I hope there's more installments in the future.

The Flowbee still gets talked about on a regular-enough basis to this day in my barber shop. And there are a couple of shops around here that use variations of the device.

Favourite video so far...Thanks you Simon.

Pet rocks! Yeah, I'm single and wouldn't mind getting back out there and finding a girlfriend but I'm sure as hell not dropping money on a blow-up doll! 🤣

Loved this random Side Projects! Along the lines of Brain Blaze...great job!

When my dad was serving in the Air Force I remember one of the barbers at the BX using a Flowbee for his haircuts.

Any time I see one of those vacuum hair cutting things I cant help but think of the Wayne's World bit.

Don't diss Flowbee. I haven't paid for a haircut in over 25 years. That's more than $4,000 in my pocket.

My nine-year-old daughter thinks whoopie cushions are the height of humor!!

Seeing the Flowbee included in this video made me smile. My mother loved her Flowbee (aka the suck cut) from its initial infomercial run in the 90s until her death two months ago. Like the Flowbee, she was weird, funny, practical, frugal, and was wholly herself despite any naysayers. I'll miss her and that all too familiar loud buzz of those rotating blades

It is incredible that some people can convince millions and millions of people that they desperately need something that's almost completely useless. Yep. Really incredible. Truly.