Professor Popinjay's Compendium of Perspicacity

The Corn Popper, so called despite it containing no corn nor having any corn popping capabilities, was invented in 1957 by master of parental torture Arthur Holt, who died in April 1996, I assume shortly after he was brained by a parent wielding his thought inhibiting invention as an apt and blunt object.
—–He sold his infernal machine to Fisher-Price for $50 (The 1957 equivalent of $50,000,000, give or take.) Fisher-Price mass produced this monstrosity presumably while laughing maniacally throughout the entire production and shipment. The Corn Popper is one of the most popular toys for young children in history who have always had an undeniable pension for inflicting strife on parents, and has been the most popular gift from aunts and uncles who pride themselves on finding the world’s most annoying toy to bestow upon their unsuspecting kin. The toy was supposedly designed to help kids learn to walk but has instead evolved into a means of driving parents into a most entertaining rage. While many Fisher-Price toys have been discontinued for lack of interest and relevance, the Corn Popper gets a fresh look on an almost yearly basis. Why, you ask? The answer is simple. Evil. In its purest and most unadulterated form. Evil.