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The Clapper: Light work

Jul 19, 2026 · 1 hr 14 min · 22 segments

Clap on. Clap off. The Clapper may not have been a very good product, but it came with one of the all-time great marketing campaigns. And it might have even been a great, ahead of its time idea. The…

Clap on. Clap off. The Clapper may not have been a very good product, but it came with one of the all-time great marketing campaigns. And it might have even been a great, ahead of its time idea. The Verge's David Pierce and Victoria Song are joined by Allison Marsh, a writer and professor at The University of South Carolina, to talk through the Clapper's whole history. It involves lawsuits, broken gadgets, and a pioneering idea about laziness and the smart home. We’re also on video! Check us out on YouTube. Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [vergecast@theverge.com](mailto:vergecast@theverge.com) or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clap on. Clap off. The Clapper may not have been a very good product, but it came with one of the all-time great marketing campaigns. And it might have even been a great, ahead of its time idea. The…

Top entities: The Verge×10 The Clapper×10 Canada×7 Allison Marsh×24 Amazon.com×8

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Speakers: David PierceHostAllison MarshGuestVictoria SongPanelist

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeAudience≈4.8M followers

Meet the Panel & Live Clapper Demo1:56 – 3:29

David PierceHost

1:56

Joining me in studio, The Verge's Vee Song.

Victoria SongPanelist

1:58

Hello.

David PierceHost

1:58

Hi, Vee.

David PierceHost

1:59

You are our senior reviewer.

David PierceHost

2:01

You do wearables, but I feel like you're also our unofficial correspondent for cursed objects.

Victoria SongPanelist

2:05

Uh, yes.

Victoria SongPanelist

2:05

I believe my, uh, new title is senior cursed tech dystopian reviewer, so yeah.

David PierceHost

2:11

This is, this is, this is what we're here for.

Victoria SongPanelist

2:13

This is what led us-

David PierceHost

2:13

This is the Clapper.

David PierceHost

2:14

Also joining us remotely, Allison Marsh, a historian of technology and the Pass Forward columnist for IEEE Spectrum.

David PierceHost

2:19

Allison, welcome.

Allison MarshGuest

2:20

It's great to be here.

David PierceHost

2:21

Thank you so much for coming.

David PierceHost

2:22

What is your home automation history like? Like, are you a, are you a person who would've used a Clapper at any point in history here?

Allison MarshGuest

2:30

The Clapper came out when I was a kid, and I loved the idea.

Allison MarshGuest

2:34

I absolutely wanted one, begged my parents.

Allison MarshGuest

2:37

No deal.

Allison MarshGuest

2:38

Nothing.

Allison MarshGuest

2:39

Never got one.

Allison MarshGuest

2:40

And you know, that streak has pretty much kept.

Allison MarshGuest

2:43

I have zero home automation at my house right now.

David PierceHost

2:46

Nothing?

Allison MarshGuest

2:46

Nothing.

Allison MarshGuest

2:47

Nothing.

The VergeSoftware ApplicationWebsite
99%10 mentions
The ClapperEntity
97%10 mentions
CanadaCountryCountry in North America
95%7 mentions
Allison MarshPersonAmerican historian
93%24 mentions
Amazon.comCompanyMultinational conglomerate company
91%8 mentions
Chia PetBrand
89%14 mentions
Lionel MessiPersonArgentine footballer
86%6 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
84%13 mentions
SpotifyCompanyCompany
82%3 mentions
Fetch Pet InsuranceCompanyPet insurance company
80%2 mentions
McDonald'sRestaurantFast food restaurant chain
78%2 mentions
AppleCompanyTechnology company
76%1 mention
TikTokSoftware ApplicationWebsite
74%6 mentions
Wi-FiEntity
72%4 mentions
AccentureCompanyIT company
70%5 mentions
RightsEntity
68%1 mention
Bob RossPersonAmerican painter
66%2 mentions
Ryan ReynoldsPersonCanadian-American actor and entrepreneur
64%2 mentions
GOATEntity
61%1 mention
Cold WarEventWar
59%2 mentions
ChoirEntity
57%1 mention
University of South CarolinaCollege or UniversityPublic university in Columbia, South Carolina
55%1 mention
Vox MediaCompanyCompany
53%1 mention
YouTubeWebsiteVideo sharing company
51%1 mention
IEEE SpectrumPeriodicalMagazine
49%1 mention
SiriSoftware Application
47%2 mentions
YouTubeWebsiteYouTube channel
45%1 mention
TaiwanCountryCountry in East Asia
43%1 mention
Smithsonian InstitutionTourist AttractionResearch institute in the United States of America
41%2 mentions
Joseph EnterprisesCompanyCompany
39%2 mentions
ChristmasEntityCelebration
36%3 mentions
TreeEntityPlant
34%1 mention
WashingtonCityCapital of the United States of America
32%1 mention
Don DraperEntityFictional character
30%1 mention
SONYCompanyMultinational conglomerate company
28%1 mention
MordorEntity
26%1 mention
True ValueCompanyHardware store company
24%1 mention
AirTagEntity
22%1 mention
AmericansEntityEthnic group
20%1 mention
RadioShackCompanyElectronics retail company
18%1 mention
Garden WeaselCompanyCompany
16%1 mention
QVCCompanyTelevision network
14%1 mention
George ForemanPersonAmerican professional boxer and businessman
11%2 mentions
GroguEntityFictional character
9%1 mention
Darth VaderEntityStar Wars character
7%1 mention
Amazon EchoSoftware ApplicationComputer program
4%1 mention
C-3POEntityStar Wars character
4%1 mention
Thomas Alva EdisonPersonAmerican inventor and businessman
1%1 mention

Society
Technology HistoryHistory
Smart DevicesTechnology > Home Automation
Consumer BehaviorSociety
Home AutomationTechnology
AdvertisingEntertainment
MarketingEntertainment > Advertising
NostalgiaSociety > Consumer Behavior
Marketing StrategiesBusiness > Product Development
History
Technology
Entertainment
Business
Product DevelopmentBusiness
ClapperTechnology > Home Automation > Smart Devices
Cultural ImpactTechnology > Home Automation > Smart Devices > Clapper
Product LaunchesEntertainment > Advertising > Marketing
ClapperEntertainment > Advertising > Marketing > Product Launches
Home TechnologySociety > Consumer Behavior > Nostalgia
ClapperSociety > Consumer Behavior > Nostalgia > Home Technology
Home Automation HistoryHistory > Technology History
ClapperHistory > Technology History > Home Automation History
Cultural PhenomenonHistory > Technology History > Home Automation History > Clapper
ClapperBusiness > Product Development > Marketing Strategies
Joseph PedottBusiness > Product Development > Marketing Strategies > Clapper

Meet the Panel & Live Clapper Demo1:56 – 3:29

David PierceHost

1:56

Joining me in studio, The Verge's Vee Song.

Victoria SongPanelist

1:58

Hello.

David PierceHost

1:58

Hi, Vee.

David PierceHost

1:59

You are our senior reviewer.

David PierceHost

2:01

You do wearables, but I feel like you're also our unofficial correspondent for cursed objects.

Victoria SongPanelist

2:05

Uh, yes.

Victoria SongPanelist

2:05

I believe my, uh, new title is senior cursed tech dystopian reviewer, so yeah.

David PierceHost

2:11

This is, this is, this is what we're here for.

Victoria SongPanelist

2:13

This is what led us-

David PierceHost

2:13

This is the Clapper.

David PierceHost

2:14

Also joining us remotely, Allison Marsh, a historian of technology and the Pass Forward columnist for IEEE Spectrum.

David PierceHost

2:19

Allison, welcome.

Allison MarshGuest

2:20

It's great to be here.

David PierceHost

2:21

Thank you so much for coming.

David PierceHost

2:22

What is your home automation history like? Like, are you a, are you a person who would've used a Clapper at any point in history here?

Allison MarshGuest

2:30

The Clapper came out when I was a kid, and I loved the idea.

Allison MarshGuest

2:34

I absolutely wanted one, begged my parents.

Allison MarshGuest

2:37

No deal.

Allison MarshGuest

2:38

Nothing.

Allison MarshGuest

2:39

Never got one.

Allison MarshGuest

2:40

And you know, that streak has pretty much kept.

Allison MarshGuest

2:43

I have zero home automation at my house right now.

David PierceHost

2:46

Nothing?

Allison MarshGuest

2:46

Nothing.

Allison MarshGuest

2:47

Nothing.

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