A bobblehead is a figurine that looks like someone, often a celebrity or famous athlete. The head is mounted on a spring so it can “bob” when the figure is shaken or tapped. A variety of shapes and materials are used to make bobbleheads. They can be made to resemble a person, animal, or fictional character. Some are made of a claylike material; others are plastic or resin. They can be made to stand on their own or to be attached to a base.
A few years ago, two friends who loved collecting bobbleheads decided to turn their passion into a business. Phil Sklar and Brad Novak now have what they believe is the largest collection of them in the world. It’s housed in a museum that opened February 1. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has over 6,500 bobbleheads on display. Its collections includes sports-centric figures, such as baseball players and mascots, plus celebrities, politicians and Supreme Court justices. It also has a section dedicated to pop culture, with characters like Shrek and Jackie Kennedy. There’s even a bobblehead of the wizard Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.
The museum is open to the public and has tours led by knowledgeable staff members. Its staff will teach visitors about the history of the bobblehead and answer questions. It is also possible to purchase a bobblehead of a favorite team or celebrity.
Bobbleheads have become a part of popular culture, appearing in movies and on TV. They have been featured in television shows, such as Seinfeld and How I Met Your Mother, and are a common prop in comedy acts. They are also a popular gift for sports fans, especially those attending games at their home stadiums.
In addition to being a fun form of art, bobbleheads can also be controversial. The controversy often centers around the fact that they are based on real people or fictional characters. They can be seen as an insult to those persons or characters, especially if they are portrayed negatively in a movie, such as Bobbleheads: The Movie.
A similar problem can occur when a bobblehead is used to commemorate an event that has a negative connotation, such as a terrorist attack or the death of a public figure. The image is often interpreted negatively by groups with opposing views, such as white supremacists or Holocaust deniers. Moreover, bobbleheads can be a target for Internet trolls, who use them to harass or bully other people. These issues have led to a number of lawsuits against the makers of bobbleheads. In some cases, the plaintiffs have won. In other cases, the makers of bobbleheads have been forced to discontinue the production of these figures. A good example of this occurred in 2003, when the Green Bag Journal released a bobblehead of Justice William H. Rehnquist, who was standing on a map of Carbon County, Wyoming, holding a copy of volume 529 of the United States Reports.