The summer before the pet rock was the summer of the Invisible Dog. A stiff leash and collar that you jiggled in front of you as if there was an invisible dog tugging the leash. That was good for a couple of laughs too. But only a couple of laughs. The joke wore thin when everybody on the Jersey boardwalk was out walking invisible dogs.
3
I will admit, I purchased a pet rock, no, I wasn't ten, I was a grown married woman. LOL Most boring pet I ever had, but it was also the most economical. LOL Not sure exactly what happened to it but there was a rumor that it met a pebble, they got stoned and ran off to Boulder. RIP Mr. Dahl, you got me~
5
My Pet Rock was never “caught between a rock and a hard place.” When I was a student, it always had a place of prominence on my desk holding down important stuff.
But I always detected sounds of envy or jealousy when I brought home some new weather worn rocks of different colours and shapes to add to my rock collection. And I would reassure it that it was the closest to my heart.
Ah, Pet Rocks were a temperamental and puzzling group.
Thanks Gary Dahl for your creativity and imagination which you shared with so many people.
But I always detected sounds of envy or jealousy when I brought home some new weather worn rocks of different colours and shapes to add to my rock collection. And I would reassure it that it was the closest to my heart.
Ah, Pet Rocks were a temperamental and puzzling group.
Thanks Gary Dahl for your creativity and imagination which you shared with so many people.
5
Lately so many news stories and editorials have generated such polarization and rancor amongst readers, hopefully this one article will be left alone to simply ride the wave of laughter a while longer without ruining the moment by the spoils of politics and grumpiness.
The Pied Piper of Pet Rocks has passed away and his many supporters will be gathering at Hard Rock Cafes throughout the county in various cities such as Boulder, Colorado; Rockport Maine; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Stoney Island to share stories of "back in the day" with their Pet Rock and to rumble just a little while longer.
The Pied Piper of Pet Rocks has passed away and his many supporters will be gathering at Hard Rock Cafes throughout the county in various cities such as Boulder, Colorado; Rockport Maine; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Stoney Island to share stories of "back in the day" with their Pet Rock and to rumble just a little while longer.
3
A person who could think that up and then successfully market it had something going... He just needed a better .... (for lack of a better word) lawyer to draw up papers for his potential investors so it wouldn't come back to bite him later on! But then, in the beginning, who knew that everybody was going to go for it and thank it was funny!!! I also like the idea of purchasing a college degree for that rock!!! My Dad could probably relate to that one!
3
Godspeed, Mr. Dahl. Thanks for creating an iconic moment in the annals of pop culture. Nice work for $3.95.
1
I do wonder whether a factor in pet rock popularity was its timing. Did it function as a release from emotional overload of a preceding series of events? The Nixon resignation, final admission of our Vietnam failure and evacuation, the pablum of the Ford Presidency, with its ambiguous legitimacy. And so on.
2
Reading this obituary is one of those life changers that truly makes you stop and realize you need to spend more time in bars.
26
The comments of other readers capture the essence of the Pet Rock: fun. Mr. Dahl brought that to us, and for that may he be blessed.
3
The Stone Age never ended.
With some erosion, many of the stones evolved to became Pet Rocks.
With some erosion, many of the stones evolved to became Pet Rocks.
4
In 1976 I bought a Pet Rock for 75 dollars. A few of my friends did too. Why were these rocks so expensive? The purchase price included a free front row ticket to see Paul McCartney and Wings at Nassau Coliseum. It was a great concert. I wonder where my pet rock (and that ticket scalper) is now...
7
There was one in my house, I derived a few minutes of pleasure form reading the instructions every so often on a rainy afternoon. I recall one said, "put it down at your heel and it's always there!"
7
I trained my Pet Rock to “Rock and Roll.”
9
My kids "trained" theirs too. My youngest daughter (7) at the time, "trained" hers to sleep all the time so she didn't have to worry about it. She grew up, was valedictorian of her senior class, went to college, graduated, & has been a teacher for 26 yrs. She STILL loves talking to her brother & sisters about their PET ROCKS!! Such great memories.
7
We were heading back to Southeast TX from the Fort Worth area after going to SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS with 4 children when, as we left the Safari Trail, we came upon a man sitting at a tiny enclosure with a sign that said, PET ROCKS. So of course we stopped. He described what a PET ROCK was to our children & they were fasinated! So we bought 4 little Pet Rocks in their little cardboard box with instructions & headed home. The man had told them that IF they were REAL QUIET, they might even hear their rock "talk" to them. We didn't hear a peep out of them until we were just 30 minutes from home. That was the BEST $15.80 we spent that day!!!! Our kids STILL talk about their PET ROCKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. DAHL FOR SUCH WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!! R.I.P.
15
As my best friend and I lay on rafts floating in my apt pool in Athens in law school, Sallie turned to me and said, "Pet Rocks! We're very intelligent and we couldn't think of Pet Rocks and make millions!!!"" Now that was in 69 or 70, so Pet Rocks were being sold then. way before 1975.
Maybe you were smoking something back then? I clearly remember that it was 1975 (I was away from home for the first time, a freshman at college).
College student, floating in the swimming pool. 1969 or '70. Hmmm.
I'm pretty sure it was 1975.
I'm pretty sure it was 1975.
It was fun, it was silly and creative. And no more loony than the bit-coin of today. In fact, the Pet Rock just might be the ancestor of the bit-coin silliness.
5
My nephew Richard has a terrific sense of humor. We first saw it when he was about 6 and his grandfather (my dad) gave him a pet rock. He was slightly confused at being given a rock. Grandfather said, "It's a pet rock." The glream of recognition that lit up his face might have lit up chicago. It was such a treat to see his getting the joke.
4
What made it a pet, was the pretense that it was alive. And if the box hadn't had the obvious holes in the box to keep it alive, it wouldn't have sold at all. The holes in the box were what floated this fun phenomenon. Yes, the Rock was the front man in this joke, but the holes were the straight men.
16
Beautifully said! Well done.
4
Fitting news for April Fools Day ; - )
9
I had one -- a friend bought it for me for a b'day present. I enjoyed the humor of it immensely. However, it seems the joke was on Gary Dahl who proves, once again, that money doesn't buy happiness, but quirky creativity does. I am also struck by his lack of gratitude and generosity and his unwillingness to take ownership of who he was to the point where he felt besieged by those asking his help instead of being kindly willing to help them. I hope by now he realizes that happy laughter is more holy than money.
1
My family were early adopters. We adopted ( curated ) only non GMO, free range, organic rocks that were found locally in Brooklyn.
Gary Lives ! ... ; )
Gary Lives ! ... ; )
5
How ironic to be reported on April Fool's Day.
3
I'm hoping that we all find out, later today, that the story of Gary Dahl's death was just an April Fool's story.... and that he (like his memory) lives on!
7
To the vast number of readers who were not amused with Gary Dahl's concept, I guess it comes down to this: if you have to explain a pun, the humor is lost before the explanation begins. You've crossed the Rubicon and there's no turning back. There's a lot of really funny stuff in the comments submitted. Thanks to all for the many laughs.
7
Dust to dust, and eventually, rock!
5
Had this bring a smile to my face - not only because I had purchased one of the Pet Rocks, but because of the stir that the phenomenon had created at the college residence hall (Tenaya Hall) that I was assigned in the following year (my frosh year).
When I moved into the hall there at Cal Poly (Go Mustangs!), I noticed a series of small sections of the exterior stairs had been broken out as if a large weight had bounced down the stairs. In the interior staircase closest to that walkway, a series of dings and dents in the treads.
After a few weeks, I asked my roommate (a sophomore) what caused the damage.
"Killer Pet Rock"
"Killer Pet Rock?"
"Last year, some residents of the hall went out to Stenner Creek, and brought back a 300-400 pound boulder - and set it up on the third floor men's room as the dorm's Pet Rock..."
"And the damage?"
"Well... some residents in Sequoia Hall tried to steal Killer Pet Rock, and it was dropped and bounced a few times. We stopped them, and retrieved Killer Pet Rock - before we did, the RA of our dorm: Mary Ellen O., stepped-in and banished the Rock to avoid the inevitable attempts by Sequoia Hall residents - or others- to steal it again."
RIP, Mr. Dahl. Your mark has been left in many places...
...including Tenaya Hall and the California Polytechnic State University.
When I moved into the hall there at Cal Poly (Go Mustangs!), I noticed a series of small sections of the exterior stairs had been broken out as if a large weight had bounced down the stairs. In the interior staircase closest to that walkway, a series of dings and dents in the treads.
After a few weeks, I asked my roommate (a sophomore) what caused the damage.
"Killer Pet Rock"
"Killer Pet Rock?"
"Last year, some residents of the hall went out to Stenner Creek, and brought back a 300-400 pound boulder - and set it up on the third floor men's room as the dorm's Pet Rock..."
"And the damage?"
"Well... some residents in Sequoia Hall tried to steal Killer Pet Rock, and it was dropped and bounced a few times. We stopped them, and retrieved Killer Pet Rock - before we did, the RA of our dorm: Mary Ellen O., stepped-in and banished the Rock to avoid the inevitable attempts by Sequoia Hall residents - or others- to steal it again."
RIP, Mr. Dahl. Your mark has been left in many places...
...including Tenaya Hall and the California Polytechnic State University.
3
Great obit, especially the background story. I never knew how funny the Pet Rock was. It was a gag - nothing more, nothing less - that worked. And not because Dahl was a lowlife or because people are stupid, but because he came upon a humorous idea and executed it perfectly.
5
No less than the Marcel Duchamp of marketing!
4
The passing of Mr. Dahl is causing a fad length spike in sales of Pet Rocks on eBay...
3
The instruction manual, "The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock" was the real draw. Check it out:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ktcnj87
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ktcnj87
4
He sold us a little humor for $3.95. I've gotten less for more over the years. Anyone who brings a laugh is OK in my book.
13
Mr.Dahl resonated with those pursuing the New American Dream of getting rich without working.
So who's getting rich working?
7
I did.
Actually Tom, that is the way most people get rich. Of those I have known, the willingness and ability to outwork everyone else was the one thing they had in common.
Of all the world's self-made millionaires, this guy was my favorite.
15
How many banged their hands to their head crying" Why didn't I think of that?".
5
Humor aside, the Pet Rocks should be revived and nominated as candidates for Congress and the Senate for the election in 2016. I am sure that the Pet Rocks are more intelligent and civilized than most incumbents, particularly Republicans. Pet Rocks have a docile sense of humor and cooperative wit which is opposite to that of the Republicans whose warped sense of humor and behaviour shines when they blackmail and badger not only the President but Americans at whole. Also the Republicans’ candidates for President for 2016 are much less intelligent than any Pet Rock.
Where are the Pet Rocks when we need them most ???
Where are the Pet Rocks when we need them most ???
21
I can so see that Gerry....Democratic, Republican and Independent versions of the Pet Rock...and of course they all look the exactly the same....God Bless America and Gary Dahl
4
Regardless of one's political affiliation, one thing is abundantly clear - many politicians move slower than most Pet Rocks.
3
It just goes to show that some people can sell almost anything to almost anybody. How sad.
1
What is truly sad is people with no sense of humor and who lack the ability to have fun.
2
It was very funny.....I gave one to my 5 year old daughter for Christmas, and laughed at her startled expression. It was a safe gift at any age--the rock was large enough that a child could not swallow it.
Yup, it eventually found it's way back to me. Kids attention span with toys would be measured in days....a pet rock was measured in hours--or even minutes!
Yup, it eventually found it's way back to me. Kids attention span with toys would be measured in days....a pet rock was measured in hours--or even minutes!
6
I never was blessed with a pet rock but from the comments here it seems the fad brought a lot of happy, silly memories. Can any of us ask to be remembered for anything better than bringing some joy and silliness to the world.
RIP, Mr. Dahl, hope your own pet rock was waiting for you at the pearly gates.
RIP, Mr. Dahl, hope your own pet rock was waiting for you at the pearly gates.
12
I bought two pet rocks. They went on to have pebbles. Thanks Gary!
31
I am hopeful that Gary Dahl is smiling at the overabundance of humor and wit that has been written in the comments below, honoring his creativity and originality. No disrespect was ever intended. If his final resting place is in a cemetery, at least he will be surrounded by his pet rock’s ancestors. Thank you Gary for this whimsical invention.
26
The high water mark of pure capitalism.
7
Yeah, it was dumb, but was it any dumber than using real money to buy fake "feed" for your fake animals in your fake life in "Farmville"?
Fads come and go, and they always will. The only constant is the human desire for the next-new-thing, even if it's as cheesy as a mineral pet or bell bottom jeans or vinyl car roofs...
Fads come and go, and they always will. The only constant is the human desire for the next-new-thing, even if it's as cheesy as a mineral pet or bell bottom jeans or vinyl car roofs...
13
Yup ,I remember stopping by my Parent's house one time and seeing their Pet Rock. I believe it was a Xmas gift that year. It gave us all some good smiles and good vibes.
As they has been said here - Rock On Mr. Dahl.
As they has been said here - Rock On Mr. Dahl.
13
I was in college in Northern Wisconsin, Ashland to be specific, when the Pet Rock hit the market - most crazes passed us by up there, but this one didn't. My Jersey pal, Woof, had one, and when word came out that a Pet Rock convention was going to be held in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, of all places, in January or February of 1976, I recall that we talked about going - after all, Sault Ste. Marie was only a hop, skip & a jump down US 2 from Ashland. But I do know that we didn't, and I would imagine that it was probably because we were too stoned. Good times, those.
16
I was a new college grad in NYC when Pet Rocks were featured as the "it" display on the first floor of Bloomingdale's. It was the same season when Bloomingdale's windows drew demonstrators disgusted by the offensiveness of a Japanese designer's clothes that were piles of dark rags like those worn by the homeless who were then living everywhere on NY streets. All of these memories are light, and it's nice that memory does that. But I also recall a sense of revulsion and nervousness about those stupid rocks and the willingness of so many people to drop $4 (a lot of money to someone like me in that recession nearly as bad as this last one). There was just something so.. insensitive? Clueless?
1
When we discussed whether we should buy a pet rock, I remember just what she was wearing (my "significant other" at the time), it wasn't a mini, but a kind of mini-shorts. Young love, good times riding up and down the West Coast in an MG Midget, eating fresh caught wild crabs. I guess we were really discussing the state of the relationship, not the pet rock. Wild and happy times.
9
I am surprised that such a silly thing can be sold and there is a significant amount of crowd out there to buy it! With internet it has become much more easy to find that kind of crowd! It means there is always some people who buy anything on earth if offered on sale.. like selling land on moon or bitcoins! ..provided you create a myth or package it well .. just like Gary Dahl !
1
Actually, there was no internet back then, we had actual stores you could walk into and buy stuff. The crowd you refer to were mostly still dealing with the stress of war and inequality. So, I see owning a pet rock in '75 was a great way to regain a whimsical sense of humor and fun. Thanks to Mr. Dahl, we had a fun--and cheap--way to do that.
3
And NYT readers, apart from being the best bunch of commenters on the internet, also have a sense of humour! Love it.
10
How a moment of magic radiates ... and creates an emotional tribe called to the council fire over time and distances for this celebration. Thank you Gary. Rock on! And thank you Margalit. For lighting up a deck of memories that might have gone to dust.
7
The Pet Rock! I remember (vaguely) the hype when I was in grammar school I was 8-9 years old at the time. Though I didn't buy one, I did find my own. I can still remember exactly what that rock looked like (where did it go? I don't know.) I did come up with the creative idea of making a toupee for it. Gee, I wonder if I should have marketed that as an accessory. . .
5
Packaged a sense of humour. Perfect.
12
No pet rocks for me back in the day, mine were all wild, tough to lasso and tough to tame.
11
I remember when this came out. I couldn't believe the success of "a small rock". This the year of the first true "summer blockbuster film" was released: "Jaws". Imagine how much more money he would have made if it was today with the speed data travels. Even adjusted money, and the different social setting, he may have earned 100 fold what he made then. Good for him, and rip.
8
Such a sweet, sweet man with a gift for words.
9
During Christmas break at college, I worked at a department store in NYC which sold these rocks. One customer asked me to open a half dozen boxes as she carefully examined each rock. None met her standards. After asking to see another half dozen, I told her to hit the park and fill the box with her own perfect rock, I was dispatched to the top floors for a stern talk followed by their version of a quick "re-education" program on customer service. It was curative--I never worked retail again and haven't looked back.
35
Fantastic. Lots of people got pleasure from the Pet Rock. You got a better life.
2
Sadly, I never got a Pet Rock. I saved myself for a Chia Pet.
7
This guy was a Cougar! What a scream.
I wonder if he actually got his BA from WSU? The place isn't known for producing marketing geniuses, but maybe he got it from eating too many lentils while he was there...
I wonder if he actually got his BA from WSU? The place isn't known for producing marketing geniuses, but maybe he got it from eating too many lentils while he was there...
2
He was a rock star. I think the Rolling Stones should pay homage to him on their upcoming tour.
8
Mr.Dahl found the secret of creating income equality. He worked for it and made it happen. Bravo!
5
Mr. Dahl seems to have been an entertaining and interesting man, and I am always in favor of free enterprise, but the humor of pet rocks eluded me when they came along and eludes me still. Take the beauty girl pictured here. She is with me 24/7, and I with her. Trouble you, say? Bother? Hardly. She is best
friend, loyal listener, great consoler, wise adviser and welcomes hearing my stories over and over again. I don’t doubt that you can get all of that from a pet rock if you try very hard. But they don’t have beautiful brown eyes.
friend, loyal listener, great consoler, wise adviser and welcomes hearing my stories over and over again. I don’t doubt that you can get all of that from a pet rock if you try very hard. But they don’t have beautiful brown eyes.
Live pets are so "old school." Inanimate objects rock.
1
I remember the delight of discovering a pet rock display in the store. Rest in peace or on to your next incarnation, Mr Dahl.
9
More and more I am convinced that the 70s was the greatest of all decades. You still had the wild freedom of the 60s, but added to that was an even greater dose of sheer 'anything is possible' lunacy and exuberance, backed by some truly fantastic fashion and hairstyles and deliciously bad music. The Pet Rock thing just fits right in there... you gotta love it!
24
Agree absolutely about the 70's. I came of age then and was too young in the 60's to realize what was going on at the time, but looking back - all the great music, groundbreaking social and political questioning of the 60's - it was a very intense time of upheaval, to say the least. The 70's were much more laid back, calm, live and let live - kind of a release from the seriousness of the previous decade. People didn't feel like they had to go to a gym (much less belong), worry about making a lot of money, or go to a political rally or protest every night. Just be cool, listen to Gordon Lightfoot, the Eagles, the Bee Gees. Make a date with a long-haired girl, take a walk in a windy park, or a drive along the lake...
We took ourselves way too seriously in the 60's or 80's for a pet rock to have worked.
We took ourselves way too seriously in the 60's or 80's for a pet rock to have worked.
2
The memory of the constant disco music is still traumatic.
I agree. The 60's set us free and fostered the "anything goes" 70's. No way could you get away with the early days on Saturday Night Live or All in the Family anymore. Vietnam came to an end, draft dodgers were pardoned and Mr. Dahl brought us the Pet Rock.
And then Disco came along and ruined it all!
And then Disco came along and ruined it all!
Could anyone be more deserving of a cairn...?
10
that is brilliant.
forever immortalized too in Office Space, by the inventor of the "Jump to Success" mat with its "Loose two turns" spot. (when exactly did "lose" gain an o?) Challenged on the inanity of his product, he cites the pet rock. When told that was a stupid idea, he said but the guy made a million bucks.
forever immortalized too in Office Space, by the inventor of the "Jump to Success" mat with its "Loose two turns" spot. (when exactly did "lose" gain an o?) Challenged on the inanity of his product, he cites the pet rock. When told that was a stupid idea, he said but the guy made a million bucks.
I got more use from my pet rock than I later did from my Cuisinart fondue maker.
11
Not to jump to conclusions but the pet rock was a really brilliant idea. I mean the guy made a million dollars.
7
Fun writing by Margalit Fox. She explains to me exactly what these things were, I having ignored them in their heyday.
I don't know the history of products of this type; there was the mechanical arm and hand in the box that, when activated, would reach out, turn itself off, and then retreat back into the box. Today there are the meretricious games on Facebook.
Gary Dahl's product made money from our ability to laugh at ourselves. Any person who makes people laugh is a saint.
I don't know the history of products of this type; there was the mechanical arm and hand in the box that, when activated, would reach out, turn itself off, and then retreat back into the box. Today there are the meretricious games on Facebook.
Gary Dahl's product made money from our ability to laugh at ourselves. Any person who makes people laugh is a saint.
7
Remembering all the joke and novelty shops of the day, the "Pet Rock" fit the bill. It is as American as PT Barnum. It was insane, yet hilarious, and it was a cultural "nudge nudge wink wink" of the period. Sounds like he had a humorous sense of the inane. Now he is back with family, a rolling stone...
4
My take-away from Mr. Dahl's life is that neither small fortunes, nor easy-to-care-for pets are the secret to lasting happiness. His life was a bit like winning the lottery: nothing prepares you for the onslaught of greedy humanity waiting to remove the easy money dropped into your lap. Keep in mind the dude was almost 40 before he got lucky. If he wasn't ready by then, he never was going to be. Condolences to his family, and Godspeed to his soul.
31
I gotta wonder how many other light-bulb millionaires are here to speak from experience about the travails of succeeding with a epochally successful fad. My guess is that Dahl made a few glass-half-empty comments and people have blown them up as a cautionary to feel wise. He didn't die broke, and he made more people smile than we'll ever know. A wise life in my eyes.
5
@Bertrand Plastique in LA: dude, there is no template for how to live after inventing a huge fad and cashing in on it. Some may have been immensely glad that they did what they did, but he made the statement that sometimes he wished he had not invented the Pet Rock. Plus I didn't know that actual experience in the topic at hand was a requirement to comment on an article, op-ed, or obituary. If making people smile is wisdom, I'm at least 29 more Recommends from NY Times readers closer to being a genius. By the end of this year, I should be certifiable. As a genius, I mean.
2
As a fellow Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest winner (I won in 2003), I would just like to pass along my condolences to any of Mr. Dahl's friends or family who might be reading this.
I remember the "Pet Rock" craze of the 1970s and I knew a lot of people who had one...and I bet they still have theirs. It's just one of those things you don't throw away -- as it represents all those silly and fond memories of your bygone days. You just can't look at that thing, sitting inside its perforated air-hole "transportation crate", and not smile. Seriously, what better legacy IS there to leave than knowing you brought a smile to the faces of so many people? I can't think of one.
Rock on, Gary, rock on. :)
I remember the "Pet Rock" craze of the 1970s and I knew a lot of people who had one...and I bet they still have theirs. It's just one of those things you don't throw away -- as it represents all those silly and fond memories of your bygone days. You just can't look at that thing, sitting inside its perforated air-hole "transportation crate", and not smile. Seriously, what better legacy IS there to leave than knowing you brought a smile to the faces of so many people? I can't think of one.
Rock on, Gary, rock on. :)
118
This has got to be one of the most entertaining obituaries I've ever read. Mr. Dahl had a rare gift: to make people laugh and lighten up, even in the comments section of the NY Times. It's great to see his most dreadful prose here, too. What a glorious wit and wordsmith!
78
The box / packaging is a 70s design classic.
Who designed the box and graphics?
Who designed the box and graphics?
13
That was my reaction, too, marveling at the sublime design.
Seen from 40 years out, it looks as smart as a good Fluxus piece.
Seen from 40 years out, it looks as smart as a good Fluxus piece.
2
A fabulous invention and sign of the times in the 70's when rock was at it's best. You rock Mr. Dahl.
18
Just so we're clear, $4 in 1975 is roughly $18 now. Very clever.
36
My brother took his family on a vacation to Colorado this spring. They included the pet rock because he was family after all. Sadly, the pet rock suffered irrevocable damage due to a fall down a flight of stairs. In honor of his passing, while pitching him over a cliff, they sang his favorite song, "Rocky Mountain High".
50
I don't see the name Randall Grahm in the survivors credits. Urban legend has it that Grahm, aka The Rhone Ranger, founded Bonny Doon Winery in Santa Cruz in 1983 using Pet Rock money, allegedly from a relative or his father. The wacky wine labels of Bonny Doon -- Big House Red, Cardinal Zin, Le Cigar Volant -- would tend to support this. Anybody know for sure?
2
yes i know for sure. Of course I'll never tell.
1
Laugh while you can. Pet Rocks in original packaging were selling for $40 on eBay before their creator's death. His heirs might well be set for life.
17
But was/were the seller(s) members of Dahl's family, or just folks who'd bought large supplies when the bottom dropped out in anticipation of a resurgence in interest?
2
Knock off rocks from China
4
She scoffs and says, "A pet rock?! what a stupid idea. Who in their right mind would pay for something that they can get for free?"
"What? Just because it comes in a fancy package? Some people are so dumb."
And with that she picks up her $2 bottle of domestic tap water and walks away.
"What? Just because it comes in a fancy package? Some people are so dumb."
And with that she picks up her $2 bottle of domestic tap water and walks away.
152
I remember the pet rock. It was so cool! It was a groovy time back then. Having a rock as a pet. I wish America could bring the pet rock back. It would so fit in with socialized media. I'm surprised the Presidents since then have not had pet rocks. That would be so cool if the President had a pet rock. He could place it on his desk and say this is my pet rock, nobody else's, mine. My rock, go away, get your own rock! Yeah, that would be, like, so cool.
16
Funny guy. :)
1
I guess I'm an old curmudgeon. I was dirt poor in the 1970s, and would never have considered spending money on a rock (except, perhaps, the very shiny kind that Marilyn Monroe sang about in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"). Mr. Dahl's story is a perfect example of the H.L. Mencken adage: "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
21
I was going to school in Silicon Valley in '75 and '76, just down the road from Los Gatos. Those rocks were everywhere, though I can tell you that the average college student had better things to do with four bucks than buy a rock.
The '70s were not years of profound ideas, but definitely of wacky ones. Everybody wanted to be different, make money, and not work too hard. Smiley buttons, mood rings, puka beads, carrot cake, wine coolers, CB radios, astrology ("what's your sign?"), pyramid schemes: it was a sort of escapism. Because the air was slowly coming out of widespread American prosperity and we could feel it; but nobody knew exactly why.
Five miles from Los Gatos Silicon Valley would soon boom with wealth beyond the dreams of avarice, as would selected other metropolitan areas -- as industry gradually drained from the Rust Belt and small towns, either replaced by technology and overseas workers. Meanwhile we disco'ed and line-danced and tequila-sunrised and what's-you-signed ourselves into distraction as the big glitter ball turned and gleamed.
The '70s were not years of profound ideas, but definitely of wacky ones. Everybody wanted to be different, make money, and not work too hard. Smiley buttons, mood rings, puka beads, carrot cake, wine coolers, CB radios, astrology ("what's your sign?"), pyramid schemes: it was a sort of escapism. Because the air was slowly coming out of widespread American prosperity and we could feel it; but nobody knew exactly why.
Five miles from Los Gatos Silicon Valley would soon boom with wealth beyond the dreams of avarice, as would selected other metropolitan areas -- as industry gradually drained from the Rust Belt and small towns, either replaced by technology and overseas workers. Meanwhile we disco'ed and line-danced and tequila-sunrised and what's-you-signed ourselves into distraction as the big glitter ball turned and gleamed.
35
What do you have against puma beads? (I proudly wore mine home from Hawaii only to see them everywhere).
1
Funny thing is despite his joke on everyone, we still keep buying "Pet Rocks" of one kind or the other. Whether it is any of the celebrity fads - Kim Kardashian, Survivor, Big Brother, yada yada, or the various religion-themed shows, including the ones called Megachurches, Trickle-Down Economics, Religious Fundamentalism of various flavors, Wars where we will be greeted as Liberators, News Shows, Fox News and MSNBC, CNN, ... I am getting weary just trying to edit out the various things that come to mind when trying to make the list.
At least the Pet Rock came in a nice package with a nice set of instructions (according to those who bought them) and were handy gifts for boy/girlfriends to give to each other. And have a good laugh. Lot better than Blood Diamonds obviously.
At least the Pet Rock came in a nice package with a nice set of instructions (according to those who bought them) and were handy gifts for boy/girlfriends to give to each other. And have a good laugh. Lot better than Blood Diamonds obviously.
33
Sekhar: You say it and your words open up fundamental thougths. The value about the pet rock is its symbolism and naked and honest display of the cults all of us are participating in in some way. It deserves a place in the MoMa, as a mirror of the insanities of our lives, in essence the efforts to make sense of it all. The result is a vast range of solutions, from the Siddharta to the Kardashian type on a personal and from a democratic state to ISIS on the political level. The social media lubricate even more the frenzy and support the feeling of belonging and not missing the party under whatever system it takes place. We get our reality checks and shocks from a single Germanwing tragedy or from the ongoing political upheavals that show that underneath all is a hidden brutal human reality which we try to contain.
7
Loved the picture. I believe this very same picture is on the wall of every modern mixologist's bathroom as they groom their beards before reporting to work. Thanks Gary; you were a real Dahl.
17
Another great obituary by Margalit Fox. Thank you Ms. Fox.
14
I had two Pet Rocks - twins - and one could sense what the other was feeling, even if one was in the den, enviously watching the family hamster spin on his wheel, and the other in my bedroom, dutifully holding down my English-class essay draft. RIP, Gary. You made many people allergic to animal dander feel less alone.
42
So it was 1975. My aging memory would have placed it later in that decade.
4
Me too. I begged my mother to get my one. They were cute.
1
he was my dad's best friend and I will always remember the stories. Great entrepreneur- just like my dad.
18
Gary Dahl, a true Rock Star. Thanks for the entertainment. RIP.
33
Having a stupid but funny idea is the easy part
I've thought about pet rocks years before they went on the market. I've envisioned Miracle Cards, like baseball cards but they would celebrate bible stories snd appeal to born again folks, as well.
But putting an idea in action or production requires more than inspiration. It takes hard work.
So, hats off to Mr. Dahl for his wacky, appealing idea and his ambition. Rest in peace.
I've thought about pet rocks years before they went on the market. I've envisioned Miracle Cards, like baseball cards but they would celebrate bible stories snd appeal to born again folks, as well.
But putting an idea in action or production requires more than inspiration. It takes hard work.
So, hats off to Mr. Dahl for his wacky, appealing idea and his ambition. Rest in peace.
24
Yup, you are so right. I get ideas everyday, but putting anything into production is difficult and distribution is harder. Dahl (and company) had a lot more goin' on than just an idea. Hats off, sir.
1
Diamonds are rocks too. And everyone takes them seriously.
16
And -- like gold -- aside from some industrial uses, they have no intrinsic value. Diamonds, and gold, are pretty and shiny, but so are a lot of less valuable substances. They are hard to find and extract from the earth and process, and not every nation has them, and this difficulty adds to their allure.
The Pet Rock is a different phenomenon. You're buying the packaging. You're buying the idea. You're dressing yourself in borrowed wit, like a stand-up comic who never writes his own material. Pity 'Mad Men' doesn't run up to 1974 (at least, I don't think it will); I can just imagine a scene of Don Draper with a client, parsing the appeal of the Pet Rock.
The Pet Rock is a different phenomenon. You're buying the packaging. You're buying the idea. You're dressing yourself in borrowed wit, like a stand-up comic who never writes his own material. Pity 'Mad Men' doesn't run up to 1974 (at least, I don't think it will); I can just imagine a scene of Don Draper with a client, parsing the appeal of the Pet Rock.
2
And start as coal.
Love all the comments so far. I'm a soil scientist and often too many rocks in the way digging a hole. Never would have paid money to buy one but I did collect ones I liked. What a fun fad the Pet Rock was.
20
It was silly and funny. Brought some humor to the world. What's wrong with that? Not a bad thing to be remembered for.
75
I was disappointed that I didn't know my pet rock's birthdate to an accuracy of better than 50 million years. We threw a party for her every Earth Day.
I left her to my girlfriend because I'm sedimentary that way.
I left her to my girlfriend because I'm sedimentary that way.
163
You might have been able to pinpoint your pet rock's age by checking where she was born. If it was in the bible belt, it obviously couldn't have been more than 6000 years.
97
Sounds like you took your girlfriend for granite.
103
Also, a lot of people to day would see a pet rock and unhealthy, as it isn't organic.
3
America,indeed the world, lost one of its greatest rock sellers today.
11
Would he qualify as a "Rock Star"? Why not?
Did he at any time or did his buyers at any time, ROLL these rocks? Is there evidence of Rocking and Rolling present? If so, shouldn't he qualify for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You know like Soup is Dinner if you crumble any crackers in it!
Did he at any time or did his buyers at any time, ROLL these rocks? Is there evidence of Rocking and Rolling present? If so, shouldn't he qualify for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You know like Soup is Dinner if you crumble any crackers in it!
3
You mean rock stars?
2
For me, it was a scam and a sham. Very disturbing to see that people spent their money on this. Go to the park and pick one up if you must, but buy one? no. He certainly created desire, which is what's its' all about I guess.
1
Hey. We're having fun here.
53
Hello Suzin ! My how I have benefitted from the scam. My mother bought the pet rock for us Christmas 1975. We got a huge howl out of it. And reading the clever and funny comments above have me laughing even more. Laughter is priceless, one of the great medicines for the soul. Thank you, Mr. Dahl ! My I suggest, Suzin, that you "go the park and pick one up" and then let us know if you laughed?
5
He wasn't selling rocks, Suzin, he was selling a fantasy. What's wrong with that, if the buyers see value in the fantasy?
7
My boyfriend got me a pet rock, he found it. We kept it in a bird cage in our Farnham, Surrey home. Her name was Petra.
14
Nothing sums up the wastefulness and profligacy of the boomer generation more than this article. there is no dollar amount they won't spend in order to "feel good".
2
Three dollars and 95 cents, even in 1975, was not profligate.
14
You're talking about the other generations.
I feel best when I am having a good time for free, but I guess that's exactly equal to "no dollar amount".
I feel best when I am having a good time for free, but I guess that's exactly equal to "no dollar amount".
5
Nonsense! don't be such a curmudgeon.
To spend $4 for something that amuses you.... that gives you and your friends a good laugh.... to celebrate a creative idea.... why not?
To spend $4 for something that amuses you.... that gives you and your friends a good laugh.... to celebrate a creative idea.... why not?
28
One unfortunate outcome of the Pet Rock phenomenon was, when the novelty wore off and they stopped being cute and their owners got bored with them, thousands wound up abandoned alongside roads, in quarries, etc. No one wanted to adopt them. The spay and neuter program worked well, though.
119
Were there no no-kill shelters for abandoned rocks in those days?
25
At leaster it's better than plastic bags, which will be here long after people are on this planet.
I enjoyed the joke for free: $4 is comparable to $18 today.
1
My high school sweetheart gave me one for Christmas in 75'. I still have it.
17
Geniuses like this are too rare... His care and feeding guide is reminiscent of the instructions which came with the BunaB, a novelty from the 50's.
http://www.samueljohnson.com/bunab/
http://www.samueljohnson.com/bunab/
3
Pet Rocks, I recall them but never purchased one. They were "in", the thing to buy and owned and talk about in certain circles. Back then I wanted to be "with It'. I am eccentric, a bit odd, but I could, for the life of me, buy something I could pick up for free on any street, playground and or yard in Brooklyn, New York, where I was born and lived at the time the Pet Rock crazed hit town.
1
I trained my pet rock to help me with all the bills. He makes sure they don't blow away
100
The best part of the Pet Rock Kit was the book that came with it. Priceless.
8
When Momofuko Ando, the inventor of instant Ramen noodles died, I went and bought a bunch, in homage, having not eaten them since the University.
13
RIP Gary Dahl.
If nothing else, Pet Rock symbolizes slightly crazy - to some, very crazy - seventies. Someone in the office where I worked brought one and we couldn't stop talking about it.
If nothing else, Pet Rock symbolizes slightly crazy - to some, very crazy - seventies. Someone in the office where I worked brought one and we couldn't stop talking about it.
10
I'm too young to have had a pet rock. I find it funny to come read all the nostalgic comments,, lauding the idea's simplicity and whimsy, by people who daily come to these pages to rant about the "wastefulness" and "vapidness" of the things young people spend their money on.
7
While you clearly missed the hype, you can buy one today on Amazon for $12.95. It even includes a walking leash.
7
Lighten up, Heather . . .
25
Aw, Heather, let us old timers have our memories, without the guilt trip, okay?
3
I had the mother of all the other pet rocks. She died giving birth while on vacation in Mexico. Thank you Mr. Dahl, for finding homes for all those orphans.
32
I got my pet rock and soon after read a poster that a teacher had put in her classroom. There was a picture of a bird on the poster flying out of a cage. It said: "If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you it was, and always will be yours. If it never comes back then it was never yours to begin with."
So I took my pet out and threw it into the woods.
I guess it was never mine to begin with.
So I took my pet out and threw it into the woods.
I guess it was never mine to begin with.
137
That's funny, I also had a pet rock too, and my teacher also had a poster with a picture of a bird flying out of a cage. But my teacher's poster said, "If you love something, let it go free; if it comes back it's yours forever, and if it doesn't come back, then hunt it down and kill it." So I threw my pet rock into the woods. And when it didn't come back and went and found it and crushed it with a sledge hammer into rubble. That rubble is still in my backyard today.
8
Rock on, Steve! Cast your fate to the wind . . .
5
Mine was named "Rock."
11
Hey where do you think Dwayne Johnson got his wrestling name?
Our pet rock was lonely as it sat on the windowsill overlooking the outside feral rocks mingling around the garden parameter, so we placed him with his own species - and ended up with a Chia pet.
50
Makes me wonder if all the inventions of today's wunderkinds - snapchat and its ilk - will be tomorrow's pet rocks.
9
Don't forget "likes."
1
Americans are born consumers; they will purchase anything.
7
Only Americans. No one else ever paid thousands for a tulip bulb.
51
Hey. We/re having fun here.
39
Indeed.
4
Amazing concept- package something commonplace, invest it with new associations- and sell it at many times its value. Very similar to what Apple is doing now with the watchband.
34
Well, someone had to snipe at Apple at some point.
If you think the Pet Rock is analogous to the iWatch, then you have not been paying attention since the 70s.
If you think the Pet Rock is analogous to the iWatch, then you have not been paying attention since the 70s.
7
Oh, Jack M, you must know better than (and for) the many millions of people around the world who benefit from Apple products. I write this on my MacBook Air, my 12th or 13th Apple computer in ca. 20 years. Please let us know what product or service you have developed and marketed which people have freely purchased?
1
Marketing, baby, marketing. 'Twas ever thus. :)
2
My ex-wife got ours in the divorce.
189
And you got the kids?
Seems fair to me!
Seems fair to me!
2
My pet rock was my best friend, till a car ran him over,
45
A singular and extremely original thought - the Pet Rock. He deserved every cent he ever earned from that idea. Too bad we do not currently have very many original thinkers..........
70
I heard he was working on the Pet Rock app when he passed.
24
Working for the State of California in Sacramento at that time we used to give these Pets as presents to our colleges (birth days, weddings, promotion, etc.). I also got one and still feel the honor of being included. I also gave it to a young woman once who was less than pleased and seriously thought of banging my head with it.
23
I know the bar in Los Gatos where he came up with the idea, bought one as a gift for my father. We had a good laugh over it. And later when I was 21, my friend and I used to visit his bar/saloon "Carrie Nation's" on Santa Cruz Avenue in Los Gatos where, near the back, a large painting of a pet rock was proudly mounted on the wall.
Of course, use of the name Carrie Nation was also in fun, as she was a leader in the temperance movement before Prohibition, known for using a hatchet to attack liquor drinking establishments!
As Jeff here wrote, may he rest in peace on a bed of excelsior. (Funny, I never knew what that stuff is called!)
Of course, use of the name Carrie Nation was also in fun, as she was a leader in the temperance movement before Prohibition, known for using a hatchet to attack liquor drinking establishments!
As Jeff here wrote, may he rest in peace on a bed of excelsior. (Funny, I never knew what that stuff is called!)
56
Me neither but it sounded like an appropriate place to rest in eternity.
8
Just curious, did anyone ever take their Pet Rock to a vet? Get it fixed? Fly it in baggage on a plane?
11
Sadly, today I don't think it would not get through the air marshall search prior to boarding. Talk about a different social era. Oy.
1
Four bucks in 1975 was a chunk of change. Who bought these rocks?
2
There must have been hundreds of thousands of buyers, if not more than a million!
2
Working people had disposable income in the 70s. It was no big deal to shop or buy anything. Times are different for people today. The Rock was a sign or our economic freedom-- we could afford to be frivolous and to engage in a joke.
17
It was an easy joke gift that both mocked and celebrated consumerism.
12
Thanks, Mr. Dahl. Fortunately in the 70's we lived in a town with a pet rock rescue, so my pet "Rocky" had the added virtue of being abandoned and recycled. RIP Rocky.
24
We give you full make for being creative.
Can you send me a "sign" as to what bar in 'Gatos you conceived the idea? I'm just down the road and wish to pay my respects.....
Rest in peace.....
Can you send me a "sign" as to what bar in 'Gatos you conceived the idea? I'm just down the road and wish to pay my respects.....
Rest in peace.....
3
Greatest idea ever spawned from Star Trek's tribbles. I named my pet rock Fluffy.
35
Except tribbles made noise (a soothing purr), reproduced like mad, and ate everything in sight (particularly quadrotriticale).
Love the name 'Fluffy', though.
Love the name 'Fluffy', though.
Both were precious Mother's Day gifts from my son. Lost the tribbles in one of my moves, but Pet Rock still lives. Having a great time reading the fun comments.
1
I thought it was a fun idea, but I went out and tamed a wild rock for myself. Even as a kid, I wasn't throwing money away. My pet rock slept in a barrette cradle.
39
Rock on, Gary, into eternal stony bliss. (When you land on the afterlife's spent newspaper, you'll know what to do.)
18
my favorite concepts were the straw bed and air holes for transport! ha!
20
The care and feeding book that came with it was the best.
5
I have 1,975 pet rocks in my one acre garden, the same as I had in 1975, because they are averse to breeding. Neither do they die. Since my garden has been designated "A National Monument of Historical Interest ", it is not possible to erect a high-rise on top of them. Mister Dahl came all the way down here to picnic with the pet rocks many years ago. The pet rocks ignored him completely so he went home before the meal [hard boiled rocks] was over.
10
Perhaps Mr. Dahl's greatest contribution is the descriptive phrase "Pet Rock", which can describe people and situations in a way like no other.
23
Gary, may you rest in peace on a bed of excelsior.
129
When ours died we buried it in the back yard.
203
How did you know it was dead? ;)
6
Did it stop breathing?
1
Very good one!
I want to thank him. I would pay $4 for a short humor book (instruction manual) and be happy to get a free rock in the deal.
54
I was in 7th grade at the time and I remember Pet Rocks well, even though I didn't have one myself. They were a huge fad, along with mood rings, and I kind of envied the kids at school who had one but I also thought the whole thing was pretty silly. Reading this brought back a rush of nostalgia for the "good ol' days'.
65
The mood ring was WAY silly.
2
I was pleased to see the author acknowledge the showmanship of the product. Many might dismiss it as a scam, but Dahl sold a joke, a wink -- a bit of whimsy. You can do worse for four bucks.
193
This brings back memories. I was 12 at the time this fad was at its peak. I never bought a Pet Rock, but found an oval, smooth rock somewhere in my neighborhood. I brought it home, and placed it on my bookshelf, and called it my pet rock. Mr. Dahl's creation certainly captured the public's imagination. The 1970's was an eclectic decade, that's for sure.
55
A rescue rock. Bless you.
6
Very sad. I'll think of him tonight, when I grab her leash and take my pet rock out for her walk.
102
Nice, but I'm wondering how you know yours is female.
4
Ha ha ha ha, Sophie. Did you make your "Choice" yet?
1
Gooo one!
1
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/401383385515533490/