A rubber chicken is a latex replica of a backyard chicken used as a visual gag by comedians. Its origins are unclear, but theories suggest it was used as a talisman during the French Revolution or by a British mime in the 1800s. The modern version was produced by Loftus Novelties in the 1930s and is still used by clowns and stage comedians.
A rubber chicken is a fully plucked but otherwise intact replica of a backyard chicken made from a latex injection mold, much like the latex rubber masks often sold at Halloween. Slapstick and stage comedians traditionally produce a rubber chicken as a crude visual gag, perhaps as the anchor of an endless supply of knotted handkerchiefs or a “blackjack” used to slap other hapless performers or audience members.
The origins of the rubber chicken continue to be somewhat obscure, although there are at least three interesting theories. Some historians suggest that soldiers serving during the French Revolution attached rubber chickens to the ends of their muskets, ostensibly as talismans or good luck charms. The practice may also have been used as psychological warfare, antagonizing the enemy through silent accusations of cowardice at gunpoint.
Another theory traces the history of this item to a pioneer of the slapstick and prop comedy genres who performed during the 1800s. Joseph Grimaldi was a white-faced British mime who routinely mocked upper-class excesses in his act. Since one of the hallmarks of the upper-class lifestyle was gluttony, Grimaldi stuffed his costume with rubber props, including a rubber chicken produced for comedic effect.
While these claims certainly support the idea of rubberized poultry being used for dubious comedic purposes, the modern concept of the rubber chicken could not have been produced without the advent of a latex rubber injection molding system. A fledgling novelty company in the 1930s called Loftus Novelties is often credited with producing the most recognizable modern version, complete with an open mouth, extended neck and outstretched legs. This hollow latex chicken is the model most likely to be used by modern cartoonists and jugglers. While the entertainment value of a rubber chicken may have declined in recent years, the prop is still considered a classic among clowns and stage comedians.
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