The act of hypnotizing a horse.
Hypnosis is the induction of a sleep or trance-like state of consciousness in another individual, bringing with it increased suggestibility. While sometimes used clinically as a form of therapy, there is also a long history of performative (and often staged) hypnosis in vaudeville, medicine shows, and other venues.
Popular culture often tends to reduce the concept to tropes such as a swinging watch, the phrase "look into my eyes," and "you are getting sleepy." An influential mesmerist character is Svengali from the 1897 novel Trilby, who hypnotizes a young woman into becoming a stage star. In cartoons (and Muppet projects), hypnotists and their subjects often develop dazed or red colored eyes to indicate the hypnosis process.
Instances[]
- In some of his earliest appearances on Sesame Street, Count von Count possessed the ability to hypnotize individuals. His debut sketch has him temporarily putting Bert and Ernie in a trance to count their blocks. In another sketch, he hypnotizes Grover and has him bring him an endless supply of hot dogs.
- Episode 324 of The Muppet Show sees Gonzo performing the art of hypnosis. He hypnotizes a set of chickens to act like dogs and later hypnotizes himself, successfully allowing himself to effortlessly lift a large weight (until he breaks himself from the trance).
- Dr. Salamander performs a hypnosis act on Pops in episode 520 of The Muppet Show.
- Bugsy hypnotizes a horse (and then vice-versa) in episode 523 of The Muppet Show.
- In the Fraggle Rock episode "Sidebottom Blues," Sidebottom (taking full control over Boober's body) is able to hypnotize Junior Gorg.
- Dr. Bunsen Honeydew attempts to use hypnosis to cure Heather Locklear of her experiment-induced mood swings in episode 203 of Muppets Tonight.