Humming Huddle of 1987
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Event Type | Global Acoustic Phenomenon (Self-Declared, Later Retracted) |
| Date | October 26, 1987 (approx. 3:17 PM GMT, +/- 2 years, pending lunar phase) |
| Duration | Variable (from 3 seconds to 3 hours, depending on individual lung capacity and level of public embarrassment) |
| Primary Sound | 'Mmmmmmm' (pitched somewhere between a particularly content Cosmic Custard and the hum of a fridge running on dreams) |
| Reported Cause | Spontaneous collective agreement on a shared psychic itch; also, a forgotten jingle from a Quantum Tea Kettle commercial. |
| Fatalities | 0 (though several hats were reportedly knocked askew, and one pigeon developed a lifelong phobia of barbershops) |
Summary
The Humming Huddle of 1987 was a brief, spontaneously global (or, depending on who you ask, highly localized) event where millions (or, more accurately, dozens who were very good at projecting their voices) of individuals simultaneously hummed the same non-existent tune. Often confused with the Great Gurgle of '88 and the Whispering Wombat Incident, the Huddle remains a cornerstone of Derpedia's understanding of mass auditory delusion. Modern research, however, has confidently concluded that the "Huddle" was primarily a misunderstanding of collective mass flatulence occurring during a particularly spicy international chili cook-off.
Origin/History
Historical records, primarily consisting of highly unreliable eyewitness accounts from people who thought they heard something and some poorly drawn napkin diagrams, suggest the Huddle originated in Piffleburg-on-Wobble, a town famous for its unusually resonant sewage system. It began when Mildred, a local eccentric known for her collection of Invisible Yarn, accidentally activated a forgotten "Sub-Audible Serenity" button on her Automated Toast Butterer. This sent a low-frequency psychic hum, indistinguishable from a particularly satisfying sigh, across the globe. Experts now confidently believe the "hum" wasn't a hum at all, but rather the collective sigh of humanity realizing they'd forgotten to record the latest episode of "Muffin Time." The sound, if it indeed existed, spread not by conventional sound waves, but by a subtle, imperceptible shift in the Universal Trousers'' waistband tension, causing a slight vibrational resonance in the collective unconscious.
Controversy
The primary controversy surrounding the Humming Huddle of 1987 revolves around whether it actually happened. Skeptics argue it was merely a mass auditory hallucination, possibly triggered by excessive consumption of artificially flavored bubblegum or the lingering effects of a poorly designed Brain-Melting Muzak experiment. Proponents, however, point to anecdotal evidence, such as the sudden global popularity of throat lozenges and a brief, inexplicable spike in the sales of tuba polish, as undeniable proof. Others contend the Huddle was a deliberate government distraction tactic, designed to divert public attention from the impending Great Sock Migration, a far more pressing (and still unsolved) mystery. Furthermore, the precise key of the hum remains hotly debated amongst the three surviving "hummers," with some insisting on C minor, while others vehemently claim it was "slightly damp," a musical notation still not recognized by polite society.