Fun with TVBGone

I bought Robin a TV-B-Gone for Christmas last year. This little gadget is about the same size as your car door remote but a whole lot more fun. You just point it at nearly any television, press the single button on it, and within seconds, "POOF", the TV turns off.

Now you may be thinking, I already have a remote that turns my TV off. Yes, but will it turn off just about anyone else's TV as well?

Recently we've had to do some time in a few waiting rooms. In one particular case some other folks decided to turn the TV in the room to a foreign language channel and then pump up the volume while we were trying to read. It was a great time for Robin to try out her little gift and it worked flawlessly as we sat in the corner pretending to read our magazines. A guy went and turned the TV back on then sat back down. Robin hit the button again. The guy got up and turned the TV on again. He stood there for a minute to see if it was going to stay on. Finally he returned to his chair and about the time his rump hit the cushion Robin punched the button.

The guy swore and marched back to the TV and turned it on. This time he waited a little longer before returning to his chair. Of course, as soon as he sat down again my Sweetie snickered and hit the button (I'm sooo proud of her!). The guy stood up, said something I recognized as really obscene even though it was in another language, and started digging in the chair cushion, apparently thinking there was a remote stuck in the chair he was sitting on.

Robin and I were doing our best to pretend to read as we shook violently with repressed laughter. The guy went back to the TV, turned it on, and went to a different chair and sat down. Robin let the TV stay on (she's clever as well as beautiful and left it on for a reason - just wait, you'll see). A few minutes later another person came in and sat in the chair the guy had abandoned. Robin hit the button and the TV snapped off (she's sooo cool, in an evil sort of way!).

The other people in the room started telling the new guy, "Don't sit in that chair, it turns the TV off!" while he looked at them like they were crazy. Robin and I had to leave the room, pretending to cough to cover our giggles and fearing a beating if they finally caught on to what was really happening.