| hoops&yoyo | |
|---|---|
Hoops (left), Yoyo (right), Piddles (center) |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Hallmark Cards, Hallmark Channel |
| First appearance | 2009 |
| Created by | Bob Holt & Mike Adair |
Hoops & Yoyo (officially styled as hoops&yoyo) are a pair of animated characters featured on Hallmark Cards. The website features E-cards, animated episodes, an "Ask hoops&yoyo" section, desktop and phone wallpapers, audio snippets, IM icons, fan photos, interactive monthly calendars, blog, podcast, games, and merchandise available for purchase. The storylines center around two main characters: Hoops, a pink cat, and Yoyo, a green rabbit, and also feature a few other humorous characters joining them. Hoops and Yoyo tend to get overexcited and commonly start yelling or talking really fast. They both love coffee, cookies, and any treat. They like to do anything that's fun. They're always happy, and always try to have fun no matter what happens.[1]
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Hoops is a pink cat who is often rather hyperactive. His relationship to Yoyo is in some ways like a friend and in others like a big brother. For example, he sometimes hides chocolates from Yoyo and says "tigers" stole them.
Yoyo is a green rabbit. He is excitable and prone to mistakes. Sometimes he has a big role in the card where he only talks, but sometimes he just talks after Hoops.
Piddles, a small blue mouse, is Hoops and Yoyo's best friend.
Chili Bear is Hoops and Yoyo's boss at work.
Marshy is a marshmallow monster that antagonizes Hoops and Yoyo. Marshy also appears in Hoops and Yoyo's nightmares.
Puck is a purple mouse that sometimes appears on the Hoops and Yoyo website's homepages.
Bluebird is a bluebird that appears on the Hoops and Yoyo website.
The characters were used on the Hallmark Channel in November and December 2009 and 2010 as part of a special movie night. This is the first time that Hallmark Cards and Hallmark Channel have collaborated.[2]On November 25, 2011, Hallmark, for the CBS network, made a Christmas TV special with the Hoops&Yoyo characters, entitled Hoops & Yoyo Ruin Christmas.[3]
In December 2005, Hallmark released a Hoops&Yoyo holiday CD entitled Jingle Jingle Wiggle. It features both vocal and instrumental music. All of the music is played by Yoyo. The CD also features the animated short "A Bongo Christmas." They have also released a CD entitled One Donut a Day! on July 1, 2007. It includes 19 short songs.
In 2010, Hallmark pulled an astronomy-themed Hoops&Yoyo "talking" graduation card off shelves after members of the Los Angeles, California chapter of the NAACP claimed that it contained a racist message. The greeting card contained the words: "And you black holes -- you're so ominous! And you planets? Watch your back!" However, the Los Angeles NAACP members felt that the card was offensive because "black holes" sounded like "black whores" in the recording. Hallmark denied that the card was in any way racist, but pulled it from its stores nonetheless.[4]