The Noid was the 'mascot' of Domino's Pizza in the mid to late '80s. Advertising spots on TV often featured a claymation Noid (who looks like a cartoon devil) getting the crap knocked out of him, with the slogan "Avoid the Noid" following. I wish I could remember more.

There was a video game featuring this insidious character. In glorious CGA, your pizza delivery-boy would have to somersault, duck and know which telephones to answer in order to proceed to the top level of the building and unload that hot, steaming, cheesy package. The game was called "Avoid the Noid." It was not as good as Alleycat at a time when both games were pretty much all my computer could handle.

The following incident probably belongs in the category of the truth is stranger than fiction.

It should be noted that the annoying advertising mascot had some real life consequences for an individual with the unfortunate name of Kenneth Lamar Noid.

On January 30, 1989 Noid, the person, not the mascot, waltzed into a Domino’s Pizza store in Atlanta, Georgia and held two employees hostage for over five hours. Noid, later diagnosed as mentally ill, thought the ads and the annoying mascot were a personal attack being perpetrated on him. During their time in captivity, Noid demanded that the employees provide him with a free pizza. In addition, he demanded $100,000 in ransom money, a helicopter as the means for escape and, for some strange reason, a copy of The Widow’s Son which was part of a trilogy known as The Historical Illuminatus Chronicles.

The police ended the standoff peacefully and he was eventually charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, extortion and possession of a firearm. When question by reporters the police chief in charge of the investigation had a succinct reply about the reasons for Noid’s actions.

”He’s paranoid.”

That assessment turned out to be true when Mr. Noid was later found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for the marketing genius at Domino's who came up with the concept in the first place.

Having not seen the ads myself in quite some time, I’m guessing this is just another reason to Avoid the Noid.

*ba-bump*

Source

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noid

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