Koosh Balls - Small balls covered with soft rubber tentacles and an elastic appendage used to fling the toy into the air. The Koosh Balls were the favorite prop of comedian Rosie O'Donnell on her daytime talk show THE ROSIE O'DONNELL SHOW/SYN/1996-2001. After one year on the air, it was estimated that Rosie had shot some 16,328 Kooshballs at the camera lens or audience members (per Tricia Laine of Entertainment Weekly). Rosie's TV desk was filled with a number of other toys including the tiny promotional toys given away at McDonald's Restaurants. She has an extensive collection of these toys in her home and she claims to be able to notice if even one of her figures had been moved from their proper place. TRIVIA NOTE: The Koosh Ball was actually invented for young children to teach them how to "catch." Engineer Scott Stillinger invented the prototype in 1987 out of a bunch of tied rubber bands. The small bunching of rubber bands (that made it easy for kid's little fingers to grasp onto the object) was later merchandised as the energy-absorbent porcupine dubbed the "Koosh Ball" after the sound it made when it landed in the hands of children. Manufactured by OddzOn Products, the Koosh Ball incorporates 5000 rubbery fibers into each ball.