After the Hai Karate launch was incredibly successful, Pfizer asked if we could come up with a line extension. After rejecting "Haier Karate" and the like, we came up with "Rated X."

The idea was inspired by Bob Staats, a production house rep who had been in the 1971  movie, "The Projectionist" with Les McCann and Rodney Dangerfield.  Bob had started in the business selling "Slice-O-Matic" type products on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. His stage name was E. Eddie Edwards.

 Unlike Hai Karate, this idea was tested

in north Jersey somewhere. It flopped. Probably because it was ahead (or behind) its time.

 Tom and I later animated the character as "Professor Rutabaga" in our NBC Saturday morning show, "Drawing Power."