Section 6: In Jokes/Refrences

6.1 - What's with the red, white, and blue ball?
The ball is another example (like their name) of a symbol of childhood. Didn't everybody have one of these when they were a kid? If not, it's a rubber ball, half red, half blue, with a white stripe about the center. This is sometimes referred to as a 'Gordon Ball'. It's not related to the similar looking Pepsi logo.

6.2 - What's Kraft Dinner? Why is it important?
Kraft Dinner is the brand name for the product known in the US as Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Steven Page explains: "We all know it's the cheesiest, so you can call it Kraft Macaroni and Cheese or Kraft Cheese and Macaroni, or just shut up and call it Kraft Dinner like we do up in Canada."
Kraft Dinner appears at the end of the second chorus of IIHAMD. As a cheap food, it symbolizes in the song that, while the protagonist would be able to afford fancier things, he would just as well prefer the simple Kraft Dinner he always had. He'd just eat more.
During the live performance of this song, a tradition developed to throw boxes of KD onstage. It began as a joke, with playful tossing, but eventually, people began to whip the boxes at band members, and they would open with cheese packets exploding. It is no longer considered appropriate to throw KD during BNL shows. The band put up signs, offered food bank donation boxes at live shows, and had security search for boxes at previous shows to try to discourage KD throwing. The band doesn't like it - so please don't throw! ("Those in the know don't throw!")

"The first show I remember that happening was the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto. Nov. 1991."
-Steve, yahoo chat, 1999

6.3 - What else is thrown onstage?
Following the release of Pinch Me as a single in 1999, the KD throwing tradition was replaced by a new tradition. Just prior to the lyric "I just made you say underwear", undergarments are thrown onstage. Ed often changes the lyric to "I just made you throw underwear", if it's thrown. Usually, Steve, Kevin and Ed will hang a piece of underwear from the stage on the ends of their guitars.
Occasionally, someone will throw a stuffed monkey during the lyric in IIHAD, "Haven't you always wanted a monkey?"
Now, with the release of Another Postcard (Chimps), objects of monkey-ness are being thrown. During the lyric "Depraved chimps, dressed up in the women's underwear", underwear has sort of Replaced underwear throwing since Pinch Me is no longer certain to be played at shows. I've noticed that it's sometimes underwear with a monkey theme too.

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