Editing Sock puppet (section)

==Uses==
Sock puppets are often used for the education and entertainment of children. They can be used in elaborate puppet shows or children's plays, much as marionettes would be. The process of making sock puppets is popularly taught as a creative activity in elementary schools. Many schools teach children to make sock puppets, which the students use to stage a [[play (theatre)|play]] or [[Musical theatre|musical]].

[[Image:Mick Foley and Socko.jpg|thumb|left|Pro wrestler [[Mick Foley]] and his accomplice, Mr. Socko]]
Sock puppets appear in [[children's television series]] where they can be used alone on the puppeteer's hand, without a complex stage or show. Two orange sock puppets named Fu and Fara are used in teaching German children how to read.  In the United States, children's entertainer [[Shari Lewis]] was known for her television show ''[[Lamb Chop's Play-Along]]'' featuring the sock puppets [[Lamb Chop (puppet)|Lamb Chop]], Charlie Horse, and Hush Puppy. Sock puppets are often used because they are less intimidating and scary, and, therefore, very child-friendly. In [[Bo Burnham|Bo Burnham's]] ''[[Bo Burnham: Inside|Inside]]'', one of his skits (How the World Works) is a parody of these shows where his sock puppet "Socko" tries to teach children about various injustices and conspiracy theories (such as the [[Martin Luther King Jr. assassination conspiracy theories|FBI killing Martin Luther King]] or the possibility of an [[elitist]] [[pedophile ring]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bo Burnham Inside is the greatest filmmaking achievement of the decade |url=https://www.thedigitalfix.com/bo-burnham/inside-greatest-filmmaking-achievement-of-the-decade |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=The Digital Fix |date=30 May 2022 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Sock puppets have also been used in television programming aimed at adults. The 1980s saw the introduction of the [[Ed the Sock]] character on local cable in Toronto, and the ''[[Sifl and Olly]]'' show aired on [[MTV]] in the 1990s. Both of these were aimed at teenagers and young adults. Sock puppets have also appeared in advertising geared towards adults. During the late 1990s, the [[e-commerce]] company ''[[Pets.com]]'' used a "spokespuppet" in its advertising to much critical acclaim.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.internetworld.com/magazine.php?inc=121500/12.15.00fastforward2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602151348/http://www.internetworld.com/magazine.php?inc=121500%2F12.15.00fastforward2.html |archive-date=2 June 2008 |title=Fast Forward Catching Up With: Pets.com's Spokespuppet |work=Internet World Magazine |publisher=Internet World |date=15 December 2000 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

Sock puppets have also been used as the main figures in comedy videos on the internet, mostly to parody other media phenomena such as films and television series. Additionally, sock puppets have been used in a variety of Human Resource videos to aid in the education of employees regarding effective business practices.

[[Professional wrestling|Professional wrestler]] [[Mick Foley]] has long used a sock puppet by the name of Mr. Socko as an aid in his finishing maneuver, a nerve hold called the Mandible Claw (or Socko Claw), which is usually preceded by Foley theatrically pulling the sock from somewhere on his person. On [[World Wrestling Entertainment]]'s ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' program, this has traditionally been a cue for commentator [[Jerry Lawler]] to complain about "that stinking, sweaty sock!" Mr. Socko has often served as a sidekick for Foley's Mankind character, having been introduced to the world during a skit on WWE television as a means of "cheering up" WWE owner [[Vince McMahon]], who had just been beaten by nemesis [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]]. The sock puppet unexpectedly became a hit with wrestling fans, garnering chants from a crowd of more than 10,000 at the following week's program.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}{{overly detailed inline|date=February 2025}}