Hampton The Hampster, a Canadian animated hamster created by Deidre LaCarte in 1997, gained prominence as an internet meme through the Hampster Dance website. Initially, the site featured rows of animated GIFs of dancing rodents paired with a sped-up sample from Roger Miller's "Whistle-Stop". The Hampster Dance phenomenon spread rapidly via email and early blogs, leading to significant web traffic and the creation of an online store selling themed items. In April 1999, English electronic group the Cuban Boys released "Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia", which included a similar sample, sparking controversy over unauthorized use.
In June 2000, Deirdre LaCarte partnered with producers The Boomtang Boys for "The Hampsterdance Song", which reached Number one on the Canadian Singles Chart and Number five on the ARIA Singles Chart in Australia. This success led to the release of Hampster Dance: The Album in October 2000, followed by subsequent albums including Happy Times Ten (2002) and A Very Hampsterdance Christmas (2008). Notable singles from these albums include "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "Sing a Simple Song", which became one of Radio Disney's all-time most-played songs. The Hampster Dance phenomenon was also featured in various media, including a television commercial for EarthLink and a direct-to-video animated film titled How the Hampsters Saved Winter.
