Halloween Decoration Goes Viral For All The Wrong Reasons. Creator Swears It's Not What You Think
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Halloween is a holiday everyone can enjoy. Kids go trick-or-treating, teens get to feel free for one night (and maybe cause a little lighthearted chaos), and adults get to loosen up a bit and maybe have a few drinks and wear a steamy costume. And, for people who don't want to get scared, there are some great Hallmark Channel Halloween movies. Usually, these elements are kept separate, but when the pieces cross over, it can be cause for alarm. And that is what happened with one very fun pumpkin decoration that has some parents upset.
The Jabberin' Jack Talking Animated Pumpkin has an animated face that tells jokes and sings along with nine pre-programmed songs. And while eight of the songs are family-friendly, one tune, "Wicked for One Night," is a little too sensual for young ears. Parents were quick to post videos of Jabberin' Jack's crooning to warn others before they went out and got one for themselves.
This is what I was talking about https://t.co/dRd3wjuJHS pic.twitter.com/a1EjFYiJ9z
— Macy 🛸 (@mace_face18) September 14, 2026
The origin of the song also became a question, as people began to think it was yet another example of AI ruining everything, but the songwriter swears that this isn't the case — and he definitely did not write it with kids in mind. While most people think the song is funny, some users on X were shocked by the surprisingly seductive tune that has lyrics like "Come closer, I have a kiss for you, and it tastes like pumpkin pie" and "Guide you with the darkest deeds and spoil you with my roasted pumpkin seeds." One user asked, "who thought this was a good idea," while another commented, "My family calls it the horny pumpkin."
The songwriter has come out to defend himself
No one was as surprised by "Wicked for One Night" becoming a viral sensation as Peter McEvilley. The musician wrote the song in 2019 and admits that the seductive nature of the lyrics was intended, but it was never meant to be a song for kids. He explained to Business Insider, "I'm not sure who he was supposed to be seducing, but the idea is that behind the villainous facade, there's a lonely pumpkin who wants to be loved." He also wants people to know that the song wasn't created with AI, adding, "There'll never be another time where a human can create something and somehow convince people that AI was not involved in some way."
McEvilley was hired to write songs for the Halloween decoration and recorded demo versions for approval. The final version is sung by someone else, and McEvilley believes they added the "my" to "spoil you with my roasted pumpkin seeds." Without the extra word, the lyric is far less suggestive, better fitting with what McEvilley was going for.
George Balanchi of Midescope Products, the company behind Jabberin' Jack Talking Animated Pumpkin, responded to worried parents: "We're sorry the song has caused discomfort. Our goal is to bring the Halloween spirit into a fun and creative decoration," before promising that the controversial song will be replaced when a new version comes out in 2027. In the meantime, there are plenty of other great Halloween decorations that moms and dads can put around the house.