⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

The 3 Most Awesomely Absurd Campaigns on Kickstarter Right Now The power of the crowd is real. And so is people's ability to create the wackiest things possible.

By Geoff Weiss

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In its finest form, crowdfunding is egalitarian and beautiful, bestowing everyday people with the power to breathe sudden life into their wildest dreams. Or, it can be a vehicle for the inane -- a platform where potato salad recipes garner tens of thousands of dollars and Exploding Kittens are king.

Today, a cursory glance at Kickstarter can be downright disturbing, with campaigns that seem to parody the crowdfunding paradigm and products that blur the lines of logic, propriety and taste. You see some of these projects and think to yourself, "Come on, is this for real?"

Here are three of the most awesomely absurd projects making the rounds right now:

Related: Pebble Is Launching a New Smartwatch Today on Kickstarter

1. The Cool Baby

With a chilling promotional video vaguely reminiscent of a horror film, Simon Philion of Brooklyn, N.Y., is hoping backers will crave a sip from his forthcoming beverage insulator, which is shaped like a real-life baby featuring a straw protruding from its skull.

Two hundred and ninety-five backers have already pledged almost $16,000 of a $70,000 goal -- which is so high, Philion says, because he may have to use up to three different factories to manufacture the babies' various body parts.

OK, we can't not share the video. Judge for yourself:

Related: Pump Up Your Food Porn Game With This 3-D Photo App

2. Fart in a Jar

Billed as a "multicultural feast of flatulence," this campaign -- which is technically a performance art project -- is vending bottled farts from 80 different countries on all seven continents. The 19-second video for the project, care of Pasadena, Calif., native Roy Stanton, consists exclusively of fart sound effects. But backers aren't being deterred. With 11 days to go, $30,000 has already been pledged of a $10,000 goal.

Yes, people have pledged real money for bottled flatulence.

"Please note that exact fart odor and consistency may vary, even between farts from the same region," writes Stanton, "as dietary fluctuations exist within most countries."

Just, why?

Related: For This Cat Cafe, Crowdfunding With Kickstarter 'Was Never About the Money'

3. The Shrimp Cloud

"Sometimes you want to see shrimp so bad it hurts," says to New York resident and Kickstarter quack Eric Dennis. "It's a pain no person should ever endure."

If this longing sounds familiar, Dennis is looking to quench it with a terabyte's worth of shrimp images -- over two million shrimp, to be exact -- that can be accessed via any device over the cloud.

While Dennis estimates that hosting the shrimp on Google Drive will cost roughly $120 per year, his goal of $100 has already been bested by 110 backers who pledged $801.

What does a terabyte worth of shrimp look like? Here, this might give you an idea:

Related: Here's a Dog Collar That Lets Humans Train Man's Best Friend From Anywhere

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.