The problem is that with urban legends the more people that know about and believe them the more real and true they can become. The power of thought is a scary thing not to mention with a pure mind like a child's mind it's a breeding ground for bad things to soak up their beliefs. Oh and a little side note. Those kids that are supposedly catatonic they're vegetables their mind is already at laughing island they'll just drop dead properly with a look of horror plastered to their face when the grinning man has killed them or when the other puppet gets to them. Word of warning it's not something that can be stopped only fought against unfortunately you'd have to actually turn the TV on its properly too late for op and his wife though...