Various spud gun (or potato cannon) contests take place worldwide each year. These contests are extremely technical and are taken incredibly seriously by competitors. The typical design for a spud gun is a pipe which uses air pressure or combustion to launch potatoes. Building the guns often costs competitors huge amounts of money, and many competitions have entry fees of $1000 and up. Spud guns are extremely popular objects in popular culture, having been referenced in popular cult television shows such as Prison Break, The Office and The Simpsons.