//add a custom event to the Backbone object Backbone.on('sayHi', function () { console.log('Hi'); }); //create an eavesdropper object and extend the object with Backbone.Events var eavesdropper = _.extend({}, Backbone.Events); //Set eavesdropper to listen for custom sayHi event attached to Backbone object eavesdropper.listenTo(Backbone, 'sayHi', function () { console.log('I heard that'); }); //Trigger/Invoke the sayHi custom event Backbone.trigger('sayHi'); //logs 'Hi' and 'I heard that' /*Remember Backbone extended the Backbone namespace with events (i.e. cause Backbone did this: _.extend(Backbone, Backbone.Events);)*/