Goodbye, Mr. Potato Head
[guest post by Dana]
Mrs. Potato Head was shocked to learn today that Mr. Potato Head is no longer a mister:
Hasbro, the company that makes the potato-shaped plastic toy, is giving the spud a gender neutral new name: Potato Head. The change will appear on boxes this year.
Toy makers have been updating their classic brands to appeal to kids today. Barbie has shed its blonde image and now comes in multiple skin tones and body shapes. Thomas the Tank Engine added more girl characters. And American Girl is now selling a boy doll.
Hasbro said Mr. Potato Head, which has been around for about 70 years, needed a modern makeover.
Do you know who doesn’t give a whit about Mr. Potato Head “needing a modern makeover”? Every kid who has happily played with a Mr. Potato Head in the past 70 years. Hasbro can do what they want with their product, and if this decision generates more sales, then it will prove to have been a smart marketing decision.
I just hate to see any long-standing relationship come to an end. Certainly it’s got to be hard on Mrs. Potato Head to learn that her husband is no longer quite the spud he used to be:
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (fd537d) — 2/25/2021 @ 11:08 amI wonder what the sales were from Hasbro? Is this just a “shake up” of a languishing product in a dead market, I know a lot of the legacy toy product sales are way down.
Colonel Klink (Ret) (1367c0) — 2/25/2021 @ 11:24 amHello.
Technically, the appropriate way to play with these Potato Heads is to ensure each has male/female qualities since that is how the tubers are in nature. Calling it “Mr.” or “Mrs.” is hateful and wrong.
Hoi Polloi (7cefeb) — 2/25/2021 @ 12:01 pmSomewhat off-topic:
The Babylon Bee is concerned that the hostility shown them by Big Tech will grow into the kind of cancellation drive that took down Parler and has locked other organizations out of social media. Snopes often labels their satire “fake news”, as though humor and satire are “news” to begin with.
Here is the content of an email I received:
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 2/25/2021 @ 12:08 pmCalling it “Mr.” or “Mrs.” is hateful and wrong.
Also borders on the illegal, as marrying a potato (to yourself or to another potato) is not allowed.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 2/25/2021 @ 12:10 pmTHis also allows them to sell more fashion accessories, hair styles, mustaches, etc.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 2/25/2021 @ 12:11 pmI saw a funny joke about Girl’s / Boy’s toys
Flow chart to determine what toy goes with what gender
Do you use your genitals to interact with this toy?
If Yes: This toy is not for children.
If No: This toy is for girls or boys.
Kidding aside, I’ll bet you there’s a product manager at Hasbro that’s *begging* the lord to have Tucker Carlson rant about this.
Time123 (cd2ff4) — 2/25/2021 @ 12:47 pmHeh. I bet there is, and I bet he will! This is red meat for him.
Dana (fd537d) — 2/25/2021 @ 12:54 pmAfter stepping on the wrong side of his eye as a kid, he had it coming.
Paul Montagu (77c694) — 2/25/2021 @ 12:57 pmThis is so cynical and transparent. More unpaid product promotion, a la Trump’s free media in 2016. No one cares about eunuch potatoes. Our Stupid Times [The Onion].
J DAlessandro (0923bb) — 2/25/2021 @ 1:06 pmSpud-nuts.
Yes. It’s a tasty sinker to dunk into a-mugga-hot-java, too.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 2/25/2021 @ 1:13 pmThis has antifa’s fingerprints all over it…
(Cue cocker-spaniel doing quantum field theory face…)
Dave (1bb933) — 2/25/2021 @ 1:17 pmIt’s a win / win / win. Hasbro gets to sell more bits of plastic, Tucker has something outrageous to fill airtime with, his viewers get to reinforce their persecution complexes because now even toy companies are attacking their way of life.
Even I get to win because I get to feel all smart a superior for seeing through it.
Mr. Potato Head really does bring joy.
Time123 (6e0727) — 2/25/2021 @ 1:22 pmIt’s already starting!
https://twitter.com/jonathanchait/status/1365031321588883465/photo/1
Time123 (6e0727) — 2/25/2021 @ 1:31 pmJust think of the possibilities with the game “operation.”
felipe (484255) — 2/25/2021 @ 1:55 pmHave Barbie and Ken gone transgender yet? Given that they have no equipment anyway, it should be easier for them.
And I shudder to think what the aftermarket “Potato” attachments might be. Now, you will too.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 2/25/2021 @ 2:06 pmTater-Tots be tasty w/ketchup, too.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 2/25/2021 @ 3:50 pm“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States on Thursday carried out an airstrike in Syria against a structure belonging to what it said were Iran-backed militia, two officials told Reuters.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the strike was approved by President Joe Biden.”
Hello, Mr. Potato Head.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 2/25/2021 @ 5:07 pmI agree with just about everyone else. Headline grab.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/25/2021 @ 5:15 pmBut it was a fun one to write!
Dana (fd537d) — 2/25/2021 @ 5:24 pm@20. You know, part of the fun of decompressing from work was to go to a toy store every quarter and see what new -and old- toys were popular and still selling. It gave one a sense of what the marketplace was like for that target audience. Now they’re going gender neutral and it just ruins the experience. Wait ’til the go after grocery stores.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 2/25/2021 @ 5:32 pm@20 Oh, not you, the change. I totally support you writing about it, you can’t write about depressingly awful human beings all the time.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/25/2021 @ 6:34 pmWho knew:
Dana (fd537d) — 2/25/2021 @ 8:31 pm