“It’s time for Republican states to split up,” wrote media analyst Mark Dice on Twitter to his more than 600,000 followers and included a post on the news. Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro also tweeted sarcastically about the story, while radio host Eric Erick Erickson added more mockery. What sparked your anger? Mr. Potato Head, or rather, the possibility that toy maker Hasbro abandoned “Mr.” from its title to a more inconclusive gender image. Anyone concerned about losing the distinction can now rest easy, knowing that he technically won’t.
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Today, perhaps in an attempt to contain criticism that also included Fox News’ Sean Hannity running a segment under the title “Mr. Potato Head canceled”, Hasbro continued yesterday’s announcement that Mr. Potato Head would now be sold under the more neutral title nickname Potato Head. The company clarified that the toy line would receive the new name change from “Mr. Potato Head” to “Potato Head” next fall, but the real character of Mr. Potato Head would still maintain its associated male distinction of being a Sir.”
In a tweet today, Hasbro wrote: “Hold this Tot – your main potato, MR. BATATO HEAD is not going anywhere! Although it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand and logo are dropping the ‘MR.’ I am proud to confirm that Mr and Mrs POTATO HEAD are not going anywhere and will remain as Mr and Mrs POTATO HEAD. “
Hold Tot – your main spud, MR. HEAD POTATO is not going anywhere! Although it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand and logo are no longer ‘MR.’ I am proud to confirm that MR. & WL. POTATO HEAD is not going anywhere and will continue to be MR. & WL. POTATO HEAD pic.twitter.com/6I84KrxOLQ
– Hasbro (@Hasbro) February 25, 2021
Although Mr. Potato Head and his wife Mrs. Potato Head still have the prefixes attached to their names in an image of the new, yet to be released boxes of toys included in the tweet, the names are displayed less prominently than before. Their names now appear on the bottom of the packaging and in a font smaller than the more colorful “Potato Head” that adorns the top.
Mark Dice’s sarcastic call to action on Twitter can be seen below.
It is time for the republican states to separate.
– Mark Dice (@MarkDice) February 25, 2021
After an earlier tweet saying “MR POTATO HEAD 1953-2021, Hasbro: He was ‘limited when it comes to gender identity’,” Sean Hannity apparently expressed joy by writing “Mr. Potato Head Lives!” in relation to the most recent announcement about the character retaining his male title.
Not everyone was outraged by the announcement of Potato Head. Rich Ferraro, director of communications for GLAAD, applauded the change. “Hasbro is helping children to simply view toys as toys, which encourages them to be authentic, outside the pressures of traditional gender norms,” he said in a statement.
London’s Kaya Burgess Times pointed out that critics were getting angry even before reading the fine print that it was just the toy line and not the characters getting an updated name. However, much of the confusion was created by Hasbro itself, when the company’s senior vice president and general manager said the following in an interview with Fast Company: “Children want to be able to represent their own experiences. As the brand currently exists – with ‘Mr.’ and ‘Mrs.’ – is limiting when it comes to gender identity and family structure. “
Could it be because the coverage is misleading? Mr and Mrs Potato Head * will remain * Mr and Mrs Potato Head.
It is the general brand / logo that is simply becoming “Potato Head”. pic.twitter.com/lE3YeNkszV
– Kaya Burgess (@kayaburgess) February 26, 2021
Mr. Potato Head is not the first toy in recent years that is trying to adapt to more progressive cultural attitudes. Other examples include the Barbie line expanding its list of options to include dolls of different skin tones and body shapes; American Girl selling dolls to boys; and Mattel’s gender-neutral doll line known as “Creative World”, which was first introduced in 2019.
Hasbro
The new Potato Head line will be available next fall. Included in the new designs is a Create Your Potato Head Family set that comes with baby and two adults with different accessories and faces to create any combination of potato heads that children like. Images released by Hasbro for the Create Your Potato Head Family show what could be interpreted as two potato chef mothers and another with a pair of potato chef parents.