Madness I tell theee, worlds gone mad

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56200811

A gender-neutral makeover will see Mr Potato Head become the toy formerly known as Mr Potato Head.

The classic toy’s branding is being “reimagined for the modern consumer”, its US maker Hasbro announced on Thursday.

From later this year, the toy – launched almost 70 years ago – will be named Potato Head on packaging.

Other toy companies have taken similar decisions in recent years, breaking with traditional gender norms.

“Hasbro is making sure all feel welcome in the Potato Head world by officially dropping the Mr from the Mr Potato Head brand name and logo to promote gender equality and inclusion,”

Hold that Tot – your main spud, MR. POTATO HEAD isn’t going anywhere! While it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand name & logo are dropping the ‘MR.’ I yam proud to confirm that MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD aren’t going anywhere and will remain MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD pic.twitter.com/6I84KrxOLQ

— Hasbro (@Hasbro) February 25, 2021

A Beeb article quoting Ben Shapiro?

Perhaps they are trying to woo the DM click bait followers just to stave off the Tories…

Amazed it’s taken this long… but yes, madness !

They’re getting lots of free publicity, which was probably the real reason for this…

I don’t quite get what about this is ‘madness’? Just seems like a good way to be inclusive, buy your kid the toy and they can give it the gender that they want. What’s so bad about that?

I think it is just done to provoke the Irish.

How many potatoes does it take to kill an Irishman?
None.

Roger Hargreaves books are going to get complicated!

But how is this news? A company deciding on a rebrand is hardly new, is the newsworthiness because its about gender? **** me thats a weak excuse for news.

Usual rules apply. Does it affect me in anyway?
No.
Might it positively help someone else? Maybe.

…computing…

Status: good thing

I don’t quite get what about this is ‘madness’? Just seems like a good way to be inclusive, buy your kid the toy and they can give it the gender that they want. What’s so bad about that?

They could do that anyway. It doesn’t NEED to be inclusive, you could have a Mrs Potato head too. People have to remmeber, men and women exist…. both ….

Anything that offends Ben Shapiro automatically makes it the right thing to do

This is the national trust Easter debacle again isn’t it?
The packaging still says Mr or Mrs it just the headline brand that is Potato Head, seems perfectly reasonable.

Am I misinterpreting this.

Mr and Mrs both being retained but the overall brand name for the line of products dropping the Mr?

Waiting to see what they do for the Mr Men rebrand.

Usual rules apply. Does it affect me in anyway?
No.
Might it positively help someone else? Maybe.

…computing…

Status: good thing

If only everyone was taught to think so rationally

Does seem that despite the generally decent standard of BBC reporting, they are keen on attracting the Daily Mail demographic. Presumably to support new funding streams when the government gets rid of the license fee.

We’ll miss it when it’s gone, be careful what you wish for.

Did some of you actually read the article? It’s even in capital letters on the tweet to make it easy but maybe you missed in in your rush to complain?

Mr and Mrs Potato Head are absolutely retaining their names. It’s just the overall brand that is going to be “Potato Head”

Re: Roger Hargreaves, likewise no need to worry there either. If you wanted to be totally PC you might want them to be umbrella branded as the Mr and Mrs Men, but Mr Knee-Jerk and Little Miss Jump-to-Conclusions can happily keep their titles. Or indeed, change them if they want, it is 2021 after all.

Christ. they’re not even dropping the Mr and Mrs SpudHead characters, they’re just rebranding the overall name…and that’s considered newsworthy.
Not even just quoting Shapiro, but actually driving traffic to this twitter feed ffs.

BBC news don’t even attempt to hide their bias anymore.
Now that the biggest UK news channel is firmly on the right, there’s no hope of any impartiality in the media.

They could do that anyway. It doesn’t NEED to be inclusive, you could have a Mrs Potato head too. People have to remmeber, men and women exist…. both ….

I mean I’m not sure what to make of this comment, doesn’t really make sense does it?

They still have both a Mr and Mrs Potato Head, it’s just that they removed the ‘Mr’ from the overall brand name.

Haha I really do applaud the company for this. Is there anything funnier than trolling gammons. They’re all going to be really angry about this for a solid 11, maybe 12 minutes.

Always good to refresh your brand 🙂

Usual rules apply. Does it affect me in anyway?
No.
Might it positively help someone else? Maybe.

…computing…

Status: good thing

Surely those rules are missing ‘Might it negatively impact someone else?’ 😉

Unless you’re being ironic…

Am I misinterpreting this.

Mr and Mrs both being retained but the overall brand name for the line of products dropping the Mr?

No, that’s exactly what’s happening. But the people who used to cry ‘it’s political correctness gone mad’ need something else to vent their impotent rage at to disguise the fact they just fear what they don’t understand. And it’s easier to do that than try to do a bit of research, opening their minds, attempting to find a shred of understanding and empathy, and maybe changing their views.

To quote JM Barrie’s text, ‘Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight: always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?’

I can see why you’re called WorldClassAccident

Or maybe I’m being offended for others.

Is that a good thing or bad ??

I’m not sure, truly confused…. help ?

How many potatoes does it take to kill an Irishman?
None.

Speaking as a person of Irish heritage that made me laugh. I felt a bit bad about laughing, but I laughed.

More clickbait shite to get the gammons frothing at the mouth whilst the postwar consensus and public services are shredded in the background.

Oh, and this:

Anything that offends Ben Shapiro automatically makes it the right thing to do

Mind you, I doubt he’s genuinely outraged – just earning his retainer from the alt-right.

Waiting to see what they do for the Mr Men rebrand.

And the new All-Action Gender Neutral Action

The Beeb are just not the place to go for news anymore are they.
“Mr Potato Head was one of the main characters in the Toy Story film series”
He still is you moronic journo twonk

Meh

They still have both a Mr and Mrs Potato Head, it’s just that they removed the ‘Mr’ from the overall brand name.

Exactly. Otherwise you have an implied potato head patriarchy rather than equal status for both male and female potato heads.

He still is you moronic journo twonk

Your ability to appear enraged about anything and everything is impressive. 🙂

BBC news don’t even attempt to hide their bias anymore.
Now that the biggest UK news channel is firmly on the right

You what?

The article is promoting moves against gender bias. I’m amazed that you read it as critical of the move. That’s why it’s being reported at all.

Re the toy – it should be one toy and come with male- and female-presenting accessories in the same box.

Your ability to appear enraged about anything and everything is impressive

“Appear” being the operative word 😛

Re the toy – it should be one toy and come with male- and female-presenting accessories in the same box.

Or none. I’m not sure why we should be imprinting children with the need to assign any kind of gender to a potato.

This rather appears…. Not to be a story.

How many potatoes does it take to kill an Irishman over a million Irish men, women and children?
None.

it should be one toy and come with male- and female-presenting accessories in the same box.

Which would have the potential to modify the my father’s favourite punchline somewhat:
“I got a potato clock”

im struggling to see the issue here and i get upset about most things…..

Waiting to see what they do for the Mr Men rebrand.

Little Mx ??

I think the journo that wrote the story might have a chip on his shoulder…

Did some of you actually read the article?

Course not! But I’m gonna spout my uninformed opion anyway 🤗🤗

What next, eh? I’ll tell you what next! Next it’ll be Hello Kitty isn’t a little girl who lives just outside of London – now she’s actually a cat!

And so is her boyfriend (currently, also a little girl).

The world’s gone mad.

Just don’t anyone point out her/its surname is White…

I think the journo that wrote the story might have a chip on his shoulder…

FFS.

I though I might have got a pained groan-laugh at least.

Might as well not have bothered.

I’ll get my coat. Well, it’s more of a jacket actually….

I’m not sure why we should be imprinting children with the need to assign any kind of gender to a potato.

It’s NOT ACTUALLY A POTATO YOU UTTER BILGE SPEWING FOOL OF THE HIGhEST ORDER!!!!

Still no reaction to my Dad jokes.

Just more waffle.