Pop in your surprised face: Hasbro is rebranding its 70-year-old Mr. Potato Head line, which will now be called simply Potato Head. The characters Mr. Potato Head and Mrs. Potato Head will continue to be sold.
As Variety reports, the news comes as part of a push for inclusivity. That includes the new product Create Your Potato Head Family allowing children to provide their spud buds with all combinations of features without regard to gender. Some bad-faith blowhards initially responded to the announcement as if Hasbro had declared that Being a Real Man™ was now illegal; one big account that we won’t dignify with a link used the rebrand to call for conservative states to secede from the Union. Oh well — taters gonna tate.
These concerns turned out to be half-baked, because as Hasbro confirmed on Twitter, the company is merely selling more products that are less overtly gendered, rather than restricting current toys. Hasbro wrote,
“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.”
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This isn’t the first time that the toy manufacturer has accidentally hurtled head-first into the culture wars. Last year, they had to pull a Trolls World Tour doll amid complaints it promoted child abuse. In 2019, the company unveiled Ms. Monopoly, a feminist update that proved heartless capitalism doesn’t care about your genitals.
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
