This story is one hot potato. Toy company Hasbro recently announced that Mr. Potato Head, the beloved plastic vegetable into which kids could stick body parts and accessories to make their own unique character, has lost his prefix. He will now just be known as Potato Head. Ditto for the Mrs.
There’s just one problem: the marketing for the toys isn’t actually gender-neutral. While the boxes containing individual Potato Heads don’t have gendered titles, one clearly presents as masculine (see: the humungous mustache) and one as feminine (see: long eyelashes and lipstick). Hasbro also introduced a new kit called Create Your Potato Head Family, which includes two adult potatoes and one baby potato, all customizable. “There’s no wrong way to play,” says the company’s promotional video.
Photo: Hasbro
While the company’s intentions may have been sincere (doubtful), the move came off as an embarrassing attempt by a brand to appear “woke.” They were likely expecting applause from open-minded consumers; instead, they got hit with a backlash by conservative ones. Turns out, some people are really attached to the gender of their synthetic spuds.
The brand immediately recognized the gender confusion it had caused and took to social media to clarify – and tried way too hard to be cute about it.
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
“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,” a tweet read.
But Hasbro wasn’t the only entity tweeting. Oh, no. The rest of Twitter jumped on this bandwagon and went full blast on the brand and the controversy surrounding it. These are the funniest tweets about Mr. Potato Head’s transition to Potato Head.
Cover Photo: Hasbro
LOL: 20 Hilarious Tweets From Comedians to Keep You Laughing Through Coronavirus
BREAKING: In wake of the Mr. Potato Head decision, Nintendo has confirmed that the long Tetris piece is a penis
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) February 26, 2021
They changed Mr.Potato Head into Potato Person. Ain’t that some shit?
— Karlous (@KarlousM) February 26, 2021
Caring about the gender of Mister Potato Head is the first time Fox News ever attempted to defend someone who wasn’t white.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) February 26, 2021
What do Mr. Potato Head and Ted Cruz have in common? Mr. Potato Head has no genitals, and Ted Cruz has no balls.
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) February 27, 2021
Conservatives:
YOU CAN’T REMOVE POTATO HEAD’S GENDER! YOU CAN’T MAKE THEIR GENDER AMBIGUOUS!Literally every single Potato head toy out there: pic.twitter.com/KCi3qmIOpm
— That pink cat (@HugoThePinkCat) February 26, 2021
my feelings on the mr potato head discourse pic.twitter.com/66wMCskkd4
— Daisini Bon Bardlash (@DaisyBard) February 27, 2021
Mr or Mrs potato head, you decide pic.twitter.com/AbuNYKXeDQ
— Delia (@mcgibbond) February 26, 2021
Just, please. No gender reveal parties for Potato Head.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) February 26, 2021
Forget Mr Potato Head: Humpty Dumpty was completely nonbinary as far back as the 17th century…
— Joanne Harris (@Joannechocolat) February 26, 2021
People getting angry over Mr Potato Head transitioning pic.twitter.com/Woz97HIIjl
— Mia (@LadyMiamalade) February 26, 2021
One thing I will say about Potato Head, whatever gender, I do appreciate it normalizing that body type. Don’t put shoes, hats or glasses in your butt, tho.
— Caissie (@Caissie) February 26, 2021
Twitter today is divided between people who knew about Mr Potato Head before Toy Story, and those who thing Toy Story invented it.
I’m in the ‘very old people’ category. We knew. By god, we knew.— *Eva Writes*. Antifa Cake Drive Organiser. (@ParanormalJunk2) February 26, 2021
I want to be the person for whom the worst thing that happened to them was Mr. Potato Head being a man. How few real worries you must have.
— Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) February 25, 2021
What if Potato Head identifies as a squash though?
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 25, 2021
Hasbro has also announced that they’re giving themselves a gender neutral new name: Has! https://t.co/AL0oCCq0kE
— Classically Abby (@classicallyabby) February 25, 2021
“I never thought about potato head’s penis before” pic.twitter.com/VbVW66fZLM
— mo (@chuuew) February 26, 2021
When I play with my gender-neutral Potato Head we travel the land spreading the word about unsustainable monoculture agricultural practices
— Al Dente (@six_2_and_even) February 26, 2021
it’s mx. potato head if you’re nasty
— Queen of Jeans (@queenofjeansPHL) February 26, 2021
Coronavirus club: 15 Celebrity Tweets That Will Calm You to Know We’re All in This Together
Visit the Mandatory Shop for great deals on your very own Mandatory merch.
