No, I'm not making this up. Due to evil politicians and "the nattering class" (of journalists) creating anti-gun hysteria among the general populace, we have the spectacle of people complaining (loudly!) to toy stores / manufacturers that their Tele-tubby toys are saying "A gun! A gun!" when they are really saying "Again! Again!".
There is no way I could have made up anything even remotely this wack-o. This really speaks to the success of the propaganda campaign against the 2nd.
Oh, well, serves the parents right for giving their kids Tele-tubbies <g>.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Teletubby in hot water again; some think doll says, 'Get a gun'
By Craig D. Rose
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 8, 2000
SAN DIEGO -- First, Tinky Winky was taking heat. Now, the children's character is accused of packing heat.
The Teletubbies TV show figure, once characterized by the Rev. Jerry Falwell as a gay role model, is again causing a stir because a local mom and at least a few others around the country say a talking version of the fuzzy purple character is uttering gun threats.
Renée Taylor of Oceanside became concerned this week after giving her daughter Maya a set of two talking Teletubbies -- Tinky Winky and Po -- for her second birthday. She noted that she thinks of the television show as educational.
Not long after getting the dolls, however, her 2-year-old was announcing, "I got a gun, got a gun . . . Run away, run away," Taylor reported.
The mother then listened more closely to the half-dozen phrases the talking dolls emit when their palms are pressed. Amid the words and gibberish, she said, was something upsetting.
" 'I got a gun, got a gun' and 'Run away' is what they say at one point," Taylor insists.
The U.S. marketing agent for the talking Teletubbies says it's all a misunderstanding -- like the earlier claims about Tinky being a symbol of gay pride. Kenn Viselman, chairman of Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Co., says the talk feature was incorporated into the figures by downloading snippets of sound track from the popular public television show.
What the figures really say, Viselman insists, is "again, again" -- which the characters frequently declare during the TV show. While the company has received three similar complaints in recent days, he noted that thousands of the figures have been sold. The dolls are made in China by Golden Bear Products Ltd. and have been sold exclusively through KB Toys.
When the recording was played for a small sampling of listeners at The San Diego Union-Tribune, most said they heard the gun comment, without prompting. But some who've seen the children's program interpreted the same sounds as "Again, again."
The sounds from Po were generally judged as innocuous.
Overall, more than 10 million talking Teletubbies of all types have been marketed. Most of those, however, were made under the auspices of Hasbro Inc., which uses a different audio technology.
Itsy Bitsy said the United States is the only country where some have perceived a gun message from the figures. Viselman believes that's because of the higher level of violence experienced in the United States and a growing sensitivity to the problem.
Viselman said his company prides itself on its wholesome, children-oriented entertainment.
"We are the most family-friendly company on earth," he said. "The programs we do are nonviolent, nonsexual, good wholesome family fare for kids.
"This is such a horrible thing to be on the defensive about. I'm feeling quite upset for the mother."
But he said he would not ask KB to clear the shelves of the toys. Instead, Viselman said he expects the figures will be cleared out through the normal sales process over the next few weeks.
"I'm not really sure it's fair to stop selling the toys," Viselman said. "The reality is that they sold thousands and two people complained . . . Do you really think PBS would let us make a toy that says, 'I got a gun?' "
In San Diego, Taylor called KB Toys in Carlsbad, where she bought the dolls, and was eventually told she could return them for a purchase-price refund -- $19.99 -- and a $25 gift certificate.
But the mother isn't satisfied with the response. She thinks the toys should be pulled from the chain's shelves.
"I just don't think it's appropriate for my daughter or any child (to hear this) coming from a toy people love," Taylor said.
A spokeswoman for KB, which has more than 1,300 stores, said the company received two calls about the toys over the past month but was satisfied with the manufacturer's explanation.
"We have to take the manufacturer's word about this," said the spokeswoman.
[/quote]
[This message has been edited by JimR (edited April 09, 2000).]
There is no way I could have made up anything even remotely this wack-o. This really speaks to the success of the propaganda campaign against the 2nd.
Oh, well, serves the parents right for giving their kids Tele-tubbies <g>.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Teletubby in hot water again; some think doll says, 'Get a gun'
By Craig D. Rose
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 8, 2000
SAN DIEGO -- First, Tinky Winky was taking heat. Now, the children's character is accused of packing heat.
The Teletubbies TV show figure, once characterized by the Rev. Jerry Falwell as a gay role model, is again causing a stir because a local mom and at least a few others around the country say a talking version of the fuzzy purple character is uttering gun threats.
Renée Taylor of Oceanside became concerned this week after giving her daughter Maya a set of two talking Teletubbies -- Tinky Winky and Po -- for her second birthday. She noted that she thinks of the television show as educational.
Not long after getting the dolls, however, her 2-year-old was announcing, "I got a gun, got a gun . . . Run away, run away," Taylor reported.
The mother then listened more closely to the half-dozen phrases the talking dolls emit when their palms are pressed. Amid the words and gibberish, she said, was something upsetting.
" 'I got a gun, got a gun' and 'Run away' is what they say at one point," Taylor insists.
The U.S. marketing agent for the talking Teletubbies says it's all a misunderstanding -- like the earlier claims about Tinky being a symbol of gay pride. Kenn Viselman, chairman of Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Co., says the talk feature was incorporated into the figures by downloading snippets of sound track from the popular public television show.
What the figures really say, Viselman insists, is "again, again" -- which the characters frequently declare during the TV show. While the company has received three similar complaints in recent days, he noted that thousands of the figures have been sold. The dolls are made in China by Golden Bear Products Ltd. and have been sold exclusively through KB Toys.
When the recording was played for a small sampling of listeners at The San Diego Union-Tribune, most said they heard the gun comment, without prompting. But some who've seen the children's program interpreted the same sounds as "Again, again."
The sounds from Po were generally judged as innocuous.
Overall, more than 10 million talking Teletubbies of all types have been marketed. Most of those, however, were made under the auspices of Hasbro Inc., which uses a different audio technology.
Itsy Bitsy said the United States is the only country where some have perceived a gun message from the figures. Viselman believes that's because of the higher level of violence experienced in the United States and a growing sensitivity to the problem.
Viselman said his company prides itself on its wholesome, children-oriented entertainment.
"We are the most family-friendly company on earth," he said. "The programs we do are nonviolent, nonsexual, good wholesome family fare for kids.
"This is such a horrible thing to be on the defensive about. I'm feeling quite upset for the mother."
But he said he would not ask KB to clear the shelves of the toys. Instead, Viselman said he expects the figures will be cleared out through the normal sales process over the next few weeks.
"I'm not really sure it's fair to stop selling the toys," Viselman said. "The reality is that they sold thousands and two people complained . . . Do you really think PBS would let us make a toy that says, 'I got a gun?' "
In San Diego, Taylor called KB Toys in Carlsbad, where she bought the dolls, and was eventually told she could return them for a purchase-price refund -- $19.99 -- and a $25 gift certificate.
But the mother isn't satisfied with the response. She thinks the toys should be pulled from the chain's shelves.
"I just don't think it's appropriate for my daughter or any child (to hear this) coming from a toy people love," Taylor said.
A spokeswoman for KB, which has more than 1,300 stores, said the company received two calls about the toys over the past month but was satisfied with the manufacturer's explanation.
"We have to take the manufacturer's word about this," said the spokeswoman.
[/quote]
[This message has been edited by JimR (edited April 09, 2000).]
). The US loses its guns, China has some advantage over us, we are not armed. hmmm