startle me elmo
21 02 2007
This may be one of those apocryphal Internet stories, but Boing Boing is reporting that
some copies of the interactive talking book Potty Time With Elmo reportedly say “Who wants to die?” instead of “Who wants to try to go potty?”
A reader adds that “my Shout Elmo said you make Elmo wanna shout/beat up elmo, shoot his foot out.”
Sounds like another “Paul is Dead” moment - unless somebody’s tinkering with the Elmo products. Seems unlikely, but then as Boing Boing points out, it’s happened before - with the Barbie Liberation Organization.
Taking advantage of similarities in the voice hardware of Teen Talk Barbie and the Talking Duke G.I. Joe doll, er, “action figure,” they absconded with several hundred of each and performed a stereotype-change operation on the lot.
The BLO returned the altered dolls to the toy store shelves, who then resold them to children who had to invent scenarios for Barbies who yelled “Vengeance is mine!” and G.I. Joes who daydreamed “Let’s plan our dream wedding!”
We need more actions like this, and I’m not kidding. The BLO were smart …
Cleverly placed “call your local TV news” stickers on the back ensured that the media would have genuine recipients to interview as soon as the news broke.
… and funny. Tinkerers of the world, unite and make a statement. But please don’t mess with Elmo, and don’t get all goth on us with the death and violence imagery. OK?
