Sometimes, I really don't think toy manufacturers are paying attention to what they're putting out there in the wide world of shopping.
I've seen a TON of questionable, suggestive, or just plain wrong toys in the market today. For those of you have no idea what I'm spouting on about, you'll find out. Patience.
My first topic must be the Bratz dolls. If there's one toy I can can easily say I didn't agree with from the beginning, it's these Bratz dolls. They're whole philosophy, if I can call it that, is morally wrong. They dress like sluts and have heavy lidded eyes that seem to indicate "I don't care" to the world. Children don't need to be taught this. Then of course, these girls are more stereotypical than Barbies! And then they had to come out with "Bratz Babies"? Did we need slutty babies as well?
I was walking in WalMart one day and saw the Barbie section, which can usually be something that's easy to poke fun at for various reasons, but there was one doll that I didn't have to be creative to make fun of. Have you seen "Barbie in Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds'"? "The Birds", as I'm sure many of you know, is a horror film from around the 1950s. In it, birds go nuts and start killing people brutally.
And there's a Barbie doll commemorating it?!
And you must see this thing, because there is a crow perched on the smiling Barbie's head, looking like it's about to peck her eyes out! Need I say more at this point?
Toy manufacturers need to be more aware of what they're putting into childrens' hands. Remember the Cabbage Patch doll that was recalled because it was eating girls' hair? That might have been a simple mistake, but for these other choices in clothing for dolls or improper themes need to be corrected.
Here's a couple other dolls that parents and children believed were saying some scary things. Keep in mind that this could very well be (and most likely is) one of those cases where overactive imaginations get the best of us:
Cuddle and Coo Baby Doll:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnJfBtHHBec&NR=1
Bratz doll singing...is there a bad word in it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RYRSCFDh5w&feature=related
Is there a point where we say "enough is enough already!"? Shouldn't parents be able to go to the toy store and purchase a toy without worrying if the toy has a defect of some sort? Sure, sure, recalls happen all the time. It's a trial and error thing that I wish wasn't tested on the average consumer first.
How about this? For the speaking/singing dolls, get some people outside of the company to hear them. See if they think there's anything wrong. Same with other toys. Let's not have cameras in the shape of butts or walkie talkies shaped like people where you talk into an interesting part of the body (these are also real toys, reviewed by that JeepersMedia guy who did a few of these review videos). Let the toy be innocent again, people.
