Deming: Knock it off against Mr. Potato Head – The Hutchinson News

Dan Deming| Community columnist

The latest threat against Mr. Potato Head is enough to make one wonder whether the ongoing cancel-culture and culture war craze will ever end and return to common sense.

Hasbro recently announced a branding change where both Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head will only be promoted as "Potato Head". The toy company says that's so "all will feel welcome in the potato head world". That's based on a largely unsubstantiated premise that most folks were upset or feel injustice from having a male and female potato.

Pundits complained about the neutering of Mr. Potato Head and the company quickly responded that their "characters aren't going anywhere" but simply will be referred to in the future as Potato Head. Radio talk show host Ben Shapiro may have best responded: "Now, any child, any gender, can look at a potato head and dream of growing up to be a plastic sphonex with interchangeable parts." He added,"Mrs. Potato Head was also killed off and replaced by an asexual can of Pringles."

Anyone with an ounce of logic must wonder where all this political correctness is going to end. Were it not for a growing number of misguided individuals, companies, governments, and organizations buying it, the situationwould be hilarious.

After several years of pressure, Clevelands' baseball team dropped the Indian mascot,despite beingbeloved by many. Can the Chiefs be far behind?

We have seen the elimination of pancake icon Aunt Jemima; Jeep is under pressure to dump the well respected Cherokee brand; Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are being removed from some school buildings in parts of the country; destruction of Civil War hero statues have taken place; decades-old military bases are being renamed; theDr. Seuss estate has stopped printing six books,and along with slicing the spud, there is a move to make other toys gender-neutral.

If Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head can be neutered and Curious George undone, is there no end?

A note of deep appreciation for the cards, emails and phone calls concerning my last column about grandson Andrew and his addiction death.The National Drug HelpLine assists 10,000 people daily with alcohol and drug problems. The HelpLine number is toll-free: 844-289-0879. Speaking to somewhere at that number or locally at Horizons has the potential for saving lives.

Dan Deming, former general manager of Hutchinson radio station KWBW and former Reno County Commissioner, can be reached at 620-960-6733 or dan.deming2@gmail.com.

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Deming: Knock it off against Mr. Potato Head - The Hutchinson News