'Cursing' Baby Dolls Still for Sale at Toys 'R' Us Before Black Friday (VIDEO)
Parents Boycott Store Chain Over Alleged Cursing 'You & Me Interactive Play & Giggle Triplet Dolls'
Parents who particularly await the Black Friday 2011 sales nationwide in order to get a little something for their kids should be cautious about a line of baby dolls offered by Toys "R" Us this season. The talking toys babble to each other in baby talk, at one point allegedly using a vulgar expression.
The "You & Me Interactive Play & Giggle Triplet Dolls" is a set of three baby dolls, a classic toy known for talking when pressed. But some adults who purchased the toy noticed that amidst that childish babble there is one line sounding surprisingly as if the doll was saying: "Hey, crazy b****," as confirmed by an investigation performed by ABC 7 Action News and other media.
Multiple adults, when presented with the talking toy, agreed that what the baby doll says sounds "clearly" like a curse word.
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Experts as well as parents are concerned that children who play with the toys and hear the expression are very likely to learn it quickly.
With a price tag of $39.99 online, the toys are meant for children 3 years old and up, according to Toys "R" Us's website.
A Toys "R" Us spokesperson told Fox 23: "The dolls are sold nationwide and we're not receiving widespread complaints. As with many talking dolls, what you're hearing is baby babble." The company did not recall the toy.
Each of the three dolls is 12 inches tall and weighs 14 ounces, and it is just a regular toy in all aspects as far as its looks go.
"Play with the dolls to hear them laugh and giggle," the product description says. "You & Me baby dolls, baby doll clothes and accessories let girl be girls while pretending to be adults."
The Toys "R" Us page featuring the controversial product received many comments on the issue. Apparently, the phrase seems so distinct, or so similar to the curse word, that multiple customers have noticed it.
"Purchased these dolls as gift for my 5 year old granddaughter but when I got them home they started making random growling sounds," one review states. "In addition to the growling sounds, it sounds like the pink doll says 'what ya doin crazy b%$#h!' "
Another reviewer wrote: "I bought these triplet dolls for my triplet granddaughters for Christmas, only to read the reviews after I purchased. The pink doll calls the other sister 'You b!@#h.' I am outraged these darling baby dolls in every other way, are sold by Toys R US. I for one will not shop there until they are pulled. My granddaughters are 2 1/2 and I do not want them hearing language like this."
But there are also those who seem skeptical about the idea.
"The dolls are not cursing....its all baby talk," one costumer wrote. "I have heard things come out of my 2 year olds mouth that sounds like a curse, but know its not [sic]. Its funny when that happens....everyone laughs and laughs."
Could this be a bad joke served by a bored employee? Or is it indeed pure coincidence? It seems that the toy megastore might have to investigate the issue further if pressed by concerned costumers and the media.
