2008 Woodie Awards
Does Elmo 'tickle' your fancy?
Betsy Rouleau
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: Commentary
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Several people rush into a store and dash to the back section. There is a heated argument, a brief scuffle, and someone's life is threatened. The location? A Tampa, Fla. Target store. The center of the clash? An Elmo doll.
Apparently, the new 10th anniversary Tickle Me Elmo doll is an absolutely amazing toy. Fisher-Price has re-released the infamous toy, and everyone's favorite resident of Sesame Street now comes with three (count them, three) tickle points, the ability to slap his thigh in laughter, the amazing skill to fall to the floor in mirth, and yes, even the knack of picking himself back up off of the ground. When Elmo is done, he begs to be tickled again. While this not be my favorite way to spend a cool $40, it is taking playtime to a whole new level and is shaping up to be the hottest seller of the 2006 holiday season. So, when one angry Florida father saw the customer before him take the last Elmo doll, he told the man that he would kill him. Target's response was to issue the "Tickle Me Elmo Giftcard," letting customers pre-order the dolls and alerting them when their Elmo has arrived.
This death threat shows that the consumerism of the United States has reached an entirely new level. When Christmas presents are selling out in September, and customers are placing a human life on equal footing with a trendy toy, there is something horribly wrong with our society. Furthermore, when the immediate response is to make the process of buying an item safer, a greater problem is revealed. This latest event should make a statement. It should cause us all to reevaluate our material goods and the price we pay for them. Tickle me, Elmo? No, thanks.
Apparently, the new 10th anniversary Tickle Me Elmo doll is an absolutely amazing toy. Fisher-Price has re-released the infamous toy, and everyone's favorite resident of Sesame Street now comes with three (count them, three) tickle points, the ability to slap his thigh in laughter, the amazing skill to fall to the floor in mirth, and yes, even the knack of picking himself back up off of the ground. When Elmo is done, he begs to be tickled again. While this not be my favorite way to spend a cool $40, it is taking playtime to a whole new level and is shaping up to be the hottest seller of the 2006 holiday season. So, when one angry Florida father saw the customer before him take the last Elmo doll, he told the man that he would kill him. Target's response was to issue the "Tickle Me Elmo Giftcard," letting customers pre-order the dolls and alerting them when their Elmo has arrived.
This death threat shows that the consumerism of the United States has reached an entirely new level. When Christmas presents are selling out in September, and customers are placing a human life on equal footing with a trendy toy, there is something horribly wrong with our society. Furthermore, when the immediate response is to make the process of buying an item safer, a greater problem is revealed. This latest event should make a statement. It should cause us all to reevaluate our material goods and the price we pay for them. Tickle me, Elmo? No, thanks.