Search Results for: blog elmo mania strikes again

Zhu Zhu Mania!

I don’t drink, but I now see why other parents do. I seriously considered knocking back a few stiff libations after spending countless hours (see: THREE SOLID WEEKS) trying to get my hands on a Zhu Zhu Pet. A Zhu who? If you have a young child at home, then I don’t have to explain, but for the rest of you moms and dads, who haven’t been sucked into Zhu Zhu hell, allow me to elaborate. Zhu Zhu Pets are the hottest toys since Tickle Me Elmo, Cabbage Patch Kids, the Tamagotchi “digital pet,” Furby, and every other must-have plastic … Continue reading →

Beware of Crazy Fake Elmo in NYC

To know Elmo is to love Elmo… or at least to tolerate him for the sake of your toddler. Sesame Street’s beloved red monster, whose infectious laugh is known around the globe, is a welcome companion to millions of children. However, a rogue version of the lovable PBS character is giving the real Elmo a bad name. According to reports, a dirty, creepy imposter Elmo has been preying on innocent tourists in New York City. Call him Bizarro Elmo. He looks just like the real deal: red fur, big orange nose, huge white eyes, except this Elmo is filthy, rude, … Continue reading →

Elmo Lends A Hand To Help Military Families

At first glance it looks like your typical Sesame Street episode. Elmo, Rosita, Zoe… the gang’s all there, but the topic covered on Sesame Workshop’s latest DVD strays from ones that are covered on traditional shows. The characters are not learning their ABCs and 123s, rather the furry friends are learning how to get in touch with their feelings. It sounds great, but don’t look for the new DVD at your local toy store. Sesame Workshop is not mass marketing this production; rather it will be distributed exclusively to military families. That’s because the episode featuring Elmo and Rosita is … Continue reading →

The Story Behind T.M.X. Elmo

Did you know that when T.M.X. Elmo was unveiled on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” three months ago only about 50 people in the world had seen it? It was just part of the toy’s creators master plan. For nearly two years before it became one of this year’s hottest holiday sellers T.M.X. Elmo was shrouded in so much secrecy not even the sales force at manufacturer Fisher-Price Inc. knew exactly what they were selling before the toy debuted on national television in mid-September. But, now that Elmo is flying off shelves, his creator’s are singing like canaries. Recently, members of … Continue reading →

Sesame Street Lends a Hand to Cash-Strapped Parents

My preschooler loves watching Sesame Street, but honestly, the summer reruns are killing me. Seriously, if I have to hear Telly Monster lament about his missing triangle one more time I may reconsider Dish Network’s recent offer to hook me up with cheap satellite TV. Fortunately, I may not have to dig deep to preserve my sanity. Yesterday, the folks who produce Sesame Street announced that new episodes of the Emmy Award-winning children’s show will begin airing next month. What’s more, the new season includes a special show dedicated to the economy. If you haven’t already discussed the current financial … Continue reading →

Would You Buy Your Kid a Barack Obama Doll?

Remember the stampedes that ensued when the original Tickle Me Elmo hit the shelves back in 1996? Thousands of parents pushed, shoved and pummeled their way through toy stores to get their hands on the furry red monster. Back then Sesame Street’s most famous resident was the hottest toy around. Elmo was hands-down a mass marketers’ dream come true. But this is 2008 and Elmo (even the newest version) has been upstaged by a truly historic presence. According to reports, the new Barack Obama action figure is flying off store shelves. The 14-inch plastic version of Obama is dressed in … Continue reading →

“Sesame Street” Helping Parents Teach Kids About Terrorism

Subtitle: Elmo Meets Michael Chertoff or “The Muppets Take Manhattan… Post 9/11” I wish I were kidding. For decades parents have turned to those fun-loving furry friends on “Sesame Street” when they needed help teaching their kids how to spell, tie their shoes, and count to 10 in Spanish. But now Elmo, Grover, Big Bird, Zoe, Oscar the Grouch and crew are getting serious about a grown up topic most adults struggle to deal with—terrorism and other potential deadly catastrophes. So how exactly does a parent explain to a 3-year-old why it’s important to prepare for a terrorist attack? Don’t … Continue reading →

Hannah Montana Essay Contest Debacle

It’s incidents like these that make me overjoyed that my young daughter is still in love with Strawberry Shortcake, Hello Kitty, Elmo and Blues Clues… and that she has no clue who Hannah Montana is. (I’m hoping I can keep her in the dark for years to come.) If you have a pint-sized Hannah Montana fan in your home then you might be familiar with the essay contest brouhaha that emerged when a 6-year-old girl and her mother went to extremes to secure four concert tickets to the tween sensation’s sold-out show. The youngster’s essay began with the powerful line: … Continue reading →

How TV and Movies Have Infiltrated the World of Toys

There are two items on my 3-year-old’s Christmas list that she would be crushed if Santa did not bring her—-a minivan for her dollhouse and Squawkers McCaw the talking parrot. Interestingly, they are among the only toys in all of Toyland that are not tied to a movie or TV show. (Though, for the amount of times we’ve seen that Squawkers commercial, he might as well have had his own TV show.) If you have children or are shopping for kids this Christmas, you understand what I’m talking about. From action figures to bicycles to books, stuffed animals, Play-Doh and … Continue reading →

Are You A Part Of The “Bratz” Universe?

My daughter is three-years-old… and much to my delight she has not entered the Bratz zone… (Nor will she if I get my way). But, it seems I have my work cut out for me. Have you been to the toy store lately? The shelves are stocked with Bratz Babyz, Bratz Kidz, the Bratz RC cruiser, Bratz Shrek, Bratz alarm clocks, Bratz CDs, Bratz video games, Bratz cosmetics, and that’s just in the first aisle. The dolls with those famously huge heads and equally large pouty lips (not to mention their infamously toned midriffs) are EVERYWHERE! Gee, do you think … Continue reading →