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Home › Politics

Politics | 02/05/2009 12:45 pm

Marvelous Malia and Sweet Sasha Dolls Are 'Retired'

By The Staff at wowOwow.com
No More "Marvelous Malia"

The toymakers responsible for the "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha" dolls announced they are renaming the toys "Marvelous Mariah" and "Sweet Sydney" after complaints by the First Family.

When the $9.95 plush dolls first burst onto the scene, Michelle Obama’s press secretary, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, said in a statement that the Obamas felt as though their privacy was violated.

"We feel it is inappropriate to use young, private citizens for marketing purposes," she said.

The founder and CEO of Ty Inc. (the company behind Beanie Babies) still insists that the dolls, which bared an uncanny resemblance to the Obama girls, were not representative of the First Children, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.

"While the names Marvelous Malia and Sweet Sasha were inspired by this historic time in our nation’s history, the dolls were not intended to bear the likeness of the First Daughters," Ty Warner said in a statement on Monday.

Ty’s website included the above picture of Marvelous Malia with a red sign that read "retired." Ty Inc. also announced that all the profits from the playthings will be donated to charity. Well, we should hope so!

Read more about: Barack Obama, Beanie Babies, Culture, Lifestyle, Marvelous Malia, Michelle Obama, News, Politics, Society, Sweet Sasha

21 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Patty E
Good!
By Patty E on 02/05/2009 1:01 pm
Z ****
Watch for these dolls to make it BIG on Ebay.
By Z **** on 02/05/2009 1:04 pm
Grande Camper
It’s probable better this way.
By Grande Camper on 02/05/2009 1:41 pm
Ms. Dee
Well, I am glad to hear this. Even though, Malia and Sasha are so popular I’m sure girls everywhere will be pretending with other dolls. I’ll be curious about the results of the next round “brown baby doll” experiments. I can’t imagine our youngsters won’t be less dicriminating now that the first family includes these two adorable children.
By Ms. Dee on 02/05/2009 2:51 pm
Belinda Joy
They should have retired the dolls. From the first moment I heard about them I thought “oh…how cute” but the second thought was, “I can’t believe Barack and Michelle would allow this level of exposure for their girls likeness”
By Belinda Joy on 02/05/2009 3:38 pm
Roger from Ohio
If they would have spoken to the Obamas before they “named” these dolls, they wouldnt have to go through the problem of changing the names. For them to say that these dolls “were not representative of the First Children” is so disingenuous that they should be embarrassed. If it wasnt meant to be them…. why did they name them after the girls? The founder and CEO of Ty Inc must think that the American people are idiots.
By Roger from Ohio on 02/05/2009 4:01 pm
Irish Eyes NY
Damn, I’m sorry I didn’t run out to get them B4 the name change. They’d be worth a fortune in a few years. No——Ty Inc. thinks the Obamas are idiots.
By Irish Eyes NY on 02/05/2009 10:58 pm
Tenacious Tenacious
I agree with Roger from Ohio. They should have asked the President or Mrs. President first before naming the dolls. There are real creeps out there as well and you do not know …. ya know? I would not want my children as dolls in who knows whose homes.
By Tenacious Tenacious on 02/05/2009 4:08 pm
DeBúrca obj
You are so right Tenacious. The attempt by Ty, Inc. to exploit the President’s children like that, considering like you said, all the “real creeps” out there, is really unconscionable.
By DeBúrca obj on 02/05/2009 4:29 pm
DeBúrca obj
I am really surprised the toy company would have risked making those dolls and giving them the Obama girl’s names without getting permission first. It really makes the company seem opportunistic and was in bad taste. Then to add insult to injury, saying the dolls were NOT modeled after the President’s daughters was so insulting to the public that I think Ty, Inc. has dirtied their company’s name.
By DeBúrca obj on 02/05/2009 4:25 pm
Tee Zee
Anything for a buck…well I’m glad this got nipped in the bud.
By Tee Zee on 02/05/2009 4:30 pm
Diana T
Good. They were wrong to give the dolls those names without permission from the family.
By Diana T on 02/05/2009 5:17 pm
Didi Lorillard
Thank goodness! What bad taste! Those children need all the respect and privacy that we can give them. They are not Barbies.
By Didi Lorillard on 02/05/2009 5:37 pm
Diamond In The Rough
Wonder if Ty Inc. will come out with the BO and MO dolls….then they could incorporate the Larry Sinclair and Vera Baker dolls….the Obama House, White House, limousine, cabinet crooks, etc.
By Diamond In The Rough on 02/05/2009 5:52 pm
starry Nite
Wonder if Ty Inc. will come out with the BO and MO dolls….then they could incorporate the Larry Sinclair and Vera Baker dolls….the Obama House, White House, limousine, cabinet crooks, etc. By Diamond In The Rough on 02/05/2009 6:52 pm Speaking of bad taste. Diamond you can continue to toss out your little nasty comments. The campaign is over they are the first family. Your first family just like BU and LA were/ Enjoy.
By starry Nite on 02/05/2009 7:23 pm
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