By: Jack Greer on February 27, 2012
Sometimes people don’t think. Or they’re overpowered by greed. Or they happen to be doing a job for which they aren’t remotely qualified. And a combination of those three gives us today’s edition from the ‘What the heck are they thinking?’ department
Apparently, unless we need to pull the hook out of our mouth, Mattel is producing a Barbie for ‘The Hunger Games.’ YES, ‘The Hunger Games.’ You know the book–and the soon to be released film–that centers around 24 boys and girls aged 12-18 KILLING each other. And rather than going with a younger character like Prim, the doll will be modeled after Katniss. The girl who kills a crapload of other kids. Here is the description, per Entertainment Earth, who is pre-selling the doll.
“With this Barbie Hunger Games Doll you can style Barbie just like Katniss Everdeen from ‘The Hunger Games’ movie! ‘The Hunger Games,’ a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence, is adapted to film from the original young adult novel by writer Suzanne Collins. This doll’s outfit is made to replicate the very same one worn by the feature character in the movie, and it measures around 12-inches tall! Ages 6 and up.”
What the heck? I can’t even comprehend how something like this made it out of a pitch meeting, much less got brought to market. I love the part about how the doll is for ‘Ages 6 and up.’ I wonder if the doll outfit will have blood stains on it, just like the real Katniss!
Newsflash, merchandising idiots: a young adult novel is for kids 12-18. And it could be argued that 12 is too young for the violence and themes in this book (and the entire trilogy). 12-18 year old kids don’t play with Barbie dolls. And 6 year olds sure as heck shouldn’t have a Barbie modeled after a kid that murders other kids.
Again, maybe it’s just a hoax. I hope so. Thanks to HG Girl on Fire for the heads up on this story.
