The Journal

Issue date: 11/17/05 Section: Opinion/Editorial

Stephanie Kiszczak

Fried, mashed or baked, potatoes come best in the form of the lovable Mr. Potato Head. What began as decorating a face on a real potato, soon evolved into New Yorker George Lerner's plastic Mr. Potato Head in 1952. Abandoned by the only parent he ever had, Mr. Potato Head was sold to Hasbro, Inc., a toy company in Rhode Island.

While his looks have changed over the years - from a Styrofoam head to the portly plastic potato we all know and love - Mr. Potato Head's message of encouraging children's creativity has stayed the same. But not for long.

The United States Potato Board has decided to make Mr. Potato Head the poster tot for the health benefits of potatoes. Hasn't the portly potato done enough? While he's used to adjusting his appearance, Healthy Mr. Potato Head will promote the consumption of potatoes and the benefits of potassium, vitamin C and fiber all in one tater. While yet to be released on the market, Healthy Mr. Potato Head will premier at this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Although he curbed his smoking by putting away the pipe in 1987, a 53-year-old spud isn't the right man to further meld America's love for potatoes. To get in the groove of his healthier lifestyle, Mr. Potato Head is turning to exercise after years of plastic surgery. With a pair of running shoes, in-line skates, a baseball hat, headband, portable MP3 player, water bottle and toned, muscular arms, Healthy Mr. Potato Head is sure to make the middle-aged lady taters go gaga, not to mention Mrs. Potato Head.

I don't think forcing a mid-life crisis on the old spud is the answer. It seems like money and the potato market were put ahead of children. There are plenty of other creative advertising endeavors that could be used to campaign the health benefits of potatoes. The Board just figured America would jump on the health-crazed bandwagon and the potato market would skyrocket. The healthy tater is not in stores, but can be purchased by sending in two UPC codes from fresh potato products. The Board will have to wait for America's reaction.

As a person with a passion for potatoes, I was shocked to learn a new Potato Head would replace the spunky spud I grew up with. Not too long after Mr. Potato Head's arrival came the Mrs., along with a few tater tots along the way. Over the years, Mr. Potato Head has gone through several market-driven changes. He sported athletics with a short stint as a hockey player. Mr. P also jumped on the Star Wars bandwagon as a Spud Trooper and even crossed over to the dark side as Darth Tater. He's lived a wholesome, happy life and seen many changes, but none like this.

Sadly enough, Mr. Potato Head is on the way to join other children's toys in the quest for becoming more politically correct. MP3 players and potatoes are not a practical combination. Pairing starch and technology is a little more than extreme. Mr. Potato Head is meant to encourage creativity in children, not to instill a desire to own an iPod at age three.

Toys are getting to be more technologically advanced and the obsession to curb obesity at a young age is growing. If Healthy Mr. Potato Head had been around when I was a child, I highly doubt his running shoes and in-line skates would have sparked an interest in gym class or lessened my love for French fries.
What's really upsetting is the Potato Board can't predict the outcome of the campaign or people's reactions to lovable spud undergoing yet another make-over. While the original Mr. Potato Head was created with children's intellectual growth in mind, Healthy Mr. Potato Head seems to have developed out of a deal with MP3 and the Food and Drug Administration's food pyramid.



Stephanie Kiszczak, a junior journalism major, is the LifeStyle editor for The Journal.

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