Automatonophobic mother fears daughter might buy a Muppet toy

[WereFox]

I actually have automatonophobia myself, although I'm obviously not afraid of puppets. The term also applies to the fear of animatronics and costume characters, both of which I have dealt with (only when seeing them in person though) for as long as I can remember. So I can understand how this woman feels. Even though I've gotten over most of my fear, I still can't be around those moving/talking Halloween animatronics that you see in stores or people's houses, or ride a lot of theme park rides with moving figures. The only way I've managed to get over it is to expose myself to ones that aren't intended to be scary, and to learn about how they work. I hope this lady can overcome this and learn to love the Muppets.

About the Halloween animatronics...I love them! I went to a Halloween store with my Mom, and I instantly felt right at home here! I claimed I even spoke the language of these creepy cuties! There were skeleton rats, a Cerberus, a werewolf, and some creepy little bears with sharp teeth. I loved them all! There was one animatronic bear in overalls, saying it wanted a hug, and I hugged it back!

 

[Luke kun]

Show her Muppet Babies. It's a cartoon and they are cute. That'll be one step in curing her phobia.
She also doesn't like all puppets...

 

[EntropicOrgan]

Did anyone notice that her daughters are named Liesl & Martha, like the Von Trapp kids in The Sound Of Music? There were marionettes in that film too (Lonely Goatherd). If she's a Julie Andrews fan, perhaps she should watch her guest spot on The Muppet Show. HEHEHEHEH

 

[Luke kun]

Did anyone notice that her daughters are named Liesl & Martha, like the Von Trapp kids in The Sound Of Music? There were marionettes in that film too (Lonely Goatherd). If she's a Julie Andrews fan, perhaps she should watch her guest spot on The Muppet Show. HEHEHEHEH

I think she may be over it now, and the Julie Andrews spot could have helped her get over it.

 

[Flaky Pudding]

The only puppets that have ever scared me are the non Muppet-y ones. Things like marionettes and ventriloquist dummies have a tendency to give me the creeps. Jeff Dunham is really the only exception. For some reason his puppets (including the very controversial Achmed Junior) have never bothered me. I have no problem with Terry Fator's puppets either, but I find his shows to be a bit boring so I haven't watched enough of his stuff to truly form an opinion on that.