New "Elmo Hugs You Back" Toy

[Hubert]

Apparently a new 22" Elmo toy is being released this fall, which hugs you and also responds to your hugging, positioning of him:

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/national/new-elmo-hugs-you-back

 

[D'Snowth]

Uh... is it really wise to release an Elmo product like that so soon after what just happened?

 

[SSLFan]

Well, Elmo is still just a fictional character after all.

What amazes me is how much work Kevin got done prior to the incident. His voice will be used for this toy even though it's due out over almost a year after he resigned.

 

[HeyButtahfly]

There's probably a lot of technology that went into producing this toy, but based on the information given in that article, $60 doesn't really seem worth it...

 

[dwmckim]

Hey, i sure as heck would go out of my way to be hugged by Elmo! Novel idea actually. How many of us had things like Teddy Bears and the like that we wished could hug us back?

Now if my Elmo started trying to tickle me back, then i may not be as enamored...

 

[Hubert]

I wonder, could the whole thing that happened be part of the reason why they still decided to release this so soon? Maybe the idea is to prove the point that the character still lives on and should be separated from the performer. It might do some good, in a way.

Then also, you have to figure in the idea that these toys were already planned and expensive to produce, so it makes sense to not waste that money put into the technology just because an incident that happened.

 

[Drtooth]

I'd rather they just keep those Sesame Street Pals packs coming. They've been stuck on the Abby/Zoe rollerblades and Count/Elmo Soccer assortment for well over a year now.

Plus, it's time for Grover to have a big expensive interactive plush toy, don't you think?

 

[Hubert]

Plus, it's time for Grover to have a big expensive interactive plush toy, don't you think?

Yes! I always don't care for how Elmo seems to be the only one that ever really gets fun toys that are bigger than 12". I'd like to see some other characters with some quality toys like this instead, characters like Grover or even Big Bird.

 

[Oscarfan]

I'd rather they just keep those Sesame Street Pals packs coming. They've been stuck on the Abby/Zoe rollerblades and Count/Elmo Soccer assortment for well over a year now.

Plus, it's time for Grover to have a big expensive interactive plush toy, don't you think?

Grover got the new Super Grover 2.0 flying doll.

 

[mostlikemokey]

Yes! I always don't care for how Elmo seems to be the only one that ever really gets fun toys that are bigger than 12". I'd like to see some other characters with some quality toys like this instead, characters like Grover or even Big Bird.

My parents told me that when I was very little I had a talking Big Bird plush toy. It had been given to me by my grandmother. I was very afraid of it and would not go near it, so eventually they had to get rid of it. This, along with an intense fear of Oscar, contributed to my dislike for Sesame Street until I was probably past the age of the target audience. So yes, there have been interactive toys that were not Elmo.