Sasha And Malia Dolls "Inappropriate," Michelle Obama Says

UPDATE 2/3: The "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha" dolls that upset First Lady Michelle Obama are being renamed, the New York Post reports:

The company that makes the popular Beanie Babies is retiring the names "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha" from its Ty Girlz collection.

CEO Ty Warner of Oak Brook-based Ty Inc. says in a statement Tuesday that the dolls have been renamed "Marvelous Mariah" and "Sweet Sydney."

Warner says Ty is changing the monikers in deference to the Obama family.

***

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that Ty Dolls, the company responsible for the 1990's Beanie Babies craze, is trying to cash in on a new trend with a pair of "Sasha" and "Malia" dolls. The company insists there's no connection to the Obama daughters. They just chose what they thought were "beautiful names."

"There's nothing on the dolls that refers to the Obama girls," spokeswoman Tania Lundeen said. "It would not be fair to say they are exact replications of these girls. They are not."

Michelle Obama doesn't seem to be buying it, Chicago Business reports.

First lady Michelle Obama is not pleased about the marketing of a pair of dolls that bear the same names as her daughters.

"We believe it is inappropriate to use young private citizens for marketing purposes," Ms. Obama's spokeswoman said.

The dolls were introduced in early January, and a limited supply has been shipped to retailers.

Comments

[edshapiro09]

01:36 PM on 02/04/2009

I just love the cute dolls. They're some of the coolest Barack Obama memorabilia I've seen since the campaign last year. Yes, it would have been nice if Ty Girls could have contacted the Obama family. But, they're hard to access! I guess it would be nice if Ty Dolls could give some of the profits to charity. So far this is the best site for Sasha Malia Dolls:http://www.sasha-malia-dolls.com/

[shirleyfeeney]

12:16 AM on 02/04/2009

now if Ty could just tell us what exactly is "real" doll hair? is there fake doll hair?

[blues101]

11:55 PM on 02/03/2009

Excellent, Michelle! You tell 'em to lay off your family unless they have permission and your blessings to use your children for promoting their products and others' concepts and ideas. The First Family is showing all parents how raising a family should be. Protection, integrity and privacy.

[AhnAmuru]

09:32 PM on 02/03/2009

Thanks folks for this great campaign to prevent the exploitation of those two lovely little girls in the whitehouse.

Barack is a public figure and accordingly judged by a different standard, but let those little girls be.

[iswideopen]

09:12 PM on 02/03/2009

Mrs. First Lady Obama, I'm happy they heard your disgust loud and clear.

[Haditup2here]

08:48 PM on 02/03/2009

Good for her !!

[tel8034]

08:22 PM on 02/03/2009

They pulled them because after Michelle being upset, plus the snow job that Ty Inc was trying ro sell the public (that nothing on the dolls resemble the Obama girls) which didn't fly, no-one was buying the dolls.

[Damaven]

07:37 PM on 02/03/2009

Thank you very much!

[alexis d]

05:41 PM on 02/03/2009

Good. That was a shameless move on the company's part.

[Just2stressed]

05:08 PM on 02/03/2009

Good!!! These people are disgraceful...anything to make a buck. I am sure they were flooded with emails sent by disgruntled citizens.

[Phoebe917]

04:59 PM on 02/03/2009

i really didn't have a problem with the the concept of the dolls. i had a set of flashcards/picture cards of the kennedy family when i was little. i loved them. but these dolls had breasts which made it kinda weird. BTW; in some obscure catalog i found an Obama action figure and yep, i bought it.

[Peaceisnecessary]

04:46 PM on 02/03/2009

Congratulations Michelle! It was great that you stood up to that company who wanted to cash in on the Obama's family popularity.

[texasaggie]

04:43 PM on 02/03/2009

Oh brother.

[SharonB]

04:43 PM on 02/03/2009

The ones with the original tags are gonna be on ebay within two days.

[Hank Missenheim 1]

04:40 PM on 02/03/2009

This is so petty. Leave it to the Obama cult.

[BannedFromCommenting]

04:53 PM on 02/03/2009

Get lost Troll... Its all ok, unless it was the Bush twins right? These kids are MINORS. But aint no getting through a Hank who is "Missen" a brain...

[bluehand]

05:02 PM on 02/03/2009

So I suppose you'd let some company exploit your children, without your permission, or compensation. Of course, I'm sure you'd let it be done for cash, 'cause I know how repubs love money.