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View Full Version : Tele-tubby sez "A gun! A Gun!"


JimR
April 9, 2000, 05:24 AM
No, I'm not making this up. Due to evil politicians and "the nattering class" (of journalists) creating anti-gun hysteria among the general populace, we have the spectacle of people complaining (loudly!) to toy stores / manufacturers that their Tele-tubby toys are saying "A gun! A gun!" when they are really saying "Again! Again!".

There is no way I could have made up anything even remotely this wack-o. This really speaks to the success of the propaganda campaign against the 2nd.

Oh, well, serves the parents right for giving their kids Tele-tubbies <g>.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Teletubby in hot water again; some think doll says, 'Get a gun' (http://www.uniontrib.com/news/diversions/20000408-0010_1b8tinky.html)

By Craig D. Rose
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 8, 2000

SAN DIEGO -- First, Tinky Winky was taking heat. Now, the children's character is accused of packing heat.

The Teletubbies TV show figure, once characterized by the Rev. Jerry Falwell as a gay role model, is again causing a stir because a local mom and at least a few others around the country say a talking version of the fuzzy purple character is uttering gun threats.

Renée Taylor of Oceanside became concerned this week after giving her daughter Maya a set of two talking Teletubbies -- Tinky Winky and Po -- for her second birthday. She noted that she thinks of the television show as educational.

Not long after getting the dolls, however, her 2-year-old was announcing, "I got a gun, got a gun . . . Run away, run away," Taylor reported.

The mother then listened more closely to the half-dozen phrases the talking dolls emit when their palms are pressed. Amid the words and gibberish, she said, was something upsetting.

" 'I got a gun, got a gun' and 'Run away' is what they say at one point," Taylor insists.

The U.S. marketing agent for the talking Teletubbies says it's all a misunderstanding -- like the earlier claims about Tinky being a symbol of gay pride. Kenn Viselman, chairman of Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Co., says the talk feature was incorporated into the figures by downloading snippets of sound track from the popular public television show.

What the figures really say, Viselman insists, is "again, again" -- which the characters frequently declare during the TV show. While the company has received three similar complaints in recent days, he noted that thousands of the figures have been sold. The dolls are made in China by Golden Bear Products Ltd. and have been sold exclusively through KB Toys.

When the recording was played for a small sampling of listeners at The San Diego Union-Tribune, most said they heard the gun comment, without prompting. But some who've seen the children's program interpreted the same sounds as "Again, again."

The sounds from Po were generally judged as innocuous.

Overall, more than 10 million talking Teletubbies of all types have been marketed. Most of those, however, were made under the auspices of Hasbro Inc., which uses a different audio technology.

Itsy Bitsy said the United States is the only country where some have perceived a gun message from the figures. Viselman believes that's because of the higher level of violence experienced in the United States and a growing sensitivity to the problem.

Viselman said his company prides itself on its wholesome, children-oriented entertainment.

"We are the most family-friendly company on earth," he said. "The programs we do are nonviolent, nonsexual, good wholesome family fare for kids.

"This is such a horrible thing to be on the defensive about. I'm feeling quite upset for the mother."

But he said he would not ask KB to clear the shelves of the toys. Instead, Viselman said he expects the figures will be cleared out through the normal sales process over the next few weeks.

"I'm not really sure it's fair to stop selling the toys," Viselman said. "The reality is that they sold thousands and two people complained . . . Do you really think PBS would let us make a toy that says, 'I got a gun?' "

In San Diego, Taylor called KB Toys in Carlsbad, where she bought the dolls, and was eventually told she could return them for a purchase-price refund -- $19.99 -- and a $25 gift certificate.

But the mother isn't satisfied with the response. She thinks the toys should be pulled from the chain's shelves.

"I just don't think it's appropriate for my daughter or any child (to hear this) coming from a toy people love," Taylor said.

A spokeswoman for KB, which has more than 1,300 stores, said the company received two calls about the toys over the past month but was satisfied with the manufacturer's explanation.

"We have to take the manufacturer's word about this," said the spokeswoman.
[/quote]



[This message has been edited by JimR (edited April 09, 2000).]

Allen_Raiford
April 9, 2000, 08:30 AM
"Tinky-Winky made me do it!"

dZ
April 9, 2000, 09:22 AM
http://www.acmecity.com/thematrix/one/40/tubbie.gif

Glenn E. Meyer
April 9, 2000, 10:00 AM
Standard phenomenon in perceptual psychology.
When a signal is ambiguous, you add a hypothesis to its interpretation and hear the result.

Also, when a message is listened to repeatedly, it morhps a bit - called semantic satiation.

Just like those loonie ministers who hear SATAN in rock music played backwards.

Kind of amusing.

Personally, I'm more interested in banning the Wizard of Oz because the munchkin militia carried muskets.

Correia
April 9, 2000, 10:29 AM
That is so weird that I couldn't have made that up if I wanted to. Some people are just crazy, and they call us gun Nuts?

Oatka
April 9, 2000, 10:45 AM
Along with gun control, it appears the lunacy level is being incrementally notched up. You get the feeling there's a "Salem Witch Hunt" atmosphere brewing amongst the soccer moms.

I hope they keep up with these asinine claims. At some point we may be able to turn the liberals' own bugaboo on them by claiming they're the "Joe McCarthys of Gun Control", i.e. "I have a list ...".

Glenn E. Meyer hit it on the head. It would be a good ploy when talking about this to a fence-sitter to ponder, "I wonder if they'll start playing records backward and find more
subliminal gun stuff" or "I wonder what their voices are telling them now?". Correia's comment is a good one also, "... and they call US gun nuts?". There's a motherload of ridicule in this one.

On a side note, when I played my Country and Western songs backward, the guy recovered his truck, found his dawg, and his girl came back. :)

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The New World Order has a Third Reich odor.

Gunslinger
April 9, 2000, 10:57 AM
Arrrrrrrggggg.........these people are nuts. Can't they find something better to do with thier time? I am concerned for the little girl. She is being raised by an alarmist, neurotic mother!

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Gunslinger

We live in a time in which attitudes and deeds once respected as courageous and honorable are now scorned as being antiquated and subversive.

Jeff Thomas
April 9, 2000, 12:31 PM
What a stitch!

Taylor is certainly out there in the ozone.

'Course, perhaps Golden Bear Products is a subsidiary of Norinco? ;) ;) ;)

This does raise the prospect of helping us to redefine 'gun nuts' .... 'gun nuts' could be the anti-self defense types that seem to operate so near the edge of sanity ... ;)

MrBlonde
April 9, 2000, 12:59 PM
That is so stupid. Its inconceivable how stupid that is. A little geberish talking purple thing, is saying "I got a gun, I got a gun", GOD! Whats wrong with those people, its odviously not saying that,
Why would they make it say that? For what purpose would a toy company selling to children, make that? Next they will start to say that the teletubies are threatening kids.

DaHaMac
April 9, 2000, 02:56 PM
From "Men in Black" loosely quoted

K, "Why can't we tell the people about the aliens? People are smart."

J, "Individuals are smart, but people are like a herd of cows, spook one and they all run."

I know I am not real close to what was said word for word, but the meaning is there. This woman is an example of the anti-gun hysteria that is beginning to cause a stampede in society. Only individuals can stand up to this, and Dear God we are the few who will be left to stop the rushing onslaught of madness. Go forth and educate in Truth, even though many will turn on you.

"Do not give to dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces." Matt. 7:6NIV

These people can not handle truth, therefore they live in there own world. Sad, real sad. I agree with others here, this type of person who mistakenly hears "a gun" then wants all of these toys removed from stores, is the true gun-nut; made insane by the anti-gun hysteria. She'll try to use the Gov't to ban these toys now I suppose. That is real constitutional, get the Gov't to protect your from your fears. I guess the Gov't will have to sleep with her, to protect her from her nightmares about guns now too.

We must rescue all that can be rescued from this type of insanity.

Apologies for my long-winded homily

DaHaMac

G-Freeman
April 9, 2000, 03:17 PM
I agree with Glenn on the perceptual psychology angle. Yet, I thought the Lollypop Guild reps offered flowers to Dorothy. Perhaps I need to play the tape backwards to see the make of the munchkin muskets :).

Miss Demeanors
April 9, 2000, 06:23 PM
"The dolls are made in China "

Subliminal messages perhaps? Think about that one, if they put this into American childrens heads, the kids become crazed and shoot someone (Tinky Winky did it :D). The US loses its guns, China has some advantage over us, we are not armed. hmmm

I think I need some sleep LOL.

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Glenn E. Meyer
April 9, 2000, 08:46 PM
Subliminal messages as a tool of persuasion
beyond the norm has long been disproven
in the literature.

As far as the Munchkins, I watched that tape
a zillion times with the kid. I noted a significant number of marching little dudes
who were armed. I always wondered why they
didn't form a line and blast the Wicked Witch.
It was clear that she was physically vulnerable as her sister got squashed by a house.

EQUALIZER
April 9, 2000, 08:53 PM
I've tried to be objective about the whole Tella Tubby thing. First Mr. Falwell says that one of the critters is a cross dresser. Male voice carrying a purse.

"Hahahahahahahahahahhahah! Doesn't he have anything more sinister to look into?" I said. My brother says that my little nephew watches it all of the time. I happened to run across the thing on TV one day and educate myself so I can put to rest this rediculous controversy.

I forced myself to watch 5 minutes of it. What did I see?

Some freakish character with a clearly masculine male voice carrying around in a feminine manner what appeared to be a purse!!! "What the ______!" I said. Then the anthropromorphic sun comes up as a laughing baby....! Now I'm no prude and I've been exposed to some pretty freaky weird stuff, but man, I don't even think someone on hard drugs could get a kick out of this cartoon.

What's this have to do with "A gun! A gun!?"

I seriously doubt if that is what the freak is saying, but after that experience, knowthing in the world would surprise me. Not even if pigs could fly!...............................................................Oh, yea........forgot about the old Pink Floyd concerts. ;)

PS: I think the target on the front of Tella Tubbies would make great pepper poppers, or silloettes. I'd like to set one out against a backstop, pull the string, hear it say "A GUN! A GUN!" Then do an Elvis Presley impersonation.......heheheheheheheh

robert

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"But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one." -Jesus Christ (Luke 22:36, see John 3:15-18)
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"Reasonable gun law?............There's No such critter!" --EQ

Dennis
April 9, 2000, 11:09 PM
Tele-tubby says, "A gun! A gun!"
Shiner-tubby says, "Bang! Bang!"
Tele-tubby is finally quiet... permanently! ;)

(Sounds of adults sighing with relief heard here!)

ModIMark0
April 10, 2000, 03:31 AM
My 2 year old has a talking Tinky Winky (don't know which company made it). I can hear (with my poor hearing) Tinky Winky saying "Again again!". I've never perceived the words "A gun a gun!" coming from that purple antennaed mime face toy.

Glenn E. Meyer
April 10, 2000, 05:12 PM
IDPA stage when you are under attack by
Teletubbies carrying Galco gun purses?

Tubby skeet?