A father has called on Disney accusing a toy of expressing "suicidal thoughts".
- 5 years ago
A father has called on Disney to recall a talking doll from its latest movie Inside Out after accusing the toy of expressing "suicidal thoughts".
Worried Andrew Smith, 34, bought the talking doll - named Sadness - for his 11-year-old daughter Regan at a Disney store.
The #15.95 toy is part of a collection of five characters from the new animated film, which will hit cinemas across the UK today (Fri) after going down a storm in the US.
But Andrew was shocked when he overheard the doll voicing "suicidal comments" when his daughter pressed its right hand.
Sadness says phrases like: "Crying makes me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems."
"I'm in an emotional slump - my legs don't work. Give me an hour."
"Goodbye friendship, hello loneliness."
Psychology student Andrew branded the phrases as "toxic" and called on Disney to recall the toy from sale.
The dad-of-two said: "I wasn't terribly keen on her buying a doll called Sadness having spent the last year at uni doing psychology.
"I didn't think it was a terribly good idea for mental well-being but then I thought because it was Disney, 'what's the harm?'
"It turned out I was very very wrong.
"When we turned the doll on, it had some very generic phrases but also some absolutely crazy messages for young children.
"The doll speaks in a very slow, depressed, melancholic tone and myself and my partner sat listening to it and we thought 'that's heavy, even for a an adult'.
"I tried to contact Disney who just said the movie is not out yet and maybe the movie will put it in context.
Worried Andrew Smith, 34, bought the talking doll - named Sadness - for his 11-year-old daughter Regan at a Disney store.
The #15.95 toy is part of a collection of five characters from the new animated film, which will hit cinemas across the UK today (Fri) after going down a storm in the US.
But Andrew was shocked when he overheard the doll voicing "suicidal comments" when his daughter pressed its right hand.
Sadness says phrases like: "Crying makes me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems."
"I'm in an emotional slump - my legs don't work. Give me an hour."
"Goodbye friendship, hello loneliness."
Psychology student Andrew branded the phrases as "toxic" and called on Disney to recall the toy from sale.
The dad-of-two said: "I wasn't terribly keen on her buying a doll called Sadness having spent the last year at uni doing psychology.
"I didn't think it was a terribly good idea for mental well-being but then I thought because it was Disney, 'what's the harm?'
"It turned out I was very very wrong.
"When we turned the doll on, it had some very generic phrases but also some absolutely crazy messages for young children.
"The doll speaks in a very slow, depressed, melancholic tone and myself and my partner sat listening to it and we thought 'that's heavy, even for a an adult'.
"I tried to contact Disney who just said the movie is not out yet and maybe the movie will put it in context.