Mr. Potato Head will now be known by the gender-neutral 'Potato Head'


Please call them Potato Head — Mr. Potato Head was their father.
On Thursday, the toymaker Hasbro announced that their classic Mr. Potato Head brand will no longer use the male honorific, and instead go by the gender-neutral "Potato Head." The new name is set to appear on boxes as soon as this year. As Fast Company explains, Hasbro's decision is intended to "break away from traditional gender norms, particularly when it comes to creating Potato Head families," and allow for young kids to have "a blank slate to create same-sex families or single-parent families."
The classic Mr. Potato Head toy famously appeared in the Toy Story films — in which he comically insisted on the "mister" — and was voiced by Don Rickles, who died in 2017. "I busted my bird for 60 years in the business," the comedian once joked to Maxim, "but my grandkids only know me as Mr. Potato Head."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Update 5:09 p.m.: Hasbro clarified that the classic Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head characters "aren't going anywhere" — rather than eliminating the gendered options, it seems kids will also have gender-neutral hair and accessory choices.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US