Last evening DCD, Whirlygirl, and I convened in a shady part of Pawtucket, R.I., home of the Hasbro toy company, to engage in a secret meeting about some upcoming toys for children. All we knew going in was that the toys had to do with evolution and “Charlie’s Playhouse” sponsored them. The meeting was held in a cool (literally and figuratively) warehouse in a not-so-nice neighborhood (picture people standing on street corners drinking mysterious beverages out of brown paper bags). After following a few signs with the cute Charlie’s Playhouse logo on them, we arrived in a large, somewhat dilapidated room where we were greeted by as pleasant woman who offered us warm beverages of Diet coke and water. There were no takers for the chocolate-covered nuts. There was one other participant in a room, an older fella, who is a biology professor at a local university. After a few minutes 2 others arrived. We all signed confidentiality agreements promising that we would not reveal what we were about to be shown. She didn’t say so, but I’m assuming that this means we will have our asses sued off if we discussed these products.
The meeting lasted approximately 90 minutes. I think the others would agree that we were shown some very cool stuff, some of which I wanted to buy on the spot. We all provided feedback, which was recorded and we were promised that we would receive and email in the fall giving us first crack at purchasing the products we were shown. We were handed envelopes as we left the room and I was pleased to see that it contained 30 bucks, which is not bad for something I would have done for free to begin with.
11 comments:
JPX, is the theory here that non-atheists would have been so offended by the toys that they would have given a call-to-arms to the Christian community, signed papers be damned?
(BTW happy you weren't all kidnapped)
Yeah so out with it - we want details and we want them now.
Nah, they just wanted to make sure that they would have pariticpants who were opposed to such toys. The products were really cute and a normal person would not be offended by them. I mean, if I have to see Jesus nailed to a cross wherever I go, people shouldn't be offended by _____.
"who were NOT opposed to such toys"
Great post JPX! I was hoping you would put something up.
I thought it was really fun and very interesting. I have never done anything like that before. I think only the loonies who don't believe in evolution would be offended.
They are hoping to launch in the fall, so maybe you all will get cool Charlie's Playhouse items for Christmas!
...and you all WILL want them...
I'll never understand how people don't "believe" in evolution. That's like not believing in gravity.
I'm also having trouble conceiving of a toy based on a gradual process that takes generations to produce an effect...
I'm so glad you went to this, guys! I'll email Hemant and let him know. Whoo hoo! I'm excited about the toys, too.
So, uh, obvious question, but the "Charlie" is Darwin, right?
I want to see an opening title sequence just like Pee Wee's Playhouse but with lots and lots of animals.
"C'mon iiiiin, and pull yourself up a chiiiimp..."
Sounds like right around where I got mugged!
I got mugged within 5 minutes the very first time I ever went to NYC.
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