Awkward moment when all the POC characters are left out of a toy line

[orangerful]

I know this wasn't intentional. I know it was not done with malice, I'm sure it was all about market research and which characters they thought would sell the most...

BUT

Check out the Parks & Recreation Funko Pop line up

Notice anyone missing? Like Tom...Ann...Donna...

I mean, I know they only do sets of a few people at once (I'm STILL waiting for the rest of the Buffy and Firefly characters!) but to opt to do a Bert Macklin and Little Sebastian POP rather than another main characters feels weird, even more so since they were persons of color and all the Pops are white people (and a horse...a tiny tiny horse...)



I'm not accusing them of doing this on purpose...but wow. And when I think of how many shows actually *get* their second set of figures to fill out the entire cast...I worry that we will never see a little Tom Haverford with Funko POP swagger.

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

Market research can be used to justify any decision -- such as the fact that there are no Wonder Woman action figures post-movie but there is a Diana Barbie or when Star Wars sets appeared without Rey. All you have to do is say a certain group isn't part of your "market." I'm prety dure it's more about justifying a certain world view than even making money because you know there would be buyers somewhere. (I was also about to say all U.S. money is green but I'm not sure what you'd call those shades these days)

[orangerful]

That's true! It's 2017, they should be aware of these things and thinking about them. I'm not sure if anyone has said anything to Funko about it, but it immediately stood out to me. :\

[yourlibrarian]

At least there are encouraging stories like these: https://www.themarysue.com/kids-talk-wonder-woman/

Although I find it more disturbing that it took the WW movie and her popularity to change a little girl's mind about girls being weak. Adults tend to be quick to suggest entertainment isn't taken seriously as if it doesn't embody any messages about our cultures. But clearly kids pick up on exactly what it's telling them.

[rhoda_rants]

This is so true. So much of my formative years are tied up with whatever fandoms I was into at the time. I grew up with Princess Leia so I knew women weren't weak, but I also never got the message that we could be superheroes like Luke, who could actually *use* the Force. Little girls have some kickass role models now--we need more, it's a work in progress, but this movie is SO important.

[yourlibrarian]

Your comment made me wonder if you'd seen this tweet? https://twitter.com/EvanMatyas/status/871736061420072961

[rhoda_rants]

YES and I boosted it! It's so true and so rad. Love it!

[rhoda_rants]

*criiiiiinge*

I would absolutely accuse them of doing it on purpose. I mean, it takes practice to recognize when you're doing the erasure thing, but someone should have noticed. Good lord.

[orangerful]

You're right, how could someone not point this out to them? Not even a little bit of "um um...Tom?" Blargh. :(

[dancingdragon3]

No, that is ridiculous. Ann was the secondary main character for most of the series for goodness sake! And Tom was hysterical, not to mention Aziz having his own show now. I don't even want to click to see which minor characters they included, if they left all three of them out :-/

[orangerful]

They have Pops of Leslie, Ron, Andy, April and...Lil' Sebastian.