“The tyranny of He-man”
Mattel certainly knew how to make money off of Masters of the Universe toys. Aishah Ali, writing in the October 28, 1986 edition of New Straits Times, shares with us the story of carting Castle Grayskull from London to Malaysia in order to make her son happy and bulk up his Masters of the Universe collection with a new playset.
“Johan, my elder son, pouting and petulant, wouldn’t leave London without securing it for his precious He-man and his sidekick. So the dratted castle came with us as hand-luggage.”
Wow. I’ve managed to determine over the years that I had plenty of toys as a kid, but I’m willing to bet that if I had acted in such a manner my parents would have not succumbed and transported a giant playset around the world as a carry-on. Clearly this woman spoiled her kid, and as further evidence to support my claim I offer this other quote from the newspaper article:
“Most times Johan needn’t even ask. “I’m only look mummy,” he would say sweetly, and I, feeling the generosity that would descend on most parents on such occasions, would offer to buy the miserable toy.”
Congratulations, Mattel! Back in 1986 you convinced at least one mother to basically give in and buy toys for her spoiled kid. This is one woman who probably should have learned to say “no” long before she found herself carrying a Castle Grayskull playset on an international flight.
Now I better understand those toy stores in the Hong Kong airport . . .
I can’t imagine lugging around a Castle Grayskull in an airport like a carry-on!