"Crazy Over You" Valentine Gets *tied-up* in Vermont . . .

Sweet or Tasteless?
Mental Health Advocates Seek Removal of 'Crazy' Teddy Bear
January 12, 2005
by Darren M. Allen, Vermont Press Bureau

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Photo: STEFAN HARD / TIMES ARGUS)

The “Crazy for You” Bear is offered on The Vermont Teddy Bear Company website (at http://store.yahoo.com/vtbear/crazyforyou.html)

"MONTPELIER — A straight-jacketed Valentine's Day bear meant to convey out-of-control love for your sweetie is instead driving the state's mental health community to protest.

"The Vermont Teddy Bear factory's 'Crazy for You Bear' — complete with its own set of commitment papers — is 'a tasteless use of marketing that stigmatizes persons with mental illness,' Jerry Goessel, the executive director of the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, wrote to the Shelburne-based company.

" 'The marketing use of a straight jacket . . . sends a message to the general public that is contradictory to treating persons with illness as persons first(,' wrote Goessel.) He asked that the $70 bear be immediately pulled from the company's shelves."

. . . more . . . http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050112/NEWS/501120367/1004

The Boston Globe through AP wire has picked up the story at http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2005/01/13/crazy_teddy_bear_prompts_protest/

____________________________________________

The Vermont Teddy Bear Company is a great place to visit when touring Vermont! My bet is that the company will drop this teddy bear from its line immediately. Let's wait and see what happens.

BTW, the company's website is a fun place to see teddy bears for all!
http://store.yahoo.com/vtbear/index.html

.

Oh lighten up, Jerry. Then I see that this is a $70 teddy bear and I'm thinking you would have to be crazy to spend that much on a stuffed animal.

Oh, well. But did you know that this company sells . . . more than 450,000 (hand-made) teddy bears per year? That's a lot of stuffing!
http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2005/01/13/crazy_teddy_bear_prompts_protest/ ("Vermont Teddy Bear, a 20-year-old company known for its Bear-Grams, sells more than 450,000 bears a year.")

And as for my wager that the company will discontinue the "Crazy for You" teddy bear immediately, was I wrong! This is what the company was quoted as saying:

" 'This bear was developed just
for Valentine's Day and is not
a permanent addition to our product
line,' the company statement said.
"This bear will remain an offering
for Valentine's Day. ' "

"The company said it would discontinue
the bear, but not before Feb. 14."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2005/01/13/crazy_teddy_bear_prompts_protest/

My personal favorite bear from the occupation line is this one:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://store.yahoo.com/vtbear/lawyer.html

.

Thanks for that:)