Mother Claims "WWE Slambulance" Toys Encourage Violence Against Emergency Responders
It appears there's one parent that isn't a fan of WWE's toys. After viewing a commercial featuring Drew McIntyre tearing through a WWE ambulance called the "WWE slambulance", Bournemouth native and mother of three Sabrina Fitzsimmons was left less than impressed with WWE's toys, feeling that it perpetuates violence towards ambulances and emergency responders.
"This toy is massively inappropriate," Fitzsimmons told LADbible. "I wouldn't purchase that for my child and I certainly wouldn't get behind advertising it, I just think you're crossing a line of ethics and morals. Toys are supposed to teach our children, not only be fun. When I saw it I just thought 'what a time to be advertising a toy like this to children'. These people in the health care sector saved our lives. To advocate for a toy that perpetuates the message of violence towards the vehicles and the people that help us, I just think 'what kind of message are you sending to children here? How is that ok?'
"WWE has a huge following from littles ones right up to adults, including my 13-year-old son, I think it's just such the wrong message. I wasn't trying to be a 'Karen' but I just found it really offensive given the pressure I know the services have been under and the sacrifices that they've made. I could see that the advert really upset my partner."
Fitzsimmons partner, Chrissie, is an NHS healthcare assistant. That, combined with the efforts of health workers during the pandemic, appeared to be Fitzsimmons' main gripes.
"I work in retail and you use some degree of common sense," Fitzsimmons continued. "If that fell on my desk and I was told 'we're going to advertise this' I would be asking questions. Is this good at any time, not just after a pandemic, to advocate violence against emergency workers? It's never a good thing."
Fitzsimmons revealed that she sent a complaint to Smyths Toys, who WWE notes sell the toys, which are made by Mattel. She was less than pleased with the response she got.
"It was 'sorry it offended you,'" Fitzsimmons revealed. "I think they completely missed the message. It won't just have offended me, it offended my partner who goes to work everyday to help other people in the emergency services. A lot of her friends work there, she's witnessed and been party to having violence against her and her friends and her colleagues like I myself have in retail. We're trying to curb that and get that message across that it's not acceptable and they're perpetuating a toy that is telling kids that it is at a very young and impressionable age. I think it's so wrong."