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The Furby: Creepy and in demand
Various versions of a new Furby, produced by U.S. toy giant Hasbro and distributed by Japanese toy maker Tomy, are displayed at a press preview in Tokyo on Sept. 4, 2012. The Furby is back this holiday season, and it's as strange and coveted as it was in 1998.
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In 1998 a new kind of toy hit the market. It was called the Furby, and it did everything from sleep to talk smack in its own language: Furbish.
The Furby was a smash hit, tens of millions of them sold over the next few years. This year toymaker Hasbro had a brainstorm: bring the Furby back. Already the toy has been a hit this holiday season.
"You start to project or see autonomous behavior, and then you're not sure if it's alive or not," says Furby co-creator Caleb Chung. "And so it becomes creepy."
Making an emotional connection with kids is what's important to designing a toy that can span generations. Chung doesn't seem to mind if adults aren't enamored by the Furby's mystique, after all they made him some serious cash.
I am well aware of Furby. My husband, Tony Pope, was the voice of the original Furby in all 5 languages, 6 if you count Furbish. He died in February of 2004 and I placed a Furby in the casket with him. Hand to God (I have witnesses who will verify this) as they closed it, I kissed Tony good-bye and told him I loved him, that darn toy opened his eyes and said, "I love you".
