# Advocacy group wants to do away with Ronald McDonald. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 16, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302 "2010-04-16T04:08:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/1 "2010-04-16T04:08:07Z")
Here’s the story. [http://www.salon.com/food/feature/2010/04/14/end\_of\_ronald\_mcdonald/index.html](http://www.salon.com/food/feature/2010/04/14/end_of_ronald_mcdonald/index.html) I’m no defender of McDonald’s corporate practices (though I do have a weakness for their double cheeseburgers), but I did get a good chuckle and am partially in agreement with the guy who said the following: > [@](#): > > “This is about people who have too much time on their hands, and ought to be out doing good, like Ronald McDonald is.” Anyway check out the story, if for no other reason than to see the comments section, which has some pretty funny remarks in it. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/2 "2010-04-16T04:12:16Z")
Poor Ronald. I liked that line that you quoted. I mean, I get that McD’s isn’t good. But he hardly seems as bad as Joe Camel. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/3 "2010-04-16T04:13:10Z")
This is so dumb. If they get rid of Ronald, they also will need to give the boot to Jack of Jack in the Box, the Burger King, Chuck E. Cheese, Chester Cheeto, the Keebler elves, and all other fun-type mascots. How silly. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/4 "2010-04-16T04:24:19Z")
The cereal world will be devastated. Goodbye Lucky. Goodbye Bee. Goodbye Sugar Bear. Goodbye Captain Crunch. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/5 "2010-04-16T04:31:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Ronald is more of a Hamburgler, dipping into our pockets with our children’s fingers, and leaving us with bills for long afterward Eh, yeah… my parents are still paying off that loan they took out to pay for the 100,000 happy meals I demanded as a lad… and what a scam it is too- they take $5 from you, and all you get is a meal. Never eat there, btw, but pretty dumb stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/6 "2010-04-16T05:22:03Z")
They can take Ronald McDonald when they pry him from my cold, dead hands! What? ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/7 "2010-04-16T09:34:16Z")
Ronald [nooooooo!](http://www.abovetheaether.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/ronald_mcdonald.jpg)! ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/8 "2010-04-16T13:24:01Z")
Wait, they are upset that a company that has products for children is marketing to children with a child-friendly mascot? Some people are absolute idiots. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/9 "2010-04-16T13:30:10Z")
Do kids even really pay that much attention to Ronald McDonald anymore? Sure, he’s around, but from I’ve seen, most of McDonald’s marketing to kids includes the toys they get in the happy meals, which are usually from some new movie. I don’t go to McDonald’s often, but I can’t even remember the last time I actually saw any sign of the clown. Plus, they’d have to change the names of all the [Ronald McDonald Houses](http://rmhc.org/what-we-do/ronald-mcdonald-house/)! ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/10 "2010-04-16T13:41:44Z")
You know, I kind of envy people in advocacy groups like this one. It must be nice to have a life so devoid of all meaning and real problems that you can spend your time trying to get a corporation to abandon its clown mascot. I wonder that that’s like? To not have to worry or think about real issues? I suppose ignorance is indeed bliss in some ways… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/11 "2010-04-16T13:47:57Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Ronald [nooooooo!](http://www.abovetheaether.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/ronald_mcdonald.jpg)! [Happy meal](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_KtEC1rkk) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/12 "2010-04-16T13:48:34Z")
Feel the same way, **BrandonR**. Plus I do get the whole, “OBESITY IS BAD” because…well, obesity IS bad. But sometimes I think we go a little too far. Let’s not demonize it, you know? Ronald McDonald isn’t the mascot equivalent of some guy in a white van. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/13 "2010-04-16T15:11:51Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > This is so dumb. If they get rid of Ronald, they also will need to give the boot to Jack of Jack in the Box, the Burger King, Chuck E. Cheese, Chester Cheeto, the Keebler elves, and all other fun-type mascots. How silly. I don’t care about the rest of them, but the Burger King needs to go. He’s creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/14 "2010-04-16T15:53:16Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > I don’t care about the rest of them, but the Burger King needs to go. He’s creepy. I heartily agree. I think the Ronald hate stems from aversion to clowns, let’s face it it’s clown bigotry. Don’t be hatin’. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/15 "2010-04-16T15:58:36Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > I heartily agree. > > I think the Ronald hate stems from aversion to clowns, let’s face it it’s clown bigotry. Don’t be hatin’. I can’t get behind the “AHH FAT KIDS, KILL RONALD” mentality. But I can get behind the anti clownism. It’s NOT bigotry. Don’t compare it to bigotry! I don’t hate the person. I hate the act. Clowning. Miming. Applying ridiculous make up. The wearing of huge shoes. Forced entry into tiny cars. ABOMINATION! ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/16 "2010-04-16T16:00:48Z")
Some schools, particularly my son’s, hold “teacher nights” at McD’s where a lot of teachers, parents, and kids come to socialize and sell things, and Ronald does come to those things. Last time we went to one, I think he saw my son staring at him (he’s 11 and I do teach him not to stare but you know, it was a clown), and he came up and greeted him. So cute how his little face gets all red, and I don’t mean the clown! Plus he promotes his house, which we’ve had to avail ourselves of, so I don’t think they should fire him. Ronald McDonald needs a job, too. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/17 "2010-04-16T16:33:13Z")
Let’s see ------ we nailed Joe Camel and most of the various Native American mascots. So now its “clown time”. Why am I not totally surprised by all this? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/18 "2010-04-16T18:14:36Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I can’t get behind the “AHH FAT KIDS, KILL RONALD” mentality. But I can get behind the anti clownism. It’s NOT bigotry. Don’t compare it to bigotry! I don’t hate the person. I hate the act. Clowning. Miming. Applying ridiculous make up. The wearing of huge shoes. Forced entry into tiny cars. ABOMINATION! I’ve known some clowns [sub]I’ve been a clown[/sub], clowns are just people, some good some bad. Nothing to fear, no reason to hate. Now Mimes, that’s different, _shudder_ hate all you want. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/19 "2010-04-16T19:03:28Z")
They need to retire this belligerant clown. I gained 10 pounds 'cause everytime I walk past McDonalds he rushes out and forces me to buy food there. I don’t want to do it, but he either pulls a glock on me or puts me in a headlock and forces me to the line to order. And he exerts too powerful influence over parents. This clown actually has the power to inhibit the parent from saying “no,” when their child asks for something associated with him. He’s evil I tells you, EEEE-VEL ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302/20 "2010-04-16T19:42:48Z")
Don’t worry, I talked to the Burger King and we’ve formed a revolutionary cell that will overthrow the evil clown. [http://picasaweb.google.com/marysharpe4/Relatives?authkey=Gv1sRgCOW5p-GPt4\_TPg#5460551305778791794](http://picasaweb.google.com/marysharpe4/Relatives?authkey=Gv1sRgCOW5p-GPt4_TPg#5460551305778791794) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advocacy-group-wants-to-do-away-with-ronald-mcdonald/536302.md?page=2)