PC strikes Happy Drinking Bird

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

As I strolled through one of our local general stores, I noticed with a happy smile a Happy Drinking Bird, and remembered with fondness my Mom’s eerily accurate impersonation of what she calls a goony bird. I would say it was closest to the “Classic Happy Drinking Bird” here.

But amidst the amusingly translated instructions on this Taiwanese version, instead of the classic slogan “Once he starts Drinking he won’t stop”, it said “Once he/she starts Drinking he/she won’t stop”. (true colors) :eek: Maybe it’s time to switch to “it”. The link above also substantiates the move toward interspecies drinking animals with that giraffe.

I’m also disappointed to learn that I missed out on the chance to Vote for the Happy Drinking Bird in 2000.

2

It could be worse. They could’ve stopped making them altogether, saying it was inappropriate to have a toy that represented a creature with a Substance Abuse Problem…

3

Oh, good point. Even if it’s only water, ever since the eight-glasses-a-day debunking, he/she/it should really be cutting back.

4

My first memory of this critter features the version that was for sale at a Days Inn Tasty World restaurant-cum-gift shop in the 1970’s. This particular model was known as the Boozer Bird, and the packaging featured the slogan “Can’t Stop Drinking!” The fluid imbibed was, however, presumably water, as opposed to anything alcoholic.

5

Many of these birds, however, are made dressed in a “tuxedo” with fake top hat and crosses for eyes, which implies that they’re alcoholics.

Of course, others just look like a goofy bird.

6

Hmmm. The only one similar in the link above is “Dry Dan”: top hat, check; tails, check; bright-eyed, wait-a-minute! He/she has been cleaned up. :mad:

7

Er … what kind of gift shop?
I, too, thought the PC-ness of this would have something to do with what the bird was actually drinking. But who’s really going to waste perfectly good booze on a fake bird?

8

It’s a preposition.

9

Apropos of nothing in particular, we always called those things “dunky birds.”

10

“Stupid bird! I should have never left you in charge!”

[/obligatory Simpsons quote]

11

Yes, I know. I was attempting a form of humor. The operative word being “attempting”.

12

Maybe instead of he/she, there should be anatomically-correct dinky/dunky/goony birds? Of course, what would that look like?? :confused: :eek:

13

Since most birds don’t have external genitalia, like not much.

14

Drat. Maybe drabber coloring for the females. Or a peacock tail that unfurls as the male dunks.