(Image source: 20th Century Fox)
BY BRICE SANDER
The Simpsons are no longer welcome in Iran. The Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults banned any merchandise featuring the cartoon characters Monday. Here’s Houston’s KRTK.
ART RASCON: “‘The Simpsons’ now join Barbie on that list of banned dolls.”
MELANIE LAWSON: “Yeah. Two of the world’s greatest criminals there. But kind of interesting. I’m surprised Bart Simpson was playing in Iran to begin with.”
That’s where Fox News says the ban gets tricky.
“However, while ‘The Simpsons’ is the longest continuously running series in U.S. television history, it is not even shown in Iran … So how the toys would promote a show that is unavailable is puzzling.”
USA Today gives a little insight to the ban, quoting the Iranian institute’s spokesperson.
“He did point out that any doll that has distinguishable adult genitals, or any dolls of adults at all, are banned ‘because these dolls are promoters of western culture’ … That, certainly, explains why Barbie got the heave-ho. But why did the same agency give Spiderman and Superman a thumbs up?”
The agency says superheroes help oppressed people and have a “positive stance,” so they’re good to go. But The Daily Mail suggests if you’re going to let some things slip through, you might as well stop banning things all together.
“…despite bans on many books, movies, satellite TV channels, music, haircuts and fashion from the West, many young people follow Western culture avidly and can often obtain illegal products on the black market. In 2011 Iran imported $57 million worth of toys.”
But a writer for South Africa’s News 24 hints the toy ban might just be a PR move.
“The Islamic Republic’s morality police [are] fighting ‘Western intoxication’ as the dispute over nuclear technology has raised fears of war…”
