Viewers of Good Morning Britain have reacted to a segment on today’s show which featured a debate about the new Toy Story film.
After a review criticised the Disney Pixar film for its lack of black lead characters, hosts Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid spoke to writer Afua Adom and doctor Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, who had strong opinions on the subject.
Saying that the film’s makers have a responsibility to show a diverse range of backgrounds, Shola said that it was “diabolically ignorant” of parents to miss “the essence of the backlash that Toy Story is facing”.
She added: “The essence being that children deserve to have a representative teachable moment of their lived experience. We know toys don’t talk, we know they don’t fly, but entertainment must have a moralistic value.”
She continued: “Animation and fictional characters take on human characteristics for a reason, to tell a moral story of good overcoming evil, against the odds.”
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She added that movie companies “have a global platform to become part of the evolution of diverse inclusion” and commented: “That inclusion isn’t about race and gender, it’s also about abilities and disabilities, and children on the autistic spectrum. There’s so many.”
Fellow guest Afua, disagreed, saying that the film had a diverse range of characters, including “a martian, I saw Mr Potato Head, I saw a dinosaur talking about all these things and going on this adventure”.
However, she said Toy Story 4 “missed the point” when it comes to talking about recycling.
She told Ben and Susanna: “I think if you think the story is about Andy and Bonnie, then you’ve missed the point of Toy Story. It’s a story about toys. It’s about Mr Potato Head, it’s about Buzz Lightyear, it’s about Woody and their adventure, and in this one it’s about Forky.”
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She added: “If we’re talking about a teachable moment then that teachable moment should be about sustainability. When we watched them, my daughter asked why is Forky trying to get back to the trash, shouldn’t he be trying to get back to the recycling?”
Bemused viewers took to Twitter to share their views.
One said: “I CAN NOT believe that #GMB is discussing the diversity in #ToyStory4 this is beyond ridiculous.”
Others echoed the sentiment, saying their “brain had exploded” after watching the chat.
Toy Story 4 lacks diversity? Mr potato head isn’t Potato enough! What about a Mr Banana head? Or Mr Apple Head? All jokes aside, Please focus your energy on bigger and more important issues in the world. #GMB
— Rochelle♡ (@HeyItsRochellee) June 27, 2019
There’s a woman on #GMB criticizing Toy Story for its lack of diversity and my brain has exploded 😫 #itsafriggingtoy
— Helena Fay (@helenafay) June 27, 2019
Others said the women had made them “die a little inside” and told the GMB guests to “get real”.
Yet to see Toy Story 4 (going this weekend) but having to watch a debate on #GMB about it not being Diverse enough makes me die a little inside, not for Toy Story but for these sad people who can’t just enjoy a joyous kids film for what it is! Get over it! pic.twitter.com/JplinOhcBz
— AG (@amyle1) June 27, 2019
2 women on #GMB ripping @toystory to shreds over lack of diversity. One has even criticised it because Sporky wasn’t recycled & it sends a bad msg to kids. It’s a kids film for christ sake. These people need to go away and not be on prime TV spreading their negativity and hate
— Dan Kilsby (@DanKilsby) June 27, 2019
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