Prepare for a kinky night with . . . Mr. Snuggles?
Vermont Teddy Bear of Shelburne, one of the largest producers of teddy bears and plush toys, has released a "Fifty Shades of Grey"-themed cuddle buddy.
The bear, modeled after protagonist Christian Grey, wears a tapered grey suit and comes with "adult" accessories - handcuffs and a bondage mask. Don't expect to give this stuffed toy to your children; it will surely put a whole different spin on playing "Cops and Robbers."
"It was to be fun, it wasn't to be inappropriate," Vermont Teddy Bear CEO Bill Shouldice IV told New England Cable News. "It was to make sure we were proud of what we put out there, and I think we nailed it."
The company's website is marketing the bear as a Valentine's Day item and has used clever sayings such as "Dominate Valentine's Day" and "She can't help but submit to loving [the bear]," according to AOL. It even personifies the bear, saying it has "smoldering gray eyes" and "fans will be biting their lips in anticipation of the movie."
Vermont Teddy Bear is making a bold move by releasing this product, and so far it has not received negative feedback. However, if the bear brings negative criticism, it wouldn't be the first time the company was in the line of fire. Nine years ago, it released a "Crazy For You" bear that donned a straitjacket and immediately sparked a response. The creation was perceived to be insensitive toward the mentally ill.
You can get your paws on the Christian Grey bear for $89.99 here.
"Fifty Shades," penned in 2011 by E.L. James (the first installment), is an erotic romance series that centers on the relationship between Anastasia Steele, a college graduate, and Christian Grey. Its explicit, X-rated content featuring dominance/submission and sadism/masochism grabbed the public's attention.
The series was an instant best-seller and has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, despite critiques of its "poor quality of writing." Think what you want about it; James still had readers tied down to their seats until they reached the very last word.
The movie adaptation of "Fifty Shades" is set to arrive on the big screen just in time for Valentine's Day.
