Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner is suing toymaker Hasbro for $5 million over a hamster toy that’s part of its “Littlest Pet Shop” line.
Faulkner claims that Hasbro has wrongfully appropriated her name and persona with its plastic hamster, according to The Associated Press.
The hamster’s name is also Harris Faulkner, and Faulkner (the news anchor, not the toy) claims the rodent toy not only shares her name but also resembles her in its appearance, specifically its complexion, eye shape and eye makeup, The Washington Post reports.
“Hasbro’s manufacture, sale, and distribution of the Harris Faulkner Hamster Doll is extremely concerning and distressing to Faulkner,” the court documents state.
Faulkner anchors a Sunday evening newscast on Fox News and co-hosts its weekday talk show “Outnumbered.”
The lawsuit, which was filed in a District Court in New Jersey, also states that “Hasbro’s portrayal of Faulkner as a rodent is demeaning and insulting.”
In addition to Harris Faulkner the hamster, the “Littlest Pet Shop” line features characters like Roxy Reddington, a fox, and Chi-Chi Ostos, a Chihuahua.
Faulkner said she wasn’t asked, nor did she give Hasbro permission to make the toy.
Court documents also say that Faulkner is concerned about a warning on the toy’s packaging that says the doll can be a choking hazard.
“Faulkner is extremely distressed that her name has been wrongly associated with a plastic toy that is a known choking hazard that risks harming small children,” the lawsuit said.
A Hasbro spokeswoman told the AP that the toy company doesn’t comment on litigation.
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