The M&M’s mascots are changing again.

They updated the M&M’s mascots a year ago, and switched out the female characters’ shoes after people complained knee-high boots and stilettos were sexist.

Now they’re taking an “indefinite pause,” and not using them in commercials until they’re updated again.  It’s amazing how a bunch of computer-animated cartoons can cause so much drama.  But the M&M mascots are changing – AGAIN.

A year ago this month, the company tweaked them after people complained they were sexist.  Specifically, the female M&M’s. The green M&M used to wear knee-high boots, and gave her sneakers instead.  And the brown M&M switched from stilettos to chunkier heels to look more professional. She’s an M&M, but ok. We all understand comfortable shoes.

Now apparently the candy company decided it wasn’t enough, or that they took the wrong approach.  So they’re not using them in commercials for now. They tweeted out an announcement this week that said they were surprised at how much backlash the new mascots got.

“In the last year, we’ve made some changes to our beloved spokescandies.  We weren’t sure if anyone would even notice.  And we definitely didn’t think it would break the internet.  But now we get it – even a candy’s shoes can be polarizing.” (That’s mainly a reference to the anti-woke backlash they’ve gotten online, and from commentators who’ve made fun of them a lot.)

They said that they’re taking an “indefinite pause” from them, and their new temporary spokesperson is Maya Rudolph from “SNL”. Their tweet doesn’t say much more than that, but they also put out a press release that says they’re updating the entire brand this year.  It says they’re working on giving the characters a “fresh, modern” look, and “more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression.”

It also talks about adding “different shapes and sizes of M&M’s,” and suggests they might add some new colors of the candy as well. 

So how long will the M&M mascots be gone?  Hard to say. But – here’s what I think: Super Bowl Ad!  It’s an elaborate lead-up to a huge Super Bowl ad they’ve got planned!

But here’s the thing: It’s just candy. So whatever they do or don’t do, whether you’re woke or not woke – keep enjoying M&Ms. Because they are NOT REAL PEOPLE!

-Carla Rea

Rocks Most Hated Songs -- Is Yours On The Short List?

• Silly Love Songs - Paul McCartney and Wings

  The story goes, “Silly Love Songs” was written as a rebuttal to music critics who had criticized McCartney for writing lightweight love songs. McCartney is inviting his audience to have a laugh on him.

•  "Mr. Roboto" - Styx

  What was the story behind Mr. Roboto?  In jail, workers have been replaced by robots called “Robotos,” and Kilroy escapes inside a robot costume (thus, Mr. Roboto). This song is about his escape from jail. It makes a statement about the dehumanizing of the working class.

• "We Built This City" - Starship

  What city was Starship talking about in We Built This City? Band members said “Everybody thought we were talking about San Francisco (as the city built by rock ‘n’ roll).” “First of all, it’s written by a British guy about Los Angeles sung by a San Francisco group. It’s talking about the clubs closing, or being closed down, in Los Angeles.

  RE

• "Shiny Happy People",  R.E.M. featuring Kate Pierson of The B-52's

  Michael Stipe hated Shiny Happy People. He called it “A really fruity, kind of bubblegum song.” In one interview, he said that he was a bit embarrassed when it became a big hit, but it’s an important song because it shows a different side of him. Stipe said: “Many people’s idea of R.E.M, and me in particular, is very serious, with me being a very serious kind of poet. But I’m also actually quite funny – hey, my bandmates think so, my family thinks so, my boyfriend thinks so, so I must be – but that doesn’t always come through in the music!”

• We Didn't Start the Fire" - Billy Joel

  What did Billy Joel mean by “we didn’t start the fire?” Billy Joel came up with the idea for the song when he turned 40 years old. A chance meeting with Sean Lennon, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, made him realize how each subsequent generation feels things are getting worse and worse while ignoring the troubles of the past.

• Sussudio - Phil Collins

  Sussudio doesn’t actually have a particular meaning. It was something Phil Collins made up. The song itself is about a crush he had on a girl at school. Is the song annoying? Maybe -but it’s a catchy song to hate!

• Kokomo - The Beach Boys

  Kokomo is a city in the middle of Indiana and is also a small resort owned by Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay. The title was made up. It was supposed to represent all the tropical places and images that people think of when wishing to get away to some paradise island to escape the dreary work life. John Phillips thought the name sounded good and wanted to use it for the title.

   

• "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith

  “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” was originally supposed to be a radio-only single from Armageddon: The Album, but due to popular demand, Columbia Records issued the song commercially in August 1998. It subsequently debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Aerosmith their first and only number-one single in their home country.

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