Carrie Fisher Says Discontinuing "Slave Leia" Merchandise is "Stupid"

[Lizzy Finnegan]

Carrie Fisher Says Discontinuing "Slave Leia" Merchandise is "Stupid"

Carrie Fisher weighs in on the "Slave Leia" controversy.

Artist for Marvel, J. Scott Campbell recently indicated [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/161310-Disney-May-Be-Retiring-Leias-Gold-Bikini-From-Star-Wars-Merchandise] that Disney is discontinuing the production and sale of Star Wars merchandise of Princess Leia wearing the "slave outfit" from Return of the Jedi. Campbell wrote that Disney was "well on its way to wiping out the "slave" outfit from any future products period. You will NOT see any future merchandising featuring the slave outfit ever again. Trust me."

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal [http://www.wsj.com/articles/carrie-fisher-on-her-return-to-star-wars-1449088590?mod=e2fb], Fisher weighed in on the controversy, simply stating "I think that's stupid."

When asked to elaborate, Fisher said "The father who flipped out about it [http://www.fox29.com/news/2029186-story], "What am I going to tell my kid about why she's in that outfit?" Tell them that a giant slug captured me and forced me to wear that stupid outfit, and then I killed him because I didn't like it. And then I took it off. Backstage."

Fisher also stated that there was never a point where she questioned whether or not she wanted to appear in the new movie, where we will see Leia promoted to the title of General [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/161407-Princess-Leia-Is-Not-A-Princess-In-Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens#&gid=gallery_5026&pid=1].

"I've been this character for 40 years, why would I not? Because I'm going to be associated with Princess Leia more? There is no "more." And I'm a female working in show business, where, if you're famous, you have a career until you're 45, maybe. Maybe. And that's about 15 people."

Star Wars: The Force Awakens releases December 18.

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[MonsterCrit]

WoW. She basically shares my opinion. Besides me thinks all disney did was drive up the price of slave leia merchandise. Something tells me someone got hold of a few trailers worth of the stuff and set things up so that he'd be sitting on a gold mine in a few years.

 

[Morti]

Reading it in the context in the link... I'm not sure what she's saying

There?s been some debate recently about whether there should be no more merchandise with you in the ?Return of the Jedi? bikini.

I think that?s stupid.

Certainly seems like it's the "stop the merchandise" that she thinks is stupid but

To stop making the merchandise?

The father who flipped out about it...

Makes it sound like she's just critical of his reaction to it.


Personally, I'm all for it, slave-Leia was not the character. It's just some suit deciding that "tits sell" again. Not to say I wouldn't support it appearing again in a slightly different context... say a model that includes both slave-Leia and Jabba at the moment he gets his comeuppance, that's a defining character moment worthy of depicting.

 

[Fappy]

I don't care what people say about her, I think Carrie Fisher is awesome.

I fell firmly into the "I don't give a shit camp" in regards to this issue, but it's hard to argue with her logic.

 

[Erttheking]

Can we just say this whole controversy was a giant waste of time and we need to stop thinking about tits for five seconds?

 

[Darth_Payn]

My thoughts exactly, Princess. Uh, I mean, General. Some people are just giant wussies who have to grow a backbone already.

 

[Qizx]

Can we just say this whole controversy was a giant waste of time and we need to stop thinking about tits for five seconds?

I agree it's completely stupid.
I do like Carrie's response though "it's an outfit a giant jerkface slug made me wear."

 

[RonHiler]

Princess Leia, my favorite Disney princess.

 

[Lightknight]

This is exactly what I said. Disney decided that Princess Leia's big moment of a damsel rescuing herself and saving the other protagonists is suddenly objectifying despite the clear subversion.

Sad.

But I'm happy she agrees.

 

[Fdzzaigl]

Honestly, this entire "no more revealing outfits because it offends" kind of thing is sort of baffling to me anyways.

I have a 69 years old mother who was pretty engaged in the May 68 kind of hippy / free sex / feminism movement; back then gender equality actually meant being free to show off as much skin as you pleased in many cases. So knee-jerk reactions against that are indeed pretty weird imo.

 

[RJ 17]

Can we just say this whole controversy was a giant waste of time and we need to stop thinking about tits for five seconds?

No! We must keep taking these things like the massive controversies that they are! SJWS AND THEIR COMPLETELY VAGUE YET ABSOLUTE POWER OVER SOCIETY! It's just like how they got a game that absolutely no one cares about BANNED from western releases!

DAMN YOU SJWS!!!!!

/sarcasm...just to be clear.

 

[Karadalis]

Can we just say this whole controversy was a giant waste of time and we need to stop thinking about tits for five seconds?

No! We must keep taking these things like the massive controversies that they are! SJWS AND THEIR COMPLETELY VAGUE YET ABSOLUTE POWER OVER SOCIETY! It's just like how they got a game that absolutely no one cares about BANNED from western releases!

DAMN YOU SJWS!!!!!

/sarcasm...just to be clear.

I love the projection in this. Just because YOU dont care doesnt mean "no one" cares.

According to play asia sales alot of people actually do care. Also the game wasnt banned it was a blatant "self censorship due to SJW outrage culture" case. The dev/publisher simply didnt want to get shat on in countless articles yet again and be demonized for a simple game about beach babes doing fan servy things.

Whos more ridiculus? The people that claim that these games somehow hurt the image of women and turn people more mysoginistic then they naturally allready are (according to these people ofcourse, LONG LIVE THE PATRIARCHY!)

Or the people that are pissed that they now have to spend more money on importing this game instead of simply picking it up at a local gamestop or ordering it over amazon because some rainbow colored twitter and tumblr slactivists got their panties in a twist because they are not as pretty as the girls depicted in said game and thus had their feefees hurt?

These games hurt no one, yet they are treated as if it was satan defecating hatred into everyones face so they go out and shoot women in the street.

All because of boobies? Yeah.. clearly the people that are annoyed by all this censorship going around are the ones to blame.

Fisher had the right reaction to this, a kickass character in a revealing outfit doesnt suddenly become less kickass while doing kickass things. It was contextual, not out of place and she murdered that slug ice cold as thanks for stuffing her into the outfit. What more could a feminist want? These puritan sex shamers can all go and waste their time in tumblr for all i care but it annoys the fuck out of me that big biz actually listens to these cry bullies.

 

[RJ 17]

I love the projection in this. Just because YOU dont care doesnt mean "no one" cares.

And I love how seriously you took me. No really, I'm touched. Thank you so much.

 

[JimB]

These games hurt no one, yet they are treated as if it was Satan defecating hatred into everyone's face so they go out and shoot women in the street.

Who is treating the game this way, Karadalis? Who specifically said one condemnatory word about Dead or Alive Titty Volleyball 3 prior to this Facebook announcement?

 

[Brian Tams]

"Tell them that a giant slug captured me and forced me to wear that stupid outfit, and then I killed him because I didn't like it. And then I took it off. Backstage."

Damn. That is the most bad ass thing I've ever heard Carry Fisher say.

*applauds*

 

[Amir Kondori]

Reading it in the context in the link... I'm not sure what she's saying

There?s been some debate recently about whether there should be no more merchandise with you in the ?Return of the Jedi? bikini.

I think that?s stupid.

Certainly seems like it's the "stop the merchandise" that she thinks is stupid but

To stop making the merchandise?

The father who flipped out about it...

Makes it sound like she's just critical of his reaction to it.


Personally, I'm all for it, slave-Leia was not the character. It's just some suit deciding that "tits sell" again. Not to say I wouldn't support it appearing again in a slightly different context... say a model that includes both slave-Leia and Jabba at the moment he gets his comeuppance, that's a defining character moment worthy of depicting.

I don't know where you are getting your information that the outfit was forced by an executive buy you would be incorrect.

 

[Havtorn]

Fisher had the right reaction to this, a kickass character in a revealing outfit doesnt suddenly become less kickass while doing kickass things. It was contextual, not out of place and she murdered that slug ice cold as thanks for stuffing her into the outfit. What more could a feminist want? These puritan sex shamers can all go and waste their time in tumblr for all i care but it annoys the fuck out of me that big biz actually listens to these cry bullies.

To be frank I don't think it's very fair to blame this on "those meddling feminists" as much as a protective parent and Disney's business model. Disney, I think you'll agree, care a lot about their image as a wholesome and family-friendly company. That's their whole shtick. As such they care a lot more about what parent groups and the likes say than any number of feminists. I'm not saying there will never be overlap (though parent groups and feminist organizations often are vehement opponents), but this is not an issue about PC culture, this is about Disney adapting the merchandising of an acquired brand to fit their general line.

And on the "what more could a feminist want" front; You are absolutely correct. In most circles Leia is considered an example of a great female character. A feminist ideal for characterization, even (depending on how nerdy the speaker is). She's a fleshed-out character who is attractive without dressing like a stripper, and the Jabba scene is if anything a great illustation of when sexualization is really damn icky.

So yeah, the people trying to make this into a "Feminists are ruining eveything" argument are off base here. This is all about Disney preserving their image as paragons of wholesome family values.

 

[American Tanker]

This is all about Disney preserving their image as paragons of wholesome family values.

Doesn't reduce the stupidity factor of the decision by whatever suit in Disney thought this was a good idea.

 

[PhantomEcho]

Fisher had the right reaction to this, a kickass character in a revealing outfit doesnt suddenly become less kickass while doing kickass things. It was contextual, not out of place and she murdered that slug ice cold as thanks for stuffing her into the outfit. What more could a feminist want? These puritan sex shamers can all go and waste their time in tumblr for all i care but it annoys the fuck out of me that big biz actually listens to these cry bullies.

To be frank I don't think it's very fair to blame this on "those meddling feminists" as much as a protective parent and Disney's business model. Disney, I think you'll agree, care a lot about their image as a wholesome and family-friendly company. That's their whole shtick. As such they care a lot more about what parent groups and the likes say than any number of feminists. I'm not saying there will never be overlap (though parent groups and feminist organizations often are vehement opponents), but this is not an issue about PC culture, this is about Disney adapting the merchandising of an acquired brand to fit their general line.

And on the "what more could a feminist want" front; You are absolutely correct. In most circles Leia is considered an example of a great female character. A feminist ideal for characterization, even (depending on how nerdy the speaker is). She's a fleshed-out character who is attractive without dressing like a stripper, and the Jabba scene is if anything a great illustation of when sexualization is really damn icky.

So yeah, the people trying to make this into a "Feminists are ruining eveything" argument are off base here. This is all about Disney preserving their image as paragons of wholesome family values.

Regardless of what forces might be at work behind the scenes, you're absolutely right about this being entirely the fault of Disney and their mindless endeavor to be portrayed as wholesome and pure. The reality, of course, is that these values no longer actually reflect the values of their audience... and haven't for a very long time. They DO, however, tend to reflect the regressive values of both extremes of the political spectrum.

This should hardly come as a surprise, considering Walt Disney himself was quite well-known for his authoritarian leadership model... a model which his successors have upheld staunchly. "Banning" or "retiring" an outfit that might be seen as controversial is a move which appeals equally to the rabidly conservative traditionalists on the right and the radically regressive authoritarians on the left for amusingly contradictory reasons.

In the end, of course, it's really just Disney Corp that wins. They get the good press from both sides of an equally stupid argument, and boost the value of a product that ultimately they can choose to re-introduce or re-purpose any way they so choose in the future when the winds change direction.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Eh. I can't fault her reasoning.
Sex sells, and some people are offended by that very concept...including Disney, who above all other media companies in existence, has the longest and "richest" history of white washing their products and company image.

(try asking them about 'Song of the South'; it's hilarious)