Lucky Leprechaun may be about to join the ranks of the unemployed.
The Lucky Charms icon, who has become a breakfast staple for millions of kids all over America, may be about to lose his job.
His catch phrase "They’re magically delicious” to describe Lucky Charms has captivated generations of school kids but now he may be made redundant, or forced to retire.
A backlash against sugar-laden cereals had resulted in new moves to halt obesity among kids -- and breakfast cereals are the first target.
The percentage of obese children between 6 and 11 leaped three fold between 1980 and 2008 and breakfast cereals seen as a major culprit.
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New federal guidelines are in the works and General Mills, owners of Lucky Charms and other breakfast giants may be forced to drop commercials that attract kids to their products.
It is a $10 billion a year market and the stakes are very high.
"The guidelines would be one of the most important ways for the food industry to improve children's health," said Mary Story, a University of Minnesota public health professor and expert on child and adolescent nutrition told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The new regulations would force companies to change the marketing of their product away from health claims and enticing children.
If they don’t comply the federal government is considering banning icons like Lucky and the Trix rabbit.
General Mills spokesman Tom Forsythe said the guidelines mean "a virtual ban on advertising to kids under 12 when fully implemented. ... They are unworkable."
The effort by the government is aimed at getting the sugar content of the cereals under control
Advocates for the government claim big business is unconcerned about kid’s health in their rush to make a buck.
"They want to have their cake and eat it too," said Jennifer Harris, director of marketing initiatives at Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. "They want to make up their own standards and pat themselves on the back for meeting them."
"It's literally a barrage from my kids when they are watching these shows. 'I want this, I want that,'" Olson said. "They will see these ads and call out for strange cereals we never buy."
Lucky Leprechaun (also known as Sir Charms, and originally called L.C. Leprechaun), was created in 1963, a cartoon character whose voice was originally supplied by Arthur Anderson.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.jolynnnoel | Nov 13, 2011, 08:23 PM EST
I agree with the majority of the comments here. Childhood obesity? Toss their arses outside to play for a couple of hours a day, don't allow them to consume soda pop by the gallon, and feed them something besides junk food. I raised 3 children by those basic guidelines. None of them had or have obesity issues; and they all had beautiful teeth. They were allowed the occasional treat here and there--soda pop at birthday parties and holidays, that sort of thing--but not as a dietary staple. When they were older and wanted snacks more often, I taught them how to bake cookies--do the work yourself if you want the snack that bad! I agree with making foods healthier, but don't blame an effing make-believe elf because your child is fat!!!
Gaelphoncán | Nov 07, 2011, 06:11 PM EST
About to join the ranks of the unemployed? Wee Lucky has never been more authentically Irish. I wonder will he consider emigrating to Australia...
Gaelphoncán | Nov 07, 2011, 05:47 PM EST
About to join the ranks of the unemployed? Wee Lucky has never been more authentically Irish. I wonder will he consider emigrating to Australia...
IrishDad | Nov 07, 2011, 09:01 AM EST
Maybe they could keep Lucky the Leprechaun if he changed his tone to, “Oh, they’re always after me sugarless, colorless bits o’ shamrock-shaped tofu…” We live in an age of pinheads….
espakor | Nov 07, 2011, 02:55 AM EST
This the byproduct of lazy (crappy) parenting and not exercising. The 30 min. P/E class at school is not enough. American parents are big as hell, and kids eat what parents eat. Do you really think it's some breakfast cereal's fault, or that parents over-feed their children with sugar-bombarded food and late night snacks?
brianmack | Nov 06, 2011, 07:02 PM EST
Some of the best comments I've read in a long time. First off, do kids have parents? I did and cereal's like Lucky Charms did not exist in our house. Secondly, get the kids away from TV and out and about to exercise. Actually, when some of us were kids, it was called play. Finally, get the government out of trying to run the habits of its citizens. The problem of course is that all of the above doesn't exist with most kids growing up with one parent vs. the norm.
kwhitesure | Nov 06, 2011, 05:30 PM EST
I believe that we need to stopping blaming others and go back to taking responsibility for ourselves. Nobody has any control over what I purchase when I go shopping...and if I am that manipulated by advertising ..then perhaps I should not watch TV...which I do very little of in the first place. If our children are fat and lazy it is because we dont feed them a proper diet...and we dont see to it that they go out and play...which is good for them for many reasons. What are we teaching our children these days and what are they going to have to pass on to their own...if you dont learn responsibilty and discipline as a young person...you certainly cant have self discipline as an adult...and you for sure cant teach something you know nothing about.....
kwhitesure | Nov 06, 2011, 05:24 PM EST
not sure my comment went through
Blackthorn62 | Nov 06, 2011, 04:07 PM EST
You must be kidding. However, perhaps General Mills can retool and just make the cereal morsels the shapes of the marshmallows. My question is-how do they know an increase in obesity occurs? From our PRIVATE(ha ha) medical records?
dragonladyleanne | Nov 06, 2011, 03:43 PM EST
Where to begin? When I told friends I was learning Irish, I got several instances of "Irish? What, you mean Faith and Begorrah Batman, they're after me Lucky Charms"? I assumed this article was going to be anti-stereotyping, and was surprised to find it was about sugar! Even more surprised at the comments here though. PE has increased in MY school district, it's the Arts and Social Studies which have been cut. Yes, school meals are still ridiculously high-fat and sugar (because it's cheaper), but that is again on the decrease, not getting worse. I do agree with the majority of comments here, there is a serious lack of parenting now. My mother fed us Lucky Charms once that I can recall, and I preferred my grandmother's breakfasts of sausage, bacon, grits, eggs and fresh fruit and home-grown tomatoes. When my own kids watched tv, I was right there commenting on spurious ads, as my father did for me. These days, too many kids have no idea of the source of foods, the cost of things, their own history, responsibility that goes with "rights", how government works - all things that I first learned from home, and school was only expected to augment. Now we have to teach kids how to wipe and wash up afterward, and make sure no one achieves more than another (the real result of No Child Left Behind). Ok, rant over.
jrose6500 | Nov 06, 2011, 01:18 PM EST
I think kids need to get off their fat, lazy asses and play outside instead of sitting in front of a tv
mamaginnty | Nov 06, 2011, 01:10 PM EST
Blame the government, blame Ms Obama, but don't blame yourself as a parent, jees. Nothing to stop big cereal comp's. from cutting most of the sugar out. Nothing to stop parents from giving kids good wholesome food. Here in Ireland kids are not allowed to bring junk food in the lunch box to school, no fizzy pop, but fruit juice or vitiman drinks. This started a few years ago. Some parents did complain, those who were so used to throwing bars of chocolate, candies whatever into the box rather than take the time to give kids a decent breakfast. But as some say...you have a choice, fat kids or healthy kids, it's up to you the parent.
justchris1 | Nov 06, 2011, 12:55 PM EST
Whens the last time you where at the grocery store and seen kids in the cereal isle deciding on which cereal to buy with there allowance? NEVER!!!
justchris1 | Nov 06, 2011, 12:34 PM EST
how about freedom of choice...or self control...or parental supervision....and how about keep government out of our houses...if you dont like them or you feel there is to much sugar for ou or your kids then dont buy them...dont blame the government for not regulating cereal....how about do more with your kids and help them get exercise dont use the tv and video games as a baby sitter....wanna blame someone blame the lazy parents...MODERATION.....keep lucky charms and the leprechaun working because i like them on occassion....
walter3ca | Nov 06, 2011, 11:33 AM EST
Our slave master dictates and we have to obey.
jamieLM | Nov 06, 2011, 11:31 AM EST
They should put a big pig on the box. This cereal is nothing more than sugar, and lots of it, with too many empty calories and almost no nutrition. Skip the cereal and just give your kids a sack of sugar with a leprechaun on it - it's the same thing. My complaint is that this cereal, and others like it, is masquerading as something nutritious which it is NOT. JimmieM, it is your problem and mine when kids enter the healthcare system for complications due to chilhood obesity. We all pay for their healthcare with rising health insurance costs and we pay for those kids whose parents don't have insurance. Exercise doesn't cancel out the effects of poor nutrition for a growing child and the problems that follow into adulthood from eating too much sugar in childhood. As an RN, I've seen this way too many times. This cereal isn't cheap. There are plenty of healthy, less expensive alternatives. We'll need more doctors in the future for all these obese kids.
mickrussom | Nov 06, 2011, 11:28 AM EST
More total government police state. More oligarchical collectivism. More banking cabals. More NWO globalists banning organic foods, natural and whole foods, pushing genetically modified foods and garbage and now telling you what to eat. To the communists, anything with real flavor, substance or even sugar is expensive so the communists like Mooch-chelle want to get us used to eating pig feed, like corn and soy garbage. They want to control our food and make sure we dont want to eat beef, chicken, anything with flavor, and we should do this for the sake of their Agenda 21. These Marxian police state lunatics should stop trying to manipulate the food supply.
PhlutiePhan | Nov 06, 2011, 11:24 AM EST
The three comments are pretty magical. The government is "lusting" for more control in all areas and cereal is only one avenue. The schools have cut back on P.E. programs in the name of intellectual superiority which isn't workin' (Obama dropped g). Finally, Mrs. Obama is swimmin' in a creek which is way over her head. It is all socialism and control with "smoke and mirrors".
JimmieM | Nov 06, 2011, 11:05 AM EST
Just another government program to increase their control of everyone's life and increase the cost of that life....they say they are only "helping" the children....but what they are doing is making sure every child, except their own of course, will grow up poorer and less educated than their parents. Oh sure their will be "jobs" but those government jobs will have to be paid by the people who will pay more for breakfast.
thumpdrum | Nov 06, 2011, 10:23 AM EST
I don't see the problem. They're magical AND delicious. What's the problem?!? There need to be a ban on stupidity. Lucky Charms is NOT the problem here. It's they fact that kids can't be kids anymore. They can't run off all that extra sugar and calories because the're not allowed to. US schools have systematically overfed our kids and removed all means during the school day to burn off the extra calories.
thumpdrum | Nov 06, 2011, 09:54 AM EST
This is Michelle Obama's fault, just like her husband, putting Americans out of work.