Minnie Mouse or Mini Mouse?

I read some pretty disturbing news last week - Disney's Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Goofy and other animated characters have been given a makeover.

Barney's of New York collaborated with Disney to bring these characters into the "realistic" fashion world for a holiday event going on at the store. The characters have been stretched long and thin and photos and a short film show them walking the runway in designer clothes.

When I read this, I wondered if Michelle Obama - the queen of nutrition - had anything to do with slimming the female Disney characters down.

It was interesting to see how upset other readers of the article were.

Young people will most likely see this presentation and though entertaining, I suppose, it is feared that maybe they will once again get that impression that if they are not being pencil thin they will not be accepted.

Minnie Mouse is not the only beloved childhood character to get a high-end makeover either. Smurfette modeled designer accessories for Harper's Bazaar last year and Miss Piggy has been dressed out as a model by designers as well.

"This insanity needs to stop soon," said a reader. " We are killing our girls by this type of advertising. It needs to stop now, women and girls of ALL shapes and sizes are beautiful."

I wonder what Mickey Mouse, Papa Smurf and Kermit think of these alterations to the "girls" in their lives?

Many of us have grown up with these characters and have come to love their looks and their original designer clothes.

Snow White's dwarfs better start hiding their food in their mines so that it doesn't get taken away from them, either, to slim all seven of them down.

And Winnie the Pooh better get rid of that honey jar (he's gotten his head stuck inside of it too many times anyway). If Mrs. Obama is in charge of this get thin campaign, she will make sure he is eating his orange/red and green vegetables instead.

O, bother!