The Dreamworks Animation film, Minions, which opened July 10, is sure to be a blockbuster hit this summer. McDonald’s agreed to include a toy representation of the movie’s characters in its Happy Meals to help market the film. However, the Happy Meal toys are a concern to many parents who believe the toy Minions are using questionable language.
Parents, like Paul Butts, are claiming that the McDonald’s toy says “What the f***.” In Butt’s YouTube video, which depicts a Minion dressed as a caveman with a bone tied in its hair, he states that he and his wife didn’t suspect anything when they purchased the Happy Meal for their daughter.
However, when his wife retrieved the toy from the car, she heard “something that didn’t quite sound right.” The video then shows Butts manipulating the toy until it emits a phrase that sounds very similar to the phrase “What the f***.” Paul Butts is clearly disappointment with McDonald’s. Florida-based grandparent, Bradley Merten, voiced similar concerns about his granddaughter learning the phrase.
A McDonald’s rep provided a statement to clarify the issue. In the statement, McDonald’s denies any resemblance to English language swear words or phrasing as “purely coincidental.” Further, McDonald’s states that “Minionese,” the language spoken by Minions, is a mixture of various languages, made-up words and sounds with no translation or intended meaning.