Regurgitating Rico Hits the Shelves

It took awhile, but he finally made it: Regurgitating Rico from the hit show, the "Penguins of Madagascar" is now available at TRU (and eventually the other big boys too). So here's the back story: our client was anxious for a feature plush toy for the line (the 30 plus figures we designed weren't enough), so we started noodling over something that could be done that would be relatively inexpensive to deploy technically, make sense based on the character and be tons of fun to play with repeatedly. Well, since Rico vomits in the show all the time -- and one never knows what he might upchuck -- a stick of dynamite, a bicycle, a bowling ball, a portrait painted by Xavier Cugat -- the sky is the limit -- that made the most sense to pursue: a plush penguin that would vomit. It's a natural! We came up with a simple way to pass strange objects through Rico's beak and into his belly, where they would be stored until you reach in and pull them out. When you do, Rico makes a regurgitating sound. Well, you just have to see it and experience it and own one to fully appreciate the magical effect. So hurry on down to TRU and pick up a case of them for gifts and to place about your home. No cozy area in your house should be without a Regurgitating Rico! Our special thanks to Melinda Keane for helping us stitch up the beak and create an interior belly sack for the sample presentation Rico we made for Toy Fair. Aside from being a terrific friend, she's a very talented costumer and the wife of Family Circus cartoonist, Jeff Keane.