Mashing up fun with Mr. Potato Head in ‘IMAGine That!’

>> GET READY TO MASH UP SOME FUN WITH SPUDS. TODAY’S NATIONAL MISTER POTATO HEAD DAY. THE DAY DEDICATED TO DRESSING UP AS YOUR FAVORITE SPOT. WELL, AS A SCHOOL WHO SAYS I DID U.S. OR POTATO HEAD DAY HAS BEEN CELEBRATED. APRIL 30TH SINCE 1952. AND THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS FIRST ADVERTISED ON TELEVISION. AND THIS MORNING, THE TEAM AND I’M MAGGIE JOINING US TO HAVE SOME SCIENTIFIC FUN WITH MR. POTATO HEAD, ANY CHRISTIAN THERE NOW? HI, GUYS. >> HEY, GUYS, YOU’RE CERTAINLY RIGHT. WHEN YOU SAID IT WAS THE BEST DAY TO DRESS UP AS YOUR FAVORITE SPIED. WE DID THAT HERE AT THE I MIGHT BECAUSE WE ARE CELEBRATING NATIONAL MISTER PITT POTATO HEAD DAY. NOW. MISTER TAYLOR HAS A REALLY COOL TOY GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY BECAUSE WE ARE, OF COURSE, A HISTORY AND SCIENCE CENTER. SO MOST ITS HISTORY STARTS IN 1949. WHEN GEORGE LERNER INVENTED THE TOY. BUT IT WASN’T THE WAY WE KNOW IT TODAY. IT WAS ACTUALLY JUST PLASTIC PIECES THAT YOU WOULD STICK INTO A REAL POTATO. NOW WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO SELL THIS TOY ON THE MARKET WAS KIND OF HARD FOR HIM TO FIND A COMPANY THAT WOULD BUY IT AND SELL IT BECAUSE THEY’RE A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT FOOD SAFETY. BUT HASBRO IN 1952, IS NOT THAT WORRIED THEMSELVES. THEY BOUGHT THE TOY AND IT WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST TOY TO EVER BE ADVERTISED ON TELEVISION, LIKE YOU SAID, WHICH IS SUPER COOL. NOW IN THE 60’S, THEY OUT OF THAT PLASTIC POTATO BODY THAT WE SEE NOW. AND IN 1995, MR. POTATO HEAD EVEN STARRED IN THE MOVIE TOY STORY. A CHRISTIAN AND I ALSO HAVE MISTER AND MISSUS, POTATO HEAD. WE BOTH DID OUR BEST TO BUILD THEM. BUT THIS IS A REALLY FUN MODULAR DESIGN TOY. AND I’LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MODULAR DESIGN. THAT IS WHEN YOU BUILD SOMETHING OUT OF PREFABRICATED PIECES. NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER KIND OF POTATO TOYED THAT MAYBE A LITTLE LESS SAFE. A LITTLE. DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME FOR YOU. SO, CHRIS, THEY TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE HERE. >> SURE, ABSOLUTELY. SO AGAIN, THIS IS A DO NOT TRY AT HOME EXPERIMENT, BUT WE’RE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING ONE OF THESE POTATOES OUT INTO OUR FIELD. NOW, THE GOOD THING IS IT’S 100% BIODEGRADABLE RIGHTS OR PROJECTILE. THE POTATO COMPLETELY BIODEGRADABLE. AND SO THERE’S A COUPLE STEPS THAT I HAVE TO DO BEFORE I CAN LAUNCH THIS POTATO. SO IF YOU WANT TO KIND OF JUST NARRATE, I’M GOING TO START. >> ABSOLUTELY. SO THIS POTATO FIRST WE HAVE TO MAKE A PRESSURIZED AREA AND WE’RE GOING TO DO THAT. I COMPLETELY SEALING THIS POTATO GUN WITH POTATO. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT’S ALL THE WAY AND THEY’RE NOW WE’RE GOING TO PUSH THAT. BUT IT ALL THE WAY DOWN WITH A LONG STICK TO GET IT INTO OUR EXPLOSION. THAT CHAMBER NOW TO CREATE THIS EXPLOSION. WITH ALL THIS PRESSURE, WE NEED SOME SORT OF FUEL. AND WE’RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE SAFETY GOING HE. SO WE HAVE A MYSTERY FEEL THAT WE WILL NOT TELL YOU ABOUT. BUT OF COURSE, THAT’S BECAUSE IT’S DANGEROUS. SO WE’RE GONNA PUT ON A FACE SHIELD JUST IN CASE. BUT OF COURSE, WE HAVE PRACTICED THIS. WE’RE VERY SAFE HERE AT THE ISLAND. SO LET’S GO OVER HERE AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS POTATO. CAN. SO WE’RE GOING TO FILL OUR CHAMBER WITH OUR FUEL THAT WILL HE US LIGHT. IT. JUST A FEW SPRAYS OF OUR MYSTERY FUEL. AND AGAIN, THAT’S GOING TO CREATE A BUNCH OF PRESSURE. AND IN 3, 2, 1, WOW. THAT IS THE FOR THIS LAUNCH THING I’VE EVER SEEN FROM POTATO CANDIDATE ALMOST MADE IT TO THE GATES. NOW, OBVIOUSLY WE WON’T BE HAVING ANY KIDS LAUNCH POTATO CANNONS COMING UP IN SUMMER CAMP. BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING A BIT OF MODULAR DESIGN, MAYBE NOT MISTER POTATO HEAD THAT MAYBE THINGS LIKE LEGOS OR BLUE BLOCKS OR OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS JUST TO REALLY EXPLORE ENGINEERING HERE AT THE IMAC IN CAMP. I MIGHT ALL

Mashing up fun with Mr. Potato Head in ‘IMAGine That!’

The team at IMAG History & Science Center in Fort Myers joined Gulf Coast News to showcase some scientific fun with Mr. Potato Head.

Updated: 1:49 PM EDT Apr 30, 2025

Get ready to mash up some fun with spuds. April 30 is National Mr. Potato Head Day, a day dedicated to dressing up as your favorite spud. The team at IMAG History & Science Center in Fort Myers joined Gulf Coast News to showcase some scientific fun with Mr. Potato Head.Mr. Potato Head Day has been celebrated on April 30 since 1952 when it was first advertised on television. The Mr. Potato Head toy was invented and developed by George Lerner in 1949 and manufactured and distributed by Hasbro. Although kids had to supply their own potato, the toy included noses, hats, eyes, mouths, ears, feet, hands, a pipe and eyeglasses that kids could poke into a potato. It also included eight pieces of felt to be used as facial hair.In 1964, a plastic potato body was added to avoid the use of real food items. Mr. Potato Head has been in many movies and shows and made a comeback in 1995 in Disney’s “Toy Story.”For more information, check out the IMAG website.DOWNLOAD  the free Gulf Coast News app  for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment and more.

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

Get ready to mash up some fun with spuds. April 30 is National Mr. Potato Head Day, a day dedicated to dressing up as your favorite spud.

The team at IMAG History & Science Center in Fort Myers joined Gulf Coast News to showcase some scientific fun with Mr. Potato Head.

Mr. Potato Head Day has been celebrated on April 30 since 1952 when it was first advertised on television. The Mr. Potato Head toy was invented and developed by George Lerner in 1949 and manufactured and distributed by Hasbro. Although kids had to supply their own potato, the toy included noses, hats, eyes, mouths, ears, feet, hands, a pipe and eyeglasses that kids could poke into a potato. It also included eight pieces of felt to be used as facial hair.

In 1964, a plastic potato body was added to avoid the use of real food items. Mr. Potato Head has been in many movies and shows and made a comeback in 1995 in Disney’s “Toy Story.”

For more information, check out the IMAG website.

DOWNLOAD  the free Gulf Coast News app  for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment and more.