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Aaron Paul is not taking this one lying down.
Paul took to Twitter Thursday to slam Toys R Us for pulling Breaking Bad toys from its shelves after a Florida mom started an online petition to get them removed.
Watch more Vince Gilligan Tackles Four ‘Breaking Bad’ Myths
Channeling his inner Tuco, Paul’s rant against the store included attacks on Barbie and violent video games, and even a fake quote from President Obama.
He also shared a link to a competing petition asking Toys R Us to bring back the Breaking Bad toys. Shortly after Paul tweeted the link, it gained more signatures than the petition urging Toys R Us to remove the toys (that petition had already closed). As of Friday morning, the petition to bring back the toys had more than 30,000 signatures.
Wait, so @ToysRUs pulled all of the Breaking Bad figures from their shelves and still sells Barbie? Hmmmm…I wonder what is more damaging?
— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) October 23, 2014
“@BarackObama: Wait, are you serious about the whole @ToysRUs thing?!?” Yes I am Mr. President. Yes I am.
— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) October 23, 2014
And what about all of the violent video games you sell @ToysRUs ? Do you still sell those? Florida mom really messed it up for everyone.
— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) October 23, 2014
Dear @ToysRUs, We have close to 30,000 signed on the petition, that is 3 times the amount that caused you to remove the toys. Talk to me. Ap
— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) October 24, 2014
The original petition, from Susan Schrivjer, convinced Toys R Us to pull replicas of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Paul). The action figures included fake crystal meth, something she said was a big no-no.
See more ‘Breaking Bad’: 25 Most Badass Quotes
“Putting something that has fake illegal drugs with it next to G.I. Joe or Mario Bros. just morally isn’t right,” she said during an appearance on Fox News Channel on Thursday. “This has nothing to do with people taking their kids in there or buying that or anything. This has to do with the placement of that doll.”
Cranston previously tweeted he was “so mad, I’m burning my Florida Mom action figure in protest.”
Breaking Bad earned critical acclaim and robust ratings during its five seasons — and it also racked up a huge body count and showed plenty of drugs being used and made. But the set could actually be pretty kid-friendly, according to Emily Rios, who played Andrea — Jesse’s sometimes girlfriend and mother to Brock (Ian Posada).
See more ‘Breaking Bad’: 20 Most Shocking Deaths
“I love children, but the person who broke the ice was Aaron Paul. Jesse is so good with kids, and that really is how Aaron is,” Rios told The Hollywood Reporter last year following the show’s series finale. “He put on his Aaron charm and started telling [Posada] jokes and asking him questions and getting him excited.”
Email: Aaron.Couch@THR.com
Twitter: @AaronCouch
Oct. 24, 9:50 a.m. Updated with new tweet from Aaron Paul.
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