The gender equity movement has officially crossed over into the tuber realm as toy-maker Hasbro announced Thursday that its beloved Mr. Potato Head character is getting a politically correct makeover.

In an effort to keep up with changing times, Hasbro says it is dropping the "Mr." from the toy's moniker for the more gender-neutral "Potato Head" title. The switch is designed to be more sensitive to gender assignment.

“Hasbro is making sure all feel welcome in the Potato Head world by officially dropping the Mr. from the Mr. Potato Head brand name and logo to promote gender equality and inclusion,” Hasbro said in a statement.

The news must have come as a shock to Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, who have been mainstays on toy shelves for more than 70 years. Now the longtime couple will become gender-free versions of their former selves.

Who knew all those years we played with the hard-plastic spuds that we were infringing on the toys' freedom to choose between a mustache or a purse? Now Hasbro plans to release the Potato Family Pack “Create Your Potato Head Family” so kids can select the genders of their taters.

SEE HOW LGBTQ GROUPS REACTING THE NEW POTATO HEADS

Just two months ago they were known as "unicorns," tech-savvy companies that were not only surviving but thriving during the pandemic. But economic realities have uncovered one truth -- unicorns don't exist.

We're talking about companies like Airbnb and DoorDash, which debuted with greatly overvalued IPOs in the same week in December. DoorDash's initial stock price went in at 86% higher than expected, and Airbnb followed with a debut price that climbed as high as $157 a share.

It didn't take long for the realities of the pandemic to bring their stock prices in check. DoorDash, citing new regulations that limit the commissions and fees it can charge, announced it is line to lose $36 million in the quarter. Airbnb, while saying it lost less than expected, also acknowledged big losses as the travel industry remains slow to recover. 

Both companies are banking on post-pandemic rallies but they serve as a lesson to aggressive investors who get in on the ground floor at a price that is more befitting the ceiling. That's what we get for chasing unicorns.

SEE THE FACTORS BEHIND THESE UNICORNS LOSING ALTITUDE

In one of the strangest crimes to happen so far in 2021 was the Hollywood shooting of Lady Gaga's dog walker and dog-napping of two of her French Bulldogs, Koji and Gustav. The identifies of the suspects and whereabouts of the dogs remain a mystery as police investigate the canine crime.

Lady Gaga's dog walker, who was transported to the hospital and is expected to recover, was taking her three French Bulldogs for a stroll Wednesday night when she was shot by an unknown gunman. Koji and Gustav were stolen while a third pooch escaped and was later returned.

Lady Gaga, who was in Italy shooting a movie at the time of the incident, is offering a $500,000 reward for the return of the two pups -- no questions asked. It is not yet known if the suspect or suspects were specifically targeting the singer/actress, especially since there have been similar dognappings of French Bulldogs, an expensive and popular breed.

Last month a San Francisco woman was robbed at gunpoint of her Frenchie, which the American Kennel Club says is the breed most likely to be stolen. The half-million reward isn't likely to curb those statistics.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SEARCH FOR LADY GAGA'S FUR BABIES

Baby Boomers may recall that Mr. Potato Head was the first toy ever to be advertised on national TV in 1952. How much did the original toy cost?

(Wednesday's answer: Bob Dylan has an album in the Top 40 in every decade since the 1960s. Bruce Springsteen has done it since the '70s.)

SEND YOUR ANSWER HERE TO SHOW OFF YOUR KNOWLEDGE

We hope you are enjoying waking up to Fast Start, and we say the more the merrier. Introduce your friends to use by forwarding them a copy and encourage them to subscribe. Tell them to let us know you sent them.

HERE'S THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOUR FRIENDS WILL NEED