No Laughing Matter

Fisher Price's Tickle-Me Elmo is an icon of the Christmas rush. Always in high demand - it frequently sells out. Now, shoppers have the opportunity to buy a fake instead. This news item shows just how brazen the counterfeiters are. They've changed the name from "Fisher Price" to "Handsome" and called it (rather unimaginatively) "the Laughing Toy"... but it's a clear knock-off. The BBB rather curiously explains that copying trademark and trade dress is not illegal unless the Trademark holder pursues it.