American Girl is none too happy about a fake ad for a new, armed 'Karen' doll

American Girl has been making expensive dolls with creative backstories since the mid-80s, capitalizing on parents' desires to give their daughters a toy they relate to, want to spend time with, or whatever. If the parents are willing to shell out the cash, American Girl will help them find a way.

Each doll has a unique name and booklet telling the owner everything she needs to know about where her fluff-stuffed plastic-and-fabric friend is from, what time period she represents, and what her passions are.

But the latest imagined AG doll, which made the social media rounds last week, is an unsanctioned rip-off that has the company "disgusted," the New York Post reported.

A fake ad for a parody American Girl doll appeared on the Facebook page of Adam The Creator on June 29. The ad introduces a "new doll" for this year: "Meet Karen 2020 Girl of the Year."

The image shows a doll with an angry expression, a stereotypical "Karen" haircut, a Walmart shopping cart, and a pistol. "Karen" is decked out in a purple jogging suit and appears ready to lecture no-goodniks and big-box store managers.

"She's an independent thinker who refuses to wear a mask in public places!" the ad says of the doll.

Image source: Facebook screenshot

After the fake ad took flight across cyberspace, duped social media users contacted the company, worried that the doll-maker was sending the wrong message to kids.

One Twitter user wrote, "@American_Girl I saw a post of an American Girl doll, Karen, who refuses to wear a mask and carries a gun as disgusting. Is this what we want to teach our children?" the Post noted.

The company responded that it was "disgusted" by the parody and was doing what it could to get it removed.