Fox News Star Sued Pawtucket’s Hasbro Over a Hamster — Here’s Why

Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based toymaker Hasbro was sued for $5 million by Fox News host Harris Faulkner. The suit was settled "amicably" without ever going to trial. But what happened?

Why Harris Faulkner Filed Her Lawsuit

What could the maker of Mr. Potato Head, Slinky and Play-Doh have done to cause Faulkner to lawyer up? According to Deadline.com, Faulkner took Hasbro to court "over a hamster that shared her name and supposedly, her look."

Faulkner was apparently less than enamored with the plastic toy hamster that allegedly bore her likeness. Or perhaps she hadn't been consulted – or compensated – for the use of her name.

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Faulkner, a staple at the Fox News Channel since 2005, sued Hasbro in 2015, but the case was "settled amicably" a year later, according to Deadline.com.

Inside the Littlest Pet Shop Controversy

The Hollywood Reporter said the Harris Faulkner hamster was a part of Hasbro's 'Littlest Pet Shop" product line."

"In her September 2015 complaint, she asserted the toy, with large cartoonish eyes and a butterfly resting on its head, had 'caused substantial commercial and emotional damage' to her and falsely implied her 'association with, approval, and endorsement of Hasbro and/or the Harris Faulkner Hamster Doll," according to the Reporter.

How the Case Was Settled

Deadline.com reported that a joint statement issued by Harris and Hasbro stated, "The 'Harris Faulkner' toy is no longer manufactured or sold by Hasbro."

"The parties will not comment on the litigation or its settlement," according to the statement.

Hasbro’s Rhode Island Roots and Boston Move

Hasbro is moving its headquarters to Boston by the end of 2026. The company launched in Providence in 1923 and moved to its current location in Pawtucket in 1962.