NEARLY HALF OF ALL AMERICANS WANT RONALD McDONALD TO QUIT! YOU CANT BLAME RONALD FOR YOUR KIDS WANTING HAPPY MEALS!

Hey, Ronald McDonald, it may be time to retire.

Nearly half of Americans polled want the kid-friendly, French-fry chomping icon to call it quits, arguing he contributes to the country's growing obesity epidemic by luring youngsters to fast food joints.

"This clown is no friend to our children or their health," said Deborah Lapidus of Corporate Accountability International, a group that sponsored the poll and protests outside McDonald's around the country.

"He is a deep-fried Joe Camel for the 21st century," she said.

Many of those surveyed had favorable feelings about red-headed Ronald, yet 47% thought it was time for him to go.

But a protest outside McDonald's in Times Square Wednesday didn't sour kids on Ronald.

"He's getting old, but I like Ronald," said 13-year-old Rosemary Frias of the Bronx, who was eager to munch on chicken nuggets and fries. Ditching Ronald, she said, won't "stop kids from getting fat."

Still, fat-fighters and health experts argue Ronald subverts parents' authority by being so attractive to kids.

"It's not acceptable to market unhealthy products to children, and I think the retirement of Ronald McDonald would be a step in the right direction," said Nicholas Freudenberg, a public health professor at Hunter College.

Ronald McDonald dates back to 1966 when the mascot appeared in a series of national TV commercials - and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The national chain said there are no plans for him to retire.

"Ronald McDonald is a beloved brand ambassador for McDonald's," read a company response to the poll results and protest.