One of the acceptable risks that huge retailers like Amazon and Walmart have decided goes hand in hand with operating huge third-party sales platforms is that they can’t always proactively police the goods that end up on their virtual shelves. At least, not with 100% comprehensive accuracy. It’s sort of the whole point. Anybody is allowed to sell … well, almost anything. Which is how companies can up with edge-case blunders, one example of which is a recent Walmart toy. It ended up getting pulled. Because that dancing cactus that you might assume is pretty harmless, and which sings some indecipherable song?
The toy actually swears and sings about cocaine — albeit, in Polish. Not exactly an ideal Christmas gift for a youngster. But it’s nevertheless easy to see why this one has garnered headlines and forced Walmart to remove the item.
Dancing Cactus toy
Never wanted a toy so bad. Walmart pills kids educational dancing cactus toy after it sings in Polish about doing 5 grams of cocaine, being depressed. Chinese manufacturer used a Polish rappers song w/out permission for the toy sold in US, EU, Canadahttps://t.co/bodM7sURWq
— Chris Kubecka 🇵🇷 ✈️ #BLM @MiddleEastInst (@SecEvangelism) November 25, 2021
You can actually find a ton of funny tweets joking that, well, now I want this toy more than anything. One of the songs the Walmart dancing cactus reportedly played is from Polish rapper Cypis. And an English translation for the lyrics to the toy’s song Where is The White Eel reads: “The only thing in my head / is five grams of cocaine, fly away alone / to the edge of oblivion.”
Not exactly something you want little Timmy knowing about after unwrapping it on Christmas Day. Or, if you’re a grandmother who lives in Ontario, Canada, and who happens to speak Polish, you definitely would feel shocked after buying the toy for your unsuspecting granddaughter.
“It just so happens that I am Polish and when I started to listen to the songs and I heard the words,” said Ania Tanner, who spoke with the Canadian news outlet CTV News. “I was in shock. I thought ‘Is this some kind of joke?’”
Top Christmas gifts 2021 for kids
Meanwhile, someone else who apparently bought the toy expressed her surprise about it on Twitter.
Bought my daughter a dancing cactus toy…that appears to be singing and dancing to a polish song about cocaine addiction??? pic.twitter.com/43NE4ZopZk
— {{{Lisa Mahapatra}}} (@lisamahapatra) November 20, 2021
A spokesperson for Walmart told CTV News: “These items are sold by a third-party seller on our marketplace website. We are removing the items while we look into this complaint further.”
Obviously, a toy like this isn’t ideal to put under the tree this Christmas. So, having said, you can find a different assortment of ideas of toys below that would probably make great Christmas presents. Back in September, Walmart revealed its annual Top-Rated by Kids Toy List. The retailer says these toys were chosen by kids. Moreover, this year’s list includes more than a dozen Walmart exclusives.
Walmart’s Top-rated by Kids Toy List
Below, you’ll find a list of the Walmart toy exclusives under each category included on this year’s list.
Awakening Imagination
- 1:10 RC Hot Wheels Rhimomite ($59.00)
- Barbie Extra Doll & Vanity Playset ($59.00)
Edutainment Expression
- Crayola Creative Fun Double Easel ($44.88)
Fresh Air Fun
- 12V Jeep Gladiator Children’s Ride On in a variety of colors ($369.00)
- Fisher-Price Bouncesational Bounce House with Built-in Pump ($69.00)
- HALO Supreme Big Wheel Scooter in a variety of colors ($39.93)
- Jetson Hali X Luminous Extreme-Terrain Hoverboard in a variety of colors ($178.00)
- Kryptonics 28” Cruiser Skateboard in a variety of colors ($24.97)
- Monster Jam 24V Grave Digger Ride On in a variety of colors ($449.00)
- Razor Miniature Dirt Rocket MX125 Electric-Powered Dirt Bike ($179.00)
Not-So-Pretend Pets
- LEGO Creator 3 in 1 Fish Tank ($29.97)
- Magic Mixies Cauldron in a variety of colors ($59.00) – Walmart Exclusive Color
- VTech Hover Pup ($24.97)
On-Screen and Streaming Favorites
- Ryan’s World Rocketship ($81.00)
- Spark Create Imagine Cocomelon Bus ($29.97)
Timeless Toys
- Flybar 6V Bumper Car ($99.00)
- My Little Pony Fashion Ponies in a variety of characters ($15.44)
For more information on the Top-Rated by Kids Toy List, visit www.walmart.com/toprated.
