- 1 year ago
Not all toys have innocent origins! Join us as we uncover the disturbing and unexpected stories behind your favorite childhood playthings. From cult connections to corporate scandals, these beloved toys hide shocking secrets. Discover how teddy bears commemorate a hunting incident, why Elmo dolls threatened children, and how Beanie Babies sparked criminal activity. The truth behind these iconic toys is darker than you'd ever imagine!
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00:00When they hit, this is 23,000 pounds per square inch.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at unexpected, creepy, or disturbing stories that are reportedly behind particular toys.
00:12Somebody in the crowd yelled, there's the Elmo's, and they rushed us.
00:19The Hug-A-Bunch Nightmare.
00:20A talking worm, give me a break.
00:24I'm telling you, he knows it all.
00:2680s kids might fondly recall the Hug-A-Bunch dolls, soft, plush, and oh-so-huggable.
00:32Fewer may remember the 1985 TV movie that accompanied them, which was surprisingly scary.
00:38It follows Bridget's journey to Hug-A-Land to restore her grandmother's youth.
00:42Her adventure begins with an unsettling feeling that something's watching her through the mirror.
00:46Then, Huggins shows up with an oversized head and stiff movements, straddling the line between cute and possessed toy horror.
00:54Things get creepier when Bridget meets the evil queen, whose withering demise scarred many 80s kids just like that first mirror appearance.
01:09After everything, Bridget fails to save her grams.
01:13A heartwarming tale about hugs?
01:15It feels more like a fever dream wrapped in a grim lesson about aging.
01:18Well, those older fogies over there better fasten their seatbelts.
01:24This granny's gonna put some zing in their shuffleboard games.
01:28Sektar's Biological Warfare and Slavery Tale
01:31In the far reaches of the universe is the star planet Symbion, a perfect world until their biological experiments exploded.
01:39If you've never heard about these Coleco toys, that's understandable.
01:43They didn't stick around for long.
01:44Part action figure and part hand puppet, Sektar's also had a five-episode miniseries that was pretty dark.
01:50Set on Symbion, the tale unfolds after a failed genetic experiment leaves humans as insect hybrids.
01:56We will get to the hive after I've destroyed Dargon.
02:00As if that's not bleak enough, these bug people are locked in an endless battle over a mysterious source of power.
02:06On the surface, it's just another action-packed toy line.
02:09Dig deeper and it begins to feel like an allegory for science gone wrong.
02:13Uncomfortably close to real-world biological warfare.
02:16What about the level of slavery that happens in Slave City?
02:20Yeah, this is way heavier than your typical Saturday morning cartoon.
02:24Are humans experiments in go-bots?
02:31Tanka's go-bots often get dismissed as a lesser version of Transformers,
02:36even though they actually came first.
02:37Sure, the toy lines share plenty of similarities, even some voice actors.
02:41But let's forget the rivalry and talk about go-bots' wild backstory.
02:45These robots started out as go-beings, which are human-like creatures.
02:49Then, when disaster struck, an engineer thought the best survival plan was to rip out their brains and place them in robot bodies.
02:56So, go-bots aren't some living metals.
02:57They're basically humans trapped in mechanical shells.
03:01That's creepy.
03:02Now, they're stuck in an endless war as guardians or renegades.
03:05Honestly?
03:06This is a disturbing tale about losing your humanity and becoming a war machine forever.
03:10But, hey, it's just a cartoon.
03:12My force field can only give us temporary protection.
03:17Slinky Linked to a Cult
03:18This mesmerizing toy is a household favorite, loved for its hypnotic ability to tumble down on its own.
03:31But did you know its creation was an accident?
03:33Back in the late 1940s, Navy engineer Richard James stumbled upon it while working on something entirely different.
03:39He and his wife Betty named it, and soon it became a money-making sensation.
03:44However, things took a drastic turn when James abandoned his family and joined a mysterious religious group.
03:50The business nearly fell apart since he diverted all his money to this cult.
03:54But Betty didn't let it sink.
03:56Thanks to her perseverance, the Slinky didn't just survive.
03:59It became a Hall of Fame toy and Slinky Dog in Toy Story.
04:03Hey, uh, Slinky?
04:04Right here, Woody.
04:06Hey, I'm ready this time.
04:07No, Slink.
04:08Oh, well, alright. You can be ready if you want.
04:11Not now, Slink.
04:12Teddy Bears as Symbol of Man's Cruelty
04:14These plush, cuddly, stuffed toys aren't just for kids.
04:18They're wholesome gifts of love and comfort, even for adults.
04:21But their origin has a violent twist.
04:24Teddy Roosevelt?
04:25Teddy Bear.
04:26In 1902, while President Theodore Roosevelt was on a hunting trip,
04:30his assistants clubbed a bear, tied it to a tree, and urged him to shoot it.
04:34Finding it unsportsmanlike, Roosevelt refused to do such a cruel thing.
04:38Refused to shoot it.
04:40He said, this is not the hunt that I came to do, this is not sporting.
04:44This incident went viral by 1900 standards.
04:47While a cartoonist satirized the president's act,
04:50candy shop owner Morris Mishdom saw an opportunity.
04:52He created a toy bear and named it after Roosevelt.
04:55Ironically, while this children's toy became an incredibly popular symbol of warmth,
04:59the original bear wasn't so lucky.
05:02It was, of course, killed.
05:04The G.I. Joe JFK figure is unsettling.
05:07G.I. Joe!
05:08A real American hero!
05:10Toy lines can be a great way to immortalize beloved figures,
05:14as Hasbro has done for years.
05:16But when it has to do with a president who was assassinated,
05:18it casts a dark shadow.
05:20We're talking about the G.I. Joe JFK figure.
05:23Released in the 2000s,
05:24this celebrity doll is modeled after President John F. Kennedy as a Navy commander.
05:28It's a fascinating one that honors his heroic rescue of his crew
05:32after their boat was sunk by a Japanese destroyer,
05:34complete with his famous coconut husk message.
05:37While it celebrates his bravery,
05:39tying a children's toy to one of the most tragic figures in American history feels off.
05:44P.J. Sparkles Echoes Lord of the Flies
05:46With all its glitter,
05:55you wouldn't expect P.J. Sparkles to have any hint of darkness.
05:58Until you learn of the doll's origin.
06:01Created by Mattel in the late 80s,
06:03this glowing doll got the usual cartoon movie,
06:05which feels downright horrifying from an adult perspective.
06:091992's P.J. Sparkles follows an orphaned girl
06:11who stumbles into Twinkle Town in her quest for love.
06:14You're in Twinkle Town.
06:16Of course, it doesn't really twinkle.
06:17There, she finds a group of nameless children who instantly worship her.
06:29Yeah, this cult-like devotion is already a red flag.
06:32Hang on, it gets more disturbing.
06:34The girl abandons them for a boy,
06:36and Twinkle Town plunges into chaos,
06:38with these kids going berserk.
06:40Okay, isn't this Lord of the Flies, but with sparkles?
06:42Hey, you don't like it?
06:44You don't like it, you can go back where you came from.
06:47Not-so-Cheerful Rainbow Bright
06:49Launched in 1984 by Mattel and Hallmark,
06:58Rainbow Bright toys were adored for their vibrant, cheerful designs.
07:01The Color Kids, Twink, and Starlight embody a whimsical world filled with optimism.
07:06But the TV series revealed a shockingly bleak backstory.
07:10Before she became Rainbow Bright,
07:12Wisp was just a normal girl trapped in a colorless world ruled by an evil force.
07:16Into a land filled with darkness came a little girl with a nation.
07:21Add that to her encountering nightmarish creatures in this gloomy universe
07:24with a baby constantly in jeopardy,
07:27and you'll realize how messed up this is.
07:29If this dystopian setting had been for older people, it might have been alright.
07:32But for kids, the ones who keep hugging these dolls, it's way too intense.
07:37Especially for what the toy line stood for.
07:40Elmo channels Chucky.
07:41Stop!
07:42There are few children's characters more iconic than Elmo,
07:46the breakout star of Sesame Street.
07:48This furry red creature with the orange nose
07:50has had countless toys made in his likeness over the years.
07:53Many of them, like Tickle Me Elmo,
07:54have become must-have items upon release.
07:57Unfortunately, a number of speaking Elmo dolls
08:00have broken bad after going home to an unsuspecting family.
08:03The 2007 Sing With Elmo's Greatest Hits toy
08:06encouraged kids to beat up Elmo and rip your fur out.
08:10It was an issue of distorted audio.
08:12In 2008, one Elmo Knows Your Name doll went full child's play
08:16when it allegedly started saying Kill James
08:19to its two-year-old owner James Bowman.
08:21Kill James?
08:22Who would have guessed it'd be Elmo to pick up where Chucky left off?
08:26Kill James?
08:27What was that?
08:28Kill James?
08:29The Cannibal Cabbage Patch Kid.
08:31You're the only one.
08:33I love you.
08:34These smiling cherubic dolls were a mainstay of many a childhood in the 80s and 90s.
08:40Though they're still being produced and distributed,
08:42back in the day there was literally one in every kid's closet or bed.
08:46Heck, a Cabbage Patch Kid may have even replaced a teddy bear at night
08:49as the thing that four-year-old you cuddled while falling asleep.
08:52Well, you should just be thankful that it was not one of the Cabbage Patch Snack Time Kids,
08:57which were all the rage around Christmas 1996.
09:00Wow, she really chews!
09:02This line of dolls ate plastic food,
09:05which would then wind up in the doll's backpack.
09:07The problem?
09:08Reports of the doll's eating mechanism starting to pull in children's fingers and hair.
09:13Cabbage Patch Kid Snack Time Kid comes with all the play food you see here.
09:15Eat sold separately.
09:16Batter's not included.
09:17Potty-mouthed Teletubby dolls?
09:26Today's toddlers and tykes might have moved on to Paw Patrol,
09:29but between 1997 and 2001,
09:31these strange color-coded creatures dominated preschool-aged children's television.
09:36With their impossibly smooth facial features,
09:38screens implanted in their tummies and a gibberish language all their own,
09:42they enchanted kids and unnerved parents in equal measure.
09:46Well, as it turns out,
09:47the red Teletubby Poe was giving parents something more concrete to take issue with.
09:52At least the toy version of Poe.
09:53Oh, dear!
09:56The voice actress behind one talking Poe doll had a strong accent,
10:00resulting in one of the toy's pre-recorded lines
10:02sounding a lot like it was saying,
10:04bite my butt and a homophobic slur.
10:07Farty, farty.
10:08Farty, farty.
10:10Farty, farty.
10:12Despite clarifying what the doll was actually saying,
10:14Hasbro ultimately pulled it from shelves.
10:17Barbie and Ken were named after a brother and sister.
10:20These two go together like peanut butter and jelly,
10:23bacon and eggs, or milk and cookies.
10:25With the exception of a brief breakup in the mid-aughts,
10:28Ken and Barbie have always been a pair,
10:30more specifically, a romantic one.
10:32Isn't he the hottest guy you have ever seen?
10:35Oh, Ken!
10:37Given that Ken was introduced in 1961,
10:39their love has spanned over a half century.
10:42As many people know,
10:43Barbie was named after creator Ruth Handler's daughter Barbara.
10:46Less known is that the second character added to the line,
10:49the anatomically incomplete Ken,
10:52is also named after one of Ruth's children,
10:54Barbara's brother Kenneth.
10:56While the characters aren't siblings,
10:57their respective namesakes are.
10:59And that inspires a bit of a no feeling.
11:01When we think back on the toys that we grew up playing with,
11:11it's with fondness and a profound sense of innocence.
11:14They're symbols of a simpler time in your life.
11:17In reality, however,
11:18toys are and always have been big business.
11:21They're so cute.
11:22So, while your relationship with your childhood playthings might be pure,
11:26chances are that behind the scenes,
11:28some not-so-savory things went down.
11:30As is the case with Polly Pocket.
11:32The concept was originally a DIY one
11:34crafted by a father for his daughter.
11:36It was then licensed to Bluebird Toys,
11:38who helped bring this novel toy to countless children.
11:41Mattel also got in on the distribution deal.
11:44But in the late 90s,
11:45Bluebird was finally bought by the former
11:47after weathering numerous hostile takeover attempts.
11:50It's fun to be small.
11:51Wow, it's so tiny.
11:53Hannah Montana card game was loaded with lead.
11:56It's taken years,
11:57but Miley Cyrus has finally distanced herself
12:00from the Disney character who made her a star,
12:02Hannah Montana.
12:03In the early years of her career, however,
12:05Miley and Hannah were interchangeable.
12:07And together,
12:08they amassed legions of young fans
12:10who wanted everything Hannah Montana related,
12:12from clothing to school supplies to toys.
12:15One such product released
12:16was the Hannah Montana Popstar card game.
12:19Unfortunately, those who bought it
12:21were unknowingly getting far more
12:22than they bargained for.
12:24The carrying case contains
12:253,056 parts per million of lead,
12:28many times more than the 40 parts per million limit
12:31recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
12:34And yet, due to a technicality,
12:36it was never recalled.
12:38This isn't over, pal!
12:40Lead paint scandal.
12:41Toy giant Mattel recalls another 7.3 million toys
12:45that could have lead paint.
12:46Like in many other industries,
12:48toy companies rely heavily on Chinese companies
12:51to manufacture and supply their toys.
12:53And this supply chain structure
12:54can sometimes make it difficult
12:56to trace the exact roots of the materials involved.
12:59In one such case,
13:01Zhang Shuhang,
13:01the head of Li Der Industrial Co.,
13:03took his own life
13:04after it was announced
13:05that his company's exports would be banned
13:07due to them containing excessive amounts of lead.
13:10According to a Chinese source,
13:12the paint used to illustrate the familiar faces
13:14of Big Bird, Elmo, and others was fake.
13:16Shuhang's company quickly took a massive hit
13:19and he took his own life as a result,
13:21a practice that is sadly common in China
13:23for disgraced officials.
13:25Furby was accused of being a spy.
13:27What's that?
13:28Wait up!
13:29It's my Furby!
13:30Furby was many things.
13:32A massive trend,
13:33an exciting new piece of consumer toy tech,
13:35and a solid substitute for kids
13:37who wanted a pet,
13:38but whose parents refused.
13:39Over at the National Security Agency,
13:41or NSA, however,
13:43Furby had a more sinister reputation.
13:45The little talking furball
13:46was actually considered persona non grata.
13:48Why?
13:49Well, apparently there were concerns
13:50about the delightful little toy
13:52being used as a tool of espionage
13:54given its language-related systems.
13:56A reported internal memo revealed
13:58that Furby's were strictly prohibited,
14:00and if a Furby was seen in the building,
14:02it was to be reported immediately.
14:04According to Tiger Electronics,
14:06Furby had no capacity to record audio.
14:08But maybe the NSA knew something
14:10we didn't, hmm?
14:11Oh, hot!
14:12Come on, say it hot, hot, hot, hot, hot!
14:141982 Glowworm's poisonous plastic head.
14:17Squeeze it tight when it's night.
14:19Watch his face light a bright glow.
14:22Bunch a good night, friend.
14:23Every parent hopes to find
14:25that perfect doll or stuffed animal
14:26for their young child to bond with.
14:28A friend to keep them company
14:29through the night
14:30and provide a sense of comfort.
14:32In the early 1980s,
14:33an unlikely competitor entered the fray
14:35in the form of Hasbro Play School's Glowworm.
14:37She's so happy, she's glowing!
14:40The sleepy-looking worm had a kindly face
14:42and wore a sleeping cap and pajamas.
14:44When squeezed,
14:45the worm's head would gently glow with light.
14:47Unfortunately,
14:48the material the glowworm's head
14:49was made out of
14:50got its distinctive malleable texture
14:52via a chemical plastic softener,
14:54phthalates,
14:55which is toxic when ingested.
14:57Thankfully, its head
14:57was fairly tough to chew through,
14:59but it certainly undermines the trust
15:00between parent and stuffed toy.
15:02And when mom says it's time,
15:05she goes to sleep too.
15:07Lisa Frank Inc. was reportedly
15:08a terrible work environment.
15:10Lisa Frank makes the coolest stickers!
15:12Not every company's corporate culture
15:14matches with their public image.
15:15Case in point,
15:16Lisa Frank Incorporated.
15:18For the uninitiated,
15:19Lisa Frank is a kids' merchandising company
15:21that was popular in the 80s and 90s,
15:23specializing in colorful stickers,
15:25school supplies, and more.
15:27The company's one-time slogan was
15:28you gotta have it.
15:29And for many a young girl,
15:31Lisa Frank's swag was indeed
15:32the pinnacle of cool.
15:34While people still feel nostalgic
15:36about the brand,
15:37past employees generally
15:38are not among them.
15:39A scathing Jezebel.com article
15:41called the company
15:42quote,
15:43a rainbow gulag.
15:44Employee horror stories abound
15:46and have for years,
15:48including rules enforcing
15:49zero conversation,
15:50management recording
15:51employee phone calls,
15:53a verbally abusive CEO,
15:54sudden terminations,
15:56and countless employee lawsuits.
15:58I don't think I ever want
15:59to be a manufacturer again.
16:02That takes away from who I am,
16:04and what I really love to do
16:06is to do artwork.
16:08Legal war over troll dolls.
16:10Treasure trolls are the only trolls
16:11that have a jewel in their tummy
16:12that you can wish on.
16:14What would you wish for?
16:16Like Polly Pocket,
16:17these dolls,
16:18instantly identifiable
16:19thanks to their wild hair,
16:21cherubic cheeks,
16:22and prominent belly buttons,
16:23have a complicated backstory.
16:25These bizarre little humanoid creatures
16:26were first conceived of
16:27and created by a humble Danish man
16:29in the 1950s
16:30who carved the very first troll doll
16:32out of necessity.
16:34Christmas was coming
16:34and he couldn't afford
16:35a gift for his daughter.
16:36He soon found himself
16:37with a fledgling business empire,
16:39but while he secured a copyright
16:40for his creation
16:41in his native Denmark,
16:42he encountered issues
16:43in the United States.
16:44Ladies and gentlemen,
16:46your next president,
16:48Russ Troll.
16:49Because of a loophole
16:50involving distribution in America,
16:52troll dolls passed
16:53into the public domain,
16:54robbing a creator of his dues.
16:56It would be decades
16:57before the copyright
16:58was reinstated in 1996.
17:03Get back up again!
17:05Branch, my man,
17:07you are right on time.
17:08X-rated slap bracelets.
17:0980,000 Trolls slap bracelets
17:12are being recalled.
17:13Often, it's the simplest of toys
17:15that really winds up
17:16resonating with kids.
17:17Long before the days
17:18of the fidget spinner,
17:19the thing that kids
17:20couldn't stop fidgeting with
17:21were slap bracelets.
17:23The concept is simple.
17:24A thin, curved piece of metal
17:25is covered in a colorful material.
17:27When hit against a surface
17:28or an arm or a leg,
17:30it curls into a circle.
17:31Unfortunately,
17:32as the material frayed
17:33on cheaper bracelets,
17:34sharp metal edges
17:35could result in cuts,
17:37prompting recalls
17:38and school bans.
17:39In 2011, however,
17:41the slap bracelets' reputation
17:42worsened when a Florida school
17:44used them as part
17:45of a fundraising effort
17:46only to discover images
17:47of nude women printed
17:48on the metal interior
17:49as the material wore down.
17:52Employee trampled
17:53over a Tickle Me Elmo.
17:54But beware,
17:56like any hot commodity,
17:58the price is soaring.
17:59As everyone's favorite
18:00Sesame Street resident
18:01has learned firsthand,
18:02fame comes at a price.
18:04Not only have various Elmo dolls
18:06been caught saying troubling things,
18:07but in the case
18:08of the aforementioned
18:09Tickle Me Elmo doll,
18:10someone actually got hurt.
18:12Released in 1996,
18:13the toy became
18:14the toy of the holiday season
18:16after Rosie O'Donnell
18:17plugged it on her show.
18:18Oh boy, that tickles!
18:20Suddenly,
18:21parents were scrambling
18:22to get one,
18:23and on multiple occasions,
18:24the in-store competition
18:25turned violent.
18:26The worst such example
18:27of this occurred
18:28in Fredericton,
18:29New Brunswick, Canada,
18:30where a 27-year-old clerk
18:32was trampled
18:32by a mob of shoppers
18:33trying to get
18:34the Tickle Me Elmo
18:35in his hands.
18:36Somebody in the crowd yelled,
18:39there's the Elmos,
18:40and they rushed us.
18:41He suffered a concussion,
18:43broken ribs,
18:44a pulled hamstring,
18:45and various back,
18:46knee, and jaw injuries.
18:48Easy Bake Ovens
18:49burned dozens of children.
18:51Hey guys,
18:52it's me, Whitley,
18:53and my Easy Bake Oven.
18:55These child-oriented toy ovens
18:57were first introduced
18:58in 1963.
18:59Over the decades,
19:00and with well over
19:0116 million units sold,
19:03they've successfully yielded
19:04countless reasonably tasty,
19:06easily-baked confections
19:07for kids
19:08and their parents alike,
19:09usually without incident.
19:12Unfortunately,
19:13not every model
19:13put to market
19:14is created equal.
19:15A 2006 model
19:16had a design flaw
19:17that allowed kids' hands
19:18or fingers
19:19to become caught
19:20in the oven's
19:20front-loading door.
19:2229 such cases
19:23were reported,
19:24including five
19:25that involved burns.
19:26A retrofit kit
19:27was released,
19:28but failed
19:29to make a difference.
19:30The number of burns
19:31climbed to 77,
19:33including one
19:34that required
19:34a partial amputation
19:36of a five-year-old's finger.
19:38Super Soaker Attacks
19:39That's not pressure,
19:40this is pressure!
19:42The Super Soaker CPS
19:43Constant Pressure System!
19:45In hot summer months,
19:46Super Soakers
19:47can be a great way
19:48for children to cool down
19:49and get some physical activity.
19:51There's nothing like
19:52the threat of being hit
19:53with a stream of cold water
19:54to get a group of kids laughing,
19:55screaming,
19:56and running around.
19:57The thing is,
19:58Super Soakers
19:58should only be used
19:59with adult supervision
20:00to make sure
20:01they're being played
20:02with appropriately,
20:03safely,
20:03and in a way
20:04that's fun
20:05for everyone involved.
20:06Sure,
20:06it's just water,
20:07but at high enough pressures,
20:08it can still hurt.
20:09Double-barreled!
20:10Four times the payload
20:11to your original Super Soaker!
20:13Worse?
20:13The contents
20:14can be switched
20:15for another liquid.
20:16There have been
20:17several cases
20:17of people filling
20:18Super Soakers
20:19with bleach
20:20or other chemical irritants,
20:21resulting in severe burns.
20:23My eyes,
20:24the goggles do nothing.
20:26Gak is street slang.
20:27Have you heard the sound?
20:29It's coming back around!
20:31Nickelodeon's Gak is back!
20:33Would the average parent
20:34let their kid play
20:35with a toy called cocaine?
20:36Not likely.
20:37But in the early 90s,
20:38Nickelodeon and Mattel
20:39came together
20:40to release a gross-out toy
20:41called Gak,
20:43inspired by the gooey substance
20:44by the same name
20:45featured on the TV series
20:46Double Dare.
20:47Welcome to Double Dare!
20:49A canister of thick,
20:50squishy material,
20:51Gak would make
20:52a fart sound when pushed.
20:53While kids got a kick out of it,
20:55the name surely raised
20:56a few eyebrows
20:57among adults
20:58familiar with drug culture.
20:59As then-Double Dare host
21:01Mark Summers has acknowledged,
21:02it is a street term
21:04for heroin.
21:05Yikes!
21:05Never told that story before!
21:07Wow!
21:07You heard it here, guys!
21:09That's right!
21:09Oh my!
21:10The dangers of Lego!
21:12Remember, kids,
21:13if you want to be like Batman,
21:14take care of your abs.
21:15There are few toys
21:17that have enjoyed
21:17more enduring popularity
21:19or inspired more children
21:21than Lego.
21:22Unfortunately,
21:23these little interconnecting
21:24plastic blocks
21:25enjoy such universal popularity
21:27that, sadly,
21:28they often find their way
21:29into the hands of children
21:30who don't meet
21:31the minimum age requirement
21:32for safe play.
21:33That's not official
21:34safety orange.
21:35And, as little hands
21:36always do,
21:37they put those Lego blocks
21:38into their mouths
21:39where they pose
21:40a serious choking hazard,
21:42especially the smaller pieces.
21:43Choking is among
21:44the leading causes
21:45of injury and death
21:46in small children,
21:47which is why
21:48it's so important
21:48to supervise infants
21:49and toddlers at play
21:51and respect age recommendations.
21:54Over the years,
21:54there have been
21:55a number of reported cases
21:56of children choking
21:57on Lego blocks,
21:58some sadly fatal.
22:00He-Man got his skin lightened.
22:02Why am I a toy?
22:04As anyone in the industry
22:07will tell you,
22:08a lot of work goes
22:09into a toy's design
22:10before it's sent to market.
22:11You have to be sure
22:12that the toy will appeal
22:13to the largest demographic.
22:15And, apparently,
22:15the people behind
22:16the original He-Man toy
22:18thought the character
22:18would sell better
22:19with a lighter skin tone
22:20as opposed to a toy
22:21with a, quote,
22:22deeply tanned
22:23Eastern European
22:24or Middle Eastern appearance.
22:25One of the earliest prototypes
22:27for He-Man
22:28had a dark complexion
22:29and dark hair to match,
22:30but the powers that be
22:31at Mattel
22:32decided to make him
22:33overtly white
22:34and blonde-haired.
22:35Thirty years later,
22:36a version of the original He-Man
22:37would finally be released
22:39under the character name
22:40Vikor,
22:41the banning
22:41and destruction
22:42of lawn darts.
22:43In theory,
22:45lawn darts sound like
22:46a wholesome,
22:46harmless outdoor target game
22:48for the whole family.
22:49Unfortunately,
22:50when thrown,
22:51these seemingly innocuous
22:52pieces of sporting equipment
22:53can become lethal projectiles.
22:55When they hit,
22:56this is 23,000 pounds
22:58per square inch.
23:00The metal tips,
23:01designed to pierce
23:01and stick into soft ground
23:03on contact,
23:03have proven devastating
23:05when they make contact
23:05with a person.
23:06Countless injuries
23:07and numerous deaths
23:08resulting from lawn darts
23:10have ensured
23:10that they've been banned
23:11in the United States
23:12multiple times over.
23:14Lawn darts were considered
23:15so dangerous
23:16that they were banned
23:17from sale in the U.S.
23:19First,
23:19they were made illegal
23:20across the board,
23:21only for the ban
23:22to be lifted
23:22under the condition
23:23that they not be marketed
23:24as toys.
23:26Following the tragic death
23:27of a child, however,
23:28they were once again
23:29banned outright in 1988.
23:31Because if I had seen
23:32that warning,
23:33I would have never
23:34have brought this product home.
23:37Never.
23:38Before we continue,
23:39be sure to subscribe
23:40to our channel
23:41and ring the bell
23:42to get notified
23:43about our latest videos.
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23:45to be notified
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23:47or all of them.
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23:50and switch on notifications.
23:54Beanie Babies
23:55caused a lot of drama,
23:56including a crime wave.
23:58First I got Pinky,
23:59then I got Pinky,
24:00I got Pinky and Patty
24:02in the same week.
24:03They were cute,
24:04they were cuddly,
24:04they were soft,
24:05and as a child,
24:06you wanted them
24:07oh so badly.
24:09The thing is,
24:09it wasn't just kids
24:10who fell fast and hard
24:11for the Thai company's
24:12extensive line of plush toys.
24:14Adult collectors
24:15were soon fighting
24:15for them too.
24:16Beanie Babies
24:17became the catalyst
24:18for a whole lot of ugliness.
24:20Couples went to court
24:21over them,
24:22kids were hurt
24:22in mob-like rushes
24:23at sales,
24:24and families
24:25were financially ruined.
24:27Counterfeits abounded,
24:28as did fraud
24:29and theft
24:30for online resale.
24:31The New York Times
24:32even reported
24:33on a Beanie Baby bandit.
24:35Thai Inc.
24:35was actually accused
24:36of market manipulation.
24:38How did something
24:38so innocent
24:39get so messy?
24:41Did you enjoy this video?
24:43Check out these other clips
24:44from WatchMojo,
24:45and be sure to subscribe
24:46and ring the bell
24:47to be notified
24:47about our latest videos.
24:53We'll see you next time.
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