Something as innocent-looking as a dancing cactus toy is causing parents' heads to spin across Canada, and Walmart Canada has scrambled to pull the cute yet sinister toy from shelves after customers noticed some extremely age-inappropriate content.
Some looking for a fun holiday toy for the kids have been getting way more than they bargained for, seeking answers and refunds after hearing the Chinese-manufactured dancing cactus toys — specifically marketed as child-friendly — play a song with references to cocaine and swearing in Polish.
The toy sings in English, Spanish and Polish, but it's the inclusion of the track "Gdzie jest biały węgorz?" by Polish rapper Cypis that is really ruffling the feathers of concerned adults. The song's title translates to "Where is the White Eel?," with 'white eel' listed on Urban Dictionary as a reference to lines of cocaine.
The since-removed listing for the dancing cactus toy on Walmart.ca.
In an interview with CTV News Toronto, grandparent Ania Tanner said that "This toy uses swear words and talking about cocaine use. This is not what I ordered for my granddaughter."
It may have gone unnoticed to most parents and grandparents, but Tanner's Polish background alerted her to the toy's adult themes, saying to CTV, "It just so happens that I am Polish, and when I started to listen to the songs and I heard the words," she said.
"I was in shock. I thought, what is this some kind of joke?" Tanner says the lyrics get even more specific to drug use, telling CTV, "It's about taking five grams of cocaine and being alone…It's a very depressing song."
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
— } (@lisamahapatra) November 20, 2021
Yet some parents aren't so mad. One proud new cactus owner even admits the song is pretty catchy.
I mean it's pretty great no regrets.
— } (@lisamahapatra) November 20, 2021
And this polish song is very catchy, my mom is humming it now.
It's a whole lot easier to learn a new language at a young age, and some even see this (albeit sarcastically) as a learning experience.
This is a great language exposure. Best mom ever
— Stephanie Brisendine (@sabrisendine) November 20, 2021
And the rapper is apparently well-aware of the issue, having posted about a similar scandal involving the toy earlier this year on his Instagram. Apparently, the use of the song stems from an unrelated meme, though this is unconfirmed.
The toy was still available for just under $26 (reduced from over $51, we wonder why) on Walmart.ca on Wednesday evening, though the product listing is nowhere to be seen as of Thursday morning.
Walmart stated to CTV that the cactus was "sold by a third-party seller on our marketplace website" and that the company is "removing the items while we look into this complaint further."
But if you can handle some swearing and drug references and are looking for a goofy toy to surprise a Polish-speaking friend, you can still find this hilariously inappropriate gift from other retailers.
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
There are dozens of versions of the toy available on Amazon.ca, including a few with similar reviews from shocked adults warning others of the swearing and cocaine references.
It's only a little disappointing that the dancing cactus toy has become so widespread on online marketplaces, while a toy with Arnold Schwarzenegger saying his iconic "cocainum" line is still nowhere to be found.
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