Pat Foran
CTV News Toronto
Consumer Alert Videojournalist
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
A Brampton grandmother who bought a toy cactus was shocked when it started swearing and singing about doing cocaine.
TORONTO -- An Ontario grandmother who bought an educational toy for her 15-month-old granddaughter was shocked when the dancing cactus started swearing and singing about doing cocaine.
"This toy uses swear words and talking about cocaine use," Ania Tanner told CTV News Toronto. "This is not what I ordered for my granddaughter."
The cactus was sold on Walmart’s website as an educational toy for about $26 and sings songs in English, Spanish and Polish.
But Tanner, who is Polish, said when she listened to the Polish lyrics, the cactus was singing about doing cocaine, drug abuse, suicide, depression and used profanities.
"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?"
The song is by Polish Rapper Cypis, who is reportedly unaware his song was used by the Chinese manufacturer of the children's toy.
"It's about taking five grams of cocaine and being alone … It's a very depressing song," Tanner said
This singing cactus toy was also sold in Europe through Amazon and in July 2021 other families also noticed and complained about the lyrics that many felt were inappropriate for a children’s toy.
The Polish artist said he planned to take legal action against the Chinese company for using his song without permission.
CTV News Toronto was unable to contact Cypis or the manufacturer for comment.
Tanner said she feels Walmart should not be selling the toy and wants a refund.
Walmart told CTV News Toronto they take this customer complaint concern seriously.
"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," a Walmart spokesperson told CTV News Toronto.
That was a relief for Tanner who said “I just don't want anybody before Christmas to think this is a great toy and go online and have the same thing happen, that happened to me."
Some families may already have the dancing cactus toy and if they don’t speak Polish, they wouldn’t know what it was saying.
Complaints with the toy go back almost five months so it’s not clear why the toy is still being sold.
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
A Brampton grandmother who bought a toy cactus was shocked when it started swearing and singing about doing cocaine.
TORONTO -- An Ontario grandmother who bought an educational toy for her 15-month-old granddaughter was shocked when the dancing cactus started swearing and singing about doing cocaine.
"This toy uses swear words and talking about cocaine use," Ania Tanner told CTV News Toronto. "This is not what I ordered for my granddaughter."
The cactus was sold on Walmart’s website as an educational toy for about $26 and sings songs in English, Spanish and Polish.
But Tanner, who is Polish, said when she listened to the Polish lyrics, the cactus was singing about doing cocaine, drug abuse, suicide, depression and used profanities.
"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?"
The song is by Polish Rapper Cypis, who is reportedly unaware his song was used by the Chinese manufacturer of the children's toy.
"It's about taking five grams of cocaine and being alone … It's a very depressing song," Tanner said
This singing cactus toy was also sold in Europe through Amazon and in July 2021 other families also noticed and complained about the lyrics that many felt were inappropriate for a children’s toy.
The Polish artist said he planned to take legal action against the Chinese company for using his song without permission.
CTV News Toronto was unable to contact Cypis or the manufacturer for comment.
Tanner said she feels Walmart should not be selling the toy and wants a refund.
Walmart told CTV News Toronto they take this customer complaint concern seriously.
"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," a Walmart spokesperson told CTV News Toronto.
That was a relief for Tanner who said “I just don't want anybody before Christmas to think this is a great toy and go online and have the same thing happen, that happened to me."
Some families may already have the dancing cactus toy and if they don’t speak Polish, they wouldn’t know what it was saying.
Complaints with the toy go back almost five months so it’s not clear why the toy is still being sold.
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