Posted on 11/21/2006 11:43:06 AM PST by Silicon Cowboy
Tesco condemned for selling pole dancing toy by COLIN FERNANDEZ
Last updated at 23:13pm on 24th October 2006
Reader comments (51)
Mother of two Karen Gallimore was searching for Christmas gifts for her two daughters, Laura 10, and Sarah, 11, when she came across the 'toy'
Tesco has been forced to remove a pole-dancing kit from the toys and games section of its website after it was accused of "destroying children's innocence".
The Tesco Direct site advertises the kit with the words, "Unleash the sex kitten inside...simply extend the Peekaboo pole inside the tube, slip on the sexy tunes and away you go!
"Soon you'll be flaunting it to the world and earning a fortune in Peekaboo Dance Dollars".
The £49.97 kit comprises a chrome pole extendible to 8ft 6ins, a 'sexy dance garter' and a DVD demonstrating suggestive dance moves.
The kit, condemned as 'extremely dangerous' by family campaigners yesterday, was discovered by mother of two Karen Gallimore who was searching for Christmas gifts for her two daughters, Laura 10, and Sarah, 11.
Mrs Gallimore, 33, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, said yesterday: "I'm no prude, but any children can go on there and see it. It's just not on."
Dr Adrian Rogers, of family campaigning group Family Focus said yesterday that the kit would "destroy children's lives".
He said: "Tesco is Britain's number one chain, this is extremely dangerous. It is an open invitation to turn the youngest children on to sexual behaviour.
"This will be sold to four, five and six-year olds. This is a most dangerous toy that will contribute towards destroying children's innocence."
He added: "Children are being encouraged to dance round a pole which is interpreted in the adult world as a phallic symbol.
"It ought to be stopped, it really requires the intervention of members of Parliament. This should only be available to the most depraved people who want to corrupt their children."
Tesco today agreed to remove the product from the Toy section of the site, but said it will remain on sale as a Fitness Accessory, despite the fact that the product description invites users to "unleash the sex kitten inside".
Also on sale on the Tesco website is a strip poker game, "Peekaboo Poker" which is illustrated by a picture of a reclining woman in underwear.
The card game is is described as a game that "risks the risque and brings a whole lot of naughtiness to the table.
"Played with a unique pack of Peekaboo Boy and Girl playing cards, the aim of the game is to win as many Peekaboo chips as possible and turn them into outrageously naughty fun."
The pole dance kit is the latest item to fuel allegations that major retailers increasingly sell products which "sexualise" young children such as T-shirts with suggestive messages.
In recent years Asda was forced to remove from sale pink and black lace lingerie, including a push-up bra to girls as young as nine.
Next had to remove t-shirts on sale for girls as young as six with the slogan "so many boys, so little time."
And BHS and others came under fire for selling padded bras embellished with a "Little Miss Naughty" logo and t-shirts with a Playboy-style bunny that said "I love boys...They are stupid."
Tesco last night denied the pole dancing kit was sexually oriented and said it was clearly marked for "adult use".
A spokesman added: "Pole dancing is an increasing exercise craze. This item is for people who want to improve their fitness and have fun at the same time."
Wonderful idea - a little pole dancer for Muffy and Janie and Sally to play with. Perhaps it will offer some sort of subliminal career guidance to the kiddies. Does she come complete with mini-coke to snort, and a mini-pimp to beat and bully her? How about several mini-babies born to various mini-fathers out of wedlock, all to be raised by mini-profits from mini-johns. Ah, me... childhood is such a magical time, and Christmas the ideal opportunity to introduce the kids to the pleasures and privileges of the pole dancer's life.
Who says it's a gag gift? The whole "stripper cardio" thing continues to gain popularity, and as excercise equipment goes 100 bucks is pretty cheap, and with the entertainment value to the hubby it probably has a higher chance of being used than most treadmills.
It wasn't that long ago that Barbra Walters was giving it a try on one of her evening specials.
You would figure the sight of that would be enough to kill the whole fad (was Baba Wawa ever atractive?), but apparently not. More books and videos continue to come out, and some regular legit gyms have now added it their regimen alongside Spin and Rep Reebok.
Oops! Sorry about that. Cross pasted from another thread.
I've done a little scientific research on the cardio pole phenomena, I can say with reasonable assuredness that any pole excercise that goes beyond the beginner "stand there and look at it" is going to bring that house-of-cards pole crashing in an instant.
I can't even imagine an anorexic chick being able to pull off the "hands-free-upside-down-slow-slide-to-the-ground-back-handstand-dismount" maneuver on any world with more gravity than an asteroid.
It's gotta be a conversation piece/gag gift.
Seemed funky, but on topic so I rolled with it. Cross posted a few times myself.
Agreed...
I guess it was quite a few years ago when she was interviewing Demi Moore about her role as a stripper. Baba was pretty disgusting looking and yes, it did ruin the fad.
Obviously without it having some form of permanent anchoring in the ceiling and floor it won't be good for any kind of real pole work. But it would still be useful as a centerpoint, and low loadbearing manuevers (low speed pivots, single leg slides etc). And really the upside-down-slide thing, while entertaining, doesn't burn much in the way of calories.
Great maybe that can package it also with the adolescent thongs one company is selling now. My god I am glad my Grandmother is not with us any more, she would have been appalled
One of Chris Rock's great lines.
That would make one hell of a tag line!
Oh, that really exists in a mall near me. It's called "Libby Lu".
Doesn't that depend on how slippery the pole is?
Uh, *blush* sorry, uh, *nevermind*...
If is your pole, you can keep.
No one wants YOUR pole.
And if they do, that's a whole other thread entirely.
um, hot, sweaty palm??? :-)
That's a different kind of burn. Might also cause weight loss, but still a different kind of burn entirely.
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