From the Daily Mail’s Colin Fernandez (link swiped from Boing Boing)
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.
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”.
There’s no truth to the rumor, by the way, that Mo Vaugan is trying to open a branch of his Hit Dog batting facilities in Great Britain.
If you consider his entire body of work this is hardly the most offensive thing Tesco (Vee) has ever done.
Dave
Oddly though, Tesco has spent more time as an ebay toy dealer than as an active musician.
gee~ adrian rogers died november 15, 2005. i wonder which adrian rogers, who ran ‘focus on the family’ before he kicked it, they interviewed. maybe there is a british version. playtime will never be as fun again…..
why would you leash a kitten? oh, wait, it’s som sort of dom/sub thing isn’t it? i don’t wanna know.