Pole Dancing! The Cure for Childhood Obesity
This is my 200th post! And 200 is significant because?
Uh, I guess it isn’t. Moving on then…
So have you heard the one about the stripper poles being sold as toys? Accidentally, of course. In a nutshell, this UK supermarket chain called Tesco mistakenly had these stripper pole kits for sale on their web site IN THE TOY SECTION!
Ooopsy!
Yeah, they allege that it was an error that they were placed in the toy section of the site — and perhaps that’s true — but then they said this:
“Tesco last night denied the pole dancing kit was sexually oriented and said it was clearly marked for “adult use”
So yeah, they claim the stripper pole isn’t actually a toy (noooo! really?) and that it’s also not sexually-oriented (even though the package invites one to “Unleash the sex kitten inside”).
Ummmm…okay, then.
So what the hell IS it?
It’s a FITNESS item, you dolt! Must I explain everything??? Geez…
One particularly brilliant commenter, Valerie of Gateshead, says:
Common sense should prevail here, there are those parents who will be outraged and those parents who see it as a way of their children using it to keep fit, in the end it will rest on the parent’s integrity.
She’s kidding, right? There aren’t really parents who see pole dancing as a way for their children to keep fit, are there?
Even their sons?
Valerie? Anyone?
Are people actually this dumb?
I’m thinking yes.
Anyway, deservedly or not, Tesco is being ripped a new one. *snicker*
(Thanks Karen)
Have you seen the hugging video yet? I guess it’s been out for a week or two and it finally turned up in my email box today.
It’s so inspiring that I want to go out and do it, too. This is some serious feel-good video.
Happy weekend, all!
Let me be the FIRSt to say “Congrats on the 200!” which, in fact, could be construed as your weight loss (it’s not - you’re thin… I’ve seen you) or the fact that you won $200 (that’s not it either) or that you’ve celebrated your 200th entry with a post that is sure to get the Googlers out when they type in “stripper + children + toys”.
That should make you feel good. ;-)
You don’t think a stripper pole is a good Christmas present for a 3 year old? What is WRONG with you?
I saw that earlier today and I was absolutely agog. You gotta wonder what brilliant toy developer came up with THIS?
Hugs… yeah, I posted that a while back. It made me cry. Sometimes really good things happen for no tangible reason.
Woo Hoo 200!!!!!!!!! Congrats Iz! Stupid stripper poles though - COME. ON. Love the hugs video!
Karen
xo
I love that video…I have it as part of my “favorite Things” on my blog…It makes me cry.
First of all, Tesco is a crappy supermarket! Cheap products and foods! The English are crazy hehe they will sell anything to the kids!
Hmm, I could use that pole for the bedroom for some “exercise”. Hee hee. And I loved that hugging video, I’m not sure which blog I saw it on, but it makes me want to go out and hug everyone too. Maybe on Halloween.
Oh btw, congrats on the 200th post, you should have a celebration like the 200th episode on a tv show or something.
So it wasn’t the new Dancer Bratz that come with their own stripper pole? Because I’m sure those will be out soon.
That hugging video chokes me up every time I watch it.
I LOVE the video!! It made me cry as well. Thank you so much for sharing Izzy!
Very cool video.
Congrats on the 200th episode of Izzy Mom!
First, congrats on 200 - now does it feel like you’ve written that much?
Next, I can’t even picture my fat ass dancin round one of those polls let alone my kids. I couldn’t even do it to lose weight. I’d feel like I was applying for a job in the back hills of the back hills where teeth are a luxury.
Still lovin’ your blog, 200 posts later
Gayla
HAHAHAHAHAHA I’m not sure what your problem is. Sheesh your sooooo uptight! You don’t see how stipping is a good way to keep your kids fit? HAHAHAHAH What? no?!
Hey, Congrats on 200! May you have 200 more - or not, if that is your wish, too. And thanks for the hug video - never seen that before, and I needed it today.
Stripper poles to keep kids fit???!?? EEEP. That leads to problems like this, methinks….
http://fishygirl.typepad.com/the_fish_pond_where_we_ju/2006/10/shes_a_ little_g.html
Yeah, they’re doing a pretty shoddy job of covering their tracks aren’t they? Seriously, that disturbs me.
Great video…
And …
Did Chris Rock not say that’Now that he is a dad, his main job in life was to make certain that his daughter was NEVER on the pole’… Maybe there could be an advertising campaign with him??? I never thought that Chris Rock would ever be a politically correct dude… But ya ne’er know!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the hugging video. It’s the kind of thing that could change the world.
I’m guessing that Valerie has stock in Tesco. Or the owner is her husband. Or the webmaster.
A supermarket that sells adult toys. That in itself would cause a stir here in the US.
Hey, 200 IS a big deal!
And funny, the first thing I thought when I saw the news bit bout the poles was, “Izzy’s head is going to pop off!” Seriously, though. I have to assume, given the packages were marked for adult use, that it was a mistake, but what a stupid one! Somebody should definitely be getting a demotion (if not a sacking) for that screw-up! With world-wide publicity, no less!
Haha I thought of Izzy right off, too!
Congrats on the 200th! You are awesome.
Kids love to climb things; our grandkids climb the clothesline pole in the back yard! I don’t know how much those stripper poles cost, you could probably save some money buying a piece of pipe at the hardware store and cementing it into the ground! Fresh air AND exercise!
Loved that video! Very touching.
Hmmm, I wonder what the age range is on the stripper pole? ‘Cause it wouldn’t take up much space in my house — and that is the #1 determiner for toy-purchases at my house. I think Santa is listening…
No, the pole is not a good idea for a kid’s Christmas gift. But it is a good idea for my wife.
Congrats on the 200th- wow!
wtf, this video is making me CRY.. CRY!
Congratulations on your 200th! Wow!
:( I cannot see the video! I will have to try later when I am not on the locked down work internet!
Congrats on your 200th post!
That video made me get all teary-eyed.
Oh crap. I guess I should probably return that “fitness pole” I just bought then, huh? I totally thought it went with the kiddie yoga mat and exercise ball. Whoops!
My husband and I had a booth for his jazz group at a bridal show recently. Right next to my dear friend Boo’s lovely booth for her chamber music group was none other than the pole dancing booth. There were 2 ordinary looking middle aged women there who informed me that it was for self esteem building and excercise. Hmmmmmm.
http://www.aradiafitness.com/
Pole Dancing website.
I’m not entirely suprised. I just spent hours looking at halloween costumes, where there wasn’t one girl costume for a kid over the age of about 5 that wasn’t slutty. Ugh.
I KNOW, right???
We got the Party City Halloween flyer and I was really surprised at what they had for girls. I sent them a letter from the form on their web site basically asking what’s up all the sexy skin-baring costumes for little girls?
And where are all the sexy costumes for the boys?
Their reply was complete PR-crafted bullshit. Total blog fodder…
I guess if a woman wants to writhe around on a pole and pretend to be a stripper, that’s her business but if and when they really DO make this shit for kids, they better be prepared to deal with me!
C’mon! The Stripper Pole is kiddie fitness equipment! Didn’t you know that?
;-)
Even the packaging is childlike.Hmmm….
The video made my day. I really enjoyed that! Thanks :)
A stripper pole for exericse, eh? So what is the fake money for, then? Someone’s got to be watching to put the money in the garter.
I’m all choked up now. We will not fo through a day in our house without hugs. I make it a point to hug my girls many times in a day. That was beautiful, I can’t wait to show it to them.
As to the stripper pole, Chris Rock said it best (Pendullum mentions it). Hilarious…keep fighting the good fight Izzy!
Right on. I didn’t like them telling me that by dancing like a stripper that my self esteem would improve.
Maybe the Bratz dolls will have a pole dancing action set soon. Unbelievable.
Finally got to see the video. Great! I actually walked by someone in Center City (Phila) once giving out free hugs. It was years ago. He even had free hug cards you were then suppose to pass on. It was awesome!
I have always thought that the pole dancing as exercise thing was a little stupid…..but pole dancing as exercise for children–that has got to constitute some type of abuse. It is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard of!
I saw several people talking about Halloween costumes above me in the comments–just let me say that if my 3 year old gets to wear a costume, it will if I make it. No slutty clothes for my daughter (even just for “fun”)
Happy 200th!! :) YAY!
I loooove the Free Hugs campaign. I bought a shirt a couple of weeks ago and have been giving out free hugs around Tulsa, OK. It’s SO fun!
Izzy, you always rock. I love your blog so much. Thanks for always talking about stuff that interests me.
I’m sorry I’ve been lurking more and commenting less. My time on the computer these days has been severely restricted due to our new family schedule. But I AM here! And I am always loving it.
And the hug video makes me cry.
200! Whoa! You’re my Idol! Yeh. The stripper pole. Sadly, right now, off the top of my head, I can think of one mom who would think that was harmless and adorable… so I’m sure they sold some. Of course, she was a stripper before and after her daughter was born and only ceased her stripping mama ways because in her second pregnancy (which she danced until she showed) her stretch marks made it impossible to ever dance again.
She’s one of the people in my neighborhood who has kids my age who I became friendly with and got to know… and then switched really quickly to polite waves from my drivers street.
cameo hugging izzy right now.
I would question the integrity of an adult buying a stripper pole for themselves. But hey, that’s just me.
But for kids? I can’t even comprehend it.
I totally needed to see that hug video after the pole news, which ranks right up there with Baby Bratz on the WTF scale. At least they’re getting kicked in the ass for it - but there’s still not nearly enough ass-kicking going on around this stuff.
They just should have send out balls with ropes on them seperately and marketed them as tether ball poles.
Okay, the hugging video. I cried. Thanks for pointing it out to me …
I know what you mean about the pole thing. I about fell over. Saw that this past weekend. WHAT IN THE HELL ARE THEY THINKING?
Hugs to you, Iz. Congrats on the milestone.
200 is a big deal. Two hundred snippets of life-
My god. I wouldnt even know what to do with a pole. What would a six year old do with it?
Sigh….What will they think of next?
shut up you sick freak
Wow. I didn’t know I could buy a pole! I’m looking to lose a few pounds. ;) Heh.