R-rated silly straws causing a stir

by Bethany Sanders (Subscribe to Bethany Sanders's posts)
Mar 20th 2008 9:00AM

Filed under: Nutrition: Health, In The News, Weird But True

I didn't sleep well last night, so my maturity meter may be broken. But I can't stop giggling under my breath about these questionable silly straws a Kentucky mother bought at Walmart. Andrea Bailey thought she was buying a package of colorful, twisted straws for her three-year-old, but when she got home she realized she'd gotten so much more.

The straws in question appear to be molded into the shape of a male sex organ, though they also could simply be a rocket ship. No matter, Andrea Bailey first called Walmart to complain and when she didn't like their response, she called the media. What resulted is a news piece that I don't think was intended to be funny...but it is. Even the newscasters seem to be a little embarrassed about the fact they're covering this story.

In the comments section of that news piece, a reader points out that there are websites who sell straws like this one, websites who make things for bachelorette parties, for example. So either this is a case of the wrong straw getting into the wrong package, or there's a silly straw designer out there shaking his hands to the sky and yelling, "It's supposed to be a rocket ship!"

What do you think?

Are these straws really that bad?(click thumbnails to view gallery)

ReaderComments (Page 4 of 12)

Add Your Comments

3-20-2008 @ 9:36PM

Dungo bob3000 said...

this is all nonsense! just because a "rocket ship" shaped straw might look like a penis, you don't have to make a big deal about it... anyway, what would a 3-year-old know about any of these things? this whole thing is pointless.

3-20-2008 @ 9:34PM

mike smith said...

Hello? Ahh, WTF??? The woman's tripping. Next, she'll sue. Idiot.

larkjgb said...

I agree with the majority. It doesn't look like much of anything, but you have to really stretch it to think it looks like a penis. To me, it looks like a bell.
I think that mom is either after attention or money.

3-20-2008 @ 9:35PM

3-20-2008 @ 9:41PM

Tracey said...

this is a true case of a woman seeking attention. even with the creative mind i have, never have i seen a penis like that. c-mon lady give me a break,get over it, and get a life.

3-20-2008 @ 9:44PM

JUSTSAYNO said...

What she couldn't handle it.

3-20-2008 @ 9:47PM

vandy said...

OMG rockets look like penises. I think she ought to call the media on NASA. This is just a design to make the drink going through the straw look cool. What a dipstick!

3-20-2008 @ 9:50PM

Steph said...

This is so funny! I'm a stay at home mom of three...do I have time to worry about what a straw looks like? It could be a penis...and if it is it's very poorly done...but it could be anything! It could be an upside down mushroom, a cowboy hat or a hammer...who cares? Was nice to have a laugh today!

mike said...

stupidity and the bar assn know no limits.

3-20-2008 @ 9:56PM

lipstarmand said...

All these straws look like they have varying shapes.
Even if one DID have a penis shape, why is that so bad - half the population has one attached to them!
How did she GET that child - artificial insemination? The penis itself isn't so bad, its what the janjaweed (and politicians) DO with them that is objectionable!

3-20-2008 @ 10:00PM

saralynnragland said...

oh my gosh....how pathetic

3-20-2008 @ 10:01PM

Fran said...

She needs to get her mind out of the gutter! Jeez!

3-20-2008 @ 10:04PM

Mark said...

What's more idiotic? The woman who obviously has no life or the journalists who actually give the woman who has no life the time of day and run this story. People pull this kind of nonsense because newspapers or radio stations give them the publicity. To everyone involved, please get off our planet and stop wasting the air that should go to intelligent life. Thank you.

3-20-2008 @ 10:11PM

Michelle said...

Please! Get a grip. This woman is obviously just looking for something to complain about. As a mother of three girls ages 9,7,& 2 I would simply tell them it is a rocket ship and move on if they asked or I would have thrown those straws away if it bothered me that badly!

3-20-2008 @ 10:13PM

LOLguy said...

I LAUGHED SO HARD WHEN I SAW THIS #@*&IN PICTURE HAHAHAHAH LOL ROFL HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

3-20-2008 @ 10:16PM

jan said...

I say the woman did the right thing. Why would WalMart sell such a questionable product? It does look like a male sex organ and that's what I think it is supposed to look like. I would not buy such a thing for my children either. I don't think she is making big deal out of nothing. You people are so desensitized of anything sexual, you would say just about anything is ok. It's hard enough to protect our children from all the garbage that is out there, without WalMart adding to it. They don't sell sex toys or stuff for bachelor parties that I have ever seen. They just didn't pay any attention to these straws. They will now.

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