My parents wouldn't attach it to the garden hose for me. When I cried, they beat me with it. My Mom said, "you want water? KEEP CRYING and I'll give you something to cry about! You want to wiggle, I'll beat you and you wiggle you little piece of crap!"
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Apr. 13 [1978]) -- Wham-O Manufacturing Co., San Gabriel, Calif., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, today announced it is voluntarily stopping sale and recalling its "Water Wiggle" toy. Approximately 2 1/2 million of these toys have been sold throughout the United States over the past 17 years.
cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml78/78020.html)
I don't know about you, but this makes me want one even more.
I still have mine from 1967. I remember how much I wanted it after watching the commercial. I too remember the groin shots.
I brought it back from my parents last visit. Just set it up for my kids 5 and 7. They loved it. Next trip the lawn darts are coming home. Thank god for having a pack rat for a Mom.
I was 6 years old when I almost died from this toy. It wrapped around my neck in the blink of and eye and squeezed TIGHT. The other boys couldn't remove it. By the time they alerted my dad, I was unconscious, not breathing, and very blue. Lucky for me dad had a pocket knife and cut it off my neck. If you have one, enjoy it, but please don't let little ones play with it unsupervised!
It's impossible to buy toys that "fun" nowadays. Danger is a part of the fun. See, you remembered this fondly now. The stuff of memories, thanks to the deadly snake.
It may as well be a big ole HAND and called the BitchSlapo! Its only fun if someone can possibly get hurt! Not as bad as those giant darts though, those take the cake.. but this is up there...
Wham-O stated that the recall is occasioned by the death of a four-year-old child in March 1978. The youngster was playing with some other children in his backyard with a dismantled "Water Wiggle," one from which the bell-shaped head had been removed or had come off. The exposed aluminum nozzle became lodged in his mouth.. I want ONE!
Circa 1968: Mom bought us a Water Wiggle™, we hooked it up to the hose, turned it on, and it lay on the grass, shooting a stream of water up into Mrs. Hi's window next door. Soaked the bed through the screen. She was furious. Wham-O toys are the greatest!
It was on the market for 17 years before it was recalled... Hummm I wonder how many kids slipped and fell, cracking their skulls open before it was recalled? Obviously 4 year olds should have to wear helmets with full face guards 24/7!
@Hadra568 Yeah, when I was a kid, I almost died, after it wiggled around my 5 year old neck and I couldn't get it off. I was saved by a neighbor girl I had a crush on. She turned the water off, and I was in love... and alive.
Ignoring the scathing sexual undertones of this commerical; However, the real obsenity with this advertisement is the little girl's purple ruffled asymmetrical one-piece travesty. Thankfully, she was spared the horrors of reliving this nightmare after she succumbed to Reye's Syndrome after an unsuccesfful (direct) suicide attempt using Children's Tylenol.
I remember having one of these, me and my neighborhood friends took this beast of a toy to a more brutal level by removing the orange funny face cup and have the metal hook shaped nozzle bruise the crap out of us!!!
This thing beat the shit out of me.
KiethIsNotMyName 1 month ago
...meanwhile in Africa...
Sindagon2 1 month ago
It's like a Stephen King movie.. this is supposed to be a toy?
Leonardo495 1 month ago
The Water Wiggle totally not working was one of the saddest moments of my childhood.
spershall 1 month ago
My parents wouldn't attach it to the garden hose for me. When I cried, they beat me with it. My Mom said, "you want water? KEEP CRYING and I'll give you something to cry about! You want to wiggle, I'll beat you and you wiggle you little piece of crap!"
speedamagooch 2 months ago
Thumbs up if you got here from hearing Berta tell Charlie that he was going to spring forth like a water wiggle...
MrSheptical 2 months ago
We had one of these.
tdickensheets 4 months ago
Recall Of Wham-O Water Wiggle Toy
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Apr. 13 [1978]) -- Wham-O Manufacturing Co., San Gabriel, Calif., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, today announced it is voluntarily stopping sale and recalling its "Water Wiggle" toy. Approximately 2 1/2 million of these toys have been sold throughout the United States over the past 17 years.
cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml78/78020.html)
I don't know about you, but this makes me want one even more.
mindsaglowin 5 months ago
Hey, there's one for sale on Ebay!
mindsaglowin 5 months ago
Hey, there's one for sale on Ebay!!!
mindsaglowin 5 months ago
Nobody ever got their EYE put out, But now? these little wussies have to 'gear up' with a Dorky helmet to go for a F*g bike ride.....geesh!!! LOL
Helenem55 6 months ago 3
That could have somebodys eyeout
alphaomega309 7 months ago
ROFLMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOO at the comments!
RatBatSpiderCrab 7 months ago
Wham-O should have just been more honest and had the head of that toy shape as a boxing glove.
mindsaglowin 8 months ago 2
@mindsaglowin LOL!!
thatisso80s 5 months ago
I still have mine from 1967. I remember how much I wanted it after watching the commercial. I too remember the groin shots.
I brought it back from my parents last visit. Just set it up for my kids 5 and 7. They loved it. Next trip the lawn darts are coming home. Thank god for having a pack rat for a Mom.
jess11983 8 months ago 3
@jess11983 lucky you! i loved this toy. i always thought it funny when kids ran away!!!
DMBgirl100 5 months ago
It wrapped around my neck!
momroxit 9 months ago
I was 6 years old when I almost died from this toy. It wrapped around my neck in the blink of and eye and squeezed TIGHT. The other boys couldn't remove it. By the time they alerted my dad, I was unconscious, not breathing, and very blue. Lucky for me dad had a pocket knife and cut it off my neck. If you have one, enjoy it, but please don't let little ones play with it unsupervised!
alero1837 10 months ago
@alero1837
It's impossible to buy toys that "fun" nowadays. Danger is a part of the fun. See, you remembered this fondly now. The stuff of memories, thanks to the deadly snake.
mindsaglowin 8 months ago
WHAM O!
bmwx3turbo 11 months ago
that thing nailed me in the nuts when i was a kid doubled me over.
pinboyjorf 1 year ago
I read that the Wham-O CEO hated kids...
y2ktube 1 year ago 2
Yeah, so what happens when you get hit in the face with this?
ImaScreamoKindaGuy 1 year ago
@ImaScreamoKindaGuy you win
TubePirate1001 1 year ago
@TubePirate1001 How do you lose?
ImaScreamoKindaGuy 1 year ago 3
whats that crazy thingy ma jiggle?!
BingKoh 1 year ago
It may as well be a big ole HAND and called the BitchSlapo! Its only fun if someone can possibly get hurt! Not as bad as those giant darts though, those take the cake.. but this is up there...
just4fame 1 year ago
Anyone lose a sliding glass door to this 'toy'? I am trying to find one these just to relive that moment.
modspell 1 year ago
Wham-O stated that the recall is occasioned by the death of a four-year-old child in March 1978. The youngster was playing with some other children in his backyard with a dismantled "Water Wiggle," one from which the bell-shaped head had been removed or had come off. The exposed aluminum nozzle became lodged in his mouth.. I want ONE!
just4fame 1 year ago 2
@just4fame As they say, it's only funny until someone gets hurt-- then it's hilarious!
modspell 1 year ago 2
@just4fame
Try Ebay. Seems that I saw some vintage classic toys on there that someone has "stocked" away at one time.
mindsaglowin 8 months ago
@mindsaglowin Thanks! Will check it out.. Alex -- ps.. this is me if you care... bye! - /watch?v=7eTjxtlpM3I
just4fame 8 months ago
:O dude what if it hit one in the crotch poor kid
jumpyduck 1 year ago 4
Circa 1968: Mom bought us a Water Wiggle™, we hooked it up to the hose, turned it on, and it lay on the grass, shooting a stream of water up into Mrs. Hi's window next door. Soaked the bed through the screen. She was furious. Wham-O toys are the greatest!
Panufo 1 year ago 4
the worst part is when the water wiggle would become possessed by demons and chase you around the yard even when it wasnt connected to a hose
gothamjediknight 1 year ago 4
All us kids played with these every summer. My family went through at least 7 or 8 of them. Nobody ever got hurt or killed. We just had fun.
landerrules 1 year ago 3
water whiper
BobFaulise 1 year ago
lol i loved the old commercials that said your parents set it up. now any kid knows how to set up a hose or a nintendo
tigerboy1227 1 year ago
I think Slip n Slide is even more dangerous.
tonicair 2 years ago
OMG.....
My Language Arts teacher showed us this commercial last year for our advertising lesson.
Our class was laughing so freaking hard
And that would be so hilarious "Oh I'm so sorry to tell you, your husband just got killed by a water wiggle..." XDDD
Lol Mr. Eby is the best!
Twilightloverfanpire 2 years ago
Wow, can you say strangulation hazard?
DevilMaster 2 years ago 2
lmao i wonder hoe many kids were hit in the head with this and knocked unconsius
mtbman802 2 years ago 2
Uhm. This is not safe. At all.
jrzy49 2 years ago
That's why it was so much fun, jrzy49! Who's up for a game of Lawn Darts or Knife Ball?! Just try and catch it!
I wonder why the Electric Tub Duck was not a big seller?
BlueKyne 2 years ago
It was on the market for 17 years before it was recalled... Hummm I wonder how many kids slipped and fell, cracking their skulls open before it was recalled? Obviously 4 year olds should have to wear helmets with full face guards 24/7!
marsbeyond 2 years ago
Wham-O toys were out to kill you.
Hadra568 2 years ago 27
@Hadra568 Yeah, when I was a kid, I almost died, after it wiggled around my 5 year old neck and I couldn't get it off. I was saved by a neighbor girl I had a crush on. She turned the water off, and I was in love... and alive.
12dollarsand78cents 9 months ago
Ignoring the scathing sexual undertones of this commerical; However, the real obsenity with this advertisement is the little girl's purple ruffled asymmetrical one-piece travesty. Thankfully, she was spared the horrors of reliving this nightmare after she succumbed to Reye's Syndrome after an unsuccesfful (direct) suicide attempt using Children's Tylenol.
unbari01 2 years ago 2
thats death right there
nikebitch60 3 years ago
I remember having one of these, me and my neighborhood friends took this beast of a toy to a more brutal level by removing the orange funny face cup and have the metal hook shaped nozzle bruise the crap out of us!!!
kaylarose823 3 years ago 24
@kaylarose823 Masochistic much? ;)
reevegarrett 1 year ago
Lawn darts, bottle rockets, and water wiggle.
Kids back then knew how to party.
default99telecom 3 years ago 5
.....and who needs a helmet to ride a bike ????
1947Chief 3 years ago
wot if it smakes u in the face then knocks u out aaahhhr then u wont be laughin lol
AztecMonkeyMan 3 years ago
That is probably the most horrific "toy" from the 70s... if you weren't injured from anything else, this would kill you, for sure!
74Wolf74 3 years ago
Yeah, strangled by the Water Wiggle and impaled by the lawn darts!
gardenwife 3 years ago 3
I'm not going to lie, if that's how I died, I'd want that in my obituary. I'd want my friends and family to laugh their ass off.
Toucanbird 3 years ago 2
even alive just the thought is funny as hell!!!
kaylarose823 2 years ago