Osama-Inspired Commerce

Kerry Howley | June 3, 2005

Asia Times reporter Richard Ehrlich surveys the Bin Laden-themed lighters, action figures, T-shirts and hand puppets on sale at a middle class Bangkok mall:

Much bigger and more bizarre is a 15-inch battery-powered action figure of bin Laden. Its "Warfare Puppetry" box promises it "can dance and sing, hands can act, waist can wobble". The plastic bin Laden doll's excited singing is reminiscent of India's Bollywood film songs.

Whole thing here.

Comments

|6.3.05 @ 10:32AM|#

I have to imagine that Tickle Me Bin Ladens are made in China, a country where they love beer, pork products & Atheism.

|6.3.05 @ 11:05AM|#

Jeez, I got a couple of spams yesterday referencing OBL. Does that count as commerce?

Paraphrasing: "Hey, turn on your radio, they just captured OBL, I put a couple of photos together in a slide show for you. (he he he)."

Ok, the "he he he" was implied.

|6.3.05 @ 11:34AM|#

I see an opportunity for a line of Todd McFarlane toys.

|6.3.05 @ 11:40AM|#

Much bigger and more bizarre is a 15-inch battery-powered action figure of bin Laden.

This begs the question: when are the Osama Bin Laid vibrators coming out on the market?

|6.3.05 @ 11:46AM|#

Reminds me of the time I saw some yuppie in a Che Guevera tshirt browsing through a Sharper Image Store at The Galleria.

Personally, I think there's something appealing to making money off of a schmuck who would happily kill you.