The Toys That Built America

S02E10 Gross Out Icons

Gross-out humor has been a part of human culture for centuries, leading to the development of toys that play on this fascination. From a Roman Emperor in the 1st century who invented a primitive version of the Whoopee cushion to today's advanced materials that mimic bodily fluids, the gross factor has proven to be a goldmine for toy manufacturers. This narrative explores some of America’s most inventive and successful toys that aim to shock, revealing how they have captured a surprisingly large share of the $100 billion toy industry.