<![CDATA[Consumerist: TKO]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/consumerist.com.png <![CDATA[Consumerist: TKO]]> http://consumerist.com/tag/tko http://consumerist.com/tag/tko <![CDATA[ Costco Recalls Dirty Underwear Punching Bag ]]> Costco is not cool with underpants-filled punching bags. From their website (emphasis ours):

We are issuing this voluntary recall notice for the TKO Sports Heavy Punching Bag with Speed Bag Combination, manufactured by TKO Sports, of Houston, TX. We have learned that the fill material in the heavy punching bag does not meet our high quality standards.
Yeah, that's quite the understatement. If Costco's records reflect that you've purchased this bag, they're sending a box and UPS shipping label out to you right away. They're also sending you an Everlast punching bag to replace the one that is filled with used underwear. You know, the more we write about it, the more we notice that the concept just doesn't get any less gross. Even the grasshopper leg in the Applebee's salad got less gross the more we thought about it. Not so, used underwear punching bag.

Who did they hire to pack the bags? Where did they get the underwear? These are the unanswerable questions. Or rather, we'd just prefer that they were not answered.—MEGHANN MARCO

IMPORTANT RECALL NOTICE TKO Punching Bag with Speed Bag Combination [Costco] (Thanks, Andrew!)
(Photo: Joe Heckel)

UPDATE: Eagle-eyed commenters notice that this recall is from June 23, 2005. Apparently, Costco has been on top of the dirty underwear punching bag epidemic for years.

]]> Thu, 24 May 2007 22:33:36 EDT Meg Marco http://consumerist.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=263516&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ Your Punching Bag Was Full Of Dirty, Stinky Underwear ]]> If you have a punching bag by TKO, you might want to check to see what's in it. It could be dirty underwear! Joe Heckel was moving his punching bag from his garage to his basement when he decided to see what was in it... just in case it ever leaked. What he found smelled "bad, real bad." The bag was stuffed with men's and women's underwear. Used underwear. Heckel says:

"I called to ask them if they could tell me if these were clean underwear, but I don't think that he believed me," Heckel said. "I said 'I'm a cop, I'm telling you that's what's in there!'
He further describes the incident as "gross but kind of funny in a way."

The company that makes the punching bag has apologized and is sending a pantie-free bag to Joe and his family. As for the person who decided to fill the punching bags with someone's dirty undies? They've been fired. Check out the link for more pictures... if you're done with lunch. —MEGHANN MARCO

Family's Punching Bag Holds Smelly Surprise [wlwt](Thanks, Francis!)
(Photo: Joe Heckel)

]]> Wed, 23 May 2007 16:22:24 EDT Meg Marco http://consumerist.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=262934&view=rss&microfeed=true