Slow cookers have been getting Australians hot under the collar recently — and it’s got nothing to do with their heating mechanisms. If you’ve bought a slow cooker from Kmart, you might want to double check the warning message. A Kmart shopper named Sandie, who lives in Newcastle, Australia, posted a photo to a Kmart Facebook fan group (yes, apparently they do exist) called Kmart Hacks & Decor, showing a pretty awkward typo engraved into the side of her slow cooker.
It started out with the standard line: “Caution, to prevent damage or shock hazard do not cook in this liner.” So far so sensible. But read on: “Cock only in the container proved.” Er… no thanks! Fortunately, Sandie saw the funny side, as did everyone else in the group. Our favorite comment: “Dinner’s in the cockpot!”
This isn’t a one-off typo.
Even more hilariously, Sandie was not the only one to discover the incorrect wording. Another Kmart customer commented that theirs had the same typo. And it turns out that back in June, another Australian Kmart super fan, named Sharon Cooms, had posted a photo of her warning message in a different Kmart group.
Naturally the internet burst into collective chuckles.
Cue the puns:
What an absolute cock-up.
— Herald Sun (@theheraldsun) August 9, 2019
A Kmart shopper has spotted an unfortunate typo in the instructions section of a popular cooking item, and it’s left the internet in stitches.https://t.co/eQkSWnW9Yo
The speculation began.
Was this deliberate?
And it's not like the O was mis-punched, it's actually a C that was used. Someone either has a sense of humour or they really stuffed up...
— J-P (@jphale7) August 9, 2019
Mum spots hilarious x-rated typo on Kmart slow cooker - NZ Herald https://t.co/tBBBpbl8La
Or a case of us reading into a perfectly innocent word choice?
Who doesn't love a good typo, also it could have meant chicken???https://t.co/4t8Ohit5KC
— ChrisandSamPod (@chrisandsampod) August 12, 2019
Typo humor never gets old.
Seven years later, it still raises a giggle.
Even when it’s deliberate.
We like to be in on a joke.
But also when it’s not.
We particularly enjoy typos that could technically be accurate:
Errors on warning signs are especially funny.
Sorry, we just can’t take you seriously.
Also medications:
News stories are even better.
We know we shouldn’t be laughing, but…
Political campaigns might be the most satisfying.
Mitt Romney never got to deliver on this 2012 presidential campaign promise…
Thank you Mitt Romney for trying to make AMERCIA a better place (ht @newsmary) pic.twitter.com/cWVaubfx
— Subhajit Banerjee (@subhajitb) May 30, 2012
Typos are best when we know we’re supposed to be serious.
Even at church:
Sometimes it’s unclear whether it’s a typo or just bad spelling.
Once is a typo, three times is concerning.
Other times, you might be able to blame technology.
OK, ‘fess up, who switched the ‘b’ and ‘d’ keys on this person’s computer?
This book shop thought shortening the titles would make things so much easier…
The moral of the story is, grammar really matters.
Missing out a word can take your message from inspirational to call for help:
Clearly Kmart are not the only ones who have let a spelling error slide — and we’re not the only ones who find typos hilarious. As much as companies are desperate to avoid them, they give us more joy than actual warning messages. And now we’re secretly hoping our slow cooker is one of these special cock-only kinds…
