Four Whirlwinds

 

In 2013, JCPenney sold a kettle as part of a collection of Michael Graves housewares. The retailer called it the “Bells and Whistles Stainless Steel Tea Kettle,” but it soon became known by a different name. The kettle’s asymmetrical black handle was thought to resemble Adolf Hitler’s parted comb-over hairstyle. The little black knob on the lid gave the impression of the dictator’s nose and toothbrush mustache. Even the spout looked as if the kettle had its arm extended in a Nazi salute. In May of that year, a photo of a billboard advertising the product on Interstate 405 in Culver City, California, was posted online, where it quickly went viral. Amid all the negative attention, JCPenney removed the billboard, tweeting, "If we'd designed the kettle to look like something, we would've gone with a snowman" The $40 “Hitler kettle” disappeared from store shelves anyway, and several showed up on eBay for as much as $199.