Inside The JoJo Siwa Board Game Controversy
JoJo Siwa is the pinnacle of wholesomeness, which is a big part of why so many parents buy her products. However, her board game, JoJo's Juice, is stirring up controversy because it contains questions that have been considered "inappropriate" for children 6 years old and up, which is the age range specified on the product, per People. A Facebook user named Heather Watson shared her concerns about the board game, even sharing photos of some of the question cards which asked "Have you ever gone outside without underwear (a bathing suit doesn't count)?," "Have you ever walked in on someone naked or had someone walk in on you?," and "Have you ever been arrested?," among other questions.
Along with the photos, Watson wrote, "If your CHILD has this JOJO game.. I think it belongs in the trash. I am just... what in the actual... look at these questions, dares etc. This world is SICK!" Just like almost anything related to Siwa, that Facebook post went viral, which led to a response from the 17-year-old Dance Moms alum via TikTok and Instagram.
Siwa described the board game questions as "gross" and "really inappropriate content." The YouTube star said, "When companies make these games, they don't run every aspect by me," insisted that she "had no idea" that these questions were a part of the board game, but this wasn't the first time the product faced backlash.
JoJo Siwa's board game has stirred up trouble for over 2 years
In her social media statement, JoJo Siwa pledged to "put a stop to" the board game and fix the situation "immediately." The social media superstar said that she was "really, really, really upset at how gross these questions were." She said she has people "working to get this game stopped being made." Siwa insisted she would have "never ever ever approved or agreed to be associated with this game" if she was aware of those questions. Heather Watson, the mom who shared the Facebook post about Siwa's game, thanked the singer for addressing her concerns about the board game via TikTok.
While Watson is satisfied with Siwa's response, other social media users continued to hold her accountable, with one person tweeting, "It would seem to me, if you're so famous that there's a board game in your image, that you would know exactly what it entailed, especially if it was geared toward children." Someone else shared, "she allows Nickelodeon and the people who create her merchandise in retail to put out whatever they want without her knowing what could be on it and that is concerning."
While some may think it's never too late to do the right thing, this game has been receiving negative reviews since 2018, according to Insider. Hopefully, Siwa and her time take this controversy as a lesson to be more thorough about putting her name and likeness on products in the future.