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New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
New Yorkers struck with Labubu lunacy as obvious fakes of uber-popular Chinese monster dolls flood Canal Street
The Labubu lunacy has taken over Canal Street. Knockoffs of the viral, little monster dolls have flooded the infamous Chinatown market — with New Yorkers eagerly snatching them up despite the celeb-favorite bag charms being obvious fakes. Dozens of tourist trap shops have counterfeit versions of the creepy, pint-sized toys — dubbed 'Lafufus' — proudly displayed at their entrances for as low as $10, an enticing discount off Chinese retailer POP Mart's $30 pricetag. 'It's trendy and I thought it was cute,' said Griselda Flores, 24, who bought a $20 knockoff from a corner market for her 4-year-old son. 6 Counterfeit labubus, dubbed 'lafufus,' are flooding Canal Street. Gabriella Bass He wouldn't know the difference, Flores said — while she had a real, pink little monster dangling from her purse. 'He saw it and wanted it,' Flores said, adding: 'I'm not trying to spend too much.' It took an hour for her to secure two legit Labubus from an online POP Mart auction, which ultimately cost her $76, she noted. The 3-inch monsters, created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung, began being sold on POP Mart in 2019, but only became a global sensation recently after being trotted around by the likes of singer Lisa from the group Blackpink, Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Original Labubus can come fairly cheap via the 'blind box' craze, in which US buyers can pay $27.99 for a mystery figurine — and the chance to receive a rare version of the toy has only served to fuel the online frenzy. The high demand means the secret boxes sometimes sell out in minutes, and the uber-popular plushies can skyrocket in resale value when they're unboxed. 6 Griselda Flores and her husband bought their son a Lafufu because he couldn't tell the difference from a real one. Gabriella Bass Some resellers have been pocketing up to $5,000 per Labubu on secondhand retail sites like eBay. The Labubu trade is so hot that it's even bled into the black markets, with Page Six's own Evan Real and Danny Murphy spending a collective $745 on the creepy little dolls. The 'Virtual Realitea' stars stumbled upon a 'Gen Z plug' who deals the authentic, but extremely marked up prices, which they are willing to pay in order to choose the color and style of their dolls, as well as get it in their hands within a day. 'When you see them in the wild, when you see someone with, it you get hooked into it,' said Murphy, who has seven Labubus. 'I fell for the rush and I love the fact that I was able to go to the opposite of an outlet mall for it.' Real, who suffered through the auction-like process of buying off POP Mart's website twice, now has six Labubus, 'and I feel six times more joy in my life every day when I look at them sitting on my desk,' he said. But he said he needs to draw the line before buying more: 'The addiction has gotten out of hand.' For shoppers in search of cheaper wares, many Canal Street vendors sell the dolls unboxed — alongside bogus Louis Vuitton bags and Prada sunglasses — for the low price of a single Alexander Hamilton, with their flaws and inconsistencies on full display. The Post bought a 'Have a Seat' Labubu on Wednesday and the toy's head was barely hanging on, had 10 teeth, loose threads, melted paint and a plastic Labubu-shaped design on its foot. 6 The Post bought a fake Labubu with ten teeth — a telltale sign it's not authentic. Gabriella Bass 6 A Lafufu, left, seen with an authentic Labubu. Gabriella Bass 6 Real Labubus come with an authenticity card. Gabriella Bass 'That one's bad,' said Xander Goodman, 18, of Austin, Texas, who was wearing one of the two real Labubus in his collection. The teen bought the toys mostly because of their popularity, but felt confident in knowing that he had possession of something that would eventually 'appreciate in value.' 'A way to spot a fake Labubu is you look at the teeth: you usually have nine teeth [on a real one]. The ears can also be misshapen and not the right colors, and the toes can kind of be really wide and have different amounts,' he said. 6 Canal Street vendors were selling the toys for as low as $10. Gabriella Bass The best way to tell if a Labubu is real is through the 'caring card' that the toy comes with inside its box, Goodman noted. 'There is a little QR code. You are able to scan that and it can verify the authenticity of it.' None of the Canal Street Labubus came with such a card, but customers didn't seem to care. One salesperson told The Post all the stores buy the Labubus from the same supplier, while a second said they come straight from China. All the salespeople were adamant that the toys were authentic — and not Lafufus. Nolan Petras, 7, of Georgia picked out an unboxed monster doll because he could 'actually see what it is.' 'I know if they have 9 teeth it's a real one,' he said, pointing to the rainbow version he chose having the correct number of chompers. 'These girls at my school come over to my house to play and they have it, the fake kind off Temu,' Nolan said, pointing out his classmates' 'Labubus' were obviously fake because they had 10 teeth.


New York Post
24-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
FDNY and NYPD face off in blood-drive contest in latest showdown: ‘Show up and save lives'
It's another blood feud between New York's Bravest and New York's Finest. But the only blood being spilled this time will help fill the vital stockpiles of the New York Blood Bank, as the FDNY and NYPD are teaming up to save Big Apple lives. 'What we are competing for here today is not a trophy,' NYPD Chief of Department John Chell told The Post at fire department headquarters in Brooklyn on Tuesday. 'It's something more important. It's a cause. It's about making sure that when someone needs blood, there is enough of it on the shelves to save lives.' 4 An FDNY member donates at the start of a month-long department blood drive competition with the NYPD on Tuesday. Gabriella Bass 4 NYPD brass chips in to donate at the start of a month-long blood drive competition with the FDNY on Tuesday. Gabriella Bass The month-long competition will mean a shot at a $500 gift card for the winning department. The two have long competed for the hearts of New Yorkers, including in traditional hard-fought boxing matches and an annual Heroes Hockey Game. 4 NYPD Chief of Department John Chell and FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker shake hands during a blood drive contest. Gabriella Bass While the competitive edge isn't missing from the latest face-off, both departments agree that the stakes are higher this time around — with the feud focused on helping the city. 'Obviously the FDNY is going to win,' FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said. 'We compete all the time on sports fields, but we work hand in glove in the streets to protect the public. This is another way we can help with public safety. 'I know the work that the fire department is doing today and the work the police department is doing today will help save lives like we do every day,' Tucker added. The effort kicked off on Monday and will run through July 20, with a raffle for the gift card to the winner. 4 The latest contest between the FDNY and the NYPD will help fill the stockpiles of the New York Blood Center. Gabriella Bass Chell agreed that the two departments are seeing eye-to-eye on this one, but did add one note. 'Just on a personal note, we are going to win this competition,' the NYPD chief quipped.


New York Post
21-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Mom tearfully reunites with NYC EMS workers who helped save her and baby: ‘Miracles happen'
A Queens woman who didn't even know she was pregnant before giving birth in the shower last year was reunited Wednesday with the EMS officers who helped save her and her baby. Lori Traore, 41, and her young daughter were among 150 people attending the 29th annual Second Chance Ceremony in Red Hook, Brooklyn — where trauma survivors reunited with the paramedics, EMTs, FDNY EMS officers, firefighters and dispatchers whose actions meant life or death for them. 'Honestly, I'm holding back tears right now because I know if it wasn't for them, my daughter wouldn't be here,' Traore told The Post, pointing at Lt. Jimmy Guailaceia, who held her 9-month-old, Ellen Mystique, in his arms. Advertisement 4 Lori Traore and her baby were reunited with the city emergency-services heroes who saved their lives last year. Gabriella Bass In the past year, EMS alone has responded to 1.6 million life-threatening calls. 'God sent the FDNY to help make miracles happen,' said Michael Fields, chief of EMS operations for the city. 'EMTs work as God's Force Multiplier, making the miraculous possible.' Advertisement 4 Traore said she didn't know she was pregnant when she felt the urge to push while taking a shower last year. Gabriella Bass Traore said she experienced her brush with death Aug. 9, when she stayed at her home in Bayside because she wasn't feeling well. She said that suddenly, while in the shower, she felt the urge to push. She said she had been told she was unable to conceive and had no idea she was pregnant — until she delivered an unresponsive infant. 'Next thing I know, I was in the shower, and I'm about to push. I didn't know anything was about to happen. Then 10 fingers, 10 toes, and I just freaked out a little bit,' the mom said. 'But then I got my composure. I dialed 911. I turned off the water. I got a blanket around [the newborn]. I got the towel around me, and the rest is history.' Advertisement 4 First responders reunite with little Ellen Mystique, who they helped save when she was in cardiac arrest last year. Gabriella Bass FDNY Engine 306 was the first to arrive and cut tiny Ellen's umbilical cord — and quickly realized the infant was in cardiac arrest. EMTs from the Queens tactical response group and Station 39 Lt. Guailaceia began CPR on the baby, sustaining her long enough for a trip to the hospital, where she regained her pulse and began breathing. The newborn soon burst into vigorous tears — a welcome sign that she had survived. Advertisement 4 The mom and her baby were among a group of people who met some of the city's emergency responders who saved them. Gabriella Bass Traore didn't realize how close her daughter had been to death until hours later. The new mom was also rushed into the hospital for emergency surgery because the baby's placenta did not pass. Her infant had to stay at the hospital for four months to get the care she needed and was finally released on Christmas Eve. 'She's thriving! She's walking. She's learning to crawl. She's learning to stand up. She's bottle feeding now,' Traore said of Ellen. 'It's getting slowly there, getting the [physical therapy and occupational therapy] that she does need.' For Guailaceia and his team of five, who also attended the ceremony Wednesday, the experience was nothing short of a 'miracle. 'We gave this little soul a second chance at life,' he said. 'You know, I have a child too so, to see her and how she's thriving is just a beautiful, wonderful feeling.'


New York Post
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
NYC restaurant owner who inspired ‘Nonnas' movie bombarded with calls: ‘There's 350 messages on there!'
Jody Scaravella knew right away that Enoteca Maria, the Staten Island restaurant he opened in 2007 where grandmothers cook traditional meals for customers, would make a perfect movie. How could he not? Scaravella, who also goes by Joe, was being told so non-stop. 'Almost from day one, we've been contacted about a reality show, about a movie, about a documentary, just constantly, constantly,' the owner of the hotspot in the St. George neighborhood of the borough told The Post. 'I certainly knew we had struck a nerve.' Advertisement 9 A new movie called 'Nonnas' is based on the life and restaurant of Jody Scaravella. Gabriella Bass 9 At the start of the movie, we see Scaravella as a boy observing his grandma cook pasta sauce alongside his mom. Gabriella Bass And then about eight years ago, the filmmakers of 'Nonnas,' the feel-good comedy directed by Stephen Chbosky that drops on Netflix Friday, finally convinced him. Advertisement 'This was really heartfelt and the people actually stepped up to the plate,' he said. 'It unfolded very quickly.' Now, Scaravella is getting the Hollywood treatment. The Brooklyn native is being played onscreen by 'Wedding Crashers' star Vince Vaughn. And the quartet of lively Italian nonnas heating up the kitchen are a formidable bunch: Lorraine Bracco, Susan Sarandon, Talia Shire and Brenda Vaccaro. 9 Susan Sarandon, Brenda Vaccaro, Lorraine Bracco and Talia Shire play the cooking nonnas. AP Advertisement 9 Vince Vaugn plays Scaravella in the new Netflix The kitchen can get spicy — and not just because of the red pepper flakes. 'I love Lorraine Bracco and Brenda Vaccaro when they're having it out,' Scaravella said. Their characters' head-butting is about more than whose Sunday sauce is tastier. Bracco's forthright Roberta hails from Sicily, while Vaccaro's nonna, Antonella, is a proud native of Bologna. Advertisement 'There's definitely a certain amount of prejudice, depending on what part of Italy you're from,' Scaravella said. 'The one moment when Vince turns to the ladies and says, 'You ladies are killing me!' — I've said that.' 9 The Staten Island restaurant he opened in 2007. Gabriella Bass 9 Scaravella was inspired by his own nonna and his mother, the eatery's namesake. Gabriella Bass The proprietor helped Vaughn, who he calls a 'really down to earth and sweet guy,' and writer Liz Maccie turn the remarkable Enoteca Maria journey into a heart-tugging movie. 'He came to the restaurant with Joe Mangianello, [who plays best friend Bruno],' Scaravella said. 'He was asking about the story and I guess he was just trying to get a feel for the character and the brilliant script written by Liz Maccie — threading together all the moments in my life.' One aspect that makes the tale compelling is that it's about an underdog. Scaravella had no restaurant experience when he decided to open Enoteca Maria. The other is family. He was inspired by his own nonna and his mother, the eatery's namesake. 'Nonnas' weaves them in. 9 Scaravella named Enoteca Maria after his late mother. AP At the start of the movie, we see Scaravella as a boy observing his grandma cook pasta sauce alongside his mom. Watching his younger self with those special women in his life moved him. Advertisement 'I just sat there with tears in my eyes through the whole thing,' Scaravella said. 'And every time I've looked at it afterwards, it's very emotional for me.' The whirlwind of 'Nonnas' has also made the man very, very busy. 9 Scaravella says he's getting hundreds of messages per day. Gabriella Bass 9 'There's 350 messages on there that I'm trying to get through one at a time,' Scaravella told the Post of his restaurant's success. Gabriella Bass Advertisement When The Post visited Enoteca Maria, which today features nonnas of many different nationalities and culinary specialties (Jewish, Polish, Ukrainian, Mexican and more), the already popular restaurant's phone was ringing off the hook. 'It's a bit much,' Scaravella said. 'I mean, I can't answer my phone. There's 350 messages on there that I'm trying to get through one at a time. Every time I do one, three more come in.' But, he added, 'there are bad problems and there are good problems. This is a good problem.'