What are Labubu dolls? Ben Shapiro wonders what's "wrong with people" amid the rise of $138 toys similar to "beanie babies"

During the June 14 installment of Ben After Dark, commentator Ben Shapiro reacted to the viral Labubu dolls, which are quirky, furry plush toys created by a Hong Kong-based illustrator, Kasing Lung. The Labubu dolls feature a fluffy body with big eyes and a mischievous smile.

After learning from the Daily Mail producer, Savannah Dominguez Morris, that the price of the Monster's Best of Luck Labubu variant retails for $138, Ben Shapiro reacted with disbelief, commenting:

"What the hell is wrong with people?"

Further in Ben After Dark, Savannah highlighted that these dolls are similar to Beanie Babies, a line of stuffed toys created in the 1990s.

"I do remember the Beanie Babies craze. In 1997, you put your life savings into Beanie Babies. Never take off the tag. Give them to the kids. They thought that they were going to be like the new cryptocurrency. It's like Dutch tulip bulbs or something," Ben Shapiro responded.

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Blackpink's Lisa talks about her obsession with Labubu dolls

The Labubu dolls have recently gained tremendous popularity online, with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, David Beckham, and Rihanna flaunting them.

On November 13, 2024, Blackpink's Lisa opened up about her "obsession" with Labubu dolls and other POP MART blind box toys.

"I just got into POP MART early this year, and I learned about this from one of my close friends in Thailand," she said.

Lisa shared that once a friend suggested visiting the Pop Mart, revealing that at first, she did not like their toys at all. Notably, Pop Mart collaborated with Kasing Lung in 2019 and has since been the distributor and producer of the dolls.

"When I went to Thailand, she was like, 'Oh, let's go to POP MART.' And I was like, 'What is POP MART, like what?' And she's like, 'Oh, it's like, you know, they just sell toys and stuff, like we should go and check.' And then I went with them and I was like, to be honest, I was like, I was not into it at all. I was like, 'No, I'm not gonna spend my money on this,'" Lisa said.

However, when Lisa's friend came out, excited, talking about the dolls and how the one toy she wanted had already sold out, Lisa became curious.

"I was like, 'Hmm, is that hard to get?' And then they, you know, showed me a bunch of stuff and as soon as I got them, I go crazy, it's like I spent all my money," she said.

Similarly, in May 2025, American footballer David Beckham shared an Instagram Story featuring a picture of a brown Lebubu tied to his black leather back. In the caption, the footballer revealed that it was a gift from his 13-year-old daughter, Harper.

"#HarperSeven Harper buying me a Labubu," the caption read.

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Created by Lung in 2015, the Lebubu dolls were first introduced as part of a series called The Monsters, inspired by Nordic mythology. The monster tribe includes Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky, Pato, and Labubu.

Also read: The Labubu Dolls: How BLACKPINK Lisa's influence turned this Pop Mart figure into a global obsession

Edited by Arunava Dutta