Friday Night Live: China’s Fake Culture: Counterfeit Apple Stores, Plastic Rice, Olive Oil & Honey [Feb 2]

Edge of Wonder

Countries around the world know that counterfeit products are coming out of China. There are copycat brands like knockoff Louis Vuitton, Prada, Coach, and Gucci; fake bags; fake watches; fake electronics; and fake clothes. But did you know that full-blown fake retail stores have been popping up in China, like “Apple Stores” that look completely real (well, aside from spelling “store” as “stoer”)? Imitation technology doesn’t end there: Recently, 100,000 fake AirPods were confiscated. This goes way beyond physical, luxury products into products we consume, as well. Ever heard of fake, plastic rice, “honey” that’s really just high fructose corn syrup with flavoring, fake eggs, and even walnuts made with rocks?

Shockingly, one of the worst fake foods that people aren’t talking about is fake olive oil. And these aren’t just some obscure brands of olive oil; it reportedly goes as far as the olive oil being sold at Costco and Whole Foods Market. But how can you tell what the real brands are—which are made in Italy or Greece—compared to forgeries from China?

Well, join Ben and Rob from Edge of Wonder on this Friday Night Live as they reveal which brands to generally avoid, which ones are typically good, and how to distinguish real honey from the fake stuff. Then stick around for the Top 10 Weirder News of the Week with hilarious stories: A Tesla car sees ghosts. Elmo asks how everyone is doing on X (Twitter) and the vibes are NOT good. Dead birds are being turned into Drone Zombies? And more! Also, don’t miss the “Dig Deep” live Q&A only on Rise.TV. We’ll see you out on the edge!
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