You know how bears look fluffy and huggable but you know better than to actually try to hug one? (If not friend, why friend-shaped, right?) Similarly, some things or stories seem wholesome at first, but at their core, they are actually not that fluffy—scary, even.
Members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community recently discussed such deceitful phenomena, sharing stories about things that are widely considered wholesome, yet to many people’s surprise, have rather disturbing backstories. The thread featured everything from the Drifters’ song “Save the Last Dance for Me” to the beloved mascot Chucky E. Cheese, whose origin story is apparently not all flowers and butterflies. So, if your curiosity has been awakened and you feel brave enough to shatter the wholesome exterior that some things bear, scroll down to find netizens’ stories in the list below and feel free to add more in the comments if you’re familiar with something that looks wholesome, but isn’t.