Million Bazillion: S3 E4 Toys Made in China Script/Transcript

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(SFX: RAIN OUTSIDE, AS HEARD FROM THE INSIDE)

(SFX – GLOBE SPINNING)

BRIDGET: Alright, time for a classic rainy day activity. The globe is spinning… On the count of three, wherever your finger lands, you have to move there and live there for the rest of your life… Ready?

RYAN: Ready.

BRIDGET: One, two, three.

(SFX – FINGERS HIT GLOBE. GLOBE SPIN STOPS)

BRIDGET: Whoo hoo! Argentina! The tango! And they have the most beautiful money I’ve ever seen, like, picture a rainbow–

RYAN: And my finger landed… in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean…. You gotta let me have one more spin.

BRIDGET: Ok, one more spin. But this is the real one. No take backs.

RYAN: No take backs. I promise I’ll move to wherever my finger lands on this globe.

BRIDGET: Ok, here goes…

(SFX – GLOBE SPINNING)

BRIDGET: One, two, three.

(SFX – FINGERS HIT GLOBE. GLOBE SPIN STOPS)

BRIDGET: India! Nice!  Never been, but always wanted to go!

RYAN: And I got… the Indian Ocean, smack dab in the middle.

BRIDGET: Well, that’s kinda like India.

RYAN: No it isn’t. It’s water. “What’s your address?” “Water. I live in water now.”

BRIDGET:  Well, don’t feel bad. The earth is mostly water, y’know.

RYAN: Let’s trade then. You live In the ocean, I’ll live in India. Y’know, I don’t want to play with the globe anymore. This game is unfair. Let’s just roll the music.

<OPENING THEME MUSIC>

RYAN: You’re listening to Million Bazillion. I’m Ryan.

BRIDGET: I’m Bridget. And We Help Dollars Make More Sense.

RYAN: Let’s hear today’s question!

Hi, my name is Henry and I live in Maryland and I have a question. Why are many toys sold in America but made in China? 

RYAN: This is very *perceptive* of Henry. He’s probably noticed that a lot of the stuff we buy, from toys to books to clothing to men’s toupees have a tag or label that says the country it was made in.

BRIDGET: Yeah, and our listeners can see this for themselves too. Grab a toy if you’ve got one and turn it over, see if it says where it was made. We’ll wait. See? ALOT toys today ARE made in China.

RYAN: And Henry, we’re going to dig to the bottom of this! And no, I don’t mean dig through the center of the earth all the way to China. I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work. We’re gonna find an answer to your question, though.

BRIDGET: Oh, and I have an idea where we can start! Get your flashlight, you’re gonna need it. And listeners, you can join us, after this. …

-–Asking Random Kids NOT SO Random Questions– 

ANNOUNCER: And now it’s time for Asking Random Kids NOT SO Random Questions. Today’s question is: What are the most fun things you can do without money?

RANDOM KIDS: “You can go to the playground.” “Bike riding.” “Going on a hike.” “You can go to the library.” “One thing you can do without any money is read a book of history.” “Origami, because you can make all kinds of cool things such as origami Yoda.” “You can also play with your friends.” “Playing tag.” “And playing hide and seek.” “The most fun thing you can do without any money is use stuff you already have.”

ANNOUNCER: That was Bobby in Maryland, Evie in Alabama, Roman in Michigan, Avery and Roshan in California, and Daphne and Collette in Wisconsin. This has been Asking Random Kids NOT SO Random Questions.

Part 1:

(SFX – CREAKY DOOR OPENS, FOOTSTEPS IN CREAKY ATTIC)

RYAN: Ok, we’re here in the attic, and we’re looking for our toys- (SPITTING) ew, I think I just ate a spider web- (SPITS), and we’re looking for our toys to see if we can find out why so many of them are made in China.

BRIDGET: Hey, I found the toy chest!

(SFX: CHEST CREAKS OPEN)

BRIDGET/RYAN: Jackpot!

RYAN: Look at all these old toys! It’s Optimum Flex, leader of the Transmorphers! He’s a robot who turns into a bug.

BRIDGET: Wow, it’s Ragdoll Amy! She was an early red-headed style icon for me!

RYAN: And, whoa, check it out! It’s Bottecelli! He was my favorite member of the Post-Teen Monster Samurai Salamanders.

BRIDGET: Post-Teen Monster Samurai Salamanders?

RYAN: Yeah, the only thing the Salamanders like more than fighting crime is scarfing down some tasty tacos. And, look, he still has his little slime pouch!

BOTTECELLI: Ponga Wonga, dude!

RYAN: Whoa! Bottecelli! You can talk?

BRIDGET: What in the world?

(MUSIC: “TOY STORY”)

BOTTECELLI: Yeah all toys can talk! We toys have a life of our own!

BRIDGET: I mean, I guess I had my suspicions my toys could come to life, but I thought that was only when people weren’t around.

BOTTECELLI: Eh, that’s kind of an old-timey toy rule we don’t follow anymore. Now we all talk whenever we want. It’s kind of a bummer, to be honest. Like every bouncy ball has to chime in. And some of the little cowboy figures have pretty outdated views, bruh.

BRIDGET: So Bottecelli, we’re trying to find out why so many toys are made in China. Were YOU made in China?

BOTTECELLI: Totally! And I remember it like it was yesterday. Me and all my Post-Teen Monster Samurai Salamander friends journeyed all the way from a Chinese factory to a toy store in Indianapolis! It was a gnarly ride dude.

RYAN: Yeah, but why China? I mean, I was looking at that globe and China is SO far away from Indianapolis. How can it possibly make sense to make toys so far from the people who will play with them?

BOTTECELLI: Uh, you want the long answer or the short answer?

(IN UNISON)

BRIDGET: The long answer!  /  RYAN: Short answer.

BOTTECELLI: Hmm, I guess I’ll give you the medium answer. It all started like this…

[SFX: HARP GLISSANDO]

(MUSIC: 1950s INDUSTRIAL STYLE)

BOTTECELLI: I was first designed by a toymaker in Costa Mesa, California. Dude literally drew me out on a piece of paper, then carved me from a little block of wood.

TOYMAKER: As a DESIGNER of toys, this is it, my magnum opus, the PERFECT toy! A sword-wielding, crimefighting reptile with a laid-back surfer vibe and hunger for tacos!

BUSINESS PARTNER: Look, your idea is clearly genius, but every toy designer needs someone like ME, a toy company executive, to figure out how we’re going to get these toys made- and for cheap!

BOTTECELLI: See, it’s pretty normal for a company to design their stuff in one part of the world, and then actually make it in a totally different country. And then they sell that stuff in any country in the world..

BUSINESS PARTNER: Get me every toy factory in the world on the phone!… Hello? Toy factory? I got some manufacturing business for you…. if your price is right…

BOTTECELLI: You see, toy companies aren’t interested in things like fighting crime and scarfing tacos. They want something called profit. That’s the money the company keeps for themselves, after making and selling each toy. The cheaper they make the toy, the more profit they keep, dude. That’s how they get, like, rich.

((BUSINESS PARTNER:  Now listen here, people want a well made toy, but they also don’t want to pay too much for it! I still want to make a profit so I’m looking for someplace that can make these salamanders for the least amount of money! So knowing all this, how much would you charge to do the job ? …. I don’t love that number!

[SFX: PHONE HANGING UP] ))

BUSINESS PARTNER: Hello? Toy factory? I want to make hundreds and thousands of this little uh, salamandery toy…SALAMANDER, not Caesar salads!

BOTTECELLI:  Most companies also look at how much other toy companies are selling their toys for, and  try to sell their version of a toy for a leeeetle bit less. It’s called, like, competition.

[SFX: PHONE HANGING UP]

BUSINESS PARTNER: Ok, so I found a factory in China that can make these toys for $2 per salamander. That’s way less money than that place we used last time! At that price, I can sell these toys for $10, which is less than some other toys out there, and I’ll still make a huge profit!

[SFX: HARP GLISSANDO]

RYAN: That was the medium answer?

BOTTECELLI: Once upon a time, toys were made all over the world. But these days, China is THE place to make toys. They can make a LOT of ‘em, and fast, and it doesn’t cost the toy companies that much money. You wouldn’t BELIEVE all the different toys I saw being made in China during my time there. It was sick dude.

RYAN: Welp, I guess that answers Henry’s question. Now we can spend the remaining 20 minutes of the show playing with these marvelously-made-in-China toys! C’mon, Bottecelli, it’s slime time!

BRIDGET: Wait, don’t you want to know why Chinese factories are good at making stuff? Or how they do it for such a low price?

RYAN: (DEJECTED) But… it’s… slime time.

BOTTECELLI: No problem guys, you’re getting stoked to dive deep into this question. Like I said, toys used to be made in a lot of different places around the world. But China figured out a way of making toys that changed all that. [CALLING OUT] Roberta? You around? Think you could help us out?

[SFX: SOMETHING SCRAMBLING OVER BOXES]

ROBERTA: I’m right here, honey! Happy to help!

BRIDGET: Hey, it’s Roberta! She’s America’s favorite fashion doll!

ROBERTA: Actually, my job is unspecified. I could be a powerful businesswoman or lawyer or business lawyer.

BRIDGET: Alright, she’s a powerful business lawyer doll who has a thousand different outfits. Were you also made in China, Roberta?

ROBERTA: You betcha! The thing about China is that it’s got all these factories where people are really good at doing a specific thing. Like making plastic doll bodies! Or sewing doll wigs! Making all my doll clothes. But then on top of that, all those factories are right next to each other!

BOTTECELLI: That’s good news for a company that wants to make dolls super fast. They don’t need to wait for toy parts to ship from the next city or anything.

RYAN: [SOUNDING UNSURE] Oh, okay so you’re saying because China has all these factories that are close to each other, it’s somehow less expensive to make the toys?

(SFX: CLANKLY PLASTIC ON PLASTIC SOUND)

GRAVITRAX: (ROBOTIC) That is correct.

RYAN: Ahhh, who are you?

GRAVITRAX: I am the tile-based assembly toy, Gravitrax. A Genius Toy for Genius Tots.

RYAN: Ohhh boy. A STEM toy is in the house. Now the party can start.

GRAVITRAX: I believe you’re talking about “industrial clusters.”

BRIDGET: Industrial what now?

GRAVITRAX: To understand, imagine you’re in your kitchen, preparing a large meal.

BOTTECELLI: Ooo yeah, like tacos?!?

GRAVITRAX: Yes, for our purposes, let’s say you’re trying to make several hundred tacos.

RYAN: That’s a lot of tacos!

BOTTECELLI: Sounds like my dream!

GRAVITRAX: You need a lot of ingredients. And you have to go to one market for the tortillas and another market for the cheese and another market for the tomatoes and all the way across town for the shredded lettuce.

BRIDGET: That’s a lot of traveling around! There’s got to be an easier way of putting together those tacos without wasting too much time or energy or ingredients.!

GRAVITRAX: Exactly. Now, imagine all those ingredients in the same store. The tortilla, cheese, tomatoes, and other taco fixings within aisles of each other. And all located next door to a taco assembly factory.

BOTTECELLI: Much faster tacos! Ponga wonga!

GRAVITRAX: Yes, that type of factory set up is called an industrial cluster and most Chinese factories are set up in such groups–

ROBERTA: This type of super-efficient set up, lets the factories make a whole bunch of toys without wasting too much time or materials. It ends up saving money.

RYAN: Whew! Now I get it! So putting together tacos or, uh, toys, in a fast, efficient way means it’s cheaper to make things.

BRIDGET: Great taco analogy, Gravitrax. And thanks for the assist, Roberta and Bottecelli.

BOTTECELLI: Always happy to have things explained in taco form.

RYAN: OK, now that all the toys have had their say, there’s nothing left to do but play On this rainy day, I say.

BOTTECELLI:But wait! That’s not the whole story! We haven’t talked about the most epic part! And I’m going to need some help. Bouncy Balls, can you go find Jennifer?

(SFX: BOUNCY BALLS SQUEAKY )

BOUNCY BALLS: Yeah!

BRIDGET: Ooh! I know who you’re looking for! I can help!

RYAN: Hey, watch it! If I slip on you and fall, that’s bad news. I’m a big guy with a bad back!

BOTTECELLI: But first, all this explaining is making me hungry. Can we get some tacos over here?

BRIDGET: Okay, we’ll be right back…after this uh, taco break.

–MIDROLL–

Part 2:

(SFX: CROWD ROOM MURMUR)

RYAN: Okay, so Bridget is off…I don’t know, going through boxes.

BRIDGET: [OFF MIC] I could have SWORN it was in this box…

RYAN: We’ve been learning why toys are made in China… because all their factories are close to each other.

BRIDGET: OH BOY! OH BOY! [SFX BOXES FALLING]

RYAN: And since we last left off, a bunch of other toys have gathered round to listen. But we’ve got space for everyone, we can scooch in!

(SFX: BOUNCY BALLS SQUEAKS)

BOUNCY BALLS: Yeah, there’s more to learn! / There’s more to the story!/

RYAN: Oh great, the bouncy balls are back. So glad they were invited. Ok, so I’m guessing the reason why so many toys are made in China is a little more than just…the factories are close to each other, huh?

ROBERTA: Yeah, there are lots of costs that go into making a toy. Think, the raw materials, the plastic, or wood or what have you. Also, the cost to pay the people who make the toys, the factory workers.

JENNIFER: I know something about Chinese factory workers.

BRIDGET: I found it! My public radio reporter action figure, Jennifer Pak! She’s a Marketplace reporter covering China’s economy. She even comes with a little microphone and a totebag, see?? She was a thank you gift for donating during a public radio pledge drive.

RYAN: You have the strangest toys of anyone I know.

BRIDGET: Oh you. From Shanghai, Marketplace’s China Correspondent, Jennifer Pak has more.

JENNIFER: IT’S TRUE. ONE REASON AMERICAN TOY COMPANIES HAVE COME TO CHINA IS TO FIND CHEAPER LABOR. IT IS CHEAPER TO FIND WORKERS IN CHINA THAN IT IS IN AMERICA.

BOTTECELLI: One reason why the labor is cheaper in China compared to the United States is because there are so many people! Can you explain how that works, Jennifer.

JENNIFER: THERE ARE 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE IN CHINA, THAT’S BILLION WITH A B. AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM WERE MOVING TO THE EAST COAST OF CHINA, STARTING 40 YEARS AGO. WHERE A LOT OF FACTORIES ARE CLUSTERED TOGETHER. THEY WEREN’T MAKING MUCH MONEY IN THEIR HOMETOWNS AND THEY WERE EAGER TO GO TO WORK IN THE FACTORIES.

BOTTECELLI: And I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in those factories and the jobs are HARD, dude. And those workers are all far from their families. They might only go back to see their family once a year, dude.

JENNIFER: PLUS ON AVERAGE, FACTORY WORKERS WE TALK TO WORK AT LEAST 10 HOURS A DAY, AND IT’S NORMAL TO GO OVER 12 HOURS A DAY. TO MAKE MORE MONEY. AND THEY WORK Monday through Saturday, THAT’S 6 DAYS A WEEK.

RYAN: That does sound like a tough job. And six days a week? Most workers only work five days a week in the US! The work rules aren’t the same all over the world?

BOTTECELLI: Brah, don’t you know that laws and customs about work are different all over the world, man? Even within one country, the laws about workers are different from state to state. You can call it gnarly or bogus, this is just part of the world wide economy we live in duder!

JENNIFER: A lot of FACTORY WORKERS in China DON’T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY. And IT’S NOT A LOT OF MONEY IN THE CITY WHERE THEY WORK.   BUT IT’S A TON OF MONEY IF THEY SPEND IT IN THEIR HOMETOWNS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE — where things are cheaper. So if they save the money they earn, THEY CAN RENOVATE A HOME BACK THERE, BUY AN APARTMENT OR CAR, PAY FOR EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN, BUY MEDICINE WHEN THEY GET SICK. Over time, this has started to change life in China. THERE’ S BEEN A WHOLE GENERATION OF PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THE FACTORIES…So now these factory workers children have grown up. Some of them have gone to university and they don’t want to work in these factories. These FACTORY JOBS were just a way/opportunity to get a better life for the next generation.

BOTTECELLI: And all that got us right back here.

[SFX: HARP GLISSANDO]

(MUSIC: BUSY 1950s INDUSTRIAL MUSIC)

BUSINESS PARTNER: Hello? Toy factory? I want to make hundreds and thousands of this little uh, salamandery toy…SALAMANDER, not Caesar salads…

BOTTECELLI: Remember when my manufacturer was searching for a place to make me? Now let’s hear the rest:

FACTORY OWNER: Of course, Salamander! That makes sense. What kid’s going to play with a caesar salad am I right? I can make lots of things in my factory in China. Tell me more about what you’re looking for.

BUSINESS PARTNER: People want a well made toy, but they also don’t want to pay too much for it! I still want to make a profit so I’m looking for someplace that can make these salamanders for the least amount of money!

FACTORY OWNER: Well, we’ve got all these factories that are next to each other so we’re a very efficient place to make your toy. We can make the figures here, the slime pouches next door and the swords, plastic tacos and other accessories across the way.

BUSINESS PARTNER: I like the sound of that!

FACTORY OWNER: AND we pay the workers less than a lot of our competitors, it’s all going to lead to more savings for you.

BUSINESS PARTNER: You got yourself a deal! You can make my salamander toys! And, while you’re at it, you better start yourself a new factory that makes GIANT wallets cause we’re gonna need them! You and me, I mean. The factory workers can keep their small wallets, but you and I will need big wallets! Awww, I’m just joshing you, that’s a little manufacturing joke!

[SFX: HARP GLISSANDO]

BOTTECELLI: A lot of companies made the same choice MY toy company made. To start making toys in China. Not all companies do. There are still toys made in the U.S. But in the end, that decision comes down to the toy company bosses- not the factory workers or even the factory owners- where the toys are made. Toy companies might make fun stuff for kids, but they’re run by adults who know exactly what they’re doing when they decide to make their stuff in one place instead of another.

GRAVITRAX: And It’s like I always say- The boss isn’t always right. But they’re always the boss.

RYAN: Yeesh, Gravitrax. You’re cold as ice, man. Say, what would happen if a whole other country came along with workers who could make stuff faster and for less money than China? Would the toy-making jobs start to move to those countries?

BOTTECELLI: That totally happens sometimes. Right now, China’s trying to make more high tech stuff, like fancy smartphones and stuff. And other countries are trying to get into making stuff too, so that’s a little bit of competition for China right now .

BOUNCY BALLS: We have cousins that were made in Indonesia!

[ALL THE TOYS START CHATTERING]

RYAN: Okay guys, settle down, settle down

[CHATTERING FADES DOWN, MUSIC FADES UP]

Anna: Hi I’m Anna. And my money joke is: Where do crocodiles keep their money?… The riverbank.

RYAN: Wow, well, a lot to chew on here. We really appreciate everyone’s help in answering Henry’s question. I think we’ve learned that there’s no ONE reason why so many toys are made in China.

BOTTECELLI: I mean, I think the one reason is extremely clear, dude: money.

RYAN: Nevertheless, learning about how the world makes stuff, where, and why, gets real complicated real fast. There’s so much more to say about this question, but we don’t have enough time. We can’t do it all in 20 minutes! It’s too complicated! We tried! It’s too hard! For now, I’ll say: it’s worth taking the time to consider the cost, the true cost of our toys, not just the pricetag on our toys. Now, we have like three minutes left for some quality rainy day playtime. Let’s do it!

BRIDGET: Oh, Ryan, I think maybe there’s one more toy who wants to add something?

(SFX: SPINNING GLOBE)

RYAN: Awww, I know you! You’re that globe from the beginning of the show that kept landing me in the ocean! What do you want?

GLOBE: As a globe, I just wanted to say-

RYAN: Oh great, another speech. More speeches everyone great.

GLOBE: (CLEARS THROAT) Fellow toys, collectibles, and learning devices, I come to you- not as the product of any one nation- but as a product of today’s interconnected planet. You see, when China decided to become the factory of the world, it wove a thread between its own people and the people of every country across the globe. But not a single one of your toys is made by a country or a company, but by the hands of a real person. And just as these toys help you widen and stretch your imagination, as you get older, you must continue to widen and stretch your understanding of where the things you buy come from, and who makes them, and how they’re made. And, lastly, to understand that no nation is an island in a world so connected.

BRIDGET: I have a feeling there’s a whole lot more to learn on this topic. We’ve got some of that in our tip sheet for this episode at our website, marketplace.org/million.

RYAN: Yeah, that was great but uh stop spinning! I’m serious globe. You’re making me dizzy! Stop or I’m gonna stop you with my finger!

GLOBE: Just try to stop me!

RYAN: Oh, I’ll stop you! Come here.

(SFX: FINGER HITS GLOBE. GLOBE STOPS)

GLOBE: Hahaha! Your finger landed on Antarctica! You have to live there forever!

(SFX: WHOLE ROOM BREAKS INTO LAUGHTER)

RYAN: Stop! This isn’t funny! I don’t want to live in Antarctica! I can’t live any place that’s cold! I’m legitimately bronchial!

BRIDGET: How did you even hit Antartica? It’s on the very bottom of the globe!

RYAN: I didn’t know it would count!

(SFX: ROOM LAUGHTER CARRIES US OUT)

CLOSE MUSIC + CREDITS

BRIDGET: Thanks for listening to Million Bazillion — we help dollars make more sense. We’ll be back next week with a whole new episode.

RYAN: If you want to keep getting smarter about money, sign up for the Million Bazillion Academy and get four weeks of lessons you can do at your own pace. Sign up today at Marketplace.org/MBA.

BRIDGET: If you are a fan of this show, please subscribe! Leave us a review! And tell your friends about us! It really does help!

RYAN: Million Bazillion is brought to you by Marketplace and American Public Media. This episode was written and hosted by me, Ryan Perez, and Bridget Bodnar, who’s the senior producer too.

BRIDGET: This episode was also produced by Marissa Cabrera. Edited by Jasmine Romero and Sanden Totten Sound designed by Chris Julin. Mixed by Bekah Wineman. Our theme music was created by Wonderly.

RYAN: Our digital producer is Tony Wagner. Donna Tam is the Director of On Demand at Marketplace. Neal Scarbrough is the VP and General Manager.

BRIDGET: We are grateful for the voicing talents of Kimberly Adams, Sabri Ben Achour, Marcus Galamay, Drew Jostad, Chris Julin, Jennifer Pak, Melody Perkins, Mel Rosenberg, and Donna Tam. And this was a tricky question so we had a lot of help from our Marketplace colleagues in answering this question. And we really appreciate their time!

RYAN: And special thanks to the people who provided the startup funding for Million Bazillion, and who continue to help keep us going: The Ranzetta Family Charitable Fund and Next Gen Personal Finance, supporting Marketplace’s work to make younger audiences smarter about the economy.

BRIDGET: To all the grown-ups listening right now – we hope that you and the kids in your life are having some good conversations about money thanks to Million Bazillion. Help us keep those conversations going. Donate today at marketplace.org/givemillion. Your support means a whole lot.