Oddly-shaped potato statue in Cypriot village goes viral for all the wrong reasons

A potato statue has been erected in the Cypriot village of Xylofagou - and people can’t seem to see past its phallic shape.

Named “The Big Potato”, the intention was to pay homage to the area’s abnormally long potatoes, also known as a “spunta.” They are grown in a group of villages known as the Kokkinochoria, or Red Villages, famed for growing fresh vegetables in red soil.

The 5 metres (16 ft) tall statue was unveiled on Wednesday after local community leader George Tasou said they wanted to follow in the footsteps of Belfast’s Big Fish monument.

He said, “Whether we like it or not, this potato, the spunta, is thin and long”, adding that anyone who sees otherwise is guilty of a dirty mind. “That is, I think, talk of a mind possessed,” he said. “It will be a landmark.”

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The EUR 8,000 (£6,766) fibreglass replica sits by the main road at the entrance to the village of Xylophagou.

Many drew parallels between “The Big Potato” and Jeff Bezos’  New Shepard rocket, some compared it to Mr Potato Head and others simply called it out for looking like a large male appendage.

“I think it’s art, inspiring. I mean, Bezos can send a d..k into space so let’s make 2021 the year of the d..k”, one tweeted.

One celebrated that Xylofagou had gone viral. “We have gone international...... yyyyyyyeay!”

While another joked, “My homeland Cyprus just erected a giant statue of a potato (A POTATO) that looks like this. I LOVE MY PEOPLE.”

The community leader added: “I want to see this potato become a point of reference in the community and I am actually glad for all these negative comments, because this is good publicity.”