I’m quite happy not placing myself in the same American bucket, not sure why anyone would say that.
This is what is known among scholars as a joke.
Polearms in general were ubiquitous throughout history. Pretty much anyone can pick one up and get the general idea of poke the enemy with the sharp end and use the length to keep them away.
Then again there were enormous pro wrestlers in the 80s who made Vin Diesel look tiny, so the performance enhancement look definitely isn’t that new to the public.
Pets should never be a surprise for sure. Having an idea that you've got one coming and being willing to take care of it is another story altogether