Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Food Mascots Redux

Last June, I wrote about an issue which really bothers me from a pop cultural standpoint... food mascots that are the product that is going to be eaten.

And for a while I thought I was just an isolated kook who had this particular aversion, I have discovered a blog called Suicide Food, which documents in far greater detail the horrors of food stuffs, particularly animal mascots, that relish the fact that they are going to be eaten. The fact that in some cases, these mascots show glee at the prospect of being consumed is disturbing to say the least. And because it is a daily blog, well, there is a lot more local and international work that I've never seen before.

I am seriously disturbed by them all.

People talk about video games and movies making kids more violent, but really, I think that clowns and smiling animals who take an active part in their own demise are doing more to warp the fragile minds of children. Where is Jack Thompson when you really need him? Why isn't he going after the people who unleash these horrors upon us all.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

SNL's "Clucky" spoof was an absolutely perfect dig at this phenomenon. Whenever I walk into a Swiss Chalet, I still think, "First, they cut off my head!"

poppedculture said...

It all reminds me of the cow in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe that was breed to want to be eaten. "May I urge you to try my liver, it must be very rich and tender by now, I have been force feeding it for months?"

MC said...

Paul: I've read a lot of stories that Clucky led to a lot of new vegans.

Jeremy: Do you remember the Biblical episode of the Simpsons where Marge and Homer were in the Garden of Eden and he can basically just pull meat straight off the animals?

"Pig of Eden: Today I'm featuring mouth-watering pork ribs. Tuck in, then!
(Homer digs into the pig's side and comes up with a side of ribs. He looks at them).
Homer (as Adam): Oh, I gave a rib to Eve and now she's gone forever!
Pig of Eden: One whole rib and still standing. Oh, aren't you the plucky one, sir."