If you’ve been a regular visitor to Food for Thought: A News Cafe you are probably a discerning reader. I imagine you are endowed with oodles of the ephemeral and widely coveted trait known as “taste.” Again, as a frequent haunter of FFT:ANC you are probably aware that I, your humble ‘toonist, am not encumbered by such high-falutin’ characteristics. Good taste? Social graces? You’re lucky if I remember to go on the paper.
With that being understood, I offer the following crudely rendered, two-dimensional treatise on the subject of “taste”. Who has it and who don’t? Here’s what I think…
Click on image to enlarge
.
OK, there’s an old axiom in cartooning: If you have to explain it, it’s not funny. Well, I obviously never bought into that one. There’s a lot of old axioms I don’t put much stock into, and with the way things are going whatever I do put stock into is going to crash like a two-year old after three cupcakes and a Coca-Cola. Still, when I showed this cartoon to the lovely Mrs. Beans, she looked at it and uttered her old, tired refrain of, “I don’t get it.” Believe me, I’ve heard that before.
To my credit, I’ve never let a little thing like a “sense of humor” slow me down. Where would the world be if we insisted on comics being “funny”? “Rose Is Rose” would be up the proverbial funny creek without the proverbial funny paddle. Or a boat. Who would want to live in a world like that? Not me. And, since I don’t feel a “need” to be funny, I’m fine with ruining it for tasteful folks like you.
Now, the idea behind the above cartoon is that it has been reported (On Amazing Facts, I think) that human flesh tastes a lot like ham. I’ve also heard that a pig’s internal organs most resemble those of humans. Of course we all know people who outwardly resemble the pig as well, but we won’t mention any names. I’m not here to cast aspersions, or pearls. Still, the premise of the joke is based on the accounts of Chilean soccer players whose plane had crashed, and even I have to admit that’s a pretty weak foundation for eliciting Bug Yucks. As for the “Baptists” part, I’m guilty of profiling here. To the best of my recollection most cannibal/missionary gags assume the entree was “Baptist.” Right or wrong, I’m sticking to the tried-and-true comedic formula here. I have no personal knowledge of whether a “Baptist” has any more flavor than a “Methodist.” If I’m not mistaken, Chilean soccer players preferred the taste of “Catholics” 2 to nil. Of course, “Catholics” were a dietary staple and so the test results may be culturally skewed.
I guess there’s just no accounting for what people think is funny. Taste is a subjective thing. All I know is that my cartoons tend to go down a little better with a side of cole slaw. Ask any Chilean midfielder… once his hysterical laughter subsides.
They love my stuff.
Phil “Philbert” Fountain is a failed politician, occasional bed-wetter and regular contributor to Food for Thought: A News Cafe. He is completely devoid of even the most basic social amenities and is tolerated in much the same way a village cares for its idiots. He seems to be fine with it.
