The Perpetuation of “Guilt Economy”

There’s a strange phenomenon among (mostly) females in suburbs across the States that use guilt to keep its micro-economy turning its hamster wheel: ‘home shopping opportunities’

Oh, it starts off innocuously enough. You get invited to come ‘join in on the fun’ with a few friends. And while you are having all this fun, oh my…where did these things come from?! *sigh* Well, while you are here, might as well look at them…and maybe buy a few things: makeup (Arbonne, Mary Kay), food (Pampered Chef, Homemade Gourmet), ‘stuff’ (Cookie Lee, Southern Living), and I’m sure a myriad of other items.
So why would one go to these parties? You might go the first time because 1) you mistakenly think it’s a ‘real party’, 2) maybe feel a little honored to be asked…that first time, 3) you possibly, actually need some of the stuff they are selling, 4) you have a free evening and want to be fed, OR 5) your friend begs you to come to the party as a filler.
Whatever the reason, even if this is a favor to your friend, you feel guilty about eating and not buying anything. So what happens?

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Guilty Pleasures *burp*

Food Network is a de facto station for background noise for me. But there are two shows on the Travel Channel that I make a point of watching, if possible: Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain…for different reasons. The travel part is good…informative, really. But the real draw are the two stars.
Anthony Bourdain is Dr. House.
Andrew Zimmern is a car wreck you just can’t look away from.
With both of them, you are thinking to yourself, “Oh no he didn’t!” or “Ewwww!”

Although you say you are appalled at the insensitivity of Anthony Bourdain, you are secretly enjoying his snarky comments throughout the show. And when he says he really likes something, you really, really wish you could try a little of what he’s having. I even write down the restaurant for future reference.
In his defense, he isn’t a wuss or a priss about food. He love street foods. In fact, he’ll eat food that he probably should eat because of possible side effects. But it might be all that drinking he does along with it. It probably kills whatever bacteria that might have been in the food originally. He also will eat whatever is put in front of him…like ostrich egg cooked directly on sand or grilled iguana. He ate it and kept it down in front of everybody, but he made sure you knew exactly how he felt about the taste.

Andrew Zimmern is a poultry of a different feather. The man has a cast iron stomach. He eats things…with a smile on his face…that would make a 300 pound linebacker whimper for his mama. But the best parts are when he eats something that he truly cannot swallow. You can almost see him turning green and trying desperately to not throw up on tv. It’s that schoolyard reaction: <sniff, sniff> “Eeeeewwww! That smells funny. Wanna smell it?” <sniff, sniff> “That’s gross! Let me smell it again!”
I don’t really want to eat it…but I just maybe wanna try something he considers so bad that even his‘s stomach says, “Enough’s enough already!”
(Side note: if he is ever invited to a party, and he doesn’t eat your food, how insulted are you? The man’s eaten live grub worms and fetal eggs, for goodness sakes.)

Next week (August 6, 2007) will have BOTH of them together…in NYC. Is it sweeps week? I don’t care. I’ll be watching.
But I must admit NYC is pretty tame…compared to places they’ve been previously. However, I am willing to be corrected.

Mmmm. All this talk about food is making me hungry. Anybody got chili flavored cockroaches?

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