Juicy Obama Fingers

classicman · 03-16-2009, 11:49 PM

Wasn't sure where to put this but figured it might spice things up in here.

Tender, Juicy Obama Fingers Hit the Shelves

Quote:

A German frozen food company hopes to raise sales with a new product: Obama fingers. The tender, fried chicken bits come with a tasty curry sauce. The company says it was unaware of the possible racist overtones of the product.

Many sales executives have drawn the same conclusion: What better poster child for hope than US President Barack Obama? There are Obama dolls, Obama T-shirts, Obama soap-on-a-rope. There is even Obama thong underwear on offer.

Not wanting to miss the boat, a German food company has now gotten into the act. Sprehe, a company that has all manner of frozen delicacies on offer, has come up with a new product it calls "Obama Fingers." Far from being real digits, though, the "fingers" in question are "tender, juicy pieces of chicken breast, coated and fried," as the product packaging claims.

"We noticed that American products and the American way of eating are trendy at the moment," Judith Witting, sales manager for Sprehe, told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "Americans are more relaxed. Not like us stiff Germans, like (Chancellor Angela) Merkel."

The idea, she claimed, was to get in on the Obama-mania which is continuing to grip Germany. The word "fingers" in the name refers to the fact that it is a finger food. "It's like hotdogs," Witting said. "No one would ever think they are actually from dogs."

For Americans in Germany, though, there is a risk that the product might be seen as racially insensitive. Fried chicken has long been associated with African-Americans in the US -- naming strips of fried chicken after the first black president could cause some furrowing of brows.

Witting told SPIEGEL ONLINE the connection never even occurred to her. "It was supposed to be a homage to the American lifestyle and the new US president," she said.

I instantly found this racially offensive, but maybe thats just me. I'm appalled and amazed that this hasn't been touted all over the mainstream media. Especially since the monkey cartoon incident. I'm sure this could sell some spots/space.

Aside from that they really don't sound that appetizing anyway.

Crimson Ghost · 03-17-2009, 12:51 AM

Us wacky Germans....

ZenGum · 03-17-2009, 05:59 AM

You only made this thread so the stars could align around it.

soooooo many possibilities!

And I, for one, thank you.

Pie · 03-17-2009, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman

I instantly found this racially offensive, but maybe thats just me.

I think it speaks more to our hair-trigger racial sensitivities in the USA. We have plenty of cultural landmines that aren't prevalent in Europe... Similarly, I would suspect that they have WWII/Nazi issues that we wouldn't grok instantaneously.

classicman · 03-17-2009, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pie

I think it speaks more to our hair-trigger racial sensitivities in the USA. We have plenty of cultural landmines that aren't prevalent in Europe... Similarly, I would suspect that they have WWII/Nazi issues that we wouldn't grok instantaneously.

Thats very insightful - I hadn't thought of it that way.

rfndong · 03-17-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pie

I think it speaks more to our hair-trigger racial sensitivities in the USA. We have plenty of cultural landmines that aren't prevalent in Europe... Similarly, I would suspect that they have WWII/Nazi issues that we wouldn't grok instantaneously.

The coconut weighs in.

Crimson Ghost · 03-17-2009, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pie

I think it speaks more to our hair-trigger racial sensitivities in the USA. We have plenty of cultural landmines that aren't prevalent in Europe... Similarly, I would suspect that they have WWII/Nazi issues that we wouldn't grok instantaneously.

German Tour Guide: You vill find more on Germany's contributions to ze arts in ze pamphlets ve have provided.
Brian : Yeah, about your pamphlet... uh, I'm not seeing anything about German history between 1939 and 1945. There's just a big gap.
Tour guide: Everyone vas on vacation. On your left is Munich's first city hall, erected in 15...
Brian : Wait, what are you talking about? Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and...
Tour Guide: We were invited. Punch vas served. Check vit Poland.
Brian : You can't just ignore those years. Thomas Mann fled to America because of Nazism's stranglehold on Germany.
Tour guide: Nope, nope. He left to manage a Dairy Queen.
Brian : A Dairy Queen? That's preposterous.
Tour guide: I vill hear no more insinuations about the German people. Nothing bad happened. Sie werden sich hinsetzen. Sie werden ruhig sein. Sie werden nicht beleidigen Deutschland. You will sit down. You will shut up. You will not insult Germany. (Throws his hand up in a Hitler salute.)
Brian : Uh, is that a beer hall?
Tour guide: (Snapping out of it) Oh yes, Munich is renowned for its historic beer halls.

Flint · 03-17-2009, 09:14 AM

I had to read down to the 6th paragraph to find out what they thought was racially insensitive.
Serioulsy? Because it's fried chicken? I associate fried chicked with being something I like to eat.

dar512 · 03-17-2009, 09:27 AM

I think it's a dumb idea to name food after people in any case. Though I might have gone along with Haggis being renamed GWBush.

TheMercenary · 03-19-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar512

I think it's a dumb idea to name food after people in any case. Though I might have gone along with Haggis being renamed GWBush.

That would be insulting to the historical legacy of Haggis. A fantastic meal.

Flint · 03-17-2009, 12:40 PM

If asked to name a cultural association for fried chicken, I'd have to say Boss Hogg from The Dukes of Hazzard.

Pie · 03-17-2009, 02:46 PM

I'd say the Japanese tipping the Colonel into the river.

Pie · 03-17-2009, 07:22 PM

Why you gotta get racial?

monster · 03-17-2009, 07:44 PM

I think that's waaaay too sensitive. after all, it's not like they're made with the dark meat....

Crimson Ghost · 03-17-2009, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

I think that's waaaay too sensitive. after all, it's not like they're made with the dark meat....

03-17-2009, 12:51 AM	#2
Crimson Ghost Larger than life and twice as ugly. Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,264	Us wacky Germans.... __________________ We must all go through a rite of passage. It must be physical, it must be painful, and it must leave a mark. I have no knowledge of the events which you are describing, and if I did have knowledge of them, I would be unable to discuss them with you now or at any future period. Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years

03-17-2009, 05:59 AM	#3
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	You only made this thread so the stars could align around it. soooooo many possibilities! And I, for one, thank you. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

03-17-2009, 09:14 AM	#8
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I had to read down to the 6th paragraph to find out what they thought was racially insensitive. Serioulsy? Because it's fried chicken? I associate fried chicked with being something I like to eat. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

03-17-2009, 09:27 AM	#9
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	I think it's a dumb idea to name food after people in any case. Though I might have gone along with Haggis being renamed GWBush. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

03-17-2009, 12:40 PM	#11
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	If asked to name a cultural association for fried chicken, I'd have to say Boss Hogg from The Dukes of Hazzard. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

03-17-2009, 02:46 PM	#12
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	I'd say the Japanese tipping the Colonel into the river. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-17-2009, 07:22 PM	#13
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Why you gotta get racial? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-17-2009, 07:44 PM	#14
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I think that's waaaay too sensitive. after all, it's not like they're made with the dark meat.... __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

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