When I was younger, I had a hard time being a good sport when someone "pranked" me. As a big practical joker, I had a hard time admitting that someone got the best of me. I have matured since then and can laugh at myself when Ive been "had". Heck, I can even reverently respect the one who did the pranking! I can look them in the eye and honestly say "Hey, that was a GOOD one!" I have learned over the years that I do not know everything and that gullibility is a sign that I am human. It seems to me that a few food bloggers and "mom bloggers" (whatever that means) need to mature a bit, as well. You just have to read the following link and if you dont get a kick out of it, you are WAY too serious!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/business/media/when-bloggers-dont-follow-the-script-to-conagras-chagrin.html?_r=2&ref=business&pagewanted=all#
I had to post the actual article because I knew I could never capture the hilarity of this article in my own words. Yes, I know that this was not supposed to be a comedic piece, but I couldnt stop laughing. In case you couldnt get to the article, here is a quick run down. Food bloggers and "mom bloggers" were invited to a fancy restaurant and told that they would be served a fine dining four course meal. What they were served were Marie Callender's frozen meals. They were secretly filmed for their reaction to the fine dining meal. After they were told of the ruse, these food bloggers were terribly upset. Their reasons ranged from not wanting to consume empty, non-nutritious calories, to being angry that they were thought of as the "target market" for frozen food, and that they ingested unwanted preservatives and sodium.
I think that they were probably mad because they totally got "punked". I would give big bucks to see the hidden camera results (which will now never be aired because of the bloggers indignant outrage). I suspect that they raved about the food, complimenting the chef and using their favorite culinary terms. I have a feeling that they couldn't tell the difference between the frozen offering and fine Italian cuisine and, if anyone found out about it, they would feel "ruined". These snotty bloggers probably also were a little miffed that they were only invited to a marketing campaign and not, as they thought, to a culinary soiree. They probably blogged about being invited and how they were looking forward to the event of the season. Instead, they were give a proverbial "kick me" sign as they walked through the doors.
Were they good sports? Had they matured since childhood, able to say "That was a good one"? Absolutely not! In fact, they did what I used to to in fifth grade. I made up a reason that the prank was a bad one. "I wasn't ready." "That was mean!" "I cant believe you thought I would fall for that!" Instead of rolling with the deception and laughing along (as "normal" people did with Pizza Hut and Folgers), they made up ridiculous excuses for their indignance. No one goes to a fine Italian dining establishment with calories, preservatives or sodium on their mind.
Their reaction and indignance was able to cancel the commercials, thereby saving them from the embarrassment of being duped. However, this reaction catapulted the event to national news. Now, people may not discover that these food bloggers can be fooled by a frozen TV dinner, but they have discovered that they are whiny snivelling "food expert wannabees", who cant take the heat! Perhaps they should get out of the kitchen.
If by adulthood, you haven't learned the lesson that no one knows EVERYTHING and that everyone can learn SOMETHING, it is time. It is time to learn to laugh at yourself more than you laugh at others. It is way past time to learn that when you begin to think yourself better or smarter than others, God (or some would say "karma") will find you and hunt you down. All I have to say is "MARIE CALLENDER, THAT WAS A GOOD ONE!!!!"
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