Years ago the movie “BABE” was nominated
for several Academy Awards including Best Picture. It was very popular
and made a lot of money. It stars a pig named Babe. A gilt to be more
specific… a feeder pig maybe weighin’ 80 – 100 lbs. But it was a cute
pig. It talked, of course, was kind and brave. And to top it off it did
heroic deeds and yet maintained a sensitivity that would make the Pope
blush.
All this anthropomorphism,
giving a pig human qualities, is necessary if movie makers expect an
audience to relate to the hero. It made me wonder if the movie, BABE had
a deleterious effect on the price of pork. I made a couple calls but
the Pork Producers were non-committal. They had an up market this
spring. But I would not have been surprised if it had. The sheep and
veal people have known for years that it is hard to convince the public
to eat something cute.
Rabbit raisers
are careful to avoid any advertising including the words BunnyBurger or
BBQ’d Bunny Ribs or Bunny on a Grill. Even in the frozen north they’ve
never developed a market for the Baby Seal Club Sandwich. Australians
have never had trouble eating lamb, mostly because they’re so numerous
over there they are thought of more often as ants or road kill. Yet in
my three trips ‘Down Under’ I saw no Koala Kabobs. Too cute.
The
Chinese seem to eat anything under the sun from thousand year-old eggs
to objects that crawl on the sea floor but I’ve never heard of a Panda
Patty.
The reverse is also true… that it is easier to eat something less
cuddly. That may be part of the success of the chicken business...
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