YOUR PRE-CHEWED FOOD DOES NOT INTEREST ME - I AM NOT FERENGI
October 16, 2012 9:52 AM Subscribe
Why do American movies and TV shows feature scenes of people eating and talking with their mouths full of food?
I have noticed this more and more over the years, and it has crept into UK TV too. If I were conspiracy oriented, I would say it is a ploy by the powerful to make us eat till we are obese and docile. Well, it has worked, so can we stop it now please, it is absolutely disgusting.
When I was little I was told "people don't want to see your chewed up food" by my parents, as me and my sister tried to gross each other out, and you know what, they were right.
I am fine with people eating in TV and movies, but some (watched some old Seinfeld - God they are always eating in that show!!) just are way over the top, especially when you see the slim actors/actresses in it.
I have noticed this more and more over the years, and it has crept into UK TV too. If I were conspiracy oriented, I would say it is a ploy by the powerful to make us eat till we are obese and docile. Well, it has worked, so can we stop it now please, it is absolutely disgusting.
When I was little I was told "people don't want to see your chewed up food" by my parents, as me and my sister tried to gross each other out, and you know what, they were right.
I am fine with people eating in TV and movies, but some (watched some old Seinfeld - God they are always eating in that show!!) just are way over the top, especially when you see the slim actors/actresses in it.
This post was deleted for the following reason: maybe try re-asking without the personal distaste angle? As it stands it reads like a rant and less like a question in search of an answer. -- mathowie
Because eating is important to set the mood, but waiting out the pauses interrupts the flow of the dialogue.
posted by madajb at 9:57 AM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by madajb at 9:57 AM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
some (watched some old Seinfeld - God they are always eating in that show!!) just are way over the top, especially when you see the slim actors/actresses in it.
The point of Seinfeld is that the characters are supposed to be self-absorbed, so obviously they're not going to be super-cognizant of eating etiquette unless there is some direct gain they can get out of doing so.
On the other hand, is it just the talking with their mouth full thing that bothers you or is it also the depiction of eating on camera that's the problem?
posted by deanc at 9:57 AM on October 16, 2012
The point of Seinfeld is that the characters are supposed to be self-absorbed, so obviously they're not going to be super-cognizant of eating etiquette unless there is some direct gain they can get out of doing so.
On the other hand, is it just the talking with their mouth full thing that bothers you or is it also the depiction of eating on camera that's the problem?
posted by deanc at 9:57 AM on October 16, 2012
I don't appreciate it, either! I think the intention is to be more "real", whatever that means. Some people aren't bothered by it at all, and think we're crazy to be bothered. Maybe depends how you were raised? Very aggravating for folks with misophonia! Like me, a bit.
posted by Glinn at 9:58 AM on October 16, 2012
posted by Glinn at 9:58 AM on October 16, 2012
Probably because eating is something that people actually do, and one of the primary times that many contemporary people have social interactions. Seriously, a decent chunk of most people's social time has something to do with food. What's unusual is probably how little eating was featured in older media compared with how much time most people spend doing it.
To the extent that this has changed over time, I'd venture to guess that it's kind of a reaction to the Nobody Poops phenomenon, i.e., media never showing people doing the normal, physical activities that people actually do.
posted by valkyryn at 9:58 AM on October 16, 2012
To the extent that this has changed over time, I'd venture to guess that it's kind of a reaction to the Nobody Poops phenomenon, i.e., media never showing people doing the normal, physical activities that people actually do.
posted by valkyryn at 9:58 AM on October 16, 2012
It conveys familiarity and urgency - the familiarity of the characters to one another and the tacit importance of what's being said that it cannot wait until the character has finished eating.
posted by MuffinMan at 10:00 AM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by MuffinMan at 10:00 AM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
While there might be an element of disgust/poor manners here, it has nothing to do with the weight of the people participating. Are you saying fatter people are more likely to have bad manners? Even in conspiracy mode, why would this make us obese and docile?
Also, have you ever actually seen prechewed food in any of these scenes?
posted by MangyCarface at 10:02 AM on October 16, 2012
Also, have you ever actually seen prechewed food in any of these scenes?
posted by MangyCarface at 10:02 AM on October 16, 2012
What needs to be said too:it is not a healthy thing.That is often the cause of choking.
posted by Postroad at 10:05 AM on October 16, 2012
posted by Postroad at 10:05 AM on October 16, 2012
Because when a conversation is really going and really exciting, you (or at least I, and I suspect others) don't bring the conversation to a screeching halt every time you take a bite of food, at least with intimates/friends.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 10:05 AM on October 16, 2012
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 10:05 AM on October 16, 2012
There are many depictions of unpleasant behavior in most hours of television programming. Talking with food in your mouth ranks near the bottom of the list, when ordered by depravity. It is how people really behave, for better or worse, so good writers are going to depict it in their work.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:06 AM on October 16, 2012
posted by Rock Steady at 10:06 AM on October 16, 2012
Why do American movies and TV shows feature scenes of people eating and talking with their mouths full of food?
This is sort of a hilarious generalization, as I have seen this in the media of many other nations.
Also this is basically a rant disguised as a question.
posted by elizardbits at 10:06 AM on October 16, 2012 [7 favorites]
This is sort of a hilarious generalization, as I have seen this in the media of many other nations.
Also this is basically a rant disguised as a question.
posted by elizardbits at 10:06 AM on October 16, 2012 [7 favorites]
Everyone eats and no one ever has to explain why they're eating - people get hungry, they eat. This means that if you need to get characters together for dialogue (which you almost always do), setting that conversation at mealtime means you don't have to waste any time explaining why disparate characters are all in the same place, or showing how they got there. There's a pleasant economy to it.
Also, yeah, rant disguised as a question.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 10:09 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, yeah, rant disguised as a question.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 10:09 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
That is often the cause of choking.
Which is often the cause of hilarious Heimlich-maneuver pratfall scenes where the ball of food is eventually ejected out of the throat of the choker and directly into a beautiful woman's appletini or possibly caught and swallowed in midair by a lovable bulldog.
posted by griphus at 10:09 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
Which is often the cause of hilarious Heimlich-maneuver pratfall scenes where the ball of food is eventually ejected out of the throat of the choker and directly into a beautiful woman's appletini or possibly caught and swallowed in midair by a lovable bulldog.
posted by griphus at 10:09 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
Because watching Brad Pitt eat is really adorable. I'm serious, he is a good talker-eater.
posted by lydhre at 10:11 AM on October 16, 2012
posted by lydhre at 10:11 AM on October 16, 2012
I didn't think that George was all that slim....
I sincerely believe they were trying to curtail this in Seinfeld when they did away with the muffin bottoms, and got pretty much the whole crew thrown out of the soup place, but the big salads negated any forward progress.
posted by HuronBob at 10:15 AM on October 16, 2012
I sincerely believe they were trying to curtail this in Seinfeld when they did away with the muffin bottoms, and got pretty much the whole crew thrown out of the soup place, but the big salads negated any forward progress.
posted by HuronBob at 10:15 AM on October 16, 2012
I have no idea if this is true, but just a guess:
Conversations in movies/TV can't have long pauses where everyone waits for someone to swallow their food before they begin to speak. There has to be a constant back-and-forth of dialogue.
At the same time, a dinner scene in a movie/TV will not look realistic if people aren't frequently shoving food in their mouths. As a result, people in movies/TV must talk with their mouths full.
posted by mcmile at 10:18 AM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
Conversations in movies/TV can't have long pauses where everyone waits for someone to swallow their food before they begin to speak. There has to be a constant back-and-forth of dialogue.
At the same time, a dinner scene in a movie/TV will not look realistic if people aren't frequently shoving food in their mouths. As a result, people in movies/TV must talk with their mouths full.
posted by mcmile at 10:18 AM on October 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
I don't understand the mindset behind this rant at all -- do you not share meals with friends, while also having a conversation with them? That's one of the main ways I socialize with people. We don't speak with our mouths full (though I've never seen that on TV, anyway). Occasionally a person will talk with some food in their mouth, but not very much, not enough to be visible. This is because we are real people who are relaxed with each other. We also put our elbows on the table, and occasionally slump in our chairs. None of us are obese.
posted by chowflap at 10:19 AM on October 16, 2012
posted by chowflap at 10:19 AM on October 16, 2012
I've only ever seen really obvious "I am talking with my mouth full" scenes that are meant to convey something about the character - they are crass, they are stressed, they are in a big hurry, they are distracted, etc. Or do you mean scenes where people are eating, swallowing food, talking, eating again rather than doing the "lots of leisurely pauses and thoughtful conversation" that one might engage in at a dinner party or an exceptionally well-planned family meal where no one has conflicting schedules in real life?
Also, I bet I'm a lot fatter than you, and I bet I'm more politically active, more educated about social issues and have done a great deal more non-docile things than you. Not to get all personal and everything, but "fat people are sheep-like" does not follow. There are many ill-informed and apathetic people in the world; some of those people are fat, some are not.
posted by Frowner at 10:21 AM on October 16, 2012
Also, I bet I'm a lot fatter than you, and I bet I'm more politically active, more educated about social issues and have done a great deal more non-docile things than you. Not to get all personal and everything, but "fat people are sheep-like" does not follow. There are many ill-informed and apathetic people in the world; some of those people are fat, some are not.
posted by Frowner at 10:21 AM on October 16, 2012
« Older Find a set of recordings based on an example | You down with CFP? Yeah, you know me! Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by maryr at 9:54 AM on October 16, 2012 [1 favorite]