Pigs Eat Ham

Piggin out?

Boost Mobile Commercial
March 12, 2009

Last night I was up watching Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. A commercial came on with two pigs dining in a fancy restaurant, eating a ham. The one pig says, as he’s got a piece of ham poked up on his fork, “I like a nice ham.”

The other one nods.

Pig #1 continues, “You think that’s wrong? We’re just enjoying the flavors of a fallen friend.”

Pig #2 says, “True.”

Then Pig #1 goes, “I’ll tell you what’s wrong, a cell phone company that charges hidden fees.”

The commercial goes on a bit more (check out “boost mobile commercial pigs” on You Tube for the video) and at first sight of seeing this last night, I almost crapped my pants. I am to say the least, outraged with this commercial.

I would like to say, first of all, if you know the truth about the animal farming industry, you will know that this “pig-eating-pig” scenario is not just a hook for a commercial; it actually happens.

Like the commercial says, “We’re just enjoying the flavors of a fallen friend.” Fallen animals are commonly “recycled” or ground up into the, otherwise vegetarian, feed of the rest of the animals…to stretch the food supply and for disposing convenience. Secondly, pigs are being portrayed as people in this scene so we can relate to them, which is not that far of a cry, considering they are thinking, living, breathing, feeling individuals capable of coherent thought patterns and possess communicative capabilities. Thirdly, as people, why would you (as the commercial implicates) think that it’s wrong for pigs to “enjoy the meat of a fallen friend” but it’s acceptable for humans to consume them?  I believe that this might cause a person to think how horrible it would be to eat another human.

So the subliminal conclusion to be derived at this part of the commercial would be that pigs eating pigs is wrong but humans eating pigs is not wrong. But really, isn’t it all the same? Plus, the soothing music and tranquil environment of the restaurant scene in the commercial are so familiar to us.  Right away you see everything “normal”.  Fancy restaurant, pleasant music, a “nice” ham, but then you see the pigs dining and think, “WHAT?!”

Also, what’s up with the line, “True”. In other words, “We’re just enjoying the flavors of a fallen friend.” Yeah, like you humans do. And that’s okay to do.  Nothing wrong with enjoying flavors of a nice ham, right?

I don’t think it’s morally responsible to torture and kill all for the tastebuds. Just my opinion. By the other pig saying, “True”, it subliminally confirms this twisted tradition of common society.

This turns out to be a cell phone commercial. It establishes that pigs eating pigs is wrong, but more than that, is how a cell phone company could ever charge for hidden fees.   So basically, humans can continue to eat ham, but don’t dare go with a cell phone company that charges hidden fees.  I don’t know what marketing people think sometimes.

Well, in the end, it’s unfortunately, all about the profit. And I as a vegan, even if I needed a cell phone at this point which I don’t, would purposely not choose this company because of their Meat-Munching Maniac commercial. What’s really wrong? Humans eat the pigs who have eaten other pigs. Pretty scary. Count me in as a vegan with a cute, trendy pink phone. And it didn’t take a ridiculous commercial to get me to buy it either.