Post Punk Kitchen Forum

While I don't have any particular movie or commericial to quote I have noticed more jokes about vegetarianism and being vegan in the past 2-3 years. There are two pet food commercials I've seen run recently that talk about that animals are not vegetarian or vegan. I was at a comedy show recently which included a stereotypical vegan joke. I was talking to someone who shares my dietary interests about this. I think more people could be seeking to change their diets so it's now becoming more prominent in the form of jokes in media. Not so long ago you'd never see any jokes of this nature. Her conclusion is that it's safe and considered PC to go after vegetarian and vegans vs other groups. Have you noticed this and what do you think?

I've noticed that too, but in some instances I think it's cool that veganism is "on the map" enough to make a joke about it with the understanding that it's a household word. During the football games on the sports channels there's always that Geico commercial where the antelopes make a joke that the lion should go vegan. It's not done in an insulting way, though.

What do you mean by "other groups" exactly? Making fun of vegans is very different from say, making fun of people of color or trans people or women or something. I don't think "PC" really plays into it.

Maybe the popularity of vegan jokes means they'll move away from the painfully overstated "People Eating Tasty Animals" or "Vegetarian is an Indian word meaning bad hunter".

I agree I kind of thing it's a good thing... enough people know what vegan means or know a vegan to get these jokes. I think vegans are becoming more commonplace and more people are aware of what veganism is. The less bizarre and strange we are, and the more commonplace, the higher chances of others being exposed to, influenced by, or trying out veganism.

More common, sure, but I wouldn't say this means they think we're less strange or bizarre. We are the butt of jokes here.

Yeah, definitely. I'm seeing it in a lot of sitcoms nowadays. Just think of it as evidence of how quickly veganism is growing!

I was talking to my dad the other day on the phone, and he starts, "I saw on Facebook where vegetarian means something in Indian..." and I responded, "If you continue that joke I'll hang up on you!" HA! He's like, oh, you've heard that? It was endearing though because he's my dad and tells bad jokes.

I have noticed more vegan jokes on the teevee, and I like it. People have to know what vegan means to get the joke, so more people know about it. Or they don't get it and google it, so more people find out about it.

I like the antelope one.

Well, if nothing else hopefully more folks will know how to pronounce vegan?

In all seriousness it depends on the joke. The antelopes really cracks me up. If the joke was mean I might get upset, but really? I am a vegan but that is not all I am. Plus I also always consider the source. I was thinking of Denis Leary's No Cure for Cancer album today. I laughed at some of the stuff when it came out. These days? Not so much.

Also, even a bad joke can spur a good conversation about why and how some people choose to go vegan.

This is kiiiiiind of related. Sometimes I'll google a recipe and type in "vegetarian ___ " because I think it will bring up more hits than if I type in vegan. And then the search page is full of vegan recipes on vegan blogs and there are almost no vegetarian versions. This was definitely not the case a few years ago. So...yay, increased vegan presence in general!

I have definitely noticed it. I am glad to have a new perspective - thanks to this thread.

i just noticed a vegan joke in a commercial for a zombie movie.

i think it was called Warm Bodies and i think basically some zombie kid is like trying to become human again??? or something???

anyways he says something to the affect of (about eating people) "this is our food supply, i am NOT becoming a vegan"

hahahahahaha. i thought it was kind of funny.

apparently this is getting pulled because it's offensive to vegetarians?

i dont find it offensive and Taco Bell has vegetarian food (right?)

http://fitperez.com/2013-01-30-taco-bell-ads-vegetarian-tacos-platter-game-day-super-bowl/?from=PH

Ha! I don't find it offensive at all.

In my experience, the most bothersome thing about this is that my dad finds it necessary to tell me about every commercial and clip every article that mentions the word vegan.

it means we're winning!

Heard another one today. A radio commercial for a bank talking about things that were out of place (or maybe they said awkward, can't remember), and one of the examples was "a vegan at a bbq"

that's only cause people make us feel out of place!!

"hey Lisa want a hot dog? oooh hey look at that nice raw hamburger....hmmmm i bet you want one real bad. i could put bacon on it"

me: "im fine thanks"

drrrrrrrr

I feel as though the jokes about vegans that I've heard lately here in the UK are on a level with the ones I used to hear about vegetarians fifteen years or so ago, such as the one that goes something along the lines of "the veg*ns would have been up in arms, if only they'd had the strength". I think it's a sign of progress; vegetarianism has become mostly accepted as normal, feasible and even healthy, while veganism is still getting there.

There was a joke on a recent episode of Cougar Town where a vegan couple wanted to move into the neighborhood. They didn't want them there because they were "healthy" and the Cougar Town people like to drink all the time and eat garbage. So it was complimentary to vegans. The couple was dressed in athletic clothes, not in your typical 'ha ha' hippie clothing. I was pleased.

Where are these jokes occurring? I feel like I'm missing out on an opportunity to be pissed off!! Did you read the comments somewhere?

I don't own a television so mostly from going to see stand-up comedians and listening to Radio 4 as I tune in to a lot of their comedy programmes.

I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, i don't like veganism being presented as something to be laughed at. It gives the impression that veganism is stupid. On the other hand, it's kinda funny, and it gives veganism exposure. I guess mostly it just depends on the joke, if it's actually mean or just something silly.
I can't think of anything i've seen in popular media making fun of vegans that i found offensive. I've heard people say jokes about vegans that i have found rude and just plain stupid, though. Usually when i hear something in popular media about vegans i'm like "Haha, i can relate to that."

While veganism might be getting talked about more often in the popular media, I'm disturbed by the declining trend of representation in the unpopular media. I don't remember the last time I read an article droning on about veganism in The New Dork Times, or heard them sermonize about it on PRI's High Horse.