The Disney Corporation learned an important lesson recently and that is: Don't you dare fuck with gumbo. The media and amusement mega-corporation recently posted a video to several of its social media outlets for something called "Princess Tiana's Healthy Gumbo." The purpose of the clip was to promote the 2009 animated movie that features a princess who loves to cook. The story takes place in New Orleans.
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All would have presumably been fine, but Disney tried to take advantage of what they must perceive as an unprecedented health craze going on in this country—thus the gumbo was not a "real" gumbo but a "healthy" gumbo. That's when the internet decided to step in and point out the seeming appropriation of a dish with deeply meaningful connections to many.
Screengrab via Facebook
It's hard to say whether it was the kale, the quinoa, the whole wheat flour, the low-fat chicken stock or the utter and complete absence of a roux that put people over the edge. In any event, this may have been the least authentic gumbo recipe ever to grace our digital highways. A hashtag of protest was soon born: #GumboStrong.
"For a healthy gumbo, try loading it up with kale!" -said no one from Louisiana ever. #GumboStrong
The one thing that instantly unites Louisianans of all races and creeds is the horror of a gumbo recipe with kale and no roux #gumbostrong — Winston Hall (@Winstonian24) September 14, 2016
Although Disney soon took down the posts, the deed was done, the T-shirts were printed, and the snarky reaction was everywhere. Louisianans and others took to Twitter and elsewhere to share their feelings. And there were a lot of feelings. MUNCHIES reached out to The Walt Disney Company for comment, but has yet to hear back.
A video by David Hilbun, which has 65,000 views and counting, also captured the collective feelings of ire while contrasting it with snippets of the deleted video.
We all know kale may have become too popular for its own good, but now we also now know this: Kale is kale and gumbo is gumbo and never the twain shall meet. We can only hope that Disney has learned an essential marketing lesson not to screw with iconic American recipes just to promote a movie.America has spoken.
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