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Published -
- September 6, 2019
- 1:00 pm
Chicken Sandwich Pandemonium
Roy Wood Jr. shares his feelings on the wild popularity of the new Popeyes chicken sandwich as customers desperately search for the sold-out item.
Why did the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich become a symbol of black culture and what cultural significance did it hold?
In August of 2019, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen released a new item on their menu that would ultimately cause a frenzy among chicken sandwich enthusiasts nationwide. The Popeyes Chicken Sandwich – a crispy chicken filet with pickles served between two buttered brioche buns – quickly rose to viral fame, sparking debates among fast-food aficionados regarding whether it was better than other popular sandwiches offered by the likes of Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s. The hype surrounding this fried chicken phenomenon was so intense that it even caught the attention of television personality Trevor Noah, who discussed the craziness around the sandwich on his show, The Daily Show.
Noah’s segment on the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich covered a variety of topics, from the sandwich’s cultural significance to the absurd behavior exhibited by people trying to get their hands on one. The comedian used the sandwich as a means of critiquing the absurdity of consumerism in America, arguing that people weren’t really lining up for the sandwich because it was that good, but rather because the media had told them it was a must-try item. Noah highlighted the role of social media in creating hype, showing several examples of people posting about the sandwich as if it were a rare treasure to be found.
The Daily Show host also pointed out the irony of people eagerly waiting hours in line for a fast-food item that could be easily replicated at home. He made a comparison between the sandwich and a DIY project, stating that “people were doing it themselves before Popeyes made it cool.” By emphasizing the simplicity of the sandwich and the ease with which it could be made, Noah was able to highlight the absurdity of the craze.
Furthermore, Noah addressed the racial component of the sandwich, observing that it had become somewhat of a symbol of black culture. Many black people on social media praised the sandwich, with some even joking that it had become the new water fountain, referencing the segregation-era practice of dividing water sources by race. Noah acknowledged the absurdity of a fast-food item becoming politicized, but also recognized the cultural significance of something as seemingly trivial as a sandwich.
The Popeyes Chicken Sandwich pandemonium was a phenomenon that captured the attention of the public, and Trevor Noah’s segment on The Daily Show encapsulated the hype surrounding the sandwich perfectly. Through his humor and commentary, he was able to address the absurdity of consumerism in America, as well as the cultural and racial significance of the sandwich. Whether it was truly worth the wait or not, one thing is for sure – the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich will go down in history as more than just another fast-food item.
