eDiets Contributor
The other day, while watching a Flintstones episode, I made a crack to my friend about how big Fred's brontosaurus burger was. I mean, colossal burgers and Triple Whoppers had nothing on this mammoth (sorry for the pun) sandwich Fred was devouring. The thing had tusks! Or were those spare ribs? We're not sure, but it was humongous -- and actually looked kind of tasty.
You can't look up the exact nutrition information numbers for brontosaurus burgers, but we're willing to bet, from the looks of Fred (and Barney), that they were loaded in calories and fat.
So we decided to think of other cultural icons (yes, Fred and Barney are icons!) who had food habits which teetered on the less-healthy side...
We start with one of the icons who's almost just as known for his love of southern foods as for his influence on rock and roll. Yes, we speak of The King, Elvis Aaron Presley. The peanut butter and fried banana sandwiches the woman he referred to as his "brown momma," Pauline Nicholson, made him are legend. You'll find this delicious treat at many southern eateries and many other establishments that need a dash of southern flair on their menus.
Another icon who's very name has become a food item is Dagwood Bumstead of the syndicated Blondie comic strip. The Dagwood sandwich is even in the Webster's News World Dictinary. This slim and trim guy's "ginormous" sandwiches are the stuff of lore and you'll find variations of The Dagwood in many shops around the world. But if you want to go for the real deal, head to a Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppe if you're in Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, or... well, check the Web site for info.
Let's stay with sandwiches for a minute. Remember Cliff Huxtable? Dr. Huxtable, husband of Clair Huxtable, father of Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy? That's right, The Cosby Show. Boy, did he like food, and his favorite were Hoagies. Just knowing that he was about to prepare one of the sub-style sandwiches would send Cliff into a lip-smacking frenzy.
Hoagies are also a favorite of one of television's most beloved bad eaters: Homer Simpson. And hoagies, really, are just the start for this power-plant worker from Springfield, Illinois. We're talking, beer, pizza, burgers, doughnuts... Homer is the poster boy for bad eating. And you know what? The proof's in that none-too-healthy-looking gut he sports.
Goin' down to South Park, we head into Eric Cartman country. Without question, the chubby and lovable Cartman's favorite food is Cheesy Poofs. As far as snacktime goes, we'd like Cartman to opt for more healthy snacks fare, but it's hard to tell a feisty 8-year-old what to do. In one episode, Cartman tries out to be a spokesperson for the commercial. ("I could sing the cheesy poof song with both hands tied behind my back!" he says. Kyle shoots back: "You couldn't get both hands behind your back, fatty." Ouch.
Back to the "real world." Jerry Seinfeld is a seemingly healthy character. His love of breakfast cereal is well documented and made quite clear by the row of boxes in his kitchen. During a cursory look, we noticed that for the most part, he eats the healthy stuff. When we dug a little deeper, however, we found Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs. Not the healthiest choice. But he rounds it out with Kashi (one of the first times we saw this brand), GrapeNuts and Bran Flakes.
The Gilmore Girls, like many of us females, are very into food and don't make much of an effort to hide the fact. The girls are known for having tons of leftovers and really don't seem to limit themselves: Mallomars, Chinese food, pizza, doughnuts, baked goods and Pop-Tarts!
Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney, the affable, trouble-prone roommates on Laverne & Shirley, weren't much for cooking or anything. And when you moonlight at your Dad's place, as Laverne did, you get free food. But Laverne did have one specific comfort food she relied on when the going got tough, and we're not talking about Shirley's Boo-Boo Kitty, either. It's milk and Pepsi. You have to wonder if the product-placement people were on the case back in 1976 when these shows began airing.
If only our waistlines were as fictional as these chraracters', huh? It seems fictional characters can withstand eating bad-for-you foods much better than us mere mortals. See the first person on this list, Elvis, for proof that unhealthy eating habits can take their toll.
In real life, Hollywood celebs have personal chefs and nutritionists to keep them in shape. Now you can get the same star-treatment with eDiets! We offer one-on-one live counseling with our nutrition specialists and customized menu plans -- start with this free diet profile to start finding your ideal plan!
Like this post? Check these out:
-- 2030: The End of the World as We Know It
-- The Michael Phelps Diet: 12,000 Calories a Day
-- Why I Stuffed My Face for 5 Days Straight
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