macksting

Lots to unpack here!

So here's a sort of funny thought I had. Dana Perino's infamous queso tweet has made her a laughing stock. But why?

Well, the most important reason is, she thought everybody should congratulate her and participate in her cooking. I guess. Or whatever reason it is that people who have a brand will go to Twitter with every stupid thing they do.

Let us consider, though! She has now also become a Japanese comedy stereotype!

Akane making queso

Dana Perino has found herself as an edge case of the trope known on TVTropes as "Lethal Chef."

In most cultures, cooking is a traditional aspect of femininity. (Being paid for your cooking, of course, is usually a masculine trait.) So being a bad chef is failing to woman, which is funny if you're a female, yes? One imagines Dana Perino does build some of her brand on the basis of her being an acceptable woman. She's a Fox News anchor. She even has a show in the morning slot. Can't be too unconventional in that role. So let's look her up.

Not wildly regressive, but definitely well within the norms of performative femininity. Corny jokes, establishment, blonde, and tweets about cooking. So that's certainly good for a laugh all by itself.

Raise the weeb flag high! A cruel anime stereotype brought to life! Legit funny in my opinion.

That said, it's worth examining for a moment, I think. Is it funny? God yes. Should it be funny? Ehhhhhhh some parts of it seem a little risky. (Doesn't change that it's funny as hell.)

Anyway, Dana Perino, welcome to the ranks of lethal chefs. Usagi brought curry.

Usagi's Ugly Curry