But it's not the email kind. Not today.

Spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam SPAAAAAAAM!
But it’s not the e-mail kind. Not today.
It’s the kind you eat. Or the kind you watch other people eat and wonder why.
Dubbed ‘the miracle meat’- miracle meat? I think mystery meat is more like it. SPAM was the first canned meat product that didn’t require any refrigeration. And during World War Two, it soared in popularity.
While the military was sending those little cans out to war with the soldiers in the field, the ladies at home were sticking it on American plates. ‘Cause it wasn’t rationed like beef. That’s because SPAM is made from other things.
Have you ever read that book, The Jungle? Hyeah, not rationed. You know why? Because SPAM stands for Something Posing As Meat.
Over the years SPAM has basically become the punch-line of pretty much every mystery-meat joke out there. And during a lunch time conversation here at the What You Ought To Know studios-no we weren’t eating any- our curiosity was piqued. What is SPAM?
So we spent thirteen seconds scouring the internet, clicked on the first link that came up and found one of the funniest sites we’ve seen in a long time.
SPAM Classic is made of just a few simple ingredients: ham, pork, sugar, salt, water, a little potato starch, and a mere hint of sodium nitrite to help SPAM keep its color! Sounds delicious! And, it is!
We found SPAM! On the Internet. Who knew?
Whoever made this site did not take themselves too seriously. And that’s why I love them. It’s beautiful and it’s mystical. . . it’s like SPAM itself.
Now let’s ask the magic book of SPAM what sodium nitrite is.
A tiny amount of sodium nitrite is used to help SPAM keep its gorgeous pink color. Without it, all pork items would turn grey. And no one wants that. Bacon, salami, ham and so many other delicious items contain small amounts of sodium nitrite. It should really be renamed pinkification!
Pinkification? I know what I’m getting my niece for her birthday. Sodium nitrite.
The word SPAM is supposed to be a contraction for spiced ham. Some people say it means shoulder of pork and ham, but I think it means Salty Pink Amorphous Meat. ‘Cause that’s what it is.
Well we’ll leave you to play around on the SPAM(dot)com website. And learn lots more about SPAM. The other lunchmeat. That’s usually eaten at breakfast.
But before we go, some SPAM haiku:
Silent former pig
one communal awareness
myriad pink bricks
The color of SPAM
is as natural as the sky.
A block of sunrise.
Old man greets doctor
I eat SPAM daily he says
angioplasty
So here’s to the little pink molded piggy gelatin product that we know as SPAM. Don’t think i’m gonna eat it though. I don’t like SPAM.
Silken pig tofu
the color of spanked buttocks
blushing at my knife
Transcribed by: Chryss H.
Internet find of the day:
The SPAM site.
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25 Comments
The SPAM Museum! | The Retro Report
[...] To see a clip about Spam, click here: http://www.whatyououghttoknow.com/show/2008/07/09/spam/ [...]WEASEL1053
Seroiusly, a three-egg, spam & cheese omlette rocks! Try it!meggiebean
Yeah, i had to read The Jungle for American Literature. *shudder* EW. gag.GameDroid98
You should do a show on Spam, not the food, the e-mail kind. Where does it come from? How does ...The Brothers Winn
Well Beebs, it looks like the powers that be at spam.com changed their website. (Nothing lasts forever.) But that's why ...Beebs
Bad news: Your link no longer works and I can't find that page with a google search. Maybe they've pulled ...OldGuy41
Make him stop! I'm crying! I can't breathe! Choke! Gasping for air!musicfreak
that website is probably the funniest thing I've seen in a while......besides this show.....yeah, rock camera man!!! I mean....guy in ...prolan1111
ptfRWs it`realy.... good info.... imhopkw
That site is the best!!! Now, every morning at work I consult with the "Book of SPAM"... Much ...Meandering
The best part of this episode was the final Haiku. Hilarity at its finest. Great episode and SPAM ...Aivri
New Mexico and Hawaii are SPAM hog lovers.Danielle G
You can buy that Book of Spam! http://www.amazon.com/Book-Spam-Glorious-Definitive-Compendium/dp/0743291921/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4834480-8612717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177191868&sr=8-1 O, canned meat! Such joy! We singeth thine merry song With drunken Vikings!Jacob
That's it. I'm going to go buy some Spam right now!Bob
Once for a Halloween activity instead of bobbing for apples the person hosting the party devided we'd bob for spam. ...Brion
That site is made by Hormel (the makers of SPAM). Did you know that in Austin, MN, the birthplace ...Dandapani [22]
http://starbulletin.com/2004/03/07/business/story3.html Hawaii leads the nation in per capita Spam consumption.Alex
spamspamspamspamspamspamspamspamShikeishuu
For as long as I can remember I've had an aversion to spam and bologna. I enjoy other re-constituted ...Nospinplease
SPAM! It is disgusting!steph
thats funny theres a SPAM museum =P yet very odd. very funny show this time lol. =]Jayder
That site is hilarious.Christian Johnson
back that was a long 3days......if you cook it its not that badedthemanily
That and potted meat, yuck!edthemanily
I am the First! Yea