‘I feel personally attacked’: Man’s passionate rant against fancy mac-and-cheese recipe is a Thanksgiving gift
An unusual recipe for mac and cheese has angered the internet, and one comedian is “ready to fight” for his favorite Thanksgiving side dish.
When chefs on the Food Network show The Kitchen introduced the “Ultimate Mac and Cheese,” upgrading the classic meal with roasted vegetables, Gruyère, mustard, and stuffing, the recipe didn’t sit well with comedian Kevin Fredericks.
The L.A.-based father of two, famous for his pop-culture rants including “Bra off = day over” and “Why are squiggly eyebrows a thing?” filmed a passionate rebuttal in a video that’s now viral with 3.8 million Facebook views.
Food Network put brussel sprouts, squash, and dressing in the macaroni and cheese and now I'm ready to fight.
Posted by KevOnStage on Tuesday, November 21, 2017
“Some recipes are not supposed to be altered,” Fredericks declares in the video. “First of all, she put Gruyère in the mac and cheese … but then! She just, I mean, desecrated the mac with Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots … this ain’t a casserole … leave it alone!”
But the final topping — a sprinkling of crunchy stuffing — is what sent Fredericks over the edge. “I don’t think y’all understand how upset this makes me … you’re entitled to your own opinion, but I want to fight you for it. I’m triggered, I feel personally attacked.”
Most upsetting to Fredericks was that the mac and cheese never made it into the oven. Instead, the cavatelli noodles (which replaced classic elbows) were precooked and then mixed with veggies in a pot.
Fredericks, 34, speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle about his passionate response, explains, “Mac and cheese was the No. 1 Thanksgiving side dish growing up in Texas. It’s equally as important as the turkey.”
Likening the new recipe to pouring ketchup on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Fredericks says he acted on a matter of principle. “This may not have bothered me in February or July, but people wait all year for Thanksgiving and they’re saying, ‘Let’s jazz it up.’”
His fans united in support for Fredericks, writing under his video, “This is like when someone in our family volunteered to bring mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and without saying anything brought mashed cauliflower instead…” and, “Ewwwww it’s like they mixed everything that’s supposed to be separate dishes into one!”
There is nothing like food to get people riled up. In October, social media revolted over translucent pumpkin pie, a twist on the traditional Thanksgiving dessert, served at Alina restaurant in Chicago.
Also in October, the Food Network was dragged online for its “brilliant peanut butter hack,” which involved freezing a slab of peanut butter, then slicing it into sandwich-sized squares to be thawed when ready to eat. The multi-step process was mocked for its time-consuming prep that far exceeded the time it takes to slap together a basic PB&J sandwich.
Fortunately, macaroni and cheese will remain sacred in the Fredericks home. “My aunt will be making it the standard way: cheese, milk, butter, and baked in the oven,” says the comedian. “Standard-issue soul food.”
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