Spam is a canned meat product made by Hormel Foods Corporation, consisting of chopped pork, ham, salt, water and starch covered by a gelatinous glaze and it is produced in Minnesota and Nebraska. Becoming part of pop culture, Spam has sold over seven billion cans and on average 3.8 cans are consumed every second in the United States alone. Monty Python has been the source of many pop culture references to the product, including their musical Spamalot.
References
- The pig chief Spa'am in Muppet Treasure Island is a nod to the meat product. In 1995, the Hormel corporation, makers of SPAM processed luncheon meat, attempted to sue Jim Henson Productions for trademark infringement and dilution over the character. Hormel claimed that the unkempt, savage boar character defamed the name of their product and that merchandise items featuring Spa'am would cut into profits from their own licensed SPAM merchandise. The case was decided in favor of Henson.
- Spamela Hamderson is another nod to the meat.
- Hooper's Store sells many different brands of products, including Cram and Slam.
- Oscar the Grouch (literally) cooks eggs on the sidewalk for breakfast in Episode 1502 of Sesame Street. When asking his Grouch friends if they want anything else, one of his offerings is Spam.
- Yujin's Sesame Street phone mascots from 2005 were re-released the following year with each character coming in a miniature can parodying well-known consumer brands. The Ernie mascot came in a can spoofing Spam.