Food fight

For other uses, see Food fight (disambiguation).

File:Tomatina.jpg

Citizens of Bunyol, Spain engage in the annual tomato-based food fight La Tomatina

A food fight is a form of chaotic collective behavior, in which food is thrown at others in the manner of projectiles. These projectiles are not made to harm or damage others, but to simply ignite a fight filled with spontaneous food throwing. Food fights may be impromptu examples of rebellion or violence, however, they can also be planned events. For example, La Tomatina is a regularly held, organized Spanish food fight in which participants pelt each other with tomatoes. In organized food fights, the food "weapons" are usually all of one kind, or of a limited variety. An impromptu food fight will use whatever food is on hand.

Food fights are a common element in slapstick comedy, with the pie in the face gag being especially prominent. Food fights are frequently featured in children's television and books, usually as an example of destructive or reckless behaviour. One famous food fight scene in a movie took place in National Lampoon's Animal House. Another took place in Hook.

Though usually associated with juvenile settings such as schools, there are notable incidents that take place in more refined locations, such as the food fight at a lunch meeting of the Legislative Yuan of Taiwan. In Europe, some food fights evolved into traditional celebrations rooted either in recent past such as the Spanish Tomatina or in long-gone centuries such as the Battaglia degli aranci during the Ivrea Carnival in Italy.

In fiction

• The musical film Bugsy Malone based upon prohibition era Chicago had much of it fighting scenes using food as weaponry, including lethal cream pies.
• The British television show Skins makes use of a food fight at one of the character's houses in its first series.
• The Canadian television show Degrassi: The Next Generation features a food fight in it's second season, for which then 8th grader Emma Nelson was blamed and suspended for a week.
• The pilot episode of Invader Zim features a food fight.
• An episode of Lizzie McGuire featured a food fight.
• A food fight is in one of the scenes in the movie Max Keeble's Big Move.

References

my shit smells good

External links

• An example of a food fight from YouTube