Tobacco in Cupcakes Really?!

Food Network is probably my FAVORITE channel. I love food competitions, their ‘reality’ shows, and who doesn’t love to learn a new recipe or technique? Well then I ran into an episode of Cupcake Wars and more specific the Cupcake Wars Ace Of Cakes 100th Episode Celebration. If you haven’t seen it here is a brief summary of what the episode is about:

Four talented cupcake bakers vie for the chance to have their sweets displayed at an anniversary party for Ace of Cakes’ 100th episode. Cake-master Duff Goldman shares his expertise as a guest judge and contestants include: Jessica Cuff of The Coffee Shop (Gilbert, Ariz.), Michael Centimore of Cupcake Charlies (Mashpee, Mass.), Alyssa Magliato of The Perfect Circle Cupcakery (Orange, Calif.) and Erica Tucker of Sweet E’s Bake Shop (Los Angeles).

Now I”m sure you’re wondering but Brandy what POSSIBLY could this have to do with tobacco right? Well one of the cupcake designers (Jessica Cuff of The Coffee Shop) decided in the second round to make a cupcake that used crushed up TOBACCO …. I was floored when I seen this. She compared it to spicy bacon. Again all I’m thinking is “Really?! REALLY?!” I wanted to go through the tv and throttle her. I mean we spend A LOT of time/money on trying to get kids to NOT smoke and here we are advertising cupcakes made with pieces of tobacco … I don’t get it. The other ‘awesome’ part was they made cigarettes out of fondant. Maybe I’m to emotionally attached but doesn’t this just scream ‘Here kids lets pull you away from smoking by giving you a sugary cupcake with tobacco in it.’  Apparently this is a specialty of her and her sister’s at their shop. They make coffee and cigarette cupcakes. Okay I get these would be adult only but what child do you know of that would pass up a cupcake because you told them no those are adults only? All they would hear is the word cupcake.

What made it even worse? The judges didn’t seem like it was a problem. Duff said that it was good until he got to the tobacco and it tasted like a cigarette … YOU THINK?! What else would it taste like? Also she was the WINNER of the contest. Sure she made other really good cupcakes but to me on a FAMILY SHOW this just promotes smoking doesn’t it? Like I said I could just be more emotionally attached to this topic because I watched my grandma die in 5 months from YEARS of smoking. I watch my family EVERYDAY pump the tobacco into their lungs because it’s a stress reliever. I just don’t get it. Like I said, I could be reading to much into this but every time I see this episode it makes me so angry I turn the channel.

So what do you think? Am I overreacting or is this just insane and making cigarettes more glamorous?

What’s Next Barbie?!

I’ve always been a big Barbie girl growing up. She mixed it well with my ninja turtles, I thought they all looked cool cruising in her red convertible. Yet over the years Barbie has gotten a lot of heat, what with her and Ken divorcing, her love for GI Joe (so all that may or may not be rumors you know how being in the public eye can be), and lets not forget all the jobs she’s had over the years. I love how inspiring she is to kids little girls (and boys hey there is no judging here Owen has been known to mix it up with my niece’s Barbie while they are playing with his action figures) and I really like the new “I Can Be” series they are doing with Barbie, but I think some of them are not all that great examples to set.

First is the Barbie I Can Be; Bride Doll, I mean they even have Ken and Ring Bearer (though he’s a bit pricey). I’ve done the whole dress up and pretend to be married stuff. What I have a problem with here is that we’ve already seen in fairy-tales and movies how clouded the view of marriage is and maybe I’m a bit jaded in these views because I’ve had my share of downfalls in my own marriage, but I think this is a bit much. I wouldn’t have a problem if they just released this doll on it’s own but why being married isn’t a JOB and this is part of a collection showing Barbie doing (what I’m assuming) different jobs, sure there are woman that love to do the whole step-ford wife bit still, and we all know there are still men out there that expect the woman to bow down and treat him like a God once the rings are on. This just seems to be a bad idea and just does more to glorify being married and being a bride to little girls. We have a lot more to offer than just being a wife, and not everyone wants to be married. Also before anyone says “Maybe that’s not how they are meaning it to be!” Here is what it says on the Mattel website:
“Barbie® I Can Be…™ dolls and accessories let girls play out fabulous careers and different roles, including a beautiful bride on her wedding day” Like I said, I think the Bride Barbie is cute but shouldn’t be included in something that showcases careers.

Then we have the Barbie Potty Training Pups. Now this is just ridiculous really. I know they make the Barbie Doll with Tanner the Dog that you feed him a treat and he poops. This potty training Pup toy is kinda the same idea except they pee and “poop” (yes the papers turn yellow or have little brown circles on them). Yup you fill their little bottles with water, Barbie feeds them and then you make them pee. I can see this being a disaster and I can see my nieces trying to make the real dogs that they are around pee … that wouldn’t be too fun lol. Now if you’ve NEVER even seen the promo for this I found it on Youtube (thank  goodness for Youtube lol) and will share it because while it’s funny in a way it shows how silly it is. So enjoy … or just laugh. I found the HSN clip on Youtube and I don’t think they got through the whole thing without laughing, it just is a bit much I think. Anyway, you decide:

What I wanna know is what happened to Malibu Barbie and all those barbies that were around when I was 7, 8, 9, or 10? Why does Barbie need pets that poop and pee? What’s next “gas” for her convertible?