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Keep Your Hands Off My Popcorn

This week, Sony Pictures Entertainment Chief Executive Michael Lynton was reported in the LA Times as saying that he'd like to see healthier snacks offered in movie theaters in place of traditional concessions fare--like popcorn.

Now, I'm all for making America healthier, but wouldn't it make more sense to go after the fast food restaurants rather than the movie theaters? Are people taking their kids to the movies so often now that the kids are actually getting fat as a result of popcorn indulgence?

Highly doubtful--considering the price of admission. Not to mention that most people can't afford to buy more than the small size bag of popcorn, which holds about two and a half kernels, if that. If you buy a bag of peanut M&M's, you get half a peanut.

So pardon me if I'm a little skeptical about how much of a reform is needed.

Besides, the entire movie-going experience is one big splurge anyway. You spend too much, you eat junk food, you watch a movie with no plot just because at one point they blow up a trunk--it's like a mini-vacation.

It's also an American tradition, and popcorn is ingrained in that tradition. I think it's great that steps are being taken to cut down on unhealthy food, but we're not talking about ice cream and Junior Whoppers here; it's popcorn. Couldn't you compromise and just take away the butter? (Let's all be honest, that stuff is about as much butter as hot dogs are steak.) The butter I'd be willing to negotiate--maybe even the salt--how bad can the popcorn be for me after taking away all that?

So please, Mr. Lynton, if you must--go after my twizzlers, my milk duds, my raisinets, but please--keep your hands off my popcorn.

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