Here's a "web exclusive" from John Oliver. It's about the mania this time of year for things with pumpkin in them.
I don't like pumpkin…or at least, I didn't before it turned up on my food allergy list and I stopped eating it in any form. This means that October is a good month for me to stay out of any Trader Joe's. October is the month when everything at Trader Joe's — including the pot roast, the chocolate bars, the dishwashing liquid and your change — contains pumpkin. It's like the Monty Python "Spam" sketch except with pumpkin instead of Spam.
Think I'm making this up? This year, their "Fearless Flyer" includes the promise of Pumpkin Bagels, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, Pumpkin Spice Chai, Pumpkin Spice Coffee, Pumpkin Cream Cheese, Ginger Pumpkin Mini Mouthfuls, Mini Pumpkin Pies, Pumpkin Bread Pudding, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Croissants, Pumpkin Ice Cream, Pumpkin Macarons, Pumpkin Pie Mochi Ice Cream, Pumpkin Waffles, Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancake Mix, Organic Canned Pumpkin, Organic Pumpkin Toaster Pastries, Pecan Pumpkin Instant Oatmeal, Pumpkin Bar Baking Mix, Pumpkin Bread Mix, Pumpkin Butter, Pumpkin Cornbread Mix, Pumpkin Cranberry Scone Mix, Joe's Pumpkin O's, Pumpkin Pancake & Waffle Mix, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Spice Granola, This Pumpkin Walks Into A Bar…, Toasted Pumpkin Seed Oil, Mini Pumpkins, Pie Pumpkin, Orange Pumpkins, Sugar Pumpkin, Nonfat Greek Pumpkin Yogurt, Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli, Pumpkin Rolls with Icing, Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Salted Caramels, Iced Pumpkin Scone Cookies, Pita Crisps with Cranberries & Pumpkin Seeds, Pumpkin Biscotti, Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps, Pumpkin Croutons, Pumpkin Joe Joe's, Pumpkin Seed Brittle, Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds, Pumpkin Body Butter and KBC Pumpkin Ale.
Oh, yes…and they also sell pumpkins. Guess where I'm not shopping this month. Here's Mr. Oliver…