# Barilla Pasta Boldly Stands Up for Traditional Families **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 26, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750 "2013-09-26T20:09:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/41 "2013-09-27T13:18:56Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I just checked my cupboard to see what pasta I actually had. I have a box of Barilla Angel Hair pasta and three boxes of Kroger brand penne. I think that pasta may in fact be one of the least brand conscious decisions I make. All the boxes are typically the same color and all of them are very similar in price. Additionally I typically notice very little difference in taste. > > I think when I buy pasta it’s more, “I need some regular noodles, maybe some rigatoni, maybe some penne” and then I just grab the first boxes I see for each type of noodle. To my tastes pretty much every pasta that comes in a box is about the same. Except Barilla which is a little better. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/42 "2013-09-27T13:33:26Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > To my tastes pretty much every pasta that comes in a box is about the same. Except Barilla which is a little better. Try De Cecco. It’s better and doesn’t come with free “value advice”. Consensus here in Italy is that Garofalo is the best big brand, but I think that is hard to find abroad. I agree in the sense that if I’m only going to buy products which are owned by people who 100% agree with me then I’m going to find myself living on organic lentils and grass. However, in this case the guy _explicitly_ said that if you don’t like his values, you can go buy other stuff. I’m just doing as he asked. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/43 "2013-09-27T13:37:04Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > Try De Cecco. It’s better and doesn’t come with free “value advice”. Consensus here in Italy is that Garofalo is the best big brand, but I think that is hard to find abroad. > > I agree in the sense that if I’m only going to buy products which are owned by people who 100% agree with me then I’m going to find myself living on organic lentils and grass. However, in this case the guy _explicitly_ said that if you don’t like his values, you can go buy other stuff. I’m just doing as he asked. I’ll have to look. I don’t recognize the brand. Not sure if its in our stores. This reminds me, I haven’t made a pot of sauce in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/44 "2013-09-27T13:38:42Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > Try De Cecco. Yeah, they won my personal taste test long ago. Of course nothing in a box will ever compare with making it yourself, but that’s an even bigger pain in the ass than ol’ Guido. > [@Loach](#): > > I’ll have to look. I don’t recognize the brand. Not sure if its in our stores. Kind of a light blue, faded box. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/45 "2013-09-27T14:39:43Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > Try De Cecco. It’s better and doesn’t come with free “value advice”. Consensus here in Italy is that Garofalo is the best big brand, but I think that is hard to find abroad. > > I agree in the sense that if I’m only going to buy products which are owned by people who 100% agree with me then I’m going to find myself living on organic lentils and grass. However, in this case the guy _explicitly_ said that if you don’t like his values, you can go buy other stuff. I’m just doing as he asked. Costco sometimes carries Garafalo - although being Costco, its 1) sometimes and 2) you’d better want ten pounds of spaghettini and not any angel hair, because that is what they have. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/46 "2013-09-27T14:46:34Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I just checked my cupboard to see what pasta I actually had. I have a box of Barilla Angel Hair pasta and three boxes of Kroger brand penne. Barilla (one box), De Cecco (one box) Garafalo (ten pounds :)), Vigo (no boil lasagna noodles - I love no boil lasagna noodles - lasagna used to be a pain in the butt and now its a fast easy casserole dish), Orgran (Gluten Free), Bionature (whole wheat organic noodles) and the winner is four boxes of Cremette - yummy white noodles to remind you of childhood. There are some bad gluten free noodles back there I should throw out. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/47 "2013-09-27T16:46:45Z")
Would it be politically incorrect to point out that his stance is somewhat ironic considering his first name is Guido? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/48 "2013-09-27T17:29:26Z")
From the Italian media, the original comment was “Va bene, se a loro piace la nostra pasta e la nostra comunicazione la mangiano, altrimenti mangeranno un’altra pasta. Uno non può piacere sempre a tutti,” which is “Okay, if they like our pasta and our message they eat it; otherwise, they’ll eat another pasta. One can’t always please everyone.” Another one of his statements, “Se agli omosessuali non piace la nostra comunicazione mangino pure un’altra pasta,” translates to “If homosexuals don’t like our message, let them by all means eat another pasta.” The general context is that this guy is really old-fashioned. I don’t think he’s actively anti-gay. All of his comments suggest that he thinks gays are an optional extra in society, not really part of it, and if you want to be gay, good for you, but don’t annoy the rest of us by pretending you belong. It’s not the most offensive homophobia in the world, but it’s also not something I want to support with my dollars. I would not be at all surprised is Signor Barilla ends up getting educated by this whole event and genuinely learning something. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/49 "2013-09-27T17:43:18Z")
I didn’t know “nohomo” was Italian. This is that much more ironic coming from a guy whose product usually hangs around with meatballs and is strongly associated with bowties. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/50 "2013-09-27T18:27:46Z")
Here’s a cute response from a competing pasta company in Germany: > **[Bertolli Makes the Most of Barilla Chairman's Anti-Gay Comments](https://www.adweek.com/adfreak/bertolli-makes-most-barilla-chairmans-anti-gay-comments-152758/)** > > Barilla is struggling enough this week without its competitors piling on. But Bertolli doesn't care. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/51 "2013-09-27T18:31:47Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > No bigotoni for you? LOLZ! Thank you. Brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![OtisCampbellWasRight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@OtisCampbellWasRight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtisCampbellWasRight)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/52 "2013-09-27T18:48:36Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > “We won’t include gays in our ads, because we like the traditional family. If gays don’t like it, they can always eat another brand of pasta. Everyone is free to do what they want, provided it doesn’t bother anyone else.” > > I’m fine with this. > > That being said, I don’t know if I’d trust the heterosexuality of any man who sells _thick_ spaghetti, if you know what I’m sayin’. This is what I was thinking…perhaps he dost protest too much. And I was going to make a limp noodle joke, but that would be just too easy. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/53 "2013-09-27T20:54:37Z")
Garofalo had this one on FB: “Le uniche famiglie che non sono Garofalo sono quelle che non amano la buona pasta.” The only families that aren’t Garofalo families are families that don’t like good pasta." ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/54 "2013-09-30T00:37:19Z")
I wasn’t shopping for pasta today but I happened to be in that aisle so I checked it out. De cecco had by far the smallest share of shelf space. It was bottom and tucked in the corner. And all they had was fusilli and penne. Their entire shelf space was four boxes wide. No wonder I never heard of them. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/55 "2013-09-30T01:07:49Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I’ll take him up on his offer to buy my pasta else where. He could have just kept his bigoted mouth shut. Yep, I bought pasta the day it came out (pun intended) and I bought DeCecco. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/56 "2013-09-30T02:33:00Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Here’s a cute response from a competing pasta company in Germany: > > [http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/bertolli-makes-most-barilla-chairmans-anti-gay-comments-152758#.UkWyw\_vSKnU.facebook](http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/bertolli-makes-most-barilla-chairmans-anti-gay-comments-152758#.UkWyw_vSKnU.facebook) I like how the two bowties have adopted a rigatoni. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/57 "2013-09-30T02:37:20Z")
I figured it was in-vitro fertilization, or just having sex with a rigatoni until the bowtie got preggo. I also like that the pastas are not all just plain wheat. Love for all, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/58 "2013-09-30T03:24:35Z")
I buy my pasta in the generic yellow package at NoFrills. I guess that make me a pasta non-aficionado. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/59 "2013-09-30T13:42:44Z")
He lost me (and my sister the lesbian, her partner and their four children) when he said gays shouldn’t adopt children. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750/60 "2013-10-01T08:50:22Z")
I buy whatever’s cheapest, as long as it’s whole-grain. I just checked, and one of the boxes in my food locker is Barilla. Since they didn’t want my business anyway, I’ll just send it back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barilla-pasta-boldly-stands-up-for-traditional-families/669750.md?page=2)