# Cannibalism "reported" in New Orleans **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 4, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017 "2005-09-04T06:22:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/21 "2005-09-04T15:39:13Z")
Clicking on the link now, the author seems to be retracting his cannibalism claim. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/22 "2005-09-04T15:58:18Z")
There’s no “seems to be” to it. He recanted the statement and admitted it was an unsubstantiated rumor. Would that the major news networks followed suit on some of their reports. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/23 "2005-09-04T17:31:32Z")
Isn’t there a psychological barrier to overcome before one resorts to cannibalism? There are National Guardsmen around, helicopters, news crews that can report to the survivors that help is on the way, etc. The Andes survivors were on their own with no contact with the outside world. I would find it very surprising if anyone in New Orleans was resorting to cannibalism after less than a week. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/24 "2005-09-04T17:32:08Z")
Here’s the update from the site: > [@](#): > > UPDATE: The claim in the first sentence in my post was incorrect. I had been told this was happening, but these claims have turned out to be unsubstantiated. I therefore retract them – but stand behind everything else I wrote without reservation. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/25 "2005-09-04T17:40:28Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > There’s no “seems to be” to it. He recanted the statement and admitted it was an unsubstantiated rumor. Would that the major news networks followed suit on some of their reports. You’re right, of course. I’m just the kind of guy who says “it seems to be raining” during thunderstorms. Not the best habit, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/26 "2005-09-04T17:56:39Z")
I saw this exchange on CNN: Reporter: What is going on? Guy in Street: I ate a dead corpse last night. Reporter: My God. This hurricane has been awful. Guy in Street: There was a hurricane? (Just kidding!) ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/27 "2005-09-04T18:24:47Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Eat me. Tastes like chicken (shit or hawk, take your pick). ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/28 "2005-09-04T21:51:58Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Isn’t there a psychological barrier to overcome before one resorts to cannibalism? Well, apart from cases of extreme desperation, most modern cannibals seem to fit the Jeffery Dahmer mould: middle-class, white, male, educated loners who are out of their fucking gourds - not a lot of starving darkies in there. The inaugural meeting of the NAACP {North American Association for Cannibal Practises} - motto: A thigh is a terrible thing to waste - has thus been cancelled due to lack of interest. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/29 "2005-09-04T22:40:52Z")
> [@](#): > > The doors wouldn’t open. We hit the emergency call button. No response. Within five minutes we were joking about which of us would be the first to be eaten by the others. FIVE MINUTES! I’m sure if no one had come to rescue us by lunchtime, we would have resorted to cannibalism. **None of us were black** “Pardon me, does anyone have any gray poupon?” ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/30 "2005-09-04T22:41:39Z")
Now I know you ain’t black. You woulda asked for some Tabasco Sauce. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/31 "2005-09-04T23:02:04Z")
“Survival can be delicious…tonight on EMERIL **ALIVE**!!!”😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/32 "2005-09-05T00:17:48Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Now I know you ain’t black. You woulda asked for some Tabasco Sauce. With fava beans and a nice Chianti? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/33 "2005-09-05T00:35:27Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > not a lot of starving darkies in there. …“darkies”??? :rolleyes: Also: It just occurred to me that maybe there’s some (fancied) connection between voodoo and cannibalism. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/34 "2005-09-05T00:40:57Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > Actually, the elevator was restored to normal function before we could settle the argument over whether we should eat the smallest person first because they were least able to resist, or the largest person first so we could last longer before eating another. I’m gonna tell you something, and I might get kicked out of the Big Guy Club for tellin’ ya, but ya _gotta_ eat the big guy first. The odds of eating him _at all_ go down with every little guy eaten. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/35 "2005-09-05T02:23:25Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > …“darkies”??? :rolleyes: No need for the rolleyes there; no racial offence was intended. “Starving darkies” was my hyperbolic spin on the hysterical, groundless and inflammatory claim of Mr Robinson that poor black folk were reduced to eating one another. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/36 "2005-09-05T04:16:36Z")
Upon further investigation, it appears that cannibalism in New Orleans has not risen above normal levels. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/37 "2005-09-05T06:17:38Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Isn’t there a psychological barrier to overcome before one resorts to cannibalism? Uh, hellooooo? We’re American. We’re all like, hypoglycemic or diabetic. We have to eat a super-sized happy meal at least once an hour, or we’ll _DIE_. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/38 "2005-09-05T06:31:27Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > Yeah, but the ones in the Andes _kept_ longer. New Orleans in September, those bodies are going to be past their “best by” date pretty soon. Only the _dead_ bodies are going past their “best buy” date, with guns one can get fresh meat anytime. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/39 "2005-09-05T06:46:31Z")
But if it runs, the meat tastes gamey. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017/40 "2005-09-05T07:02:42Z")
> [@The Tooth](#): > > But if it runs, the meat tastes gamey. Judging from what I’ve seen on TV, people from New Orleans don’t exercise over-much. Damn media liberal bias. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannibalism-reported-in-new-orleans/320017.md?page=3)