By Hannah Lathen/managing editor
With all the chaos happening in the world, neighbors, family members and friends are once again finding themselves divided. Outrage and distress has taken over the internet as they struggle to answer the million-dollar question.
Does pineapple belong on pizza?
People on social media have been going back and forth for years arguing about whether this tropical fruit fits on the Italian dish, but in the last several months the issue, as with many others, has become rather heated.
Memes are filling up feeds reading “Imma let you finish, but pineapple is the best topping on pizza,” and “There are two kinds of people: people who like pineapple on pizza and normal people.”
Last month, the president of Iceland, Guoni Johannesson, added more fuel to the fire when he said if he could, he would outlaw pineapple on pizza.
Before long, headlines about it swept the internet. Half of the world agreed with him, and the other half was enraged.
Because of the controversy, Johannesson felt compelled to release a statement on Facebook saying, “I like pineapples, just not on pizza. I do not have the power to make laws which forbid people to put pineapples on their pizza. I am glad that I do not hold such power. Presidents should not have unlimited power. I would not want to hold this position if I could pass laws forbidding that which I don’t like. I would not want to live in such a country. For pizzas, I recommend seafood.”
Pineapple is commonly found on Hawaiian pizza with Canadian bacon. This pizza was actually created in Canada, not Hawaii.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada put his reputation on the line when he gave his opinion on the issue in a tweet saying, “@JonWiseman I have a pineapple. I have a pizza. And I stand behind this delicious Southwestern Ontario creation. #TeamPineapple @Canada”
As with the rest of the world, TCC students are also far from agreeing to the question “Is pineapple a suitable pizza topping?”
NW student Hannah Munro takes a position similar to Johannesson’s.
“I’m personally not a fan of pineapple pizza,” she said. “I like pizza, and I like pineapple, but not together. I like pineapple to be cold, not hot.”
SE student Ilexis Brown says pineapple works on pizza.
“Pineapple belongs on pizza because it makes it more sweet and savory,” Brown said.
South student Charles Henderson does not feel the same way.
“If you hand me a pizza and it has pineapple on it, I’ll take it off,” he said.
NE student Autumn McClain said pineapple belongs on pizza because it is sweet and tangy.
“Barbecue chicken and pineapple on pizza is especially bomb,” she said.
TR student Cruz Varela treads on more neutral ground with the topic.
“It depends,” he said. “It’s like cheese. All cheese is good, but how it tastes can depend on your mood that day or what you are eating it with.”
Maybe one day, world residents can set aside their differences and come to a consensus. However, it does not look promising. Pineapple-on-pizza lovers and haters are expected to remain at odds.
However, NE student Zerb Mellish said he does not get to participate in the debate for one good reason.
“I am allergic to pineapple,” he said.
Also contributing Raegan Scharfetter, Anne Francomano, Kathryn Kelman, Bethany Narvaez and Jason Middlebrooks
