Comedifans Post-Game - Episode 040

As mentioned in “Comedifans” Episode 40 and previous “Comedifans” episodes, I agreed with Golak to eat ribs after 17 years of never doing so. That happened this past weekend at the Jazz & Ribs Festival in Columbus.

I stopped eating beef and pork back in elementary school. It was a combination of decisions that prompted it. First, I was grabbing a further understanding of my religion, and felt that if my mother wasn't cooking any beef and pork as part of our cuisine and it wasn't a part of their cultural upbringing either, why should I be eating it? It also was a time when Mad Cow Disease, e.Coli, and other bacteria in beef products were becoming big deals and constantly covered in the news. To me, I could sacrifice those meats and live a healthier lifestyle, and I've kept up with that over the years.

When I did eat beef and pork, I loved ribs. That was because of Geppetto's, a Cleveland tradition known for their award-winning ribs. Like most Clevelanders, I loved Geppetto's, so when I made this decision, that was the toughest of those meats to sacrifice. A Big Mac didn't matter. Bacon wasn't a big thing. But, Geppetto's ribs, that was going to be difficult.

Nevertheless, I've gone so many years without it, so it was nice to get out at a big event like the Jazz & Ribs Festival and eat some ribs again. There were a lot of options to choose from, so I obviously had to rely off Golak for the decision making. Every ribs place was award-winning. It just depends on the award and the part of the country. It was like going to the local showcase at the Funny Bone where half the comics you see get introduced as a finalist or the winner of “The Funniest Person in Columbus.” Well, I guess they'll all be at least good. So, our buddy Duffy had tried Pigfoot on Friday night, so that's where we went to as well as Famous Dave's, a Golak selection. I got a sampler at Pigfoot and a sampler platter at Famous Dave's.

All in all, it was nice to eat ribs again. Both ribs were good. I guess they are deserving of winning awards, but then again, I haven't eaten them in 17 years, so what do I know? I enjoyed a $5 lemonade with my ribs, which brings up the fact that I should quit comedy and open up a lemonade stand at festivals. The overhead that company got is ridiculous. Though, I must say, the lemonade really hit the spot on such a hot day, and the platter made me want to go home and make more cornbread.

On a side note with this “Comedifans” episode, I wanted to do the Jim Thome comparison. Take a look at Jim Thome photos from 1992 and 2011. Hmm, maybe it's just baggier clothing. You make the decision.