Radioactive shrimp is one of the most worrying food products that recently landed on US soil, with many of them being recalled, as expected. And if you aren’t convinced enough yet that radioactive shrimp is dangerous, then Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana has presented a most compelling argument on why it’s bad: it “can” turn you into a xenomorph from the Alien movies. Supposedly:
Early in September, Senator Kennedy attended the US Congress on Capitol Hill to warn his fellow Americans that raw, frozen shrimp imported from foreign places like Indonesia, then sold in US Walmart branches, could potentially turn their eaters into a Chestburster from Alien, which is the infant form of the iconic Xenomorph. How? Well, “Because the shrimp was radioactive! I kid you not,” according to Senator Kennedy.
To be more specific, Senator Kennedy claimed that this imported shrimp contains Caesium-137 and that “It’ll kill ya! Even if it doesn’t turn you into the Alien if you eat this stuff, I guarantee you’ll grow an extra ear!” Further explained Senator Kennedy. His sci-fi-flavored theatrics have certainly become the highlight of the session.
For the record, Senator Kennedy’s warning about the Caesium-137 in the shrimp and the recall for the imported frozen shrimp were correct. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the US started the recall on August 20 for three batches of shrimp shipped out to various US states. However, turning into a Xenomorph or perhaps becoming a host to a baby Xenomorph or Chestburster is excessively hyperbolic. In any case, Senator Kennedy is rallying against Walmart’s distribution of seafood products, particularly shrimp.
A New Pretext for Tighter Border Control?
Senator Kennedy then ended his presentation on stricter border inspection protocols for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is responsible for the quality of seafood entering the US. While it’s not clear how the shrimp was laced with radioactive material, the blame, as per Senator Kennedy, falls on NOAA for its lax inspections. People have since made fun of Senator Kennedy’s theatrics.
“I’m pretty sure this is not what you will look like after eating raw frozen shrimp from Indonesia. But can someone fact check me? 😂” says one X user
“It probably cost $400 in ink, xerox, and mounting material to print that. All so he could make an Alien reference. Our reality is a depressing joke.”
“Stay safe out there.”
As expected, the internet went abuzz with Senator Kennedy’s rather imaginative take on what radiation does to the body. For the most part, Caesium-137 will increase cancer risk in the long term, while anyone ingesting it in immediate high doses could experience sickness or death. Sadly, the shrimp won’t turn anyone into a Xenomorph or any other alien, and we all know how much MAGA politicians fear those aliens.
