green-eggs-and-ham
Explanation
The Joke
The comic reimagines a scene from Dr. Seuss's beloved children's book "Green Eggs and Ham." A character drawn in Seuss's distinctive style says "I do like green eggs and ham, but... tightness... in my... diaphragm..." -- trailing off in distress. The caption below reads: "After exposure to a lone star tick bite, Sam-I-Am's friend develops a dangerous allergy to meat."
The Humor
The joke takes the happy ending of "Green Eggs and Ham" -- in which the reluctant character finally tries green eggs and ham and discovers he loves them -- and adds a dark medical twist. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) can in fact cause alpha-gal syndrome, a real allergic reaction to red meat triggered by a sugar molecule (alpha-gal) found in most mammalian meat. Symptoms include hives, swelling, and in severe cases, anaphylaxis -- which the "tightness in my diaphragm" references. The humor comes from the collision between the innocent, rhyming world of Dr. Seuss and the grim reality of a tick-borne meat allergy. The character finally learned to love ham, only to become deathly allergic to it.
References
Alpha-gal syndrome is a real and increasingly common allergic condition first identified by researchers at the University of Virginia around 2009. It is transmitted through bites from the lone star tick, primarily found in the southeastern United States. "Green Eggs and Ham" (1960) by Dr. Seuss is one of the best-selling children's books of all time.