Q&A with Author Daniel Pinkwater
Do you think there should be "skinny camps" where skinny kids can go to fatten up?
Yes. I went to one. Unlike the fat camps, where the kids are supposed
to skinny down, it worked fine!
What are the requirements to becoming a Fat Camp Commando?
You must be a little fatball of fury. Or, if you can't be a fatball of
fury, at least a ball of fury.
Were you force-fed shredded carrots and raisins as a child?
I was! And it was a military school besides. The shredded carrots and
raisins were always warmer than room temperature.
What is your favorite food?
I LOVE veggieburgers, you know those non-meat hamburger things they
sell in the supermarket? I LOVE them, LOVE them! They are just yummy.
Specially good with a slice of New York State extra-sharp cheddar
cheese, a slice of raw onion and catsup! Much tastier than most meat
burgers, and besides, who ever heard of Mad Soybean Disease?
Why is "fat" treated like a bad word?
It is all the fault of advertising agencies. At some point they
started depicting thin people in bathing suits having fun at the beach
to sell things. After a while, the idea took
hold that you weren't having fun unless you were thin. Calling someone "fat" was to suggest a non-fun person — a terrible thing to be.
If a chicken read your fortune, what would it be?
Cluck, cluck. Mr. Pinkwater, your publisher is going to send you a big
check! Cluck, cluck, cluck!
