You’re telling me people like this just walk among us?
I didn’t grow up on a farm, but I was very good friends with a family that raised pigs every year, participated in pig shows and eventually had them butchered for meat. I helped them out from time to time and can’t imagine any one of them ever making noises like this.
Apparently, there’s a pretty large tradition at state fairs throughout the Midwest where people get up on stage and try to make the best hog calling sounds. After all contestants have their turn, the judges crown a winner, which is apparently a pretty big deal in certain parts of these great United States.
Well, I stumbled upon footage from the 2010 Illinois State Hog Calling Contest and my goodness my ears and eyes cannot believe themselves.
From a dude wearing a corn hat, to an over the top wearer of shades, to a city slicker with a hell of a falsetto, to, well, honestly words really stop coming to you after watching this a few times…
Take a look for yourself.
Maybe the best part is the interview afterwards, where they treat the winner like a celebrity and ask him about his plans for future competition.
“I’m a newbie here at the Illinois State fair, I have actually won the Iowa State fair three times, I’m the reigning champion over there. I was going to try the Pig Colony Trifecta… Nebraska and Wisconsin.”
I love farmers, big supporter of being able to eat, but my goodness I am uncomfortable with whatever this is.
Plus, the winner grew up in the city, so what the heck?
I am all sorts of befuddled…
