A Master Class in Spontaneity (from a French Fry)
As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself reflecting on the many things I’m thankful for—family, love, and the chaotic beauty of life. My step-daughter, with her boundless creativity and unfiltered approach to the world, is at the top of that list. Her spontaneity is often a mirror that reminds me how to find joy in unexpected places. And nowhere is her brilliance more evident than in a Snapchat video she made when she was five or six years old, featuring none other than a singing french fry.
Yes, you read that right. A french fry, singing its heart out, in what can only be described as an avant-garde performance art piece. Let me take you on a journey through this surprising master class in spontaneity and creative storytelling. The video, which has become quite famous—at least within our household—can be viewed at the bottom of this page.
The Premise: Intrigue from the Start
The video begins innocently enough: a french fry implores, “Hi! I’m a french fry. Don’t eat me, don’t eat me.” Already, the audience is drawn in. Who hasn’t sympathized, at least fleetingly, with a piece of food staring down its fate? There’s something deeply primal about the plea, evoking a sense of guilt and hesitation in the viewer. This sentiment is familiar and maybe an even bigger part of why I became a vegetarian than I had realized? Regardless, we’re hooked.
And then—conflict strikes! The shriek (“Ahhhhh!!!”) reverberates like a Hitchcockian twist, a stark reminder of the high stakes in the life of a french fry. This tension primes the viewer for what comes next: a disarming, absurd, and oddly profound exploration of identity.
Narrative Brilliance: A Fry’s Existential Journey
Our protagonist re-centers itself with a repeated declaration: “I’m a french fry! I’m a french fry!” The repetition is not redundancy—it’s a meditative mantra. The fry is grounding itself in its identity, much like a hero in a classic literary arc. The line “I’m a french fry in a soup of ketchup...ketchup” is nothing short of poetic. Why not just call it ketchup? Because this fry sees the world with fresh eyes, reimagining ketchup not as a condiment but as an all-encompassing environment. It’s metaphorical, expansive, and unexpectedly deep.
And then comes the twist. “I’m yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck...yum.” What an emotional arc! The fry embraces its deliciousness—the very trait that seals its fate. The juxtaposition of self-deprecation (“yuck”) and eventual acceptance (“yum”) mirrors the human condition: we are our own harshest critics, yet we must accept and celebrate ourselves.
The Grand Finale: A Shocking Transformation
Just when you think the story is over, the french fry throws us a curveball. “I will turn into a human!” What?! Suddenly, this is no longer a whimsical ditty. It’s a sci-fi thriller, a philosophical pondering, a commentary on the transformative power of existence. Is the fry transcending its nature? Or is this a statement on humanity’s consumption, where the consumed becomes the consumer? The layers are as rich as the ketchup soup it inhabits.
Why You Should Care: Spontaneity as Strategy
So, what does a singing french fry have to do with marketing and business? Everything.
Intrigue and Emotional Hook: The video grabs attention from the start and doesn’t let go. Successful marketing hinges on this same principle—capturing interest and evoking emotion.
Narrative Depth: Even a simple concept can tell a complex story. Think about your brand’s narrative. Are you crafting something as compelling as “yuck, yuck, yum”?
Creative Instincts: There’s no overthinking here. My step-daughter didn’t storyboard this; she simply leaned into her creativity. That spontaneity is often where the best ideas are born.
Unexpected Twists: The transformation at the end forces a re-evaluation of everything that came before. In business, surprises—when done well—can be powerful tools for keeping your audience engaged.
Lessons from the Fry
The singing french fry reminds us that creativity doesn’t have to be polished to be impactful. It can be raw, silly, and even a little absurd. As we gather this Thanksgiving, I’ll be thinking about how the simple, spontaneous joy of a child’s video can teach us to embrace the unexpected in life and work.
So here’s to the singing french fry: a quirky, ketchup-covered muse reminding us all to take life—and business—a little less seriously and a little more creatively.
The surprisingly effectual singing french fry from the mind of Terry Collia's young step-daughter.
