John Wayne Airport Shop Sells Mexican Jumping Beans--WTF?

By Gustavo Arellano Sat., Oct. 3 2009 at 8:27 AM

Categories: Illegals, Illegals, Illegals!

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The actual image of the display box--arriba, arriba!

I'm in San Antonio right now, speaking at community colleges and eating so much Tex-Mex cuisine I now sweat processed cheese. Before catching my flight from John Wayne Airport on Sunday, I went into one of the shops next to the gates that sells magazines and other curios--don't remember the exact one. Near the register was a display for Mexican jumping beans.

Oh, the vestiges of Old Mexico, when the only acceptable real-life Mexican was Leo Carrillo and the food wabs ate was deemed Spanish! What on Earth would possess an airport shop to sell these? I understand such stores have every possible tourist trap imaginable to get quick bucks (in the San Antonio airport, I saw enough "Don't Mess with Texas" curios to make Mexicans seem as jingoistic as the Swiss), but Mexican jumping beans aren't even native to Southern California and haven't been in vogue for, oh, 40 years. Does the shopkeeper believe that those who visit Orange County have antiquated notions of Mexicans--or is it simply following the county's Mexican-ignorant ethos? And I still want to know--why does anyone outside of Sonora even give a flying flip about these larvae?

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This will make people who have lost all inhibitions due to alcohol laugh right out in public. Most sober people will revolt, but Mexicans love the bull and cock fights will not cry. <a href=http://rmetherapy.com/>Online Therapist</a>
Gustavo, no offense taken...but just to let you know...I did in fact also buy a book for my son =) and a cute little glow in the dark flashlight for him to use trick or treating this Halloween...
Petit: Read the comments above for refutations of most of your points. It's nice to pay attention to the thoughts of others instead of remaining in your hilariously inept mind! By the way, why aren't you defending your gal Barbara Coe in the other post where she calls Obama worse than Hitler?
I have a great comparison of Tijuana and Santa Ana: both drink urine in their drinking water. Only in Orange County to we bother to have a filtration plant. Like it or not, the jumping bean is part of YOUR culture, mexican. It is not antiquated. Your culture is a novelty that is infinitely entertaining no matter the decade or generation. Besides, that's how you make your living, sympathy for YOUR countrymen, mechista. As usual, you are implying a race-based grievance. This time it is at JWA. You see a racist behind every corner, or you would not be writing about such a trivial item still available and for sale after several decades. Did you ever think of the mexicans who make a profit off the larvae? It is not like they manufacture jet engines down there. What you are implying is that OC is backwards, yet you refuse to acknowledge your own country. You're a hypocrite.
if had known the little beans would cause such outrage, i'd have picked some up when i was at the airport a few days ago. alas, outrage is a full time thing for some folks.
Jen G: Nothing personal, but you should've bought a book! Christian: Shit, then: bring back mammys! Dem young massas jes' love them!
Christian, Of course, as you say, the antiquated factor doesn't register on any kid's mind when playing/looking at Mexican jumping beaner beans. But the adults certainly do there part by reinforcing crap like that. Can we create and market a whitey in-breeding kit? It sounds cute and funny to me so it should sell well.
I think kids like the novelty factor and whether they are antiquated or new and trendy simply does not cross their minds.
I was very pleased to find Mexican Jumping Beans at John Wayne when I traveled for business in September. I needed to find a 'guilt gift' to bring back to my son (3-4 yrs) after the week long trip. Unfortunately I wasn't able to grab the beans as I left on the trip but planned to get them when I returned...no need, I found them in the Chicago Midway airport when I had an extended layover!! My son REALLY enjoyed them...as much as I did when I was a little one!
Well, no Gustavo. Who admits to buying Mexican Jumping Beans? Oh, forgot to mention ---this is the only thing I read in the OC Weekly. I suppose this is evidence of either a character flaw or genius.
Lorrin: And you know this disturbing info why? Anon about the crackers: First off, read my actual post. Secondly, I don't recall anyone ever dressing up crackers or white bread in the trappings of "white" culture, so your comparison is rather dumb. Anon 3:56: Yes. Anon that follows: Um, no. Jph: You can say the same about artisans who do Sambo figurines.
These things are strange for an airport gift shop. You would think they could find something less dated. The ONLY source for this product is Mexico, specifically Sonora, Sinaloa and Chihuahua. I imagine the Mexican jumping bean people would not be happy to have their livelihood attacked by an American journalist. To them, these little beans are not a dated stereotype, they are a source of income. Just a thought...
MEXICANS NEED SOME RESPECT!!! IM OFFENDED THAT THIS HSIT IS EVEN POSTED ORANGE COUNTY IS MEXICO U WHITES AND BLACKS SEEM LIKE YOUR THE VISITORS
you all are idiots how the fuck do you go from mexican jumping beans to bullshit racial remarks how santa ana is t.j?
Mexican' jumping beans are about as racist as saying Saltine crackers or wonder bread insult white people. Grow up and stop making stuff up to be mad about.
SanTana? really? wow....only points out that parts of it are useful for quenching urges to go to TJ. It's just as dirty as it there. As for the beans? They're fun gag gifts, nothing more.
The real reason to buy Mexican jumping beans is after the fourth tequila, drop them in a hot skillet. They will make one great jump and then die. This will make people who have lost all inhibitions due to alcohol laugh right out in public. Most sober people will be revolted, but Mexicans who love bull and cock fights will not grieve.
Man, I haven't seen Mexican jumping beans in ages. I, too, would have tripped out if I'd seen them in a John Wayne Airport shop. I would've probably looked around to try and find La Loteria or a breast-shaped mug. I love how a simple little anecdote can be interpreted in so many funny/ignorant ways. Gustavo, you are the man for calling these idiots out.
Fernando, Are you sure you are doing a good job of concealling your skin color in Newport by ignoring it, pendejo? that's funny. Also, great job of being able to be accepted in Mex because you 'talk' spanish. Bye to all.
Get a Grip, it might not be racist to you but it sure is offensive to me and is certainly a perfectly acceptable topic on this thread. If Gustavo's post brings it out to the open maybe the <i>pendejos</i> at the airport might realize how stupid and insulting it is to Mexican-Americans.
hey get a grip if ur reffering to people in santa ana there mexican's if not mexican americans im getting tired of people miss using the word latinos and hispanics boy i aint nobody's panic and if why u so scared of the word racist.
Grip: Where did I say they were racist? I just said they were antiquated, kind of like selling gold nuggets at curio shops. Curios of a different time. Petit: Yeah, I remember those. Blasted them on some talk show, and did a funny pictorial essay showing even more racist products at Latino markets. Anon/Mexoman: Gracias for comments, but stick to one persona! Fernando: Um, thanks.
? Hey Gus your not a Mexican Jumping Bean? or ur not MEXICAN? then what are u? I was born in Santa Ana and let me tell u somthing i shure as hell am not one of them Chicano's or Pochitos. My family has culture, we know were we been, were we came from, and were we at and that makes me MEXICAN & AMERICAN! and I am accepted by Mexican's in Mexico (cause when i talk spanish i dont sound like a pocho} and the man in NewPort Beach (cause i go around ignoring the color of my skin} and until we stop being racist within in our own circles mexican or not that shit is never going to die out. arn't you a boxing writer man i wish ther was more boxing i really enjoy your coulums sinceraly. fernando
Mexican jumping beans are racist? That's about the dumbest claim I've ever heard. I'm getting a little tired of Latinos throwing around the term "racist" at every opportunity.
I see nothing racist about mexican jumping beans. I think Santa Ana and the OC needs to embarce its history as being part of the Spanish Empire and Mexico so tourist don't have to go to TJ to spend their money. If Santa Ana would deveplope a Revolution Street near its train station, the city could become a touist trap.
Only Gustavo can find that beans from mexico are racist. How about those postage stamps, hypocrite? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/29/AR2005062902831.html
Gustavo: I'm with you on that front!
Mexican Jumping Beans at an airport? What the fuck? I thought Orange County was a bit more progressive. I should go down to John Wayne airport and solicit the sale of 'Red Neck 49ners and revive the days of 'Operation Wet Back'. What a scank of a prank.
"Paco": I can spot trolls from miles away, so I don't look up the IPs of everyone--just the transparent morons. Besides, I get paid to be obsessive about everything that happens on this blog; what's your excuse?
Lets see. John Wayne airport is in Santa Ana. Ever been through Santa Ana? If not, I suggest you visit it and everything will become much clearer.
If you're checking the IP address of everyone on your blog, then apparently you don't either! I was actually trying to make you feel better. Out of the 3 million people in Orange County, I thought you would like to know that more than 10 people actually comment, oh well...
Kanani: If I did, don't you think I would've mentioned that? Das: Tijuana isn't as great for food as you make it out to be, nor is SanTana as bad. Though your script was HILARIOUS! Paco: WOW! Three separate comments on three separate blogs with three separate pseudonyms! Someone doesn't get out much on a Saturday night, eh?
typical racist bullshit.Its clear you have no life if you have to write about a toy lol keep up the good work Gus hahaha
it's called a joke...just like your blog.
If Santa Ana were actually like TJ it might have better food. I'm still trying to figure out how the gift of one of these packets of wtf-are-they-anyway "beans" might play out: MAN BACK FROM BUSINESS TRIP: "Here you go, kids! Some authentic Mexican jumping beans from Santa Ana!" FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER: "Are you serious? This is what you bring back as a souvenir from 'the OC'? You passed by the coffee cups, the shotglasses, the postcards, the bottles of sand, the miniature Bentleys and said, 'Wow, Jenna would totally love some disgusting larvae!' Are you sick in the HEAD?" MAN: "Well, I..." THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD SON: "...totally forgot about your family until nine seconds before the last call for your flight, and bought the first thing you could see because you spent the whole time in the airport hitting on the barista at the Starbucks. Thanks Dad. Wait until my therapist, Mr. Herrera, hears about this. I bet he has a whole warehouse of moth-ridden seed pods."
Im suprised your not in better spirits being afforded the luxury of traveling by plane. Is it almost bad enough to give this guy a pink slip?
So, let me guess. You bought some.
Senndeback: No. Gary: What do you know about Tijuana? Can you please state the parts of SanTana that look like TJ, and match it to the exact colonia? If you can't, shut the fuck up. Jim: Because I can.
Your are completely right, Gary Wood. Those beaner jumping beans are but a mere gag gift just like my little statue of the sleeping wab, my Speedy Gonzales poster hanging above my head, my Frito Bandido action figure, my hot, spicy mamacita doll, my framed proof of insurance, and my mispelled 'Doyer' shirt (By the way, the last two are actually true). The bottom is this: Why try to reinforce something that is deemed as disparaging and offensive by some? For me it is full of crass, for you it is cute. I also feel bad when I go into an antigue store (Old Towne Orange) and see those 'lovable' figurines depicting black folk with those white lips and white palms. Let's ask the former mayor of Los Al what he thinks about his cute Obama WHite House watermelon patch postcard, shall we? Andale, andale, arriba arriba!
typical racist Orange County Bullshit.
You are right about one thing, why would anyone give a flip about these larvae? What�s even more amazing is why would anyone write about them?
Relax, they are for fun, and some people will buy them and take them home to their kids or friends. They are a gag gift. And if you dont think Orange County has connotations of being little Mexico, look around and visit Santa Ana sometime. Parts of it are like stepping into TJ. And I dont mean anything bad by it, just a factoid.
aren't you 1