The morning news team at Fox 17 in Michigan, USA copped a mouthfull on Australia Day.
Weatherman Jon Shaner had his three colleagues mark Australia’s national day by wrapping their laughing gear around some Vegemite toast.
“Vegemite is a somewhat national condiment, I suppose you could call it a spread. People compare it to peanut butter in the U.S., but it doesn’t taste anything like peanut butter … it is actually a barley yeast extract,” Shaner explains before the other presenters take a bite out of the toast which, it must be said, had American sized helpings of the brown stuff laid on thick (this is where you went wrong, guys).
After the first American victim tastes “a little bitterness” he says, “For a second there it tasted like fish.”
The weatherman then recalls that the Australian exchange student that stayed at his home said most Aussies get great amusement out of seeing Americans try it for the first time. Yes Jon, yes we do.
The next victim is anchorwoman Deanna Falzone, whose face screws up in disgust. As she covers her mouth, she mumbles: “That’s bad, Jon” before admitting she can’t even swallow it.
“Oh my God. Oh my God,” she manages after wretching and spitting into a tissue. Composing herself, Falzone delivers her verdict: “It tastes like throw up”.