The internet is losing its mind over a journalist who’s never heard of Panda Express
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NEW YORK - Have you ever experienced meeting someone who is unaware of either a popular song or food dish? Their ignorance is palpable. It’s a feeling that leaves those in the know both infuriated and jealous at the same time.
The internet is experiencing that right now, after excerpts from a local New York City news article went viral in which the reporter, who writes about the opening of a new Panda Express location, makes it seem through their writing, that they’ve never actually heard of Panda Express before.
The article was so baffling to one Twitter user, Alex Lasker who tweeted snippets of the piece on Twitter writing the caption "absolutely losing my mind at this article about the new east village Panda Express written by someone who has never heard of Panda Express in their life."
The screenshots show an article from local Manhattan newspaper The Village Sun, in which the reporter describes their interest in a new restaurant they describe as "a self-described ‘fast-casual’ Chinese restaurant."
"As for Panda Express, it describes its fare as ‘Chinese Flavors With American Tastes,’ if that makes sense. The chain’s 'all-time favorite' dish is 'Original Orange Chicken,'" reads another portion of the article.
Lasker followed up her tweet with a poll asking users "have you heard of Panda Express?" The poll has snagged 46,806 votes, with 91.2% saying they have heard of the popular fast food chain.
To add insult to injury, It was later confirmed by the Today Show that the author of the original article, Lincoln Anderson, actually has not heard of Panda Express.
"Sorry to all the outraged and over-the-top Twitter posters, but I was NOT that familiar with Panda Express!" Lincoln Anderson, editor and owner of The Village Sun, told TODAY. Anderson says while he grew up in Manhattan, which currently has five Panda Express locations, his paper is a small start-up paper."
"We’re trying to make a difference and help the community," he added.
This didn’t stop people from losing their minds though.
"This belongs in a museum," one Twitter user wrote in response to the article.
"‘If that makes sense’ well f-k u very much too hahahahahhaha," said comic and actor Jenny Yang in a tweet, to which journalist Esther Tseng replied, "**stares in socal asian american food writer**"
Some have even wrote up parodies of the article describing other fast food joints as if they would to someone not born on this planet.
"The hamburger chain - which a press release states is known for a large M-shaped sign called "golden arches" - serves hamburgers and fries in a delivery system called "fast food." Its signature sandwich includes two patties and is named a Big Mac, according to the release," wrote one user.
"The new franchise named "McDonald’s" (Irish?) claims to offer something called "burgers" and "French fries" (from which region of France specifically — call me skeptical)," tweeted another.