Gum Popping and Crackin...

Is it ok to chew gum in public? For some people it should be against the law. When I see someone smacking and cracking gum and talking all at the same time I wonder if they know they look like a cow. I cringe when I see an athlete, celebrity, (or anyone) being interviewed or appearing as a guest on a television show or local event, and they are chewing gum. This looks bad, is poor etiquette, and means that someone's manager, family or friend dropped the ball by not telling them to trash the gum.

And it's not just athletes and celebrities - walk the streets, take the train, or visit the mall and you will have plenty of exposure to gum chomping patrons. Do people really just not know that it's poor manners to chew gum in public? Did you know that it is frowned upon in some cultures and even against the law in some countries to chew gum in public? Growing up, we rarely saw our grandmother chew gum. My mother did so around the house but seldom in public. It was considered a treat when my siblings and I were allowed to have a piece of juicy fruit and most of the time it was a half of stick! This may sound gross but not knowing when we would get our next gum treat, we went as far as "saving" our gum for the next day's chew by hiding it as opposed to throwing it away. You'll be happy to know we quickly grew out of that nasty habit!

If you must chew, chew gum at home, not in public like a cow. If you must chew gum while in public to refresh your breath or medicinal reasons, do so discreetly then discard when possible. If you are being interviewed in person or appearing as a guest on a show, discard the gum beforehand. If in a small private setting with only family and friends, I don't see that the same rules of chewing gum apply as long as you chew with your mouth closed, we don't hear the popping and smacking, and we don't see the gum going in and out of your mouth. If it's just you and the walls, chew and smack and pop gum all you want!