ET Phone Home – But Not in the US!

Recently, a Republican senator made a rather unusual appeal on the Senate floor, cautioning about the imagined threat of radioactive shrimp.

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, at the age of 73, stood before a colleague, showcasing a striking image of a creature reminiscent of those in the “Alien” movies.

His comments were triggered by the recall of radioactive shrimp, which occurred twice in August, impacting several supermarkets. While these shrimp posed a clear danger, the primary concern was their association with an increased cancer risk due to the presence of cesium-137, as noted by the Food and Drug Administration.

In his address, Kennedy referenced some rather sci-fi-like symptoms while a member of his staff attempted to hold a serious demeanor by his side.

“It can be lethal. If you eat something like this, I’m pretty sure you might end up with extra ears, even if it doesn’t actually turn you into an alien. That’s already alarming enough,” Kennedy claimed.

His argument mainly revolved around worries about produce imported from other nations.

He suggested that people wouldn’t notice anything amiss because they might “build a resistance to certain bacteria” after consuming enough imported shrimp without evidence that they could be “loaded with antibiotics.”

Kennedy acknowledged his “bias” toward supporting US shrimp production to benefit Louisiana, a key player in the shrimp industry alongside Texas.

“I firmly believe that shrimp from Louisiana, fresh out of the Gulf, isn’t radioactive. Still, I realize some retailers opt for cheaper foreign shrimp,” he stated.

Kennedy shared a questionable presentation on his X account, which has garnered 1.5 million views since Thursday. Some critics label the senator’s comments as “fearmongering” to distract from more pressing matters, while others somewhat agree that prioritizing domestically sourced agricultural products makes sense.

Since taking office in 2017, the Louisiana senator has a history of making ambiguous statements on national matters.

Following a tragic shooting at Manhattan’s NFL headquarters in July, Kennedy contended that “silly control” was needed instead of tighter gun regulations, although he admitted he wasn’t sure how to “implement that.”

When addressing the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, he crossed his arms and suggested that Democrats, through President Trump’s intervention, might benefit from “popping Zoloft,” a medication often prescribed for anxiety, depression, and OCD.