Not all heroes wear capes… some just shove chips up their nose
Reminders of a heroic stunt pulled by one man in defence of the full English breakfast have been making the rounds on social media – and for good reason.
Back in 2003, Mark McGowan decided to take a stand over what he perceived to be an erosion of classic British grub at the hands of international cuisine such as lasagne, sushi and guacamole.
Putting himself on public display in the window of an art gallery, he spent eight hours a day over two weeks sitting in a bathtub of banked beans with two chips stuck up his nose and sausages strapped to his head, clocking up a remarkable 100 hours all told.
He said the idea came to him after a friend visiting from abroad complained about a pub’s “everything with chips and beans” menu.
“He said it was rubbish and I found his comments hurtful,” McGowan said.
“Potatoes have got a lot of potassium, beans have lots of fibre and meat is full of protein.
“So it’s against all that lasagne, sushi and guacamole rubbish.
“And we don’t need to shut down our cafés and swap them for more Starbucks or coffee shops.”
He added that food like this is often blamed for the rise in obesity, but eaten in moderation he says it can be a healthy meal.
“Obesity is about addictive personalities, it has nothing to do with British food,” he said.
The installation, called ‘Sausage, Chips and Beans’, was held at The House Gallery in Camberwell, south London, from 14th to 26th November 2003.
And it’s not the first time he’d pulled stunts like it.
The performance artist had already made a name for himself by rolling on the pavement for more than four miles to encourage politeness towards office cleaners.
He also put a 27 lb turkey on his head and walked backwards for 11 miles to raise awareness of obesity.
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