\"Freaks and Geeks\" episode....

I am not familiar with this tv show. How was the "prank" presented in the story? Was it treated as serious or as a joke? This show is a comedy is it not?
If this was portrayed as funny, I shudder to think of all the copy-cat incidents this may generate. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/frown.gif[/img]

A friend (in his early 20s) of my brothers is allergic to peanuts. Just a couple of weeks ago his friends swapped a devils egg filling with peanut butter to see what would happen. He immediately had a reaction (couldn't breath) that sent him to the ER. They couldn't get him to breath so the hospital had to cut a hole in his throat. He survived. His friends had no idea that this would happen. They apparently were not aware of peanut allergies and the seriousness of them. Unfortunately, until more people are aware of the peanut allergy problem I think more things like this will happen.

I saw the show. Arachide--it is a comedy but it was not portrayed as being funny at all. It was a pretty serious show all around from the peanut episode to drug usage (the show is set in the 70's).
The boy had made mention in class that he had many allergies including an allergy to peanuts. The other boys in class did not believe him so they put peanuts in his sandwich at lunch to see what would happen. They showed him eat the sandwich and he instantly knew something was wrong. The next scene was an ambulance crew wheeling him out of the school on a stretcher with an oxygen mask on. He was unconscious for awhile but came out of it just fine. The father of the boy that pulled the prank made his son go to the hospital and apologize to the allergic boy.
The ironic thing is that my mom has been trying to get me to watch this show for the longest time. She thinks it's hilarious. She called me 3 times last night to remind me that it was on. When I started watching it, I couldn't believe it! Out of all the shows I could've seen! Deanna

OK, I just had a good cry after reading this posting. All I can say is hopefully it will do some good in educating kids who might have previously thought a prank like that might be funny.

Heather-I cried during the show when they showed the little boy's mom sitting outside of his hospital room. She was very upset wondering whether her son was going to live or die and it was so easy to put myself in her shoes.
I did let my 3 yr old pa son watch the show with me. He completely understood what was going on. He sat right up when the boy told his teacher in class that he was allergic to peanuts. And when the mean boy put the peanuts in the allergic boy's sandwich, my son said, "Oh no, he's not supposed to eat peanuts!" Also, when the boy was leaving the school on the stretcher my son said that he would have to go to the hospital, too, if he ever ate a peanut.
I am an extremely optimistic person by nature so I would like to think that anyone who watched the show did learn something important about peanut allergies. Deanna
[This message has been edited by DMB (edited October 11, 2000).]

Sad thing I found is more "adults" pull this prank than kids. Kids don't believe or understand the allergy but seldom thought out the what if/lets see.
I found co-workers and even managers are more interested in "testing" for the story aspect.
As a manager I did have a disgruntled employee that had hidden roasted almonds around my desk. The GM insisted on pressing charges after having the police investigate but we came to the agreement the person that he would just leave. (not eligible for re-hire)(I did get new office furniture)
This topic represents my worst fear. I'm in my 40's and take great care on what I eat but the more evil the prankster the scarier the synario.

Haven't seen this show, but it happened to us twice this year. Both times it was from members of the same family, who have decided they don't like my kids. My youngest is PA/tree allergy. What happened was my oldest, 9 years old, noticed a child in the playground eating nuts. Not being sure what they were, he said to this other child, keep away from my brother, he's got a nut allergy. Well this idiot said, oh really? Well, let's see what will happen, and began to chase my 6 year old (the other child, the one doing the threatening is 13). He ran in quickly and the bigger kid never managed to catch up to him. We had to talk to his mother, which resulted in a HUGE fight, but that's a whole other story. Anyway, a few weeks later, this child and his brother were out in the yard. The brother was eating a peanut butter cup type of chocolate, and almost immediately upon seeing T, began to chase him. This time, reaching him and nearly smearing it on his face. Another kid in the yard managed to get him off of T, but he did react and swell and wheeze and we wound up in the ER. Due to the previous experiences with this family, this time we did call the police and they spoke with her. Now I don't let my son out in the playground unless I am there. I am very scared it could happen again, especially in the school yard, where I can't be there to protect him.

torontosue: Can you file a restraining order? Maybe this will send a stronger message to the ignorant family harassing your son. That family should also pay for the ER visit their son had caused. I hope that doesn't happen to your son again--he must have been horrified!!