The Sporkful Is It Wrong To Eat Popcorn At The Movies?
Jan 12, 2026
Samia Bazille, a Paris-based reporter and podcaster, shares her popcorn dilemma shaped by French cinema etiquette, which frowns upon eating in theaters. Joining her is food historian Andrew F. Smith, who dives into popcorn's deep-rooted history and its rise in American movie culture. They discuss the contrasting popcorn preferences in France and the U.S., and how theaters embraced popcorn as a revenue source during tough times. Ultimately, Samia's experiment in a Paris theater shifts her view, revealing popcorn as a symbol of shared enjoyment rather than a cultural faux pas.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
First-Time Popcorn Trial In Times Square
- Samia Bazile admits she never ate popcorn at a movie as an adult and finds the idea distracting and impolite.
- Dan Pashman takes her to Times Square to order theater popcorn and Raisinets so she can try the experience firsthand.
Popcorn Became A Theater Business Strategy
- Popcorn migrated into movie theaters because outside sellers cut into theater profits and theaters realized concessions could be lucrative.
- Andrew F. Smith and Dan explain that popcorn helped theaters survive the Depression and now concessions are a major revenue stream.
Corn's Class History Shapes French Snacking
- Popcorn never became central in France because corn was historically seen as a lower-class grain compared with wheat.
- Cultural food hierarchies shaped French cinema snacking habits differently than in the U.S.
