Instagram/@bethennyfrankel
After an entrepreneur and TV personality was sent a box of what she could scarcely call hundred-dollar Japanese blueberries, she firmly and staunchly declared “No” to the luxuries. Frankel, with her opulent unboxing for her followers, queried what worth might a product so high-priced ever possess, for what would one really purchase it, thus triggering an extensive discussion about consumerism and common sense.
Advertisement
The video begins with Frankel picking up the FedEx box as it sat there with a cold pack and unwanted fruit inside the box. She smelled it and was surprised: “Don’t ask me why it smells like fish. I thought it was salmon. But alas, it’s not.” Observing the really big blueberries, she said they looked like “bulbous beasts” and tried to find the cost for these. Her detective work was cut short as the website needed a subscription, did not even offer any blueberries for sale, and hence she said, “Nobody knows.” She shrugged and said: “I declare myself the Japanese fruit queen, unofficially.”
She gives the final verdict on the berry after tasting it: “It tastes exactly like those jumbo blueberries,” without any enthusiasm. She then turned her attention to those who might be considering purchasing this: “This is for the person who wants to burn Benjis for a living. And I am not that person.” She then went on to compare the box of blueberries with that precious $19 strawberry from the same luxury brand with a rough estimate of $100 for the whole box, finishing with “Whoa are we getting stupid.”
It anthem home with the public with engagement on her side of the argument, as many comments spoke out about how stupid it was that they were even thinking of paying that much. “I will spend a pretty penny for fruits. I love fruits BUT not $100,” exclaimed one user, while many others found that the whole idea was too much. Another immediately joked about her pronunciation of the luxury brand: “OMG I will forever call it the ‘super-Mar-shea’ from today on!”
Almost all the discussions then shifted to real and affordable alternatives. Many users commented that local blueberries are just as big for a fraction of the cost. “Walmart blueberries are this size lately they’re very good,” one started, sowing a mini-debate as others supported finding “jumbo blueberries” for less than five dollars. Others followed with more suggestions, including, “Grow your own blueberry in your backyard. Safer. And more fun picking.”
With an international turn, the conversation started spilling out worldwide. A user from Canada invited Frankel on the grounds of, “our blueberries will knock your socks off!!” Then came the Aussie interjection: “Just come to Australia… we have natural – organic blueberries just as big if not bigger .. for $7.95 a container.. don’t believe THAT hype.” The Russian comment, in particular, pierced the global rate comparison: “I bought 300 grams of similar sized blueberries at the Voronezh market in Russia yesterday, and paid $4.25 at the current exchange rate.”
Putting aside for a moment the jest and perilous fruit comparisons, some comments went toward the bigger themes of wealth and responsibility. One user quite pointedly asked: “Why are rich people so gullible,” implying there could always be charity to support instead.
Ever-watchful eyes calmly dismissed the berries as “Blueberries that the 1% eat,” bowing to the perceived spending disconnect. The environmental fallout of such extravagant packaging was raised in another comment: “Also can we talk about how gross all that packaging for little individual blueberry beds like wtf.”
Advertisement
The somewhat blunt rejection of overpriced luxury fruit from Bethenny Frankel resonated with people increasingly valuing things by how much they can see or practically utilize. Put simply, the two-word caption, “Immediately NO,” has spoken volumes to many people who view this trend as one of the prime examples of recklessness. The collective audience’s responses just confirmed what it has today become: with berries, common sense, and taste-who usually win in a landslide going against soaring prices. Her recent experiences at Paris Fashion Week highlight the contrast between high-fashion events and everyday practicality. Additionally, Frankel’s declaration of her new supermodel snack shows her continued focus on accessible luxury. Finally, her defense of North West’s style demonstrates her engagement with contemporary cultural discussions.
About the Author
