BackLineMedia

On May 2, 1978 Gary Thuerk sent 392 unsolicited electronic messages on ARPANET (the world’s first network) to promote his company’s products and paved the way for millions more of what would later be known as SPAM. It would be first used by Joel Furr in 1993 in reference to Usenet (another network) being flooded with junk messages.

Nowadays we treat SPAM as part of our daily lives. There are now even a wider take for SPAM as it has also crossed mobile phones, instant messengers, blogs, etc. and also applies to a variety of unwanted acts. Spreading viruses and marketing fraud are now also considered as SPAM. Who knows, you may even be engaged in it unknowingly.

So, you might be wondering, why SPAM? That’s because of Monty Python - the famous television show set in World War II where SPAM was always part of the rations.

Source: spam is derived from the 1970 Monty Python SPAM sketch, set in a cafe where nearly every item on the menu includes SPAM luncheon meat. As the waiter recites the SPAM-filled menu, a chorus of Viking patrons drowns out all conversations with a song repeating “SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM… lovely SPAM, wonderful SPAM”, hence “SPAMming” the dialogue.

So to commemorate this momentous birthday of SPAM, which has provided great relief to several Nigerian people based in Europe, who’ve countlessly e-mailed me that I am entitled to millions and millions of dollars in exchange for a couple thousands. They have their evil predecessors to thank, and a concept to celebrate. Happy Birthday SPAM!

Previous Posts

• Previous Posts