Ed Rendell Eats At Taco Bell In Exciting Story

Yesterday, in a show of solidarity with the fast food chain, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell ate at the Taco Bell at Franklin Mills. He brought along with him the president of Taco Bell — of course — and a bevy of television cameras from Channel 3.

He said he was driving by a Taco Bell and found it rather empty, so he decided to hold this dog and pony show at Franklin Mills with Greg Creed, Taco Bell’s prez who was on those ads after the E. coli scare.

There are so many questions stemming from this report, many of them unanswered. Why is this news? Why is the governor doing this? How depressed would you be as a reporter if this were the story you were covering one day? Is Taco Bell’s president British or Australian or something? How funny is the footage of Rendell eating his taco salad? (This one has an answer: Very.)

You’ll no doubt have tons of your own questions after watching the report.

Rendell Eats Taco Bell To Send A Message [CBS 3]

You Can’t Hope To Stop Taco Bell Addicts, You Can Only Hope To Contain Them

Although all 15 Taco Bell locations in Philadelphia were shut down after the E. coli scare, the locations are now open — and some Taco Bell fans are still, uh, really into it.

Green onions were originally the alleged culprit, but the focus has shifted to lettuce as the E. coli carrier, the Inquirer’s Harold Brubaker writes.

But neither green onions nor lettuce have stopped Taco Bell addicts from snacking on as many as four tacos at a time, the Inky’s Dwight Ott reports. “It’s like drugs,” said an observer. “I’m the type that goes through red lights and stop signs,” said a customer.

But the life of a Taco Bell addict is most certainly summed up by this man Fox 29 interviewed last night (after the jump).

More »

Leftovers: Donovan Not Invited To T.O. Bash

• Jevon Kearse wasn’t at the Eagles’ game Monday night because he was at Terrell Owens’ birthday party. He hung out with Chris Rock, Penny Marshall and Bobby Brown, and was looking for Bobby Brown’s mistress. No word if Freddie Mitchell was there. [Inquirer]

• ; And, it turns out that, indeed, snitches don’t just get stitches, they get shot three times in the head. But, hey, the people at the McDonald’s say he got what he deserved, so I guess they’re right. Er. [Inquirer]

• Annnd you knew it was coming: Taco Bell is being sued by a guy who got E. coli. And if you want a joke, then you’re out of luck — it’s Friday afternoon and I think my brain left at around 2:15. [AP/6 ABC]

Ringing The Taco Bell

Yesterday, Taco Bell shut down all 15 of its Philadelphia restaurants after E. coli — which has sickened diners in New York, New Jersey and Montgomery County — was found at a City Restaurant. (One might say this is just desserts for eating at Taco Bell. One would be right.)

The shutdown of the 15 Taco Bells is a voluntary measure, done because the E. coli is suspected to come from green onions that were shipped to a Burlington City warehouse. The first three sickened Montco diners ate at the Gilbertsville Taco Bell, while a fourth — who wasn’t interviewed until yesterday — ate at a suburban Philadelphia restaurant.

Over in Jersey, Taco Bells in Camden County aren’t being closed, although Inquirer reporter Marie McCullough writes that people weren’t too interested in buying tacos:

During the busy noontime rush at the Cherry Hill Mall food court, holiday shoppers stood in long lines for pizza, sushi, Philly-style cheesesteaks - but not soft tacos. Only three customers walked up over a 30-minute period.

One, Angel Hernandez of Pennsauken, had not heard the news about the possibly dangerous green onions. He was surprised but not deterred.

“I eat here all the time,” Hernandez said, paying for his soft-taco combo. “I’ve never had a problem.”

Joe McCarron of Coatesville heard about the outbreak but didn’t know all nine Taco Bells in Montgomery County were closed.

“I thought it was one specific place, not the whole enchilada, so to speak,” he quipped.

After learning the extent of the problem, he drove off to get lunch at Chick-Fil-A.

Hey! The Inquirer owes Taco Bell like $5.59 for the business it drove away!

Update: All nine Camden County Taco Bells are now closed.

E. coli believed found in city [Inquirer]