Patton Oswalt’s KFC Famous Bowl Bit, Revisited in 2020 Year of the Bowl | Eater

"Introduced in 2006, the Famous Bowl stacks mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, cheese and bits of fried chicken into a single, comforting-but-questionable dish that both baffled and delighted diners. Its oddball composition was explained internally as an exercise in layering flavors, but the item reached wider fame after a viral Patton Oswalt standup bit cast it as a symbol of American excess and even linked its appeal to sadness and convenience; the comedian’s riff amplified the bowl’s reputation as a “failure pile in a sadness bowl.” Critics at the time decried it as emblematic of gluttony, even as broader food trends split between slow-food ideals and an appetite for cheap, comforting indulgence. Over the ensuing decade bowls proved adaptable — serving as a vehicle for fast-casual “healthy” offerings like whole grains and grilled produce as well as for loaded, cheesy starch-and-meat comfort food — and the Famous Bowl endured as a popular, portable option that captures both convenience and the cultural tensions around taste and economy." - Jaya Saxena