Prisoner cites belief in “Festivus” in order to receive kosher meals

I’m not one to judge people based on their religious beliefs, no matter how outlandish they seem to me.  But this time, claiming your religion to be “Festivus” in order to get your fill of kosher meals, well I’m calling shenanigans on this one.

When Malcolm Alarmo King was sent to the Theo Lacy jail on drug charges, he wasn’t a big fan of the dining menu.  King didn’t care for the food served in prison because he preferred a healthier alternative, so he requested the higher protein kosher meals.  Judge Derek G. Johnson granted King his wish, which apparently didn’t sit too well with the Sheriff’s department, because of the higher cost of kosher meals.

King was able to get by using his belief in “healthism” to garner the special diet, but at his sentencing the judge said he needed to put down a religious belief on the order so that the kosher meal request would go through.

So King said “Festivus,” the very made up winter celebration made famous by Frank Costanza on Seinfeld.

For better or worse, the ploy worked.  During is stay in jail, King received three healthy, kosher meals a day.  Yep, it was a regular “Festivus” miracle.  Unfortunately for King it was a short lived miracle, as he was released from jail to face possible deportation to Liberia, as he is suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.

Enjoy “Festivus” while you can Malcolm, because from what I understand, it’s not so big over in Liberia…which I hear is lovely this time of year.

[The Orange County Register]