Pop Rocks and Coke
If you put a packet of Pop Rocks in your mouth and then immediately consume a Coke, your stomach will explode from the carbonation!
Jose laughed after telling me this urban legend, which is apparently one of his favorite ones to share with others. He used to believe it was true and tested it out for himself many times before when was younger, always awaiting his explosive demise and never quite experiencing it. He did firmly assert that this is not true, though. Because he said he saw it on Mythbusters, a popular television show, and they took care of disproving the whole thinking behind it.
Joses experience with this Pop Rock and Coke phenomenon when he was younger reflects a more general fascination and intense curiosity that often surround similar urban legends because there is always that anticipation and desire to know, what if its true? Urban legends such as this one also serve to hype certain products which can be an incredibly effective street marketing and sales tool. Moreover, the fact that Jose finally received confirmation that this combination was perfectly harmless from a television series, shows how pervasive urban legends can be and how quickly they can become a part of mainstream popular culture.
Annotation: The song Pop rocks and coke by the artist Green Day. This song is found on their studio album International Superhits! on Label Reprise released in 2001.