Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Squid Are Having Sex With Your Mouth, Even After They're Par-Boiled
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 15, 2012
Modified Jun 15, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 15, 2012
Modified Jun 15, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
"Hey baby, I've got my eye on you!"—Squid that wants to sperm in your mouth. (Photo via Shutterstock)
Last night Neil Gaiman Tweeted a link to this article, noting, "Is there a polite way to warn people that cooked squid can still have sex with their mouths? Probably not." The article itself, titled "That Squid On Your Plate Could Inseminate Your Mouth," refers to a study about a woman eating squid and experiencing "severe pain" and a "pricking, foreign-body sensation" in her mouth. When she went to the doctor, he removed "twelve small, white spindle-shaped, bug-like organisms," aka SPERM BAGS.
The sperm bags, or "spermatophore," contain an ejaculatory apparatus, which expels sperm mass forcefully into, in this case, your mouth. This can happen with raw squid, obviously, but shockingly it can also happen with a cooked squid... or at least parboiled. (And yes, there are places that serve raw squid right in this very city.)
In typical Western squid prep, the internal organs are removed, and the muscle is the only thing served, so there's no worry of the cephalopods getting "frisky" with you. Though it's unclear if this can happen to those eating live octopus.
At press time, it's also unclear if Do or Dine's Justin Warner was orally violated by this squid:
Tagged
gross
sperm
squid
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .