Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
It's Easy to Get Past UN Security: Dress Like KFC's Col. Sanders
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 27, 2009
Modified Oct 27, 2009
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
John Del Signore
Published Oct 27, 2009
Modified Oct 27, 2009
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
Last week we got sent a press release about a KFC publicity stunt at the UN, and shrugged it off because we're not corporate tools who reblog each and every publicity stunt (unless it involves American Apparel). But what makes this one interesting is that the stunt has deeply embarrassed UN security, who allowed a guy dressed like Colonel Sanders into restricted areas of the UN without security clearance. The guy even got a photo op with current president of the United Nations General Assembly, Libya’s Dr. Ali A. Treki!
A publicist for KFC tells us "the Colonel and a photographer were able to talk their way into the UN building to talk to officials about the request that Grilled Nation 'earn a seat' as the 193rd UN member state." Acceptance by the international community is long overdue! How long can the UN keep sitting on its hands?
Security is "still trying to find out exactly what happened," says Michele Montas, spokeswoman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. "It should not have happened—that I will stress, and very strongly. There was some lapse in security and the individual in question... was, on the initiative of one security guard, taken... into the UN." Perhaps a little free chicken greased the right palm?
But despite the photo-op, Treki's spokesman insists, "There was no meeting. No appointment scheduled with the actor impersonating Colonel Sanders . . . there was a brief encounter with the president of the General Assembly." And Treki only shook the Colonel's hand because "he's a very polite man." (Which could apply to Treki or Colonel sanders.)
Perhaps the best part of this fiasco is that the spokeswoman for the United Nations Secretary General has been reduced to acknowledging the Grilled Nation's letter demanding UN membership, telling the National Post of Canada, "That letter is absolutely void to us; it has no meaning whatsoever. The UN cannot be involved in a commercial venture. Period. This is being touched upon by our legal department." Good to see they're keeping busy over there!
Tagged
colonel sanders
kentucky fried chicken
kfc
publicity stun
united nations
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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 .