Classic Creepy Commercials, Volume 31!
This edition of Classic Creepy Commercials features everything from candy to Candyman. It’s kind of my “cleanout special,” as I’ve been sitting on some of these spots since last year.
What I like about this particular assortment is how off-the-nose it is. When you want to dig up memories that you haven’t already processed a billion times, sometimes you gotta look sideways. I hope this batch sparks a few for you:
Beetlejuice HBO Movie Intro! (1989)
Make sure you watch the whole video, which not only includes a Beetlejuice promo, but the whole dang HBO intro that played before the movie. God, HBO used to be so good at that shit. I still get goosebumps!
I’m thinking back to those long, boring days when I mindlessly flipped through the channels looking for an oasis. There was nothing like catching a comfort movie on HBO right when it was starting, and knowing that you were covered for a solid 90 minutes. The overindulgent intros were a big part of it.
Say it was a Saturday afternoon. You remember what Saturday afternoon TV was like, right? In everything from the sad programming to the even sadder commercials, it was just a constant reminder that you should’ve been outside. A packaged HBO movie was a whole different story. It was permission to be a slug.
The Great Pumpkin Sponsors! (1980s)
These sponsorship pages aired during It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Generally speaking, they were “added value” for companies who ran commercials during the special.
Looking back, those short shoutouts were often more effective than the actual commercials. A regular Almond Joy spot was easily ignored, but you put a photo of the candy over *official Peanuts music*, and suddenly coconut bars seemed like the chicest thing in the world. This was basically Snoopy knighting Almond Joy.
(Are fun-sized Almond Joy and Mounds bars still a big trick-or-treat thing? They already seemed fogeyish when I was a kid, and that was a hundred years ago.) Read More…
2021’s Best Halloween Junk Food, Part 2!
Just judging by what we’ve already seen, this is one of the greatest years ever for Halloween junk food. There’s so much of it! New stuff and returning favorites. I’m overwhelmed in the best way.
I figured I’d better get to the second edition of 2021’s Best Halloween Junk Food *now*, because with the way things are going, it’ll be April before I’ve covered it all. Enjoy this look at everything from candy corn to cat treats:
Cheetos Cinnamon Sugar Bag of Bones!
(Found at Target)
These are Sweetos in everything but name. It’s a surprising twist, as Cheetos previously limited its sugary snacks to Christmas and Easter. Nobody saw this coming — least of all that skeleton on the bag, who can’t believe that he tastes like cinnamon.
I’m not a big fan of Sweetos. I don’t think they’re “bad” or anything, but I’m never gonna prefer cinnamon and sugar to cheese and salt. Still, I admit that they smell heavenly (like Eggo French Toast) and taste a-okay. For what they are, they work.
You know what’s weird? I can stare at those skeleton heads, hands and tibias without batting an eye, but the rib cages seem positively ghoulish to me. Maybe it’s because they’re less often used as inspiration for junk food, or maybe it’s because they remind me of Owen and Beru’s charred caracasses.
GRADE: B. I love Cheetos’ dedication to its “Bag of Bones” spinoff, which has been a consistent part of Halloween since 2014. Keep it up, Chester! More bone-shaped corn puffs, every September! Read More…
Dino Drac’s Spooky September Funpack!
Dino Drac’s Spooky September Funpack is here!! A box of ghoulish goodies shipped from my door to your door, filled with creepy collectibles!
(UNITED STATES ONLY!)
I gotta keep it real with you: This one is pretty much sold out! If you’re an active subscriber, you’re obviously covered. If anyone new wants in, I *may* have some spares available once I complete my counts, but the truth is that there’s already a long waitlist for this one. So, you can email me to get on the waitlist, but I can’t make any promises!
I’ll go into specifics on availability at the bottom, but first, let’s take a look at everything inside this month’s box! Read More…
Halloween Junk Food History, Part II: 2004!
Today I’m continuing my Halloween Junk Food History series with a look at ten of the hottest Halloween treats from 2004. Get set for Shrek Twinkies and Mountain Dew Pitch Black!
Who knew that discontinued candy could make you nostalgic for the 2000s? You can watch the video above, or more appropriately on YouTube. (Where you should also subscribe to me! Yeah, do that!)
2004 had some pretty major stuff for Halloween foodies, but then it had just as many “sleeper hits” that I’m sure most of you have completely forgotten about. I’ll be glad to help remind ya!
Thanks so much for watching. Very much enjoying doing videos on a regular basis this year. If you enjoy the Halloween Junk Food History series, sharing this video around is a huge help.
PS: If you didn’t catch the first edition, you can also learn about ten of the best Halloween snacks from 2003!
I’m gonna let this video hog the spotlight for a day or two, but I’ll be back later this week with more spooky goodies.