Halloween Junk Food History, Part I: 2003!
Surprise! The start of September doubles as the totally undeniable start of the Halloween season, and I’m kicking it off in a big way.
Today begins a four-part video series where I look back at some of the hottest Halloween junk foods from the early-to-mid 2000s! First up: Ten terrifying treats from 2003!
Click here to watch it on YouTube!
This is a full-circle moment for me, guys. All of the photos for this video series are being pulled from the earliest Halloween Countdowns! If you told me back in 2003 that I’d be cannibalizing my own photos for an HD video series 18 years later, I never would’ve believed you. Because you are a well-known liar with bad intent.
I’m committing to doing 2003 through 2006 for starters, so this Halloween season, you’re guaranteed to get three more chapters in this video series. (At that point, I’ll decide if there’s enough juice — and enough material — to continue.)
You’re gonna be blown away by some of these candies and junk foods. We still think of the 2000s like they happened yesterday, but man, in 2021, so much of this stuff has seriously aged, and it packs a surprisingly strong nostalgic punch.
As I mention in the video, I also think this series will help you see how Halloween has evolved over the years. Very excited about this one!
I’d considered saving this video for the Halloween Countdown’s proper launch on Friday night, but really, September 1st deserved something special. I hope you dig the vid, and I’d appreciate it immensely if you helped share it around!
Enjoy the start of the spooky season! I’ll be back on Friday night to kick off the Countdown with the usual bells and whistles. \m/
The 1990 Horror Hall of Fame Awards!
No matter what the calendars and thermometers say, we’re officially in the Halloween season. So, if you need somethin’ spooky to kick off your weekend, look no further than the Purple Stuff Podcast!
We’ve got a big show for you this month. Me and Jay from Sludge Central dive deep into the first annual Horror Hall of Fame Awards, a 1990 television special that featured everything from Chucky in a tuxedo to actual literal spiders.
The Horror Hall of Fame Awards was full of amazing cheese, but it was also just a feel-good tribute to the genre at large. If you’re curious about the vibe, just know that there’s a part where Jason Voorhees and the kid from Who’s The Boss present an award together. Like, jeez, this was just an incredible TV special.
Click here to listen to this month’s show!
As a reminder, the Purple Stuff Podcast is also on Patreon, where you can grab an exclusive bonus show each and every month. August’s is already on there, if you wanna hear us gab about our trip to Spirit Halloween. It’s a good time to join, because you’ll be getting more Halloween-themed bonus shows in September and October!
…but getting back to the Horror Hall of Fame Awards, yeah, it’s a trip! Years ago, bootleg copies were constantly sold at horror conventions. Fortunately, you won’t have to go to those lengths to see it. My pal Doug Tilley uploaded the whole shebang to YouTube. Watch it above! (And Doug, thanks for letting us pull the audio for this show!)
Thanks as always for listening, and for sharing the show around. (And for reviewing it, too! We love it when you do that!)
The next time you hear from me on the site, it’ll be time for the 2021 Halloween Countdown. I haven’t officially announced the date yet, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: It’s next Friday night! :O
Dino Drac’s Eerie August Funpack is here!
It’s here, it’s here! The first of three Halloween-themed Funpacks for 2021! If you’re already on the subscriber list, good job, because you’re locked in for all of them!
VERY LIMITED SUPPLY! U.S. ONLY!
The Eerie August Funpack mixes random spooky collectibles with one special knockout item, and I think you’re gonna be thrilled with it. If any non-subscribers want in, I’ll warn you that potential spares are going to be in short supply, and it’s waitlist-only if you want one of them. Scroll to the bottom for more info, or keep reading to learn about everything in this month’s box! Read More…
Video Review: General Mills Monster Mash Cereal!
Well, if there was anything that could get me back onto YouTube, it was this:
Monster Mash cereal is HERE! After a several year stretch where the Monster Cereals were just kinda “there,” this is a big return to form for General Mills. To celebrate the Count and Frank’s 50th anniversary, this special cereal blends elements from ALL FIVE MONSTER CEREALS — and yes, that includes Fruit Brute and Fruity Yummy Mummy!
Learn more about it in this quick-and-dirty video review:
(I’m rusty, but it felt good to dip my toes back into the YouTube waters!)
Monster Mash joins the regular trio of Monster Cereals in swank retro boxes, as well as Monster Mash fruit snacks. Yeah, they’re really overserving us this year, thank God.
If you haven’t been able to find it yet, don’t worry, you will!
As I say in the video, it’s tough to imagine that anything coming out of the 2021 Halloween season will top this. I suppose if Halloween Kills ends up being amazing, that’s a contender, but on the food front, good luck to everyone else because this is just obscenely great.
Thanks for watching the vid. More are coming! It’s almost Countdown time. I’ll be announcing the start date soon, but for now, get out there and hunt for some weird cereal. ‘Tis the season!