Before I even went to this list of American food icons that never really existed, the first name that immediately popped into my head was Betty Crocker. And yup, she's on the list. Along with Ronald McDonald, Uncle Ben, and Aunt Jemima.
I can understand why the clown is on there, though he doesn't really seem to fit in with the other three. Betty Crocker, Uncle Ben, and Aunt Jemima aren't just icons like Ronald McDonald, they also have seemed like people who actually do the cooking and not just represent a company. In fact, Uncle Ben was recently promoted to be Chairman of the Board of his company, and Betty Crocker has become sexier over the years.
But what fake icons are missing from this short list?
[via Jade]
5-13-2007 @4:02PM Susan said... Where's the Jolly Green Giant? HO, HO, HO
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5-13-2007 @9:36PM Jan said... Sara Lee
Little Debbie
Quaker Oats guy
Captain Crunch
Trix the Rabbit
weird little guy on the Pringles cans
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5-13-2007 @7:03PM jmw said... Before I read and understood the nature of the article, the first ''fake icon'' that popped into my head was Rachel Ray!
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5-13-2007 @7:22PM PandaP said... When I think of culinary icons I typicaly think of people like Julia Child and Jacque Pepin.
Also, @ jmw OH NO YOU DI-ENT.
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5-13-2007 @7:24PM PandaP said... Bah, forgot to put this in:
But when I think of fake ones Betty Crocker definitely tops the list.
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5-13-2007 @7:44PM uplinkdish said... how about rachael ray
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5-13-2007 @8:22PM CandyPandora said... Influential in developing my taste in fruity snacks (and hats):
Chiquita Banana & the Sun-Maid Raisin Girl
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5-13-2007 @8:26PM Jay said... what about chef bor'r'dee
and the pilsbury dough boy
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5-13-2007 @8:40PM jmr said... Little Debbie
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5-14-2007 @9:32AM Lisa said... I, also, first thought of Rachel Ray!
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5-13-2007 @9:00PM Venuz said... Sandra Lee, enough said.
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5-13-2007 @10:22PM calamari said... Little Debbie isn't fake -- she's a real person, though of course by now she's an adult. I can't remember if she's the daughter or grand-daughter of the company's founder, but she works for the family firm as an executive now.
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5-14-2007 @10:14AM Sera said... Swiss Miss!
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5-14-2007 @8:29AM ar said... Yup, I thought Rachel Ray first thing too.
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5-14-2007 @9:21AM k said... Chef Boyardee was also a real person. His name was Hector Boirdi. "Boyardee" was used as a phonetic way to pronounce his name. He hails from Cleveland, Ohio, where he first developed canned spaghetti.
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5-14-2007 @1:50PM Spitzmaus said... Tony the Tiger
Snap, Crackle, Pop (the Rice Krispies elves)
The ever-so-dapper Mr. Peanut
The scary Kool-Aid pitcher "man," which frightened me mightily as a child and to which I attribute my hatred of Kool-Aid
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5-14-2007 @2:18PM michele said... I also thought of rachael ray, Charlie the Tuna is one that comes to mind
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5-15-2007 @12:40PM Lune said... I haven't checked the list but I hope Rastus, the Cream Of Wheat chef is there. That would complete the unholy triumverate of former slave chefs (along with Ben and Jemima).
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