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08/19/2003: Lucky Charms’ Swirly Whales: The Best Marshmallow EVER.

So, we’re already amped for Halloween over here. I usually don’t start till September, which is bad enough, but this year’s really getting an early start. The stores have just begun putting out some of the Halloween wares — mostly the black n’ orange M&Ms and a few ghost-shaped Peeps, but I managed to find a few items that you’ll see in the coming months. I think we’re aiming to have X-E “spookified” by September 15th or so, and there’s some cool shit planned. At worst, the place should feel a little more busy than usual. Busy and murderous.

Speaking of murder, what’s your favorite cereal marshmallow? I’m not sure how the topic came up, or even if it didn’t and I’m just making that part up as a good segue, but in the world of breakfast, there can only be one true top marshmallow in history. Tough call, right? Let me help — this is, by far, the best cereal marshmallow there ever was:

It’s the Lucky Charms “Swirly Whale!” Oh yeah, you know it. I was absolutely crushed when these things ran their course, and Lucky Charms have never seemed the same since. The marshmallows were white and whale-shaped, only with this big rainbow of color stripes over it, which to my child mind, indicated that each marshmallow boasted several fruit flavors. Course, they all taste the same, but that can be our little secret. Just ours. We kin. We blood. We swirly. The added an unbelievable splash of color to a bowl full of what was already multicolored, and if you don’t think one measly new marshmallow could’ve made such an impact, take a look at the next picture…

Granted, it’s not the photo that’ll cause the collective readership of this site to stand up and shot “HOLY SHIT, MATT’S RIGHT,” but c’mon, at least admit that it’s colorful. Colorful and swirly. Best of all, they’re some of the only marshmallows around who had their own back story — get a load of the Swirly Whale’s origin tale…

Lucky and a whale get trapped up on a rainbow, where the whale gets engulfed in their prison’s flavorful colors. The commercials were episodic — there was this whole huge story leading up to the rainbow shit, and even more afterwards. The coup? During the course of the promotion, Lucky Charms featured the Swirly Whale marshmallows. When the ads died, so did Swirly Whale, and a little piece of my heart. I haven’t been as staunch a supporter of General Mills since. A General Mills that kills Swirly Whales is a General Mills I can’t tip my hat towards. Club sandwiches, not seals.

Click here to download the Lucky Charms “Swirly Whale” commercial!


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

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Discussion Thread: 74 comments

I’m thinking that before Lucky Charms runs its course, as a cereal, they should do a special "every marshmallow ever" edition. It would contain at least one of every marshmallow they’ve ever made.

Nevermind the production costs, they owe it to us sugar fiends whose insatiable morning appetite has paid those bastard’s salaries all these years.

Ghosted by Eli Roth @ 08/19/2003 2:16 AM EDT


this is off topic, but i just got the latest MAD magazine and they have an ad for the Garbage pail kids. there bring them all back. WTF?

Ghosted by ryan_fett @ 08/19/2003 3:15 AM EDT


Man,that cereal’s colorful.Colorful and swirly…

Ghosted by Fhydra @ 08/19/2003 3:28 AM EDT


and marshmallowy too!!! I dont remember the whales unfortunatley, but lucky charms was my favorite cereal as a kid and marshmallows in cereal is so profitable since kids will go crazy for them.
BTW, has anyone seen marshmallow alphabits lately, i remeber having them before but they werent at the store tonight. we bought a box of regular alphabits since they were reduced for fast sale. XD

Ghosted by heeloyd @ 08/19/2003 3:42 AM EDT


Uh-uh. The best cereal marshmallow ever were the ones from Rocky Road cereal… chocolate-covered marshmallows. Or is my memory screwy and those were actually from S’more’s Crunch cereal? Well, they were both General Mills, so one or the other.

Ghosted by Steve Brandon @ 08/19/2003 4:07 AM EDT


i always thought the marshmallows in breakfast cereals were powdery and dry.

we used to get ricicles, which were frosted rice crispies, and then they added marshmaLOWS AND EVERYONe hated it.

maybe in america the marshmallows are nice, maybe in england we only get the old stale marshmallows that even matt wouldnt want to play with.

Ghosted by 'tin man @ 08/19/2003 5:24 AM EDT


hey! there’s nothing wrong with English marshmallows, the only problem is we don’t get enough serials with them in over here. To be honest, the only ones i’ve seen in a while are lucky charms, unless anyone knows different…

Ghosted by ultramonkey 23 @ 08/19/2003 7:06 AM EDT


X-E likes whales. and marshmellows. it’s amazing Matt was able to find the two combined… in all my Lucky Charms-munching years i’ve never seen such a thing.

i prefer shape when choosing my marshmelons, and the red balloons really do it for me :O

Ghosted by zann @ 08/19/2003 8:14 AM EDT


oh shite, this is barely relevant, but i just heard on the radio that the LifeSavers voting is complete. they are retiring some flavors from the classic 5-flavor: orange, lemon, & lime will be replaced, so the new lineup is cherry, pineapple, watermelon, blackberry, and raspberry.

ok, gross.

best LifeSaver flavor ever: Butter Rum

Ghosted by zann @ 08/19/2003 8:23 AM EDT


Oh, hell, no. I remember going to the Halloween X-entertainment site every day. That wasn’t last year, was it? It was just two months ago, right? Oh, hell, my life is slipping away like a carton of Ecto Cooler with a hole poked in the bottom by an unruly pencil in my backpack.
My life is speeding away like a drunkard in a Buick. Soon – sooner than I’d like – I’ll be an old man on my deathbed. But instead of yapping about Rosebud, I’ll probably croak something about Slimer before kicking the bucket. I don’t want to go out like that, man. I don’t want to go out like that.

Ghosted by Master Harold, MD @ 08/19/2003 8:24 AM EDT


Speaking of murder, did you guys see the dude who killed his parents down here in Brazil because they wanted to take his bride away from him? Oh, and did I mention his bride was an inflatable doll? Yeah… If that ain’t a good start for a wicked Halloween season, I don’know what is, Matt.

Ghosted by Roddy @ 08/19/2003 8:39 AM EDT


Sweet! I can’t believe that someone else is getting ready for Hallowe’en too. I just brought in my cool ass pumpkin-stencil sketches to be photocopied and bought the finger-mutilating exacto knives from the stationery store yesterday. I’m also scouring the dollar stores for Hallowe’en shit. "Honey, I don’t want to alarm you but there may be a boogeyman, or several boogeymen, in the house."

Ah, Hallowe’en: what would we evil blasphemous atheists do without its sweet, sexy, sinful goodness?

In other news, I’ll add another vote for Butter Rum, but I’m pissed to see them stealing — stealing — Orange away from me. Bastards. They’d better give me something orgasm-flavoured if they’re taking away Orange.

(In still other news, cereal marshmallows this side of the pond are dry and powdery too. I wonder what they’re made of. . .hmm, Google, here I come).

Ghosted by Molten @ 08/19/2003 9:42 AM EDT


Ah, far as marshmallows go in cereal, I’m a Monster Cereals kinda guy.

BOO BERRY LIVES … well, unlives.

Ghosted by POP CULTURE DEBRIS @ 08/19/2003 9:54 AM EDT


mmmmm orgasm flavored

Ghosted by chad @ 08/19/2003 10:47 AM EDT


Halloween? My town still hasn’t put down their Christmas displays from TWO years ago.

Ghosted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 08/19/2003 10:53 AM EDT


I need some Halloween ideas for something to do this year, I notice it lands on a Friday. I love the holiday, but I never do anything. Tips people? tips?

Oh and um marshmellows in the cereal are kinda dry and crusty over here too. Maybe the moist and fluffys dont keep well in the box or something…

Ghosted by spazzamatic @ 08/19/2003 12:39 PM EDT


Depends on where ya live, Spazz. :) We’re already mapping out which stupid hayride/pumpkin patches to assault.

Ghosted by Matt @ 08/19/2003 12:40 PM EDT


http://www.topps.com/Entertainment/GarbagePailKids/index.html

they’re back!

Ghosted by punkrock101 @ 08/19/2003 12:46 PM EDT


The best marshmallow ever? Thats easy. Its the super Pac-Man that came in a special run of Pac-Man cereal. The fucking things were as big as a quarter !!!

Ghosted by Gozer @ 08/19/2003 1:19 PM EDT


Theodore R. Long, it was good to see you on Raw yesterday. Beelee Dat! Your mic skills are off the heezy-for-cheezy playa! I heard you’re backing Mark Henry now. Do you have anything to add about that? Don’t back the Mack cuz he straight up sucks! Beelee Dat!

Ghosted by J-Dog @ 08/19/2003 2:13 PM EDT


im with zann – red balloons all the way.

Ghosted by kranick @ 08/19/2003 2:47 PM EDT


idoit

Ghosted by idoit test @ 08/19/2003 4:25 PM EDT


shit, fuck

Ghosted by test server....... @ 08/19/2003 4:26 PM EDT


I actually have a towel with Lucky and the whale that you had to send boxtops for or something.

Ghosted by Duff McWhalen @ 08/19/2003 4:36 PM EDT


Ha ha hilarious article. Matt must be a pretty busy guy cause he never answers my email.
Anyway matt email me becuase I have a job for you. Consider yourself hired

mrmagwitch@aol.com

Ghosted by R hunter @ 08/19/2003 5:00 PM EDT


I remember those commericals for the Swirley Whales. I don’t think I ever saw them in stores here but the commercials I loved. I am sooo looking forward to see what Matt and friends can come up with for ideas for Halloween. May the Reaper steal your souls in the night.

Ghosted by KoNaX @ 08/19/2003 6:11 PM EDT


Are cereal marshmallows really marshmallows anyway? Maybe thats why the brits don’t like them… I always enjoyed the freeze-dried ice cream (space ice cream) type of consistency..

Cracklin oat bran? Do they still sell that? I live in massachusetts, and they seem to be non-existant here..

Ghosted by goeatweeds @ 08/19/2003 6:13 PM EDT


hehe it may be offtopic but this is so perfect for Matt:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3343667566&category=309

Ghosted by Katie @ 08/19/2003 8:36 PM EDT


Anyone play the "You Don’t Know Jack" games? All of them have parody commercials during the credits, and one of them is for an "orgasm bar."

Ghosted by Silly Golem @ 08/19/2003 9:42 PM EDT


On cereal marshmallows, I can’t help you since, frankly, I agree with the folks who said they’re usually dry and stale. The cereal that comes with those marshmallows is usually bland, too. Blecch. I did like the Monster Cereals as a kid, particuarly Frankenberry, but I wouldn’t touch them now.

I’m still getting past summer, much less getting ready for Halloween. I live in a resort, and I don’t start considering fall until the tourists are gone. I do need to replace some of my old decorations, however, so maybe I should start giving the holiday some thought. The Acme already has candy in fall-print bags out.

Ghosted by starwenn @ 08/19/2003 10:01 PM EDT


hey punkrock101, i told matt first about garbage pail kids so dont take the credit

Ghosted by ryan_fett @ 08/20/2003 12:30 PM EDT


My favourite marshmellows will always be the purple horseshoes.

They are so…untampered with. They changed the stars to shooting stars, took away the diamonds, turned the moons blue, added the clover to lucky’s hat. Only the horseshoes are untampered with and awesome.

Ghosted by Tenchichan @ 08/20/2003 1:54 AM EDT


I didn’t like the horseshoes much when I was little.They broke apart so easily while they were still in the milk.

But they are the only ones that the company hasn’t changed,so I guess they are awesome in some way…

Ghosted by Fhydra @ 08/20/2003 4:48 AM EDT


Am I the only one who has Kirk Douglas’ song from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea going through their head?

"I’ve got a whale of a tale to tell you, a whale of a tale its true…"

Ghosted by Regault @ 08/20/2003 9:41 AM EDT


Goeatweeds,

They do still make Cracklin’ Oat Bran. I was having a conversation with my senior year roommate about it and we could not find it anywhere. Finally, about a year ago, it began appearing on the grocer shelves here in New Orleans, and I was so pumped. But I did not buy it. Looking at the nutrition label, there was about 15 grams of fat per serving. (Most cereals have 0-5 g.) And that’s before adding buttermilk!

I think when the FDA made products list their nutrition value, sales of Cracklin’ Oat Bran fell big time.

Ghosted by Nachokhaki @ 08/20/2003 9:49 AM EDT


Oh, and for the Lucky Charms marshmallows — there is not a single original marshmallow shape/color left. Let’s see, it began with green clovers, orange stars, yellow moons, blue diamonds, red hearts,… and,… that might be it. Purple horseshoes came in either the very end of the 80s or beginning of the 90s. I still remember the ad.

Lucky’s hiding from the kids in a stable. In a horse pen. A pen for a purple horse. The horse gets agitated that Lucky’s hanging in his pad and literally kicks him out (very violent). Well, of course the kids find him, along with the new purple horseshoes.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Ghosted by Nachokhaki @ 08/20/2003 9:56 AM EDT


it’s true ^ .

Ghosted by nick @ 08/20/2003 11:22 AM EDT


The Lucky Charms timeline (compiled from http://www.lavasurfer.com/cereal-generalmills.html)

1964: pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, green clovers
1975: blue diamonds added
1984: purple horseshoes added
1986: rainbow whale added temporarily
1989: red balloons added
1991: star-in-balloon replaced red balloon and orange star
1992: rainbow added
1994: pot of gold replaces yellow moon
1995: blue moon added
1996: clover-in-hat replaces green clover

Unfortunately that’s all the info the site had. At some point the star-in-balloon went back to being the red balloon and the new shooting star. I also think there were a few other marshmallows that were added for a limited time like the whale one was.

I’ve got too much free time.

Ghosted by Jason @ 08/20/2003 1:20 PM EDT


Matt my dear-

I meant to mention this earlier I know how you are a fan of animalia and what not . I went to the COney Island aquarium recently and theyre having a really awesome jellyfish exhibit. Not quite cryptozoology, but still really really cool.

cheers

Ghosted by Julia Badtouch @ 08/20/2003 3:45 PM EDT


I dont really like cereal. I’ll eat LIFE. And that just shows what a boring bastard I am. No flava’ in that.

I dont even like breakfast. Except for bacon….and sausage. I enjoy pork in all its various forms. Maybe they should make pork flavored cereal.

Speaking of pork I was driving throug my downtown and some kind put an "o" were "a" should be on a sign that said "public parking"

FRASE OF THE DAY-PUBLICH PORKING

Ghosted by Yankee Clipper @ 08/20/2003 5:01 PM EDT


HOLY SHIT, MATT’S RIGHT.

We kin. We blood. We swirly.

Genius.

Ghosted by Teddy Ray @ 08/20/2003 6:16 PM EDT


And Golden Grahams said unto the masses (or me anyway), "Thou shalt have no other cereal unto me, for I am the Lord thy Breakfast." I have eaten no other cereal but golden grahams for about 7 years. Except for one box of Boo Berry my friend sent me (yes, they still make it) and I was visiting tennessee (don’t ask) and I found a store that still sells a cereal called Body Buddies. It was my favorite as a kid. but other than that, GOLDEN GRAHAMS ONLY. Delicious.

Ghosted by My NameIsAlsoMatt @ 08/20/2003 6:19 PM EDT


There was also the locked door and when you poured milk on it, there was a key shape inside. That was for a limited time I think it was added this year or last year.

Ghosted by pikachulover @ 08/20/2003 7:50 PM EDT


i have one of the commercials for the swirly whale where they somehow try to temp the whale off the rainbow with lucky charms

Ghosted by josh @ 08/20/2003 9:50 PM EDT


You guys are just now getting ready for halloween? halloween is every day here. i never cared for sugary cereals. i agree they are powdery. id rather put an ungodly amount of sugar in my cereal.

Ghosted by corinthian @ 08/20/2003 9:56 PM EDT


I was never a big fan of marshmallow speckled cereals, mostly because I’ve been told I resemble Lucky the Leprachaun and don’t like to draw attention to it… that and they hurt my teeth. However I’ve been a fan of whales since they were invented! Well, I haven’t been the fan, but my sister was when we were younger. And being that she would go all canibalistic on me if I defied her and bite me (I swear, one time she bit my arm so hard I slung it along with me like a zombie for 3 months) I have seen my share of whale paraphanalia (try typing "whale paraphanalia" next time you’re depressed, I promise it’ll cheer you up), specifically "Dot’s Whale." While I don’t remember the plot, I remember Dot (the lead character) telling some kids that they shouldn’t throw stuff at whales… like bricks. I think it was put out by Green Peace of something. I want to get the video for my sistah for Christmas or Channuka or Kwanzaa or whatever holy day we celebrate. So if anyone knows what in the blue hell I’m talking about, some reciproication would make me giggle a dumb girl with a string of Christmas lights. AIM: Berkowitz412 Thanks!

Ghosted by Fish Number 641 @ 08/20/2003 11:17 PM EDT


Hehe "get ready for Halloween" And what do i do? I live in Transylvania…

Ghosted by Molotov @ 08/21/2003 1:43 AM EDT


I remember those swirly whales… It’s odd I’ll be driving down the street and suddenly think to myself. "Swirly Whales were the shit."

As for other Marshmallow cerials, Froot Loops with Marshmallows is the most repellant cerial ever, conversly Frankenberry is a #1 contender for best cerial ever.

Ghosted by Dante W. @ 08/21/2003 7:40 AM EDT


Man like I saw me one of thoes whales at sea arama last week and it was like far out trippin dude, with all the colors swirlin and the little green men running on the rainbow, like its freakin me out. Then I had a bean burrito. Sweet.

Ghosted by BluntKing @ 08/21/2003 9:20 AM EDT


Oh man, either those were before my time or I just forgot about them, but I don’t really see how that’s possible. I was eating Lucky Charms for breakfast today and trying to remember the origins of the marshmallows. I know the red balloon showed up when he went on that crazy trip in a balloon, I remember the pot of gold and his hat, I just couldn’t remember how the rainbow came about.

Ghosted by Black Zarak @ 08/21/2003 1:00 PM EDT


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