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09/19/2004: Kellogg’s Spooky Cereals & The Giant Sky Captain Robot Balloon!

Okay, am I the only one who actually likes some of the songs on Freddy’s Greatest Hits? I’ve been taking shit for it all weekend.

The Halloween Countdown entry for September 20th features Kellogg’s three new “Haunted Manor” cereals, essentially Froot Loops, Apple Jacks and Cocoa Rice Krispies in spookier packaging with CRAZY marshmallows. The number of arguably Halloween-themed cereals this year is nuts — I’ve counted at least eight so far, and I’m sure I haven’t seen ‘em all. Pretty soon Corn Flakes will come in red. The recipes on the side panels seem to odd to just read and forget about, so I’ll get around to making phallic chocolate Apple Jacks bananas during a later Countdown entry.

Before I go, a couple of things to unload. The other day, I’m walking to work with my head buried in cement as usual, and just as I’m approaching the other side of the street — there it is. A Sky Captain robot balloon that was easily seven miles tall. Pretty amazing to have no idea you’re going to see something like that and literally walk into its giant feet. When I went back outside a few hours later, the thing was gone. Still haven’t found out where Robot Balloon got hauled off to, but I’m glad I got to spend thirty seconds with him before shoving my eyeballs in scalding coffee to look less dead for the 10 AM swarm. Click on the pics to see ‘em bigger — they’re impressive:

If you’re just getting here after the weekend, we’re rockin’ the new looks. Don’t forget to hit up the Countdown entries already scrolled off the main page (a master list is coming this week) — the Shocktober Commercial and Mountain Dew Pitch Black!

Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

Discussion Thread: 61 comments

first comment? please

damn, i want a giant 7 mile tall robot balloon!

Ghosted by ralph @ 09/19/2004 10:20 PM EDT

ohhhh, 1st and 2nd!

i love freddy’s greatest hits. i want to sell my soul to get the real cd or record or whatever.

Ghosted by ralph @ 09/19/2004 10:21 PM EDT

Woo! It looks like I’m number three. But enough of that crap.

I haven’t read it all yet, but great job on the new Halloween-themed design! This is one of the best X-E designs yet. I’m looking forward to the upcoming Halloween fun.

Since it’s Halloween time, and Freddy’s album is featured, I’ve got a topic of discussion for you. What music makes you think of Halloween? What would you play in your haunted house–and I’m not talking about those cheesy ass "sounds of Halloween" tapes. What do you think makes for spooky listening? I’ve got a list that I’ll post later. I wanted to see others’ reactions first.

Ghosted by Astro Zombie @ 09/19/2004 10:46 PM EDT

I’m having a love/hate relationship with the Freddy songs. The song "Down in the Boiler Room" is fucking hilarious and I can’t read the X-E halloween coverage without playing the Freddy album, even though most of it is unbelievably bad. What I want to know is, Has anyone actually tried to"Do the Freddy"?!

Ghosted by Gnarkill @ 09/19/2004 11:00 PM EDT

Oh joy! Time to set my browser homepage back to X-E for the next month and a half (it had previously been on FIFA’s World Cup 2006 qualifying site since this place only gets updated regularly two months out of the year).

MD Pitch Black is "The Kramer" of soft drinks: It’s vulgar and offensive, yet I can’t look away. Stuff hits the tongue like a bath in sulfuric acid on the first sip, but once you’ve downed 20 ounces or so of it, you’re wondering why you didn’t get a bigger bottle. Not only is it an acquired taste, it’s a taste you have to acquire every time you drink it.

Sign of fall: It’s 63 degrees in my apartment right now, while three days ago I had the air conditioner on. Crazy weather we’ve got here in Reno.

Ghosted by Monster Dog @ 09/19/2004 11:08 PM EDT

Holy Crap…i’m #5! earliest post ever!

And i’m dead sure that this Halloween Countdown will be better than last year…and I hope Matt remembers to change the site back to normal be November 1st…last year he left the site like this until the Xmas Countdown came along if I remember correctly…

Ghosted by Invader Norbert @ 09/19/2004 11:09 PM EDT

Actually, that was two years ago. LAST year we had a Thanksgiving design in-between. This year we won’t. I’ll probably have to keep Hallo up an extra week or two before sliding right into Christmas.

Ghosted by Matt @ 09/19/2004 11:12 PM EDT

Yeah, I notice that lately in my grocery store Kellogg’s is selling Halloween version of Fruit Loops, Apple Jack, and Cocoa Rice Krispies vs. General Mills ususally Halloween version of Lucky Charms or the cereal monsters. But, it so cool if that Huge Robot ballon was Optimus Prime. Hey, Matt, did you know that there going to be a live-action Transformer movie.

Ghosted by Beta-Theta @ 09/19/2004 11:28 PM EDT

How come I’m never graced with a giant robot.

Oh, and I love the Freddy songs, even if they don’t have enough Freddy.

Ghosted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 09/19/2004 11:32 PM EDT

Yay, we ARE keeping it til Xmas! Now the only questions are whether we’ll see MM or the Macy’s parades again.
Is anybody actually planning on seeing Sky Captian and the WOT? I’m conflicted, myself. It’s nice to see someone trying something different for once, and giant robots are always great, but it looks so darn gimmicky…

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 09/19/2004 11:40 PM EDT

Matt-I think it’s great that you’re ahead of schedule on your updates for once, but I don’t think that these cereals will ever match up to Count Chocula, Frankenberry, or Boo Berry. Especially not Boo Berry, who ought to be in every damn store not only in this nation, but all of Canada and perhaps even Europe. Aw hell, the world ought have Boo Berry!

Ghosted by Nate @ 09/19/2004 11:41 PM EDT

I’m lovin the updates… I wasn’t around last year, it’s nice to see somebody is doing the great tribute to halloween that it deserves! Screw christmas, I hate it, I <3 halloween..

Ghosted by KIWASABI @ 09/20/2004 12:12 PM EDT

When I clicked on the Freddy album link the only song I heard was the Allman Brothers song "All I Have to Do is Dream." sung by some Girls. And I LIKED it. I want to hear the entire album

Ghosted by JLAJRC @ 09/20/2004 12:26 PM EDT

For some reason, that song makes me imagine Freddy standing on top of a float singing, like in Ferris Bueller.

I’m going to pick up those Apple Jacks, since I like them as is. They can only get better with marshmallows.

Ghosted by Dude McGuy @ 09/20/2004 1:29 AM EDT

I actually enjoyed quite a few of the songs on Freddy’s Greatest Hits. I wonder if I should feel bad about that.

Also, I have to say, the Countdown has been pretty great so far. At least as great as a giant robot balloon.

Ghosted by Ian @ 09/20/2004 1:35 AM EDT

Stuck here in Germany while wife teaches for overseas military brats. (Former Marine myself).

Having just turned 25, I’m perfect for Matt’s demographic. Though I wish a new Transformer article would come up soon.

X-Entertainment brings alittle slice of America home.

Semper Fi!

Ghosted by Erik M. @ 09/20/2004 1:50 AM EDT

Has anyone seen "Sky Captain" yet? Is it good?

Ghosted by Cameron T. @ 09/20/2004 3:02 AM EDT

Yo,
Anyone remember Freddy’s rap with the Fatboys? Or his rap with the Fresh Prince on the track Nightmare on My Street?
Where’s Krueger’s grammy?

Ghosted by Cliche-Man @ 09/20/2004 7:49 AM EDT

Hey, "Do the Freddy" and "All I Have To Do Is Dream" are good in a "Damn good thing they have Freddy’s voice playing ’cause otherwise I’d set my goddamn computer on fire" kinda way.

Sky Captain’s alright, the camera looked like it had been smeared with bacon grease prior to shooting though.

Ghosted by Grandmaster Useless @ 09/20/2004 8:17 AM EDT

Ok its 8 27 AM, how do I not get first post? shouldn’t 9/20’s post be made on 9/20 and not at 10 20 the day before?

Ghosted by ANdrew @ 09/20/2004 8:27 AM EDT

All special cereals have marshmellows in them, and they should make a marshmallow/cereal sorting machine to sort the marshmellows in the bowl and the cereal back in the box.

Maybe they should just make ‘Magical Marshmallow Candy Adventure’.
Then again there’s the screaming mothers that keep saying ‘OMFGOFM THIS HDS NO NOOTRITEEON!1!’.

Just my 2 cents.

Ghosted by RPharazon @ 09/20/2004 10:11 AM EDT

Just checked out the site (I was away for the weekend) and I *love* the new layout! I also *love* the little Mario ‘Boos’ Great job! Off to read the spooky articles…

Ghosted by B-Dawg @ 09/20/2004 10:14 AM EDT

Jeez, I don’t check in for one little weekend and everything changes and I have all these updates to catch up on. I must say, I do love the new design, and I’m definitely loving/gonna love the frequent updates. Kudos Matt!

And thank you Brian Jacks for all your hard work putting the layout together. Looks fantastic.

Now, if only we could tie up the Chia Plot…

Ghosted by jhnnywalkr @ 09/20/2004 10:19 AM EDT

Hey, has anyone seen these cute little monster thingies tht sing all these 80s songs. Theres even a Frankenstein Monster that sings "Thriller" and a black cat that sings "Somebody’s Watching Me". You shouyld really review those Matt.
PS. Theres a witch and a skeleton, but I don’t remember what they sing.

Ghosted by TOM @ 09/20/2004 10:43 AM EDT

Something for you to try regarding pitch black mountain dew:
http://www.poopreport.com/Dew/experiment.html

Notice your poo turning green Matt?

Ghosted by Cobra Soldier #18 @ 09/20/2004 11:12 AM EDT

everyone ready for TMI?

My poo did turn green. While I was at work. I wipe, and like most americans, I look to see if I got anything interesting. the paper is green.

scariest moment of my life. glad to know that my green poo is not a harbinger of doom.

Ghosted by Whirred @ 09/20/2004 11:21 AM EDT

Matt, I forgot, did you ever have an update on the Alien Fruit Monsters you sent away for?

Ghosted by jhnnywalkr @ 09/20/2004 11:33 AM EDT

I’M BACK! Holy cow it’s been about a month and a half since I’ve had the time and access to this web site. I finnaly got the promotion at work I was hoping for, and have been non-stop since late july. and just now that I’m catching up with that, I’ve got to catch up on x-e. There’s nothing better than coming to work on a crappy monday and finding updates on your favorite web site. this’ll keep me busy for at least a week, not to mention the new updates. If I wasn’t in the middle of a huge fight w/ my wife, I’d think I was a lucky guy.

Ghosted by brandon @ 09/20/2004 11:51 AM EDT

Giant frickin’ robots?? That does it. Im moving to New York.

Ghosted by pulseczar @ 09/20/2004 12:17 PM EDT

Does that mean "ghost of a banana?" I didn’t know bananas got resurrected in ghost form.

Ghosted by Yama @ 09/20/2004 12:27 PM EDT

You want to see prototypes for some of the robots in Tomorrow Captain and the World of Sky, watch the old Max Fleischer Superman cartoon "The Mechanical Monsters." The movie is a homage to vintage futurism and movie serials.

monster dog’s description of MD Pitch Black reminds me of a similar one concerning a soft drink named Moxie. Which is by the way, where the words’ use for showing spunk comes from. You want a soft drink that tests your mettle, try Moxie. Takes about four sips to get used to it. I’m still trying to find me a bottle.

Ghosted by kingklash @ 09/20/2004 12:27 PM EDT

So in England we have coco pops, is that the same thing as cocoa crispies? Coco pops are just rice crispies with chocolate on, and they dont have snap crackle and pop on they have this monkey.

Ghosted by Yeah @ 09/20/2004 1:23 PM EDT

Matt,
You never cease to amaze me! I saw a bit about that Sky Captain robot in Times Square on the news the other day and said to myself "I guarantee you Matt from X-E has seen that and will mention it on his site." And sho nuff you did! I have to ask you though is the reason you carry a camera to work job related or just to capture weird stuff like this?! Or is it one of those phone cams which if so, the pictures look great! Love the Halloween menus by the way and happy to see The Grand Wizard as the countdown master.
Melissa Y.
(resident…ah you know the rest)

Ghosted by Melissa Y. @ 09/20/2004 1:34 PM EDT

How can I get a giant Robot to come down my street?

Ghosted by Dixon Deeper @ 09/20/2004 1:36 PM EDT

I liked the clickable song… I even sang along with it.

My most memorable Freddy-related song/video was Dokken’s "Dream Warrior(s?)." I thought that was so cool when it came out. I was a Freddy Freak from day one.

Ghosted by Ryane @ 09/20/2004 1:52 PM EDT

Hey Matt,

I found this at a local party store. I haven’t seen you mention it, so I’m hoping I’ve got something new for you:

http://www.bigscreamtv.info/

Ghosted by KodaK @ 09/20/2004 2:14 PM EDT

Get the GI Joe PSAs while you still can: http://www.fenslerfilm.com/?sec=news
http://www.fenslerfilm.com/i/hasjoe.gif

Ghosted by ME @ 09/20/2004 2:33 PM EDT

Hey, I hate to be a picky piece of shit but Robert Englund does not actually provide the voice for Freddy on the classic track Nightmare on my Street by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. The voice is actually supplied by their human beatbox Ready Rock C who does a good imitation. I should know because I listened to that whole album a billion times when i was a wee lad. Another great song has to be the Human Video Game on that album where Ready Rock does his rendition of Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. When I think of Halloween I think of the Garfield special and candy and getting immensly sick. And I also think of those fucks who hand out fruit or gives you a handful of pennies. What a bunch of asswipes.
Speaking of Sky Captain I totally refuse to see it. It looks so fucking cheesy and it has actors that i can’t stand in it. The CG work looks way too fake to me and that just ruins a movie in my book.

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 09/20/2004 2:44 PM EDT

What the-? My mom was kind enough to buy me a box of Cocoa Rice Krispies (I’m so happy they brought these back, even under a different name), but they weren’t spooky-themed! Letdown.

Ghosted by Behonkiss @ 09/20/2004 3:44 PM EDT

HOLY CRAP! i love the new layout. i know it was a coupla posts ago, but im a weekday-only x-e’er…

Ghosted by kranick @ 09/20/2004 4:01 PM EDT

Hearing about those "Sounds of Halloween" tapes brings back memories. People used to play them all the time while handing out candy around here.

I used to be scared of Nightmare On My Street.. there, I said it. My cousin played that tape so much that I think it spontaneously combusted. Poor Prince.

Dokken – Dream Warriors is the song that’s constantly playing in my head, doesn’t matter if I want it there or not. And for some reason I’m always picturing Will in his wheel chair while it’s playing.

"Sorry kid, I don’t believe in fairy tales!" -Freddy

Ghosted by Matt (#2?) @ 09/20/2004 4:09 PM EDT

This is one of your best halloween countdowns so far. One question though. Do you have any Value Village(thrift department store)s in your area? Those seem to explode with merchandise once halloween season starts, and the front of the store is crammed with ‘ween stuff of various vintages that hasn’t been sold yet. THAT would make a great countdown article, or perhaps even a full-fledged article on it’s own.

Ghosted by DocDragon @ 09/20/2004 5:54 PM EDT

Come to think, didn’t Will Smith get into a bit of a legal snit concerning unauthorized use of "Freddy" for his tune? When a OKC radio station used to have The Dr. Demento Show, I would just about vibrate out of this plane of exsistence waiting for his Hallowe’en shows. And Nightmare on my Street always made it to the Funny Five every year.

Ghosted by kingklash @ 09/20/2004 5:59 PM EDT

Man, this is what i get for not checking the blog. I am so far behind. As far as the best costume, I was a headless ax murder via a football helmet, a black t-shirt, and my dad’s big shirt. And SPIDER-MAN my first 3 Halloween’s.
The best part of being a teacher is that I get to relive all of the holidays (primarily the one’s that happen this time of year). Even though I teach high school, it is still something.
Thanks for all of the great stuff, Matt. To quote Lisa, "You’re a credit to dementia."

Ghosted by manimal789 @ 09/20/2004 7:06 PM EDT

Matt- Any chance of taking nice enlarged pictures of those cereal recipes so they are legible? I wanna make one without having to buy 2 boxes for it.

Ghosted by Max @ 09/20/2004 8:10 PM EDT

Holy shit!! Quite the nice layout you got going on here Matt. Very nively done Brian…Anyyyyway, yeah, good stuff. Keem em coming. Later

Ghosted by Well @ 09/20/2004 8:28 PM EDT

Max: I’ll be doing another post on those recipes soon — full-scans then.

Ghosted by Matt @ 09/20/2004 9:02 PM EDT

Matt (#2?) – I was deathly afraid after I watched the first Freddy movie. I guess I was around 7, and I remember not wanting to even get off of the couch to walk on the floor because I could always imagine Freddy’s shiny claws grabbing at me from under the furniture. XD And, of course, getting in bed might as well have been considered torture that night.

After I mentioned the Dokken song earlier today, I haven’t been able to shake it since! Matt should review that video, or something.

Ghosted by Ryane @ 09/20/2004 9:22 PM EDT

I’m not familiar with these special Halloween cereals. I am however familiar with those that come out around Xmas. Anyone remember the special Cap’n Crunch cereal that comes out around Xmas, Christmas Crunch? It’s good. I remember having some years ago.

Ghosted by Bert Raccoon @ 09/20/2004 9:38 PM EDT

Bert — search the site, I’ve done an entire article on Christmas Crunch.

And in a later countdown entry, General Mills Strikes Back.

Ghosted by Matt @ 09/20/2004 9:40 PM EDT

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