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07/01/2008: X-E’s ‘08 Summer Megaparty: Otter Pops.

Welcome to X-Entertainment’s ill-prepared 2008 Summer Megaparty: Your special hub for all kinds of summery goodness and stuff. THE RULES ARE SIMPLE! I hereby vow to post at least once a day for the entire month of July…possibly longer if I don’t hate writing by August.

I honestly have no idea what I’m going to write about this month. Like, no clue at all. I had a few ideas for semi-special blog posts that have been rattling around my head for the past few months, but for the most part, I’m totally gonna wing this. Meaning? I’m probably going to end up living by the letter of the law and not the spirit. All I said was that I would post everyday. I didn’t say what I would post. If I sketch a retarded penguin on a bank deposit slip, scan it and publish it, I’ve technically made good on my promise.

I’ll try not to do that, though. Not often, at least.

I guess I didn’t do much to pump you up for the month to follow with what’s written above, and in a case such as this, I turn to a reliant, rushed graphic to do the hard sell.


Are you excited now? At least a little more? Good. I worked really hard on finding the right picture of a watermelon.

I’m happy to do the Megaparty, because I’m not sure I’d stay conscious of the fact that it’s even summertime without it. Summer definitely loses its status as “favorite season” as you grow older, when it becomes indicative of nothing more than a change in climate. That’s a far cry from the lost days of having two months to do nothing but play tag and trick your friends into stepping on dog shit.

I don’t expect that too many of the Megaparty’s posts will be actively seasonal, because if I had to inject sunshine into every entry, I wouldn’t just go bananas…I’d turn into one. I would transform into a giant banana, and this isn’t good for any of us because bananas cannot write, let alone work a computer. Still, expect a fair share of entries that at least nominally persuade you to make the most of your summer, even if all you’re really doing is eating popsicles when they’re in season.


I was surprised to find boxes of Otter Pops on sale at a local pharmacy. We’ve never had Otter Pops around these parts, and my only prior experience with their icy, sugary glories was at my brother’s family’s former house somewhere in Jersey. They had like seven thousand Otter Pops stacked in a garage freezer with positively no explanation given. I should’ve investigated this, but I guess I was more about eating Otter Pops than finding out why they had seven thousand of them. It’s hard to connect criminal activity to Otter Pops, when you have 7,000 of ‘em tucked away in a hidden freezer, the reason likely isn’t appropriate for children of all ages.

Though I was quick to grab a box and make the embarrassing stroll up to the pharmacy cashier with nothing but Otter Pops and a pack of Bic pens in my fluorescent handcart, I don’t have the nostalgic attachment to these things that so many others probably do. To me, they’re just Fla-Vor-Ices with pool dick and kooky characters on the condoms.

As a child, my favorite Fla-Vor-Ice (or any similar brand of icy pop things) colors were red and green. While I indeed preferred red for its actual flavor, it’s also true that I liked the way other colors tasted way better than green. Still, I always picked red or green, or both if nobody was looking. Simple reason why:


Red and green Fla-Vor-Ice pops were my own personal Vader and Luke lightsabers, new and improved with edibility. The similarity in color is truly remarkable. There are many shades of red and many shades of green, but somehow, red and green Fla-Vor-Ices are a Photoshop-dropper-match for Vader and Luke’s lightsaber colors. In a world full of ugly coincidences, it was nice to find one so beautiful.

PS: Longtime least favorite frozen icy pop color? Pink. Hate pink. Still don’t know what in the fuck it’s supposed to taste like. My running assumption’s been that food conglomerates sought to mimic the color and taste of that horrible liquid cure-all doctors force on children for every possible ailment. I still don’t know what it was named. I just called it “pink medicine,” typically with a frightened tone.

Tomorrow on X-E’s Summer Megaparty:

You might want to do a F5-style refresh on the blog. I did some light graphics tweaks that you may not see if your browser insists on being a cache Nazi. Rest of the graphics and the 2008 edition of X-E’s Summer Jukebox coming this week!


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

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Discussion Thread: 282 comments

Hey Aaron do you sometimes get a disc read error message when you put a game in your Wii ?

Ghosted by ULTRAMAN @ 07/01/2008 7:55 PM EDT


I’ve never had that problem ULTRAMAN.

Ghosted by JoshC @ 07/01/2008 8:02 PM EDT


First of all, Happy Canada Day to all the north-of-the-border people here. We here in the US have to wait until Friday for our fireworks.

Second, welcome back to the MegaParty! We kick off with what for me is an occasional treat, usually eaten at someone else’s house because it’s a bitch to carry one of those big boxes of Fla-Vor-Ices home on a bike. Actually, my favorite versions of these come in slightly larger containers in slightly smaller boxes that someone without a car can carry home. They’re called “Italian Ices,” but it’s the same concept with better-tasting flavors. The cherry and lemon are delicious. Come to think of it, I haven’t had those in forever. I wonder if CVS has them…

Ghosted by starwenn @ 07/01/2008 8:02 PM EDT


JoashC I guess the game just skipped for some reason. I took it out and put it back in and now it’s workin just fine.

Ghosted by ULTRAMAN @ 07/01/2008 8:06 PM EDT


YAY IVE BEEN FEATURED YAY YAY APPLESAUCE!

Ghosted by Retarded Penguin @ 07/01/2008 8:21 PM EDT


I always remember having these and the flav… ones. I think the pink ones taste like nothing. they always seemed flavorless to me. So, I did not hate them, but I would never choose them on purpose either.

Ghosted by kb @ 07/01/2008 8:26 PM EDT


anyone have streets of rage 2 on Xbox live arcade? wanna play co op? my gamertag is devileternal

Ghosted by Axel Rod @ 07/01/2008 8:40 PM EDT


Screw Otter Pops and Fla-Vor-Ice… I miss Chilly Willy. =(

Ghosted by Metal Misfit @ 07/01/2008 10:06 PM EDT


So, I’ve been faithfully reading X-E for years and nary a post. Strange that the mention of the dreaded “Pink Medicine” flavor should be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, but still….

There is some kind of therapeutic value that comes along with the realization that I’m not alone in throwing up a little in my mouth when I think of PinkMedicine, let alone stumble across some evil frozen reincarnation of it….*shudder*

Probably inappropriate to break into X-E with a tortured rant, but, there you have it. Hello, everyone, and Happy Summer Megaparty to each and every one of you. – Jenna

Ghosted by JennaGee @ 07/01/2008 10:16 PM EDT


Ultraman,that happened to me once with that Zelda Crossbow game,then it worked normally the second time. I wouldn’t worry about it.

ShaunFu,I beat your MooMoo Meadows time!

Ghosted by Kid Nicky @ 07/01/2008 10:21 PM EDT


DJ D and Ultraman you guys didn’t miss my birfday….considering my day of birth is july 1st. to be honest, it was very very uneventful.

Ghosted by Leigha @ 07/01/2008 10:29 PM EDT


Aces! The summer party is back! Yaa!!!!

Ghosted by jjwspider @ 07/01/2008 10:34 PM EDT


ah, Chilly Willy. I miss those kinda cartoons.

Ghosted by kb @ 07/01/2008 10:51 PM EDT


Shit, almost forgot.

Happy Birthday, Leigha!

Ghosted by Cameron T. @ 07/01/2008 10:52 PM EDT


Man, I got ridiculously excited when I saw THE NUMBERS on that bank slip. I love me some Lost! (Box 23 … Room 23 … both aim to fuck up people’s minds, lol)

As for the Otter Pops, I’ve never heard of them. Where I come from, we just have Freezies – which are the end-all-be-all herald of summer for me. Not that I’ve had one since childhood mind you, but they were a summer staple for years.

And a happy Canada day to my fellow canucks! Looks like I’ll be spending it the same way I do every year – more or less forgetting, and then catching glimpses of fireworks while watching TV. At least I got paid time and a half today!

And lastly: Happy Summer Megaparty everyone!!! XD

Ghosted by Frakkyfire @ 07/01/2008 11:19 PM EDT


Shit, I forgot to mention that the cracker Waiterbot is holding is the one that Matt was so proud to have removed the top layer of a few posts ago. Perhaps it’s not so much a Box 23 thing as a ‘I still can’t believe I managed that’ thing from Matt, disguised as a Box 23 thing.

Ghosted by Frakkyfire @ 07/01/2008 11:21 PM EDT


Hello JennaGee! I can honestly say I totally understand WHY the Pink Liquid of Hellish Torture would be the item to make you break your silence. There are just some things that cannot go by without expressing your disgust with.

Ghosted by Ryane @ 07/01/2008 11:23 PM EDT


Leigha sorry to hear that. Oh well, you could always treat yourself to something nice later sometime to make up for it. =) Kid Nicky yeah I figured that it was just one of those things that happens sometimes with games.

Ghosted by ULTRAMAN @ 07/01/2008 11:23 PM EDT


HAPPY CANADA DAY all u canamanadians out there..such as myself. I loved that it landed on a Tuesday, thus allowing everyone to have the option of Monday off as well as Tuesday to create a super long x-treme long weekend that may not happen for a long time. ANYWHO I may be in advertising, but how much do i want to pitch GIANT light saber coloured freezes that kids can actually play with before consuming them. How have they not thought of this? I’d buy them. I’d even play with them first.

Ghosted by ellaenchanted @ 07/01/2008 11:33 PM EDT


ellaenchanted your right lightsaber ices are a GREAT idea !

Ghosted by ULTRAMAN @ 07/01/2008 11:38 PM EDT


Otter Pops were cool tho my mom barely ever splurged enough to get those. Too bad cause if I remember right you got a story (or at least a clever name) for each flavor. It made me really hate the non-named flavors of other brands. lol Great intro to this year’s mega party :-D

Ghosted by Wolf Nibori @ 07/01/2008 11:41 PM EDT


Summer Mega Party!!!!

Never heard of Otter Pops. I believe the ice pop of choice growing up for me was Mr.Freeze. Does anyone else refer to them as freezes? I always went for the blue and white. Nothing beats blue and white at the same time it is pure heaven!

Happy Canada Day!!!

Happy Birthday Leigha!

Happy XEness!

Ghosted by IHAQ @ 07/01/2008 11:42 PM EDT


I just finished talking at length about old foods and now I’m extremely fucking hungry. And I don’t feel like cooking but I don’t have the money to go out somewhere. Damn. Off to the kitchen I go, I guess.

Ghosted by Annette @ 07/01/2008 11:45 PM EDT


I got the new M& M’s ice cream treat. They are small, yet satisfying. Oh`-, ULTRAMAN, sorry I didn’t answer. I was away for a while.

Ghosted by Aaron @ 07/01/2008 11:48 PM EDT


Thats alright Aaron.

Ghosted by ULTRAMAN @ 07/01/2008 11:50 PM EDT


Around these parts, our popsicles are called ‘Mr.Freeze’.

Watched some pretty cool fireworks tonight for Canada Day. Whoot!

Ghosted by Muppet Baby @ 07/01/2008 11:52 PM EDT


when i was a little kid…

i used to love this saturday morning cartoon called Kissyfur. it was about this bear cub and his dad living redneck style in the swamps after his mom died. did anyone else used to watch this? i remember feeling really really sad about kissyfurs mom, thats how they hooked me!

Ghosted by Axel Rod @ 07/02/2008 12:08 AM EDT


So am I the only one on here who actually LIKED that pink stuff? I work in a pharmacy and people are always saying how they wish their doctors would perscribe it for adults.

Ghosted by Kid Nicky @ 07/02/2008 12:23 AM EDT


PLease tell me you are going to review Lil Hugs which are essentially non-frozen Flavor-Ice/Otter Pops in lil plastic barrels. Those were always FULLY stocked when our gandmother used to take us camping at Tuckaway Lake way back in the day. I was the dick who drank all the blue raspberry because it was the best aritificial flavor of the bunch plus it looked like i was drinking anti-freeze. Good times…..

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 07/02/2008 12:25 AM EDT


i used to drink lil hugs, what i remember most was getting those little fuckers open. they came with a little circular piece of foil over the mouth of the bottle, and for the life of me i could never pull it off. i used to just bite through it with my 2 front theeth, but then the juice had this shitty foil taste…

Ghosted by Axel Rod @ 07/02/2008 12:31 AM EDT


Kid Nicky, I LOVE the pink ones… but I already said that >:(

Ghosted by Aaron @ 07/02/2008 12:36 AM EDT


So whens the new post?

Ghosted by Aaron @ 07/02/2008 12:38 AM EDT


I LOVED lil hugs. Still do. And yeah it’s essentially the same thing as the freezy things, just not frozen.

Ghosted by ULTRAMAN @ 07/02/2008 12:46 AM EDT


phunqsauce, Lil Hugs! Yes! Thanks for bringing that one up. I used to love those.

Kid Nicky, If by pink medicine you’re talking about Pepto Bismol, then yes, I actually used to love Pepto, and still kind of like it. I used to sneak in the fridge and take a couple of swigs even when I wasn’t sick just cause I liked the taste of it. True story.

Axel Rod, I watched Kissyfur. I haven’t thought about that in years.

Ghosted by DJ D @ 07/02/2008 12:54 AM EDT


Hey, do you guys realize that here on the east coast it’s been July 2nd for like an hour….which means that Matt could technically put up ANOTHER post and he would be sticking to his rule….ALREADY another one. It’s only a matter of a few hours before he does. Megaparty is in full swing and we’re still talking about retarded penguins and cracker halves. I wonder what we’ll be going on about a few hours from now.

Ghosted by DJ D @ 07/02/2008 12:58 AM EDT


Aaron
Well this entry is dated 7/1.

So would imagine 7/2 would be sometime tomorrow. :)

Ghosted by Cameron T. @ 07/02/2008 12:59 AM EDT


The “pink cure all” medicine is called Amoxicillin, an antibiotic. I think we all got it when we were kids because it tasted like bubblegum (likely the intended flavor of pink popsicles), and because ear infections are pretty common at that age. It was a decent shot in the dark for doctors who didn’t give a shit.

Ghosted by midship @ 07/02/2008 1:40 AM EDT


I am currently trying to think of Pink things that are actually bad. It is hard. Most good things are pink. Like my phone, and my DS~

/waits for someone to say Pink Eye

Ghosted by Neg @ 07/02/2008 2:00 AM EDT


Pink eye

Ghosted by Aaron @ 07/02/2008 2:10 AM EDT


Hi.

Ghosted by Scott Baio @ 07/02/2008 2:13 AM EDT


SCOTT BAIO! :O

Ghosted by doho in the summer @ 07/02/2008 2:34 AM EDT


OTTER POPS!

You know I first had Otter Pops in Florida with my cousin.

We were so into the characters that they became bonified cartoon characters to us. We’d even run around pretending to be them!

Ghosted by Tetsu Deinonychus @ 07/02/2008 3:56 AM EDT


Happy Summer Mega Par-tay! We need an official hip hop song for this blessed event. Maybe something like:

There’s a par-ty o-ver here
(It’s party time!)
Mega par-ty o-ver here
(It’s party time!)
Sum-mer me-ga par-ty over he-e-e-e-e-ere
(Yeeeeeeah!)
Go Matt!
Get funky
*insert beatboxing*

I am so white, I’m colorless. I need to eat some Otterpops to bring color to my pallid skin.

Ghosted by Hope @ 07/02/2008 4:50 AM EDT


If you watch Freaks and Geeks you can see Lil hugs scattered all over their cafeteria lunch tables because in the show they get them in their lunches. It’s really cool.

I haven’t had a Lil hug for several years I don’t remember if I got them in my lunch or not but I remember drinking them sometimes. They look like they are only a couple of swigs each but a box of them is less then 5 dollars. I might get a box in the next week or two just for the hell of it. I remember liking the red color.

My Grandma used to get ocean spray juice boxes that were cranberry or cranberry and grape or cranberry and raspberry that she put in our lunches. Also individual sized bags of baseball themed cookies that she only got once and didn’t get them again. They were almost like teddy grahams I think. With baseball statistics on them which is funny because she got them for me and my two sisters, no boys. Every bag would describe how to throw a curve ball.

But anyway we had a cousin that was in his early 30’s at the time that was living with us. He had a joke about the Ocean spray juice boxes he would randomly grab one out of the box without looking at them and he would say, “oh what is this one going to be Cran on Cran?” and then he would say “oh no this one is Cran on Grape!” or whatever one it was. He would then comment oh why do I never get a cran on cran one? Eh, you might of had to of been there to get the joke :)

I have been every once in a while wanting to get a pack of juice boxes to throw in the freezer to get them into slurpee consistency and then eating them with a spoon but it seems like most of those companies sell drinks in those capri sun pouches anymore. Or the squirt ones with the rip off top in the plastic throwaway bottle. I know big lots sells some apple juice ones with sesame street characters on them. The only Hi C drinks I see are in pouches and not in boxes. Bummer.

Ghosted by Goob @ 07/02/2008 4:59 AM EDT


Otter pops used to be bigger and now they sell midgetier versions of them. Also, has anyone else thought about doing an Otter Pop movie?
I seee Poncho Punch and Strawberry Shortcook dating and living together when along comes Little Orphan Orange and he rlittle dog. To show Strawberry Shortcook he is ready for commitment, Poncho takes Annie under his wing against the wishes of wise ol’ Sir Isaac Lime. Annie begins to get in the way of the relationshipa nd Strawberry Shortcook seeks the advice of her gay friend Louie (the blue Otter Pop). In the end, the couple decide to leave Alexander the Grape in charge of Annie so he can show her the ways of the Otter Pops in time maturing Annie. The story is told through the eyes of aging Not Orphan Anymore Annie by the way.

Ghosted by WolfMan @ 07/02/2008 5:15 AM EDT


So that’s why she’s standing on a box.

Ghosted by doho in the summer @ 07/02/2008 6:24 AM EDT


Count me in with the folks who loved the taste of the pink antibiotics. That and Dimetapp. Ugh, but we had this cherry cough syrup for kids and that stuff made me puke every single time. Even regular Robotussin was better than that vile crap.

Ghosted by Jedoc @ 07/02/2008 8:28 AM EDT


I just took some pepto myself. I wish I could say it was a casual visit and that I was just feeling nostalgic for its pink taste.

Ghosted by doho in the summer @ 07/02/2008 8:45 AM EDT


I never liked the flavor of any liquid medicine. Blech! I always preferred to get my medicine in pill form. Or, for me, a shot. I’m not scared of needles at all and a shot always worked quicker.

Ghosted by DC @ 07/02/2008 8:51 AM EDT


I can’t say I like any liquid medicines, but I must say that I love the taste of baby aspirin. I like the taste of Pepsid AC chewables too for some reason.

Ghosted by Jack @ 07/02/2008 9:23 AM EDT


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