09/22/2004 Entry: "Halloween Countdown: Twix, Snickers and Kit Kat Bars!"

The Halloween Countdown rages on with a look at three top drawer treats, Twix, Snickers and Kit Kat bars. They've all been blessed with spooky gimmicks to tie in with the holiday, and while arguably the least interesting thing I'll put on the Countdown this year, it just didn't feel right to exclude Twix.

Anyway, I'm exhausted -- work has really picked up lately, so that matched with all the other bullshit I'm trying to keep going and the fact that Pressy Bush is in town only to make traffic four times worse, I'm just about ready to squeeze myself into a glass bottle and pretend I'm an inanimate fireplace decoration for a week. I've helped out on a few things that have been on air, but wanted to hold off on telling you until I had one that was more or less all mine. So, if interested, stay tuned to Nickelodeon on September 27th to see boy who likes commercials write his first ad. Dunno if I can tell you what it's about yet, so I won't, but I'll post all the info on the delivery date. It's a real short spot, but pretty special to me because the only other thing I've done with my life is a pictorial essay featuring Skeletor drinking Pepsi Blue.

Chestnuts roasted by Byrd man @ 09/23/2004 12:11 AM EST

Ingesting glow in the dark kind of scares me.

Chestnuts roasted by Lauren @ 09/23/2004 12:11 AM EST

Let's be thankful that the wrappers glow in the dark, and not the candy itself.

*That* would be scary...

Chestnuts roasted by Ryane @ 09/23/2004 12:39 AM EST

Oh, and Yay for Matt!

Umm, I'll watch Nick - don't have to twist my arm for that, but I dunno if I could watch for 24 hours. Any possible time frame?

Chestnuts roasted by Ryane @ 09/23/2004 12:44 AM EST

Congratulations, Matt! Can't wait to see the commercial.

Chestnuts roasted by annalalala @ 09/23/2004 12:48 AM EST

Coloring chocolate just ruins it. I never had any interest in white chocolate. We psychologically associate brown with the chocolate flavor(among other less appetizing things). To be sure, if chocolate had ALWAYS been orange, we'd be grossed out by a brown one. But chocolate has always been brown, so there. *folds arms*

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 09/23/2004 12:52 AM EST

CONGRATULATIONS on your ad; I'm so excited to see it. But cut it out with the false modesty, would ya? You're a published journalist in Delaware, for goodness' sake.
Promise you'll post all the details in plenty of time so those of us who don't have cable in the house can make arrangements!

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 09/23/2004 01:07 AM EST

My dad is going to think those orange kit kat bars are oranged flavored like he did with the orange cream oreo. And he might do a candy lineup too.

Chestnuts roasted by pikachulover @ 09/23/2004 01:09 AM EST

A candy lineup like George Costanza did? That's a great idea.

Hmm... orange flavored chocolate...

Chestnuts roasted by marioshoku @ 09/23/2004 01:33 AM EST

hey man congrats about the commercial. i have to say u and this spifferific web site have actually made me interested in halloween again. can't wait for the rest of the countdown!

Chestnuts roasted by Mike @ 09/23/2004 01:48 AM EST

when i first saw the Glow in the Dark gimmick, i was so hoping for glowing green nougat.

Chestnuts roasted by EdipisReks @ 09/23/2004 04:33 AM EST

glow in the dark knickers?

Chestnuts roasted by gaz @ 09/23/2004 05:04 AM EST

I've already seen the glow-in-the-dark Snickers wrappers. Last year, it was Dexter providing some "Silly Sicence Facts." And it was just the same three or four over and over again.

Chestnuts roasted by TB Tabby @ 09/23/2004 05:17 AM EST

Notice that "wrappers" is in small print so that people would buy them expecting the candies to glow in the dark. Which is totally evil, of course.

Click my name for Lego Trogdor and stuff about human sacrifice.

Chestnuts roasted by Yama @ 09/23/2004 08:11 AM EST

I LOVE white chocolate. White Chocolate Kit-Kat and White Chocolate Kit-Kat Chunky are my two favorite indulgenses right now. That, and white chocolate Reece cups. I like regular chocolate too, there's just something irresistable about the white stuff I find.

I'll never see your ads, Matt, as I live in Nick-free Canada. Cheer me up with a Mac and Me review, pleeeeeeease?

Chestnuts roasted by A-wel Cruiz @ 09/23/2004 09:16 AM EST

Congratulations on the Ad spot!! Perhaps for those of us who might be at work or something during the running of it, you could post it on the site?

(don't know if that violates any copyright or anything when you're dealing with current commercials, as opposed to ones that are no longer on air...)

How exciting!

Chestnuts roasted by B-Dawg @ 09/23/2004 09:22 AM EST

Hah hah! Jurisprudence! I feel like such an old salt, picking up on the references from way back in the day. Makes me want to go find someone who's only been reading the site for three days and taunt them mercilessly. "Jurisprudence? You don't know who that is? Hmm. Must be because you SUCK."
Yeah, I'm going back to bed now. Sorry about that.

Chestnuts roasted by Jedoc @ 09/23/2004 09:28 AM EST

Is it possible that there is even MORE SHREK CRAP?!?! Apparently it is impossible to run out.
Congrats on the commercial. It's always cool when you put something you created out there. But then again, you know that.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 09/23/2004 10:08 AM EST

Nice work, Matt! I do have a complaint, though. I noticed that you're missing the Wooly Bully cover song from Freddy's Greatest Hits. Was this due to time constraints?

Chestnuts roasted by Bob @ 09/23/2004 10:39 AM EST

Congrats on the commercial! My TV broke in the process of moving a month ago, so no Nick perhaps I can find someone else with cable.

Bob-Wooly Bully is the last song on there. I'm listening to it right now. I can't quite explain why, because it just reminds me of having to play it in band (doesn't sound so good on the clarinet, trust me), but I am.

Chestnuts roasted by Mara @ 09/23/2004 10:57 AM EST

Man, is it just me or do those Kit-Kats look even MORE delicious in orange? I LOVE it when companies do stuff like this for holidays.

Chestnuts roasted by Night_Trekker @ 09/23/2004 11:06 AM EST

Congrats on the commercial, Matt. I hope someone can record it so us International X-E'rs can watch it.

Chestnuts roasted by Roddy @ 09/23/2004 11:21 AM EST

I will ask them about encoding the ad and making it available here -- though it may be available online regardless. I'll figure out something.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/23/2004 11:24 AM EST

Congratulations, Matt!!! U r living my dream. I also want to get published someday, even if it's just a boring doctoral thesis, perhaps ( ::sighs dreamily:: ) I've always seen you as being hilarious and inventive enough to write anything... you should review movies more often, u'know.

In S'affrica (not childlike empire, klash, which has better sanitation and educational facilities, thanx very much) we have Nestle, and we do have Kit Kats, although not in funky colours made from 100% artificial crap. SOO not fair!!! Also, no chocolate bars like you have - Snickers, for example. But all this is made up for by Cadbury's Dream Mousse (milk chocolate flavour), what is chocolate slab, with a chocolatey mousse filling, hence the name. The use of this super-weapon is how the Evil Pony took over Spare Oom, you know. (click on my name).

Very good articles, Matt. And the Archive is working! I looked at old Madd Matt article, and the icing (er, frosting, I mean. I think) all over Madd's face was hilarious! Living dead zombies need their sugar fixes too, I imagine.

In Terry Pratchett novels, all the "Igors" thpeak like thith alwayth. Oh thit, now I can't thtop...

Chestnuts roasted by eminentfreakthemighty on o Headless Horse eating a KitKat (me, not horse) @ 09/23/2004 11:49 AM EST

Of all the flavors you see things in now ranging from Turkey flavored soda, to pineapple flavored bubble gum why has no one made anything pumpkin flavored? I would kill for a pumpkin pie filling filled fruit pie or a pumpkin toaster pastry with a whipcreamish substitue to put on top.

The gourd will not be ignored!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Mr Mango @ 09/23/2004 01:16 PM EST

What, you don't eat the wrappers?

Chestnuts roasted by Lauren @ 09/23/2004 01:19 PM EST

Kudos on the Candy Trading tale. My friends and I always did that on Halloween night. Amazes me what memories you're able to drag out of me with practically every article.

Chestnuts roasted by Kudos @ 09/23/2004 01:21 PM EST

Congrats on the commercial spot, Matt. Sadly, with Bush in town and my commute totally fucked up, now (i'm one of those east siders), I have less time to goof off at work and read the site. I'm days behind in the countdown, but admittedly, already halloweened out by it -- and it's not even October. Ugghh.

Chestnuts roasted by Pedro @ 09/23/2004 01:32 PM EST

I'm looking through the archive (good to see it's finally up) and there's some dern good ding dang Hallereen stuff in there I never done seen bafur.
What can I say, it's a slow day at work.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 09/23/2004 01:43 PM EST

Congrats on the Nickmercial, can't wait to check it out. Yes, that's a word now.. or Nick-O-Mercial, if you must.

Somebody just reminded me that I had those Snickers bars last year at Halloween. I remember reading the Dexter things on them. Because of that memory I'll have to get them again this year to check out more stupid facts or quotes.

I love the holidays and movie marathons. I almost typed marathongs. Good thing I caught it, huh?

Chestnuts roasted by Matt (#2?) @ 09/23/2004 03:23 PM EST

just apply all the knowledge and effort you have put into your website into your ad's and you'll do fine!

Chestnuts roasted by danoslayer @ 09/23/2004 03:53 PM EST

I hope the kitkats taste the same they have the perfect chocolate taste.

Not too many Trick or Treaters hit my street every year.. the past 2 years I believe we've had possibly about 10-15 kids, that's it.. I think I'll go buy all 4 of the holy candies and just pack em together. Maybe next year we'll get more T&Trs..

Chestnuts roasted by SESbat @ 09/23/2004 04:33 PM EST

pikachulover: We actually *do* have Orange Kit Kat (as in orange-flavoured) in Canada, but it's brown like normal Kit Kat. Eventually, someone at Nestlé has GOT to put two and two together and combine Orange Kit Kat (colour) with Orange Kit Kat (flavour).

Chestnuts roasted by Steve Brandon @ 09/23/2004 05:22 PM EST

Orange kit kats look like they're made of cheese....or something...

Maybe it's ravioli....

Chestnuts roasted by RPharazon @ 09/23/2004 06:52 PM EST

Nice article Matt.
Interesting gimmicks for selling candy, however it doesn't look so appealing to me. Although I am not a big candy enthusiast, I would be just as happy eating a regular old Reece's Peanut Butter cup, as Snickers doesn't do much for me, and the orange kitkat bars just don't look appealing in the least.

Chestnuts roasted by Jay @ 09/23/2004 07:39 PM EST

loving the halloween countdown, matt! i love american candy. <3 congratulations on writing a commercial. it is really good to see you hitting the big time :o)

i won't be able to see the commercial, though, because even though we do get the Nick Kids Choice Awards- we get the ads edited out and replaced with Aussie ones- so could you tape it and then upload it onto your site for us to see?

Chestnuts roasted by Rachel Cakes @ 09/23/2004 08:08 PM EST

Yummy article Matt!
I'm staring at all these delicious candy at work....and now my hunger cannot be...satisfied!!

By tha way...I can't believe you're having all these great articles without the presence of one who so emulates the idea of Halloween for me (& many others, I'm sure!).
I'm speaking, of course, of the great, late, and slightly decomposing Mad Matt!!!!!
Without him, Halloween doesn't seem so...sinister...

Chestnuts roasted by Blakula2k @ 09/23/2004 08:14 PM EST

They also have them in 3 musketeers too and their is 3 variations. Quite frankly I think that someone needs to put a end to Shrek 2

Chestnuts roasted by Dark_Knight @ 09/23/2004 09:03 PM EST

Have seen the Snickers and Twix bags at the grocery store where I work; have not seen the Orange Kit-Kats. Probably won't buy any, since my apartment is a bit too hidden to be attractive to trick-or-treaters, and we don't get that many in this part of town, anyway.

I HAVE seen the three Chocolate "Limited Edition" bars at the grocery store - Triple Chocolate Kit-Kats, Chocolate Truffle York Peppermint Patties, and Chocolate Chocolate Almond Joys. The Yorks are just a tad too sweet, but the other two are pure, unadulterated blocks of chocolate heaven. If you can find them, grab them - they probably won't be around as long as even the Orange Kit-Kats.

My sisters and I used to swap Halloween candy every year. We also did it at Easter. My sisters were and are picky about their candy - if it has nuts in it or is too sweet, they won't touch it with the proverbial 39 1/2 foot pole. I often ended up with all their Snickers bars thanks to that, and they'd get my Reeces Peanut Butter Cups, just because I'm a nice person and I'll eat almost any candy that won't bite me back.

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 09/23/2004 09:09 PM EST

Wow the Spooky Archive is THE coolest. "New version" forthcoming as well, or is that what's there now?

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 09/23/2004 10:03 PM EST

The Spooky Archive is from last year. Brian will help me put a new version together this weekend, along with a master index for the Countdown articles.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/23/2004 10:06 PM EST

marioshoku: My dad is not really a seinfeld fan he got the idea from me watching the show. Actually he did a candy lineup before with the white choclate, dark chocolate and milk chocolate kit kats.

Chestnuts roasted by pikachulover @ 09/23/2004 10:36 PM EST

my mom caught me trying to do the freddy... oi vey

Chestnuts roasted by lethal lurker @ 09/23/2004 10:37 PM EST

very much congrats on the airtime. How cool is this...Matt getting a commercial and letting us know about it so we can all be ready. It's almost like Christmas is coming early, instead of Halloween!

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 09/24/2004 12:30 AM EST

Hold on a sec, Matt. You say those KitKats have nothing more to offer than just being dyed orange but they also swapped out the usually-vanilla inner-wafers for the chocolate wafers found in the inside-out KitKat bars.

Wow, I never thought I would write a sentence with 3 hyphens.

Chestnuts roasted by ClunkNJ @ 09/24/2004 12:36 AM EST

Hi Matt. I've been dealing with other issues, so it's been awhile since I've posted. But anyway, congrats on your TV spot.

On the Halloween candy issue, what I would really like to see is an edible glow-in-the-dark object. Like some glow-in-the-dark chocolate or some shit. I'm not sure if that's all possible (such chemicals could be toxic), but it's worth looking into.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 09/24/2004 01:58 AM EST

Stuffing,covered in gravy than enroved in a cranberry flovoured chocolate shell. Thanksgiving in a bar!!

Chestnuts roasted by evan @ 09/24/2004 12:35 PM EST

My wireless router was being petulant, so I'm catching up on a days wort' o'technocrap. All I can say is: it should have been orange on the inside and dark on the out. and, now on to other things...

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 09/24/2004 05:18 PM EST

A commercial on Nick? Is there anything worth watching on that channel anymore? I stopped watching after they took You Can't Do That On Television reruns off the air. I realize how far back this dates me.

Chestnuts roasted by Jeff Mack @ 09/25/2004 11:32 PM EST

Sadly, I work for the ad agency that came up with the idea for the glow in the fucking dark wrappers.

My soul is dying.

Chestnuts roasted by Anonymous..but been reading since the beginnning... @ 09/27/2004 03:56 PM EST

The glow in the dark on the candy wrappers is a new technology that some guys in Japan won all kinds of awards for. It's not radioactive like some older kinds (i had a cousin who died from exposure to the old kind in a clock factory quite a few years ago). OK, so you wouldn't want to eat it. But it's OK sandwiched in between layers of plastic; it doesn't decompose below 1500 degrees C!!

Chestnuts roasted by labgeek @ 10/28/2004 12:39 PM EST