Boo Berry's Time to Shine

Due to an explosion of excitement for Franken Berry on this very blog, we took that cereal hysteria to the pages of the St. Petersburg Times. In Saturday's paper, we'll honor Frank, Boo and Count Chocula, and even set them up with their very own playlist. Here's the story -- feel free to play along at home.

So I’m cruising through Target, racking up the inevitable $100 in things I don’t need, when I come face-to-face with three old friends, a trio of sugar-jacked gents from the disco '70s.

Franken Berry, Boo Berry and Count Chocula.

Yep, the boys are back.

Every Halloween, for a limited time only, General Mills releases these throwback cereals at throwback prices, about two bucks a box. You can still find the Count throughout the year, but around here, Frank and Boo usually only pop up during the witching season.

The kids could care less. But you should have seen the 30-somethings grabbing boxes, ecstatic at the cavity-making nostalgia of it all. I was right there with them. I remember the goofy commercials. I remember the toys at the bottom of the box. I remember the sugar rush. Heck, I'm hiding my home stash. My daughter’s palate isn’t sophisticated enough to appreciate the marshmallowy goodness.

Me? I'm a Franken Berry man myself. We're about the same age (Frank was born in 1971). We both have enormous misshapen heads. And we'd gladly terrorize a small Bavarian village just to slurp pink milk. Frank's cereal is so delicious, I don’t even care that it carves up the roof of my mouth.

In the Target checkout line, a woman in front of me looked in my cart and winked, "Where's Boo Berry?" Honestly, it was the sexiest thing anyone's ever said to me.

Franken Berry is a pop-culture icon. He’s been referenced in The Simpsons, in Chris Rock routines and in a great Al Franken bit from Saturday Night Live. Just the other night, Jon Stewart compared presidential hopeful Fred Thompson to Franken Berry. But despite his popularity, he’ll soon go back into hiding for another year. So buy a box or seven before it's too late. Cherish him while you can.

And while you're crunching and reminiscing — and maybe even watching Saturday morning 'toons — enjoy this playlist of songs inspired by our favorite cereal monsters:

The Frankenberry & Friends Mix
1. Breakfast in America, Supertramp
2. A Spoonful of Sugar, Julie Andrews
3. A Marshmallow World, Dean Martin
4. The Larger Bowl, Rush
5. Monster Mash, Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers
6. My Boo, Usher & Alicia Keys
7. Yummy, Gwen Stefani
8. Hyperactive, Thomas Dolby
9. Toothache, the Charlatans UK
10. Forever Young, Bob Dylan

Comments

[sKIPPY]

What, no love for Fruit Brute? What's a werewolf cereal got to do to get a little respect?

[chase]

... What playlist is complete without the essential, vitamin-packed ingredient of those cereals? ... "Sugar, sugar," ... The Archies.

And who can forget Calvin's favorite breakfast treat, Chocolate Frosted Suger Bombs?

[Mike]

Did you see this week's "South Park?" There was a terrorist attack on "Imagination Land." A Care Bear got shot and decapitated. Anyways, Count Chocula was amongst the members of "Imagination Land." I saw him standing next to Orko from "Masters of the Universe."

[Bassnote]

The Sweetest Thing - U2
Sweetness - Jimmy Eat World
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics
Eaten By The Monster Of Love - Sparks
Breakfast - The Newsboys
Breakfast Machine - Danny Elfman (frm Pee Wee's Big Adventure)
Flying High Again - Ozzy Osbourne
Sugar Rush - Joy Electric
Bite Your Tongue - Duncan Sheik

[A-Train]

Boo Berrys = Love Handels = Chubby Cheeks = well........you.

[Al]

Everybody Wants Some! - The Mighty VH

And Big Sugar - Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic Cover)

HEY! There's a song that actually mentions BOO BERRY, Sean!
Milk and Cereal by G. Love
Here's the link for the youtube video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MuDZNO4cts

(you're welcome)
Marissa

[madmurphy]

Suckers, you can always get all three where I live.

[Bill]

Umm... your playlist needs to include "Unfinished Sweet" by Alice Cooper as well.

[George]

Great. Now there will be a least a million more bandwagen Boston fans across the U.S. People you see every day will have a Boston hat on, and when you ask them about it, they will say "I wear it all the time" whatever. Great team.....annoying fans.

[chase]

Hey, George, you forgot to include your last name on the post ... Honestly, Mr. Steinbrenner, quit whining and move on ... .

And remember, Red Sox Nation is everywhere.

[lunza]

"The Candy Man"/Sammy Davis Jr.

[Brad]

How can "Sweet Child of Mine" not yet be mentioned?

As an aside, has anybody else noticed how Red Sox fans have become even more obnoxious than Yankees fans? Hard to believe such a thing was possible.

[Marissa]

What does baseball have to do with Boo Berry, Franken Berry and Count Chocula? This isn't a riddlr. You're making the the hyped up, sugar dosing kid in me cry. Besides, I have no clue what you're talking about if balls are played with..err. sportly speaking. :)

[Hagbar Celine]

Forget the off refrence in southpark....ya should see last weeks Drawn Together...Franken 'berry' was one of the main charcters... sooo glad drawn together is finally back! but as far as the cerials go..man...i dont think my body could handle those chemistry experements gone bad....

[Cereal Keeler]

Brown Sugar?

[watchgo]

acorns wasn't at damage accomplish the forests School pretty suggested them. exploring and we the tree, still there.