Candy in American Pop Culture

Candy has been a celebrity in its own right for as long as people have been eating it.

But, many famous faces and wild rumors have helped turn simple sweets into sugary sensations over the years.

There’s just something about celebrities and sugar that goes hand in hand.

As a society, we thrive off both, sometimes more than we should: indulging in sweets and celebrity gossip until we get our fix.
 
American pop culture is chock full of sweet stories of our confection-filled lives past and present. There are probably even a few that you’ve never heard of before!

That’s why, in our Candy Unwrapped section, we’ll dive into the many influences candy has had on our pop culture and vice versa.

Our goal is to separate the tall tales from the accurate reports, to provide you with the most delightful accounts of society and sugar throughout the decades, and ensure that you leave with a little more candy-coated knowledge than before.

This is candy...UNWRAPPED

The Disappearance of the Choco Taco and The Place Sweets Hold in Our Hearts - Jon Prince talks on All of It with Alison Stewart, an WNYC Studios podcast about Choco Tacos and how sweets hold a special place in our hearts.

Lime Skittles are Back and Better Than Ever! - In 2022, Lime Skittles replaced Green Apple, and the mix is returned to the original five fruity flavors!

Candy Guinness World Records - Candy is excellent for eating and great for breaking world records.

A Tale to Snicker About - Unwrap the tale of how this candy bar got such a funny name.

A Salute to Orbit Gum - Learn how World War II impacted this gum and how it became popular again.

Unwrapping the Kit Kat Name - Discover all the intriguing theories behind naming this famous candy bar.

An Evil Partnership to Chuckle About - Explore the unlikely partnership between daredevil Evil Knievel and Chuckles.

Nuts About Peanut Chews - Learn how this classic candy bar was distributed to American troops in World War I. 

How Would You Unwrap 100 Grand? - Explore how this candy bar became involved in some very mischievous pranks.

The Spin on Cotton Candy - Unwrap the history behind America's favorite carnival confection.

Unwrapping the Tootsie Pop Wrapper - Discover what's so special about the wrapper with the Native American Chief.

Exploding Jawbreakers - Find out what happens when Jawbreakers get too hot.

The Mentos Experiment - Explore what happens when you combine Mentos with Diet Soda. 

Pop Rocks and the Death of Mikey - Discover why Pop Rocks were blamed for the rumored death of LIFE Cereal's commercial star.

Bubble Yum and the Spider Eggs - Learn how this repulsive rumor started for Bubble Yum Bubble Gum.

Now & Later Taffy - Explore why this innovative candy was created NOW!  You will thank us LATER.

Van Halen & Brown M&M's - Why did this famous rock band have a problem with brown M&M's?

M&M's in Orbit - Discover how and why M&M's chocolate candies wound up in a space shuttle.

Admiral Byrd and the NECCO Wafer - Not too many people get to go on expeditions to the North Pole, but NECCO Wafers have.

Who Invented Peanut Brittle? - Evidently, it's up for debate!

Richard Cadbury & the Heart-Shaped Chocolate Box - What do you think chocolate boxes were born that way?

The Curious Case of Chocolate Tootsie Pops: Why Everyone Wants Them (and Why They’re So Hard to Find) -  Discover why this particular flavor of Tootsie Pops is so hard to find. 

Soft vs Stale - The Great Peeps Debate That Lovingly Divides A Nation. - Whether you prefer Just Born Marshmallow Peeps hard or soft is a matter of preference.

A Tale of Two Mars Bars In Two Cities (We Couldn't Resist A Literary Reference) - Learn about the different formulas of Mars Bars and why this product was discontinued in America in 2002. Also, enjoy some fun Mars-related trivia too!

The Sweet Story of Gold Mine Nugget Bubble Gum - This nugget-shaped bubble gum has been around since the 1970s and is worth its weight in nostalgic candy gold.