Readers Write . . .

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Sandra:

Sandra B sent me an email in response to the post on Who Remembers?

Shows how old I'm getting, I remember all the items listed at the end of your blog. I'm laying in bed singing in my head, the whole Aeroplane Jelly song. How sad is that !!!!!'

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Graham:

Graham E, aka Mr Trivia, sent me an email in reference to the item on origins of Freddo Frog.  Graham provided some facts about the origins of another Oz confectionery item, Bertie Beetle. 

I mentioned this to our trivia team members on Triv Night and said that I had never heard of Mr Beetle Esq. This resulted in a round of “Where have you been?” It turns out that all the team members knew of Bertie form Royal Easter Show showbags. I had taken my daughter to the Show once when she was small and hated it so much that I swore never to go again, and I haven’t

Graham’s email:

Hi Mr O 

What about Bertie Beetle! 

A Bertie Beetle is an Australian chocolate bar manufactured by Nestlé. It consists of chocolate shaped ike an anthropomorphised beetle with small pieces of honeycomb throughout. It was created as a way to use up pieces of coconut, and honeycomb left over from the production of Violet Crumble bars. 

First production

The Bertie Beetle was first produced in 1963 by Hoadley's Chocolates who were later taken over by the Rowntree Company and became Rowntree Hoadley Ltd, when it was launched by VFL footballer Ron Barassi and was sold in shops until 1970, when Nestlé entered an exclusive agreement with 'Showbag Marketing' to only sell the chocolate at shows and exhibitions in showbags. 

Showbag-only era

Bertie Beetles are most well known for their inclusion in the reliably cheap Bertie Beetle showbag, available around Australia at various Shows. The 'Bertie Beetle Showbag' is one of the most popular showbags ever made and when the bag was withdrawn from sale at Royal Shows, Nestlé bowed to the resultant community pressure and recommenced sale of the bag. 

The bag traditionally cost $2 and came with a few Bertie Beetles and some Allens lollipops. Until 12pm on the first day of a royal show there is often an early bird special with some Bertie Beetle bags discounted to $1. The 'Bertie Beetle Bonanza' was created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bertie Beetle in 2003, which came with many Bertie Beetles as well as some other products. 

In 2006, there were four variations in existence: a small red bag, a medium-sized blue bag, a large gold bag and the '1-2-3' bag, which contains the three bags as well as some extras. The price for the classic blue 'Bertie Beetle' showbag was increased in 2006 to $3. For the 2007 Royal Shows however, the price has returned to its traditional price of $2. In the 2009 Royal Easter Show, there were a number of bags, including a Bertie Beetle Blue, Gold, Red and Green, along with a Bertie Beetle Bonanza Bag and a Bertie Beetle Black- Triple Deal. Despite the reputation of the Beetle showbag for ubiquity, comedian Rove McManus famously failed to find one when he visited the Royal Adelaide Show in 2001. 

The product comes in the regular packaging as well as a red and white Christmas edition. The standard sizing for both versions is 10 grams. Bertie Beetles contain gelatine so are not suitable for vegetarians. 

In 2013 a 50th Anniversary special edition of the Bertie Beetle showbag was made available, consisting of 50 Bertie Beetle chocolates and a mask. 

http://bmag.com.au/your-brisbane/brisbane-extra/2014/08/15/the-bertie-beetle-story/

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/nostalgia-keeps-bertie-beetle-bags-alive-20130219-2eol7.html

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Tobye:

From Tobye P in the US, in response to the last Funny Friday, where the whole item was a Corn Corner:

Sorry, if groans were your goal there weren’t many…I’m afraid many of these weren’t “corny” enough for the “corner”- Funny! I’m still laughing out loud about “one for the road” and the funny tasting clown!  

It’s not the end of the world…Ho! 

Later gator!

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Graham:

Another from Graham E, this time in respect of the Disney Facts:

Hi Mr O,
Did you know that there is a hidden Mickey Mouse in many Disney films ?
http://mentalfloss.com/article/51725/39-hidden-mickeys-disney-animated-movies
cheers

It’s worth clicking on that link and having a look.

From that item:

Mickey Mouse has been the central mascot of the Walt Disney Corporation since his creation in 1928. The iconic cartoon character has seen many updates over the years, but his mouse ears, red pants, and white gloves are staples in the mouse's design—just three well-placed circles are enough to create Mickey’s recognizable silhouette. 

This geometric representation of Mickey Mouse is called a “Classic Mickey,” which Disney artists, designers, and imagineers hide throughout Disney theme parks and resorts, attractions, and media including animated movies, TV series, and live-action films. These covertly-placed gems are affectionately called “Hidden Mickeys.” 

Although the Walt Disney Corporation has not officially recognized the appearances, Hidden Mickeys have become part of the fabric of the complete Disney experience. Here are 39 Hidden Mickeys in Disney animated movies.

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Some Mickey humour . . .