Twitter users on Sunday (Jan. 24) were a bit confused not only about why the corn chip brand Fritos was trending, but why it was trending in the politics category.
It seems like the first mention of Fritos started with journalist Dan Rather suggesting that people start looking for “non-political opportunities” to disagree with one another. He then went on to ask followers what their favorite snack was since the NFL playoffs where happening. “Pretzels or Chips?” Rather asked. “Or my favorite, Fritos?”
Algorithms are funny things in social media. Maybe it was the fact that Rather has been known for his work as a political reporter throughout his career, but Twitter considered the word “Fritos” as a politically charged subject. But even then, Rather did specifically say that he was looking for “non-political opportunities” to debate, so the categorization still doesn’t make much sense.
Since Fritos is still a trending political topic, we’ll play along and actually politicize the salty corn chips by revisiting the Frito Bandito, the controversial mascot the Frito-Lay company used to market its products from 1967-1971. The mascot, which robbed people of their Fritos at gunpoint, was discontinued after Frito-Lay received complaints about the racist, stereotypical “Mexican bandit” it was depicting. Here are five facts about the Frito Bandito that you may not have known.
As a pudgy, greasy, illiterate-sounding, jolly thief, the Frito Bandito was an early 1970s racist offense. It took four years for Frito-Lay to pull the image from its ad campaigns.
Mel Blanc Voiced the Frito Bandito
Frito Bandito’s voice might have sounded familiar to some people when the commercials came out on TV. That’s because legendary voice actor Mel Blanc, who was best known for giving voice to Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, voiced the Mexican bandit. Blanc also voiced Speedy Gonzales, who spoke in broken English much like the Frito Bandito.
Tex Avery Created the Frito Bandito
Best known for drawing famous cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, Avery also designed the look of the Frito Bandito. The character’s appearance included a sombrero, gun holster, two pistols, gold tooth, stubble and a long villainous-looking moustache.
Rare – Politically Incorrect Frito Bandito Commercial
FAQ
Why was the Frito Bandito discontinued?
What year did the Frito Bandito commercial come out?
Who was the voice of the Frito Bandito?
Who is Frito Bandito mascot?
The Frito Bandito was the cartoon mascot for Fritos corn chips from 1967 to 1971. The Bandito was created by the Foote, Cone & Belding Agency and animated by Tex Avery. The character was voiced by Mel Blanc, who used an exaggerated Mexican accent not unlike another character of his, Speedy Gonzales.
What are 5 facts about the Frito Bandito?
Here are five facts about the Frito Bandito that you may not have known. The Frito Bandito was introduced by the Frito-Lay company in 1967 and replaced a character known as the Frito Kid, a blonde-haired little boy dressed like a cowboy. The Frito Kid was the company’s original mascot from 1952-1967.
Who was Frito Bandito?
Retroist states that the Frito Bandito replaced Frito Kid, a blond cowboy-child seen in ads lassoing people into having Fritos chips with their lunch. The Bandito, according to Toonopedia, was outfitted with a sombrero and bandoleras full of bullets, and was voiced by Mel Blanc of Bugs Bunny fame.