NPR: Wacky Packs Are Back

Wacky Packs Are Back

Filed under: Links From the Show, Luncheonette, Stuff We Love

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Tricia McKinney, NPR

When I was a kid I used to spend my allowance money on Wacky Packages. I forget how much they cost, but for the money you got a piece of cardboardy gum plus a few stickers with parodies of common grocery store products. Like "Jail-O" instead of Jell-O and "Minute Lice" instead of...do I really need to spell it out? I thought they were hilarious.

Now, there's a book celebrating the 35th anniversary of Wacky Packages. I saw the book on a colleague's desk and immediately scooped it up and called the publicist. Today we talked to Jay Lynch, an artist from the underground comix scene of the 1960s, about a job he did strictly for the money--writing gags and mockups for Wacky Packages.

I interviewed Lynch, and found him slightly bemused by the interest in Wacky Packs (that's what we called them in upstate New York). He told me about how he and Art Spiegelman tried to make the stickers as subversive as possible. I honestly am not sure if that is the secret to their appeal. I think we might be more shallow than that--or maybe it's just me. I think we just really, really like package design, especially in a shiny sticker form. The ultimate expression of a Wacky Pack sticker was putting it in just the right spot on a lunch box.

Here are a few examples. Enjoy!

Tricia McKinney

12:06 PM ET | 06-10-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Thanks for this story. As I was talking to a friend the other day, I wondered why my generation spoofs on products, business names and places. We do it all the time. Hardees is Fartees, American Express is American Distress, WalMart is StallMart or SprawlMart, Caswell County is Casual County and many more. Now I remember why, Wacky Packages!! I grew up with these things and collected them. Sadly, I didn't keep any of them. It would be interesting to see just how many of the original spoofed products are still around. Thanks for bringing back this childhood memory.

Sent by Julie | 1:44 PM ET | 06-10-2008

Loved the Wacky Packs story...I was 11 in 1973 and they were the perfect vehicle to nurture the satire and cynicism I would need to survive a life of moderate success at middle management......but why have Pesca do the interview, all satire aside, I really can't take another day Mike Pesca, why, Oh Why, does he have to try and prove he can be "witty" every single time he opens his pie hole. He reminds me of that guy in college who was smart and articulate but NO ONE COULD STAND because he's constantly proving it.

Alison please, please come back.

Sent by twr001 | 4:11 PM ET | 06-10-2008

First of all, good story on the Wacky Packs -- it brought back a load of very fun memories. More importantly, please show Mr. Pesca some respect. This is, after all, the same guy who said: "Rachel Martin: Weird About Fruit?" I've been chuckling for two days.

Sent by Jonathan | 6:08 PM ET | 06-10-2008

Perhaps that was a tad harsh on Pesca, RM's aversion to fruit aside, I'm just saying "precocious" can work for ya at 10 not so much at 35 (or whatever) ...just sayin'

Sent by twr001 | 7:43 PM ET | 06-10-2008

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