41: The Red (M&M) Scare

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4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 February 2020

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

From the mid 1970s to the mid ‘80s, red M&M’s disappeared. American consumers had become worried about the safety of red food coloring after some questionable Russian studies prompted the FDA to look into whether one particular dye might be causing cancer in rats. But years later, the red M&M made a triumphant return, thanks in part to a college kid in Tennessee and an inside joke that took on a life of its own.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, Sarah Wyman.
0:01.5	Hey.
0:02.0	So what have we got today?
0:03.0	So I'm going to tell you the real story behind the red scare of the 1970s.
0:07.3	And I'm not talking about the Cold War, but a different red scare that I think you'll
0:10.9	probably remember when you were a kid.
0:12.6	Are you calling me old?
0:13.6	Charlie, I would never.
0:14.8	You are experienced.
0:15.8	Okay, experience.
0:16.8	I'll take that.
0:17.8	But okay, so last year on our show, we did a customer service segment about Sour Patch
0:23.1	Kids and you know, why they're shaped like children.
0:26.2	Right, super weird, but anyway.
0:27.8	That episode 36, check it out if you haven't already.
0:30.8	But anyway, while trying to answer that question, I met a guy named Jason Lee Bigg, who you
0:36.0	may remember as the Indiana Jones of candy.
0:38.6	Da da da da da da da da da.
0:40.0	I thought he was like this candy collector historian, dude.
0:43.1	Yeah, and I really wanted the two of you to meet.
0:45.6	So I arranged for all of us to hang out together in our studio.
0:48.4	Oh, hello.
	...

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