RIP: A Brief History Of The Twinkie
Twinkie (and Ding Dongs, and Wonderbread) mothership Hostess has finally called it quits after a year's worth of struggling to stay in business.
In memoriam, here's a quick recap of everything that's happened in Twinkie history, from the inception to the ultimate demise. Will someone step in please? We're worried about future cockroaches after the world ends.
1930: The Twinkie was invented. James Dewar, a Hostess baking manager in Chicago, reportedly wanted to use shortcake pans outside of strawberry season, so he just decided to put cream filling in, sans strawberries. They started selling at two Twinkies for a nickel.
1978: The term "Twinkie defense" is coined during Dan White's trial for the murder of Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone, used when criminal defense attorneys try to argue that an unusual factor (like eating too many Twinkies, causing a sugar rush) should be blamed for a crime.
Fast-forward to 1984: Ghostbusters creates the Big Twinkie theory.
1990: The Blue Man Group feasts on Twinkies, which get spewed out in an endless cycle of gross Twinkie consumption.
2002: A Brooklyn restaurant creates deep-fried Twinkies, spawning imitations at country fairs around the country.
2004: Hostess files for bankruptcy protection for the first time.
2008: A Twinkie simultaneously grosses us out and warms our heart as a cockroach's bed/food source in Wall-E.
2009: The cakes earn post-apocalyptic cult status in Zombieland.
2011: Ferran Adrià declares his love for Twinkies. Food reputation, solidified.
Jan. 2012: Hostess files for Chapter 11.
2012: Wendy Williams goes on a quest to save them. Obviously fails.
Aug. 2012: Hostess runs into more problems as creditors work with the Teamsters union to come up with a workers wage deal.
Nov. 2012: Hostess finally calls it quits, saying, "We are sorry to announce that Hostess Brands, Inc. has been forced by a Bakers Union strike to shut down all operations and sell all company assets," on a very sad landing page for the website.