• [ network ]
  • goatmatrix.net
  • gvid.tv
  • img.gvid.tv
  • speedy.gvid.tv
  • apps.gvid.tv
HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

How Flamin' Hot Cheetos Became a Cultural Sensation

Views:1166
@ReasonVids

The fan culture around the #FlaminHotCheetos has allowed the snack to survive school bans, media panic and an origin story debacle. Food nannies don't stand a chance. #HotCheetos
------------------
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ReasonTV?subconfirmation=1
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason

Reason is the leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Go to reason.com for a point of view you won't get from legacy media and old left-right opinion magazines.
----------------

Richard Montañez, the self-proclaimed inventor of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, has a memoir out this week called Flamin' Hot: The Incredible True Story of One Man's Rise from Janitor to Top Executive. It's also being made into a movie by actress and producer Eva Longoria.

But last month, the Los Angeles Times published allegations that Montañez fabricated his role in the snack's creation.

"None of our records show that Richard was involved in any capacity in the Flamin' Hot test market," Frito-Lay said in a statement. "We have interviewed multiple personnel who were involved in the test market, and all of them indicate that Richard was not involved in any capacity in the test market."

Whether or not the Flamin' Hot Cheetos origin story is a legend, what matters most is how this fiery snack has been embraced, repurposed, and re-interpreted by legions of fans.

These puffy and pungent snacks have been featured in rap songs, YouTube challenges, TikTok cooking videos, clothing, jewelry, and a variety of food dishes with roots all over the world. Singer Katy Perry dressed up as a Flamin' Hot Cheeto for Halloween in 2014. 

This fan culture helped make Flamin' Hot Cheetos resilient to attacks by food regulators who object to artificial dyes and high-calorie cornmeal.

They're also a culinary phenomenon. "Either before school or after school you were going to get a bag of chips and the only one you were going to get was Flamin' Hot," says Tirsa Farah, co-owner and chef at Tirsa's Mexican Cafe in Los Angeles, California. Farah's menu features Flamin' Hot Cheetos in sopes, nachos, and esquites. "It's not just a flavor—it's a memory, it's an occasion. You just flash back to all the times you ate Flamin' Hot."

Bags of Flamin' Hot Cheetos appeared on American store shelves in the early '90s. They came to symbolize the poor eating habits of America's youth. The panic intensified with the rise of social media. There were claims that kids were showing up at doctors' offices with heartburn and red stool.

YouTube creators like @MegatoadStonie mocked the calorie intake concerns of school administrators and dietitians—perhaps unintentionally—with Flamin' Hot Cheetos challenges where contestants try to eat as many as they can in 10 minutes.

Mexicana YouTube creator Wendy, from the @Wendy's Eating Show channel, made a video in 2018 where she added Flamin' Hot Cheetos to her sushi and took part in a Korean YouTube trend called #Mukbang: videos where someone eats food and talks to the audience about it.

"You guys want to know why I picked these sushi rolls? Because they have cream cheese in the middle and Hot Cheetos and cream cheese also go together like peanut butter and jam," Wendy explains.

The way fans are able to engage with and fuse cultures together make Flamin' Hot Cheetos deeply American. Those flavors combine into something new, surprising, and better practically every single day.

"You can be as different as you want to be, or non-traditional as you want to be, and still make delicious, yummy food," says Farah. "It's just the different chip."

Produced by Paul Detrick. Shot by Zach Weissmueller and Detrick. Graphics by Detrick.

Music: Turn Up by Monako, TipToes by Myuu, Shibuya by Bad Snacks, The Beacon by Zachariah Hickman, Fundy by Rew.

Richard B. Levine/Newscom, FCA/ZOJ/WENN/Newscom, Jonathan Wong/SCMP/Newscom, Kris Tripplaar/Sipa USA/Newscom, Will/MEGA/Newscom, Paul Bersebach/ZUMA Press/Newscom, Eve Edelheit/ZUMA Press/Newscom, Orange County Register/ZUMA Press/Newscom, Photo 145166139 © Suriyapong Koktong | Dreamstime.com, Sharyn Jackson/TNS/Newscom, Richard B. Levine/Newscom, Cheetos/MEGA/Newscom

libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
flamin hot cheetos
,
flaming hot cheetos
,
flamin hots
,
mukbang
,
katy perry
,
eva longoria
,
richard montanez
,
cheeto
,
cheetos
,
flamin hot cheetos challenge
,
food
,
food nannies
,
tirsa's mexican cafe
,
mexican food
,
spicy
    Thumbnail for How Bitcoin Could Replace the U.S. Dollar1:01:34
    How Bitcoin Could Replace the U.S. Dollar
    ReasonVids
    777 views
    Thumbnail for Waffen SS - Erika2:14
    Waffen SS - Erika
    bestofpoal
    1234 views
    Thumbnail for Blanka - Guilty [Official Music Video] | Blanka2:31
    Blanka - Guilty [Official Music Video] | Blanka
    invidious
    100 views
    Thumbnail for Current Legal Challenges to COVID-19 Rules22:07
    Current Legal Challenges to COVID-19 Rules
    IJvids
    1012 views
    Thumbnail for The Origin Of Petroleum Oil – hint: not a scarce resource8:02
    The Origin Of Petroleum Oil – hint: not a scarce resource
    bestofupgoat
    574 views
    Thumbnail for Why 'Free College' Is a Terrible Idea7:35
    Why 'Free College' Is a Terrible Idea
    ReasonVids
    1049 views
    Thumbnail for The Caravan for Peace Calls for an End to the Drug War1:54
    The Caravan for Peace Calls for an End to the Drug War
    ReasonVids
    944 views
    Thumbnail for Ending the Global Drug War: Voices from the Front Lines6:19
    Ending the Global Drug War: Voices from the Front Lines
    ReasonVids
    970 views
    Thumbnail for Black Crimes Matter Top 10 From 2024 original content14:44
    Black Crimes Matter Top 10 From 2024 original content
    bestofupgoat
    147 views
    Thumbnail for New Heatwave and Drop Wall Tech in Halo Infinite | StandardAce0:32
    New Heatwave and Drop Wall Tech in Halo Infinite | StandardAce
    invidious
    431 views
    Thumbnail for GOPRO DRONE!!! Karma flying in NYC | CaseyNeistat11:47
    GOPRO DRONE!!! Karma flying in NYC | CaseyNeistat
    invidious
    369 views
    Thumbnail for Assista na íntegra o Interacção Matinal 24/12/2024 | Portal FM | Fala Moçambique2:02:46
    Assista na íntegra o Interacção Matinal 24/12/2024 | Portal FM | Fala Moçambique
    invidious
    169 views
    Thumbnail for 【 #ホロタイピング最速王 】ホロライブタイピング最速王決定戦💻🏆!!!【ホロライブ/さくらみこ】 | Miko Ch. さくらみこ2:27:01
    【 #ホロタイピング最速王 】ホロライブタイピング最速王決定戦💻🏆!!!【ホロライブ/さくらみこ】 | Miko Ch. さくらみこ
    invidious
    124 views
    Thumbnail for Happy Holi | Rank Push Fun Stream | Grandmaster Top 100 | Free Fire Max Live On Phone | Boss Army2:52:02
    Happy Holi | Rank Push Fun Stream | Grandmaster Top 100 | Free Fire Max Live On Phone | Boss Army
    invidious
    112 views
    Thumbnail for Blaze Foley: Faded Loves (alt doc opening) | Kevin Triplett4:26
    Blaze Foley: Faded Loves (alt doc opening) | Kevin Triplett
    invidious
    138 views
    Thumbnail for We Could Be Vaccinating Twice as Fast. The Government Won't Allow It.7:07
    We Could Be Vaccinating Twice as Fast. The Government Won't Allow It.
    ReasonVids
    1068 views
    Thumbnail for America's 3 Most Fee-Ridden Cities4:30
    America's 3 Most Fee-Ridden Cities
    ReasonVids
    1002 views
    Thumbnail for William Weld on Why Libertarians Can Trust Him as Vice President9:40
    William Weld on Why Libertarians Can Trust Him as Vice President
    ReasonVids
    876 views
    Thumbnail for Hggg0:05
    Hggg
    gggknezz123
    366 views
    Thumbnail for Sacred Spaces original content1:07
    Sacred Spaces original content
    bestofupgoat
    126 views
    Thumbnail for The Most Dangerous Jobs In America 😱 | Zack D. Films0:36
    The Most Dangerous Jobs In America 😱 | Zack D. Films
    invidious
    279 views
    Thumbnail for Policing for Profit? California Towns Bill Residents Thousands for Nuisance Violations7:52
    Policing for Profit? California Towns Bill Residents Thousands for Nuisance Violations
    ReasonVids
    1160 views
    Thumbnail for Whatever is trending comes to life in GTA 5 | GrayStillPlays16:10
    Whatever is trending comes to life in GTA 5 | GrayStillPlays
    invidious
    426 views
    Thumbnail for We Are As Gods: Stewart Brand & The Fight to Bring Back Extinct Species6:11
    We Are As Gods: Stewart Brand & The Fight to Bring Back Extinct Species
    ReasonVids
    990 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
flamin hot cheetos
,
flaming hot cheetos
,
flamin hots
,
mukbang
,
katy perry
,
eva longoria
,
richard montanez
,
cheeto
,
cheetos
,
flamin hot cheetos challenge
,
food
,
food nannies
,
tirsa's mexican cafe
,
mexican food
,
spicy
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle