Everyone knows about the Pop-Tart, but do they know the circumstances around its invention?
It dates back to the early ’60s when Kellogg’s biggest competitor, Post, announced Country Squares — a toaster-prepared breakfast pastry.
But Post made one big error, making this public announcement before the product was actually ready for the marketplace.
Desperate to pip Post to the post, Kellogg’s hired Grand Rapids native Bill Post, plant manager for the Michigan-based Hekman Biscuit Company (later Keebler Co.) to create their own version of the breakfast pastry, which they did just four months later.
The race to invent the sweet treat is the focus of Jerry Seinfeld’s Netflix film Unfrosted — albeit a slightly fictitious version.
Jim Gaffigan joins the film’s A-list cast starring as Edsel Kellogg III — who hires “Bob Cabana” (played by Seinfeld) to invent the Pop-Tart.
Despite Unfrosted being Seinfeld’s directorial debut, the comedian has a wealth of experience in this field as showrunner of his iconic, eponymous sitcom from 1996 to 1998.
Therefore, Gaffigan had a strong idea of what to expect from Seinfeld as a director before arriving on set.
“This might have been Jerry’s first time directing but having done Seinfeld and the fact that it was such a writer’s medium, meaning the writer-slash-showrunner has this heavy hand over the direction,” the comedian tells Metro Times. “He is somebody that appreciates keeping it light and playful but with a purpose. With some comedies you’re not sure how they are going to keep it together because there’s so much messy back-and-forth or improv — but there was an efficiency with the time [in] Unfrosted.”
Speaking with Netflix, Seinfeld remarked how he used the bare bones of the true story and then let his imagination run wild with milkmen cartels, an insurrection led by cereal mascots, and a living hybrid Pop-Tart creature.
“This really did happen in Battle Creek, Michigan, where Kellogg’s and Post were located, and they did compete to come up with this product… But the rest of it is complete lunacy,” said Seinfeld. “We’re going to tell you a story, but if we want to do something funny that doesn’t make any sense, we’re going to do that too.”
Seinfeld managed to assemble an incredible cast for the film with some staggering A-list cameo appearances, including the likes of Jon Hamm, Melissa McCarthy, Dan Levy, Christian Slater, Bill Burr, and Peter Dinklage.
Gaffigan says this experience was unique and exciting, often wondering, “Who do we get to play with today?”
Hugh Grant also stars in the movie as Thurl Ravenscroft — the real-life actor behind Tony the Tiger. The iconic British actor stars as the cereal mascot and for the first time in almost 30 years, he filmed an audition tape and sent it to Seinfeld before he was cast.
The casting of Grant especially excited Gaffigan, who describes him as “perfect” for the role.
“He is such an entertaining and charming movie star,” Gaffigan says. “I had dinner with him and there is a surface version of what you think Hugh Grant is and then you are impressed by his ability that goes beyond the king of the romantic-comedy. He is a really funny character. I describe him as the ‘most un-British yet very British guy I’ve met.’ He has this strange neurosis that is more American than British.”
One of Gaffigan’s most memorable scenes in the movie was when he attempts to seduce Amy Schumer’s Marjorie Post by dancing to Chubby Checker’s 1961 classic “Let’s Twist Again.”
The comedian describes the dance scene as “out of his wheelhouse” and admitted he was nervous in the build-up to filming.
“I’m not a big dancer so you won’t catch me doing any twists [in the future],” he says. “When it comes to dancing or in an episode of The Flight of the Conchords I had to sing, that is really foreign to me. I get nervous for stuff like that but usually any acting thing I’m usually so prepared that I feel fine about it.”
Over recent years, despite his comedic background, Gaffigan has opted for more dramatic roles with his acting.
“The serious roles often have a greater complexity or dimension to the character,” he says. “As opposed to a lighter comedy, there can be some layers but it’s not going to be as complex as someone processing grief or dealing with the complexity of a relationship that might be falling apart. Whereas, in comedy, the objective is usually to get to the next funny piece.”
Unfrosted is set to be released via Netflix on May 3.
