Count Chocula
1147833
223350125
2008-07-03T18:17:24Z
Hypnosifl
869676
/* Cultural references */
{{Refimprove|date=July 2007}}
[[Image:2003 12 countchoc.jpg|frame|Count Chocula box, 1996.]]
'''Count Chocula''' is a ghoulish member of the line of [[monster]]-themed [[breakfast cereal]]s produced by [[General Mills]] for the North American market. The cereal contains [[chocolate]]-flavored corn cereal bits and [[marshmallow]]s. Count Chocula is the cereal’s [[mascot]], whose name is a [[pun]] on the [[vampire]] [[Count Dracula]]. Instead of craving blood like Dracula, Chocula craves Count Chocula breakfast cereal. Count Chocula is still being produced despite some stores discontinuing it. There were fears over the health implications of eating Count Chocula that led to it being discontinued, however, it was reproduced with healthier ingredients (as well as an increase in wholegrain).
==Cultural references==
{{Trivia|date=April 2008}}
* In [[Thomas Pynchon]]’s novel ''[[Vineland]]'', the story of the book starts with a note lying next to an empty Count Chocula box. After reading the note, Wheeler simulates the Count Chocula cereals with [[Froot Loops]] and some [[Nesquik]].
* In the ''[[21 Jump Street]]'' episode ''Old Haunts in the New Age'', Doug Penhall ([[Peter DeLuise]]) dresses up as Count Chocula for Halloween.
* On the TV series ''[[Futurama]]'', Count Chocula has been promoted to [[Archduke]] and is known as ''Archduke Chocula'', just as [[Cap'n Crunch]] is now ''Admiral Crunch''.
*''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode ''[[Sweets and Sour Marge]]'' shows a parody of him, named ''Count Fudgeula'', as being a sugarholic that wishes to quit (his teeth have fallen out due to [[gingivitis]]) but finds himself unable to resist. In [[Treehouse of Horror IV]] the credits list Matt “Count Chocula” Groening. The episode [[The Old Man and the Lisa]], has [[Montgomery Burns|Mr. Burns]] shopping for cereal. When he sees [[Krusty the Clown|Krusty]] with a box of [[List of products in The Simpsons#Krusty-brand cereal|Krusty-O’s]] he asks, “Can you tell me where they put the Burns-O’s?” Krusty replies, “They don't put nobodies on cereal boxes!” Then, he notices the Count Chocula cereal and says “Hmm. I suppose this one looks a bit like me.”
*An episode of ''[[Invader Zim]]'' contains a parody character named ''Count Cocofang'', a mascot for ''Coco Splodies'' cereal.
*On the episode "[[Health Care (The Office episode)|Health Care]]" of "[[The Office (US TV series)|The Office]]", Jim lists "Count Choculitis" as an illness when Dwight forces the staff to disclose their diseases in order to reduce health benefit costs. Dwight asks "Did you write that because you know I love 'Count Chocula'?"
*In ''[[Robot Chicken]]'', Count Chocula is seen as a judge in an ''[[American Idol]]'' spoof called ''Zombie Idol'' in which he substituted for the role of [[Simon Cowell]].
*A cut-away in the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "[[Wasted Talent]]" shows Cap'n Crunch wanting [[The Godfather]] to [[assassination|assassinate]] Chocula because "that son of a bitch has been spreading lies! My cereal does ''not'' cut the roof of your mouth! With all respect." [http://www.planet-familyguy.com/pfg/subtitles/30/]
*In ''[[Wedding Crashers]]'', John Beckwith resists the temptation to go over-board in taking on fake occupations in order to sound fascinating; he says "I'd like to be pimps from Oakland or cowboys from Arizona but it's not Halloween. Grow up; Peter Pan, Count Chocula."
*In ''[[Robin Williams]]'' Live On ''[[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]'' [[2002]], Robin makes a reference to Count Chocula as part of his performance. He talks about the winner of gold medal in snowboarding (freestyle) at the Winter Olympics. Robin says "Would you like to be on a box of Wheaties? -No. Count Chocula."
*In one of the many versions of his song "Your body is a wonderland", [[John Mayer]] imitates Bobby Brown singing "And in the morning, girl, I'm gonna pour you a bowl of Count Chocula"
*In ''[[Blade: Trinity]]'', [[Dracula (Marvel Comics)|Dracula]] walks into a store that sells vampire souvenirs. He picks up and looks at a box of Count Chocula cereal, then kills everyone in the room.
*In 1999, the satirical newspaper ''[[The Onion]]'' ran a front-page story about Count Chocula (online [http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29263 here]), characterizing him as an actual blood-sucking monster to underscore the humor of his role as mascot for a children's cereal. [[Franken Berry]] is also referenced in the article, although not by name.
*In the Halloween edition of [[Something Awful]]'s Tub Bites series, there is a sketch where Count Chocula, called Chocolate Dracula, is trying to make kids eat his cereal, along with Frankenberry, called Strawberrystein. The kids are scared by the pair and kill them. Boo Berry looks out of the window and floats away.
*In the movie ''[[Tank Girl (film)|Tank Girl]]'', a character states he's better in the dark, like Count Chocula. He's angrily corrected by a friend, who tells him that "It's Dracula, fool! Count Chocula is the guy on the detergent box!" which sets off a heated argument until Tank Girl tells them to shut up.
*In the popular webcomic [[Something Positive]], protagonist Davan McIntire and his best friend Aubrey Chorde buy a large supply of the monster cereals, which Davan (who has a culinary bent) transforms into a number of experimental desserts. The odd foodstuffs are then "donated" to a bunch of collegiate potheads.
*In the movie ''[[Multiplicity (film)|Multiplicity]]'', Doug Kinney #4 (the child-like clone of [[Michael Keaton]]'s character) finishes off a box of Count Chocula (and all of the rest of the food in the clones' apartment).
* In the HBO Original Series [[The Sopranos]], mobster [[Johnny Sack]] is jokingly referred to as Count Chocula.
*"Count Chocula" is a currently unreleased song by the parody rock band [[Schpouph]]. The song is a parody of the [[Rob Zombie]] song "[[Dragula (song)|Dragula]]".
* In the ''[[Psych]]'' episode ''[[American Duos]]'', Emilina Saffron refers to Detective Carlton Lassiter as Count Chocula due to the detective's likeness to the mascot.
*In the [[Imaginationland]] episode of [[South Park]], Count Chocula appears among the imaginary characters in the titular land.
*In one commercial, instead of the usual animation, Count Chocula was played by a live actor.
*When [[Danny Kass]] won the silver medal in the Snowboard Halfpipe event at Salt Lake Olympics in 2002, he shouted "I'm going to be on the Count Chocula box! Count Chocula!."
*In the movie [[Sugar & Spice]], Jack Bartlet (James Marsden) asks Diane (Marley Shelton) which character she would rather be: Count Chocula or Trix the Rabbit, during their trip to the grocery store. She said Trix the rabbit.
==Taglines==
*I want to eat your cereal! (1971 - 2008)
==External links==
*[http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29263 Parody article on Count Chocula in ''The Onion'']
[[Category:Breakfast cereals|Chocula]]
[[Category:General Mills characters|Chocula]]
[[Category:Fictional vampires|Chocula]]
[[Category:Fictional counts and countesses]]
[[Category:General Mills brands|Chocula]]
[[Category:Cereal advertising characters|Chocula]]
[[Category:1971 introductions]]
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