Forget monsters and ghosts – this Texas toddler is horrified by candy corn, video shows
Plenty of things around this time of year can strike a cord of unflappable terror in people. Ghosts. Goblins. Zombies.
Yet, there is one thing that always seems to be battling for the ultimate state of control when it comes to the Halloween chills — candy corn. At least, that’s the case for one toddler in Houston.
A now-viral video posted to Twitter shows a young girl with a look of terror on her face as her father gets up-close and personal with the controversial spooky treat.
“Anybody want a daughter?” the candy-corn loving father facetiously asks his Twitter followers as his little girl is seen running and crying in the other direction.
We’ve all faced this conundrum at least once in our lifetime, whether we want to or not: Is candy corn actually a decent treat? After all, Buzzfeed once described it as “the leftover crumbs stuck in Guy Fieri’s goatee” — before saying that hot dog water tastes better.
Some trick-or-treaters see the carb-loaded pellets shaped like actual corn and run for the hills. Others, like this little tot’s father, actually like it.
But is it controversial enough to warrant a debate every single year? From Eater to CNN to the Atlantic, articles that feel like they stretch longer than Homer’s “Iliad” have been composed on the subject, while Twitter users set fire to friendships if they disagree on the sugary treat..
The National Confectioners Association reports that 35 million pounds of the treat are produced annually, according to the Atlantic, so it’s more popular than some people think. There’s even a National Candy Corn Day, which falls on October 30 – the day before Halloween.
That massive amount of candy corn led one writer for the Eater to call foul.
“With all the candy corn produced, and the apparent universal disdain for it, something doesn’t add up,” reporter Kate Willsky wrote in the magazine. “One of two things is true: either people are lying about their candy corn opinions, or tons of candy corn gets thrown out each year.”
And a poll from the National Confectioners Association on the favorite Halloween candy of Americans found candy corn in second place with 13% of the vote — with chocolate at number one with 70% of the vote, according to Vox.
Whether you’re a fan or not, always be prepared to gird your loins around this time of year in preparation for the great social media debate of candy corn. Because, for better or for worse, it seems the controversy over candy corn is far from over.
This story was originally published October 6, 2020 at 12:02 PM.