Recently, Funko has been releasing a lot of new and… interesting… Pop! Vinyls as part of their Ad Icons line. One of these is of the Spam Can, with its’ recognizable, rectangular shape. Originating in Minnesota in 1937, this canned pork product became popular worldwide (and became a staple in Hawaiian and Polynesian cooking) during its’ use by America in WWII.
Fun Fact: The term “spam” in reference to unsolicited electronic messages came from a Monty Python sketch in which Spam was referenced multiple times in an irritating and unwanted manner.
When the first Spam cans were released, it called for a “key” to be used to open the can… which the Pop! Vinyl is carrying. These days, the can is opened by a tab on the top of the can.
Did You Know? In celebration of the comedy musical Spamalot on Broadway, Hormel created a special flavor of Spam. It’s name? Golden Honey Grail.
Due to the fact that my Grandpa Art served in WWII and loved Spam, my mom, and therefore my brother and I in turn, were raised on Spam. It remains today something that I do enjoy (on occasion and in moderation due to it being a packaged pork product). However, I do love a good Spam, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich or a Spam and rice stir-fry from time to time.
Interested in seeing what other Ad Icons you might want to add to your collection? Check out our friends over at Entertainment Earth, where Spam Can and more are available to order/ pre-order.
Matt Norris