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AFTER A LONG DISPUTE WITH
THE UNION, THE MAKER OF TWINKIES
AND WONDER BREAD IS SHUTTING
DOWN.
HOSTESS WILL SELL ITS ASSETS
AND LAY OFF 18,000 WORKERS.
THE COMPANY OFFERED UNION
WORKERS A NEW CONTRACT WITH AN
8% PAY CUT IN SEPTEMBER.
THAT UNION REJECTED THE OFFER.
THEN STARTED TO STRIKE LAST
WEEK.
HOSTESS SAYS THE STRIKE CRIPPLED
THE ALREADY BANKRUPT COMPANY.
AND AS WORD GOT OUT THERE
WOULD BE NO MORE TWINKIES OR
DING DONGS, FOLKS STARTED
STOCKING UP.
STEVE KELSO MADE ONE FINAL
TRIP TO THE TWINKIE STORKS HE
JOINS NEWS STUDIO.
SAY IT AIN'T SO SO!
THAT WAS THE ATTITUDE OF
OUT.
BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE THRIFT
STORE ON LAMOREAUX THEY WERE
OUT, I HAD TO GO TO A PARTY
STORE TO GET ATHLETIC THESSMENTS
I WAS MACED -- AMAZED, EVERYBODY
TWINKIES.
YAHOO, IT'S TWINKIE THE KID,
WOW!
Reporter: SURE S. AND FOR
GENERATION THIS IS CUDDLELY
CREAM-FILLED COWBOY RODE HIS
SPONGE CAKE PHYSIQUE INTO THE
HEARTS AND ARTERIES OF MILLIONS
PROMISE.
YOU GET A BIG DELIGHT IN
EVERY BITE OF HOSTESS TWINKIES!
Reporter: FOR 82 YEARS,
TWINKIES AND A HOST OF OTHER
HOSTESS PRODUCTS SURVIVED.
SURVIVED THE GREAT DEPRESSION,
THE SECOND WORLD WAR, THE URBAN
LEGEND WAS THE COMPANY'S
BEST-SELLING PRODUCT WOULD
SURVIVE THE END OF THE WORLD.
THAT SEEMS EVEN LESS LIKELY NOW.
COME ON TO HOSTESS TWINKIE
Reporter: SORRY TO INFORM
YOU, MR. KID, BUT AS OF TODAY,
YOUR SERVICES AND THOSE OF
ALMOST 19,000 OF YOUR COWORKERS
ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED IN
TWINKIE TOWN.
FAST.
I GOT MY CUPCAKES AND DING
DONGS.
SOME ZINGERS AND CUPCAKES.
SOME HO HO'S, A FEW.
THE DING *** SHELF HAD SOME
DING DONGS.
Reporter: AT THE STORE IN
LAMOREAUX TODAY EMPLOYEES WOULD
NOT ALLOW ME INSIDE WITH MY
CAMERA, THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO
GET CORPORATE PERMISSION.
I CALLED, GOT NO ANSWER.
THE CORPORATION IS NOT ONLY NOT
ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS, BUT
THEY'RE NOT ANSWERING THE
QUESTIONS OF THE EMPLOYEES.
I MET A WOMAN WHO'S WORKED HERE
FOR 16 YEARS.
SHE STILL HASN'T RECEIVED NOTICE
OF WHERE SHE HAS A JOB OR NOT.
I ALSO LEARNED THEY'RE ALREADY
OUT OF TWINKIES.
THE STORE HAS BEEN HERE FOR FOR
YEARS, AND I WAS TOLD TODAY
THERE WILL NOBODY MORE
DELIVERIES.
THEY WILL STAY OPEN UNTIL THE
CURRENT STOCK IS GONE.
FROM THE LOOKS OF THE SHELVES,
HMM.
THAT BAD.
THERE'S A REAL EMOTIONAL
COMPONENT TO A PRODUCT THAT'S
BEEN AROUND FOR 82 YEARS.
I BOUGHT THESE AS EXAMPLES.
MY MOTHER WOULD NOT GO A DAY
BREAKFAST.
I REMEMBER EVERYTHING ABOUT
THEM, THE SMELL, JUST REMEMBER
THIS STUFF.
WHEN WE CLEANED OUT MY PARENTS'
HOUSE AFTER THEIR DEATH, WE
CUPBOARD.
WE JOKED WE SHOULD HAVE BURIED
THEM WITH MY FATHER, HE LOVED
THE THINGS.
WHEN YOU'VE GOT AN 2-YEAR-OLD
PRODUCT IT GETS INTO THE PSYCHE
OF AMERICANS AND CONSUMERS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IDENTIFY WITH
IT, SURE.
DON'T YOU THINK THE BRAND IS
STILL VIABLE, SOME OTHER COMPANY
IS GOING TO COME IN AND RESCUE
THESE PRODUCTS?
I WOULD THINK SO.
CERTAINLY FROM MY
UNSCIENTIFIC STUDY TODAY, THERE
IS A LOT OF CONSUMER LOYALTY FOR
THESE PRODUCTS.
AND IF THEY STICK THAT HARD WITH
ME, WHAT IS IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE?
THAT'S RIGHT.