Wacky Wednesdays – Czechlets!

It’s another edition of Wacky Wednesdays, and today we’re going to take a look at the inspiration for the sticker Czechlets, from 1974’s Wacky Packages series 9.

Czechlets is another sticker parody you probably wouldn’t find done today.  I wouldn’t really consider this racially insensitive, but the fact that it invokes the people of Czechoslovakia is close enough that it would be avoided.  What would be the offense, that Czech people are “tiny”?   Needless to say, it’s safe to say it wouldn’t be done today.

The original product basis for Czechlets should be pretty obvious, as it’s a product that is still around and still packaged in much the same way:  Chiclets.  Here’s a close-up of the original sticker art, as well as an early 70’s Chiclets box that matches up pretty closely.

Wacky Packages Series 9 - 1974 - Czechlets

Chiclets - Peppermint 10-cent gum box - 1970's

Czechlets is a nice little piece of artistic work, painted by Norm Saunders, the master artist of the original Wacky Packages series.

That’s everything for today’s edition.  Tomorrow I’ll be back with a short feature that celebrates the warm weather about to engulf us, and how candy ties into that wonderfully.

About Jason Liebig

A New York City based writer, editor and sometimes actor. After spending much of the 1990′s in the comic book business helping tell the stories of Marvel Comics’ X-Men as series editor, he has since split his time between developing his own entertainment properties while still consulting and working on others. Having been described as “the Indiana Jones of lost and forgotten candy”, Jason is one of the country’s premier candy collectors and historians with his discoveries appearing in countless blogs, magazines, newspaper articles, and books. Always happy to share his knowledge and unique perspectives on this colorful part of our popular culture, Jason has consulted with New York’s Museum of Food and Drink and has also been a featured guest on Food Network’s Heavyweights, France’s M6 Capital, and New York’s TheActionRoom.com. My Google Profile+
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