Chow Daddy - PSA - 1987

A school lunch PSA from Boston from 1987

[@getajobmate1281]

"Lemme get this straight - you like spaghetti?" "I do. And I'm tired of pretending I don't."

[@moritzzz1]

You like spaghetti and you are roaring, daddy. You are roaring

[@blurp02119]

It was for kids getting reduced price foods they were being shamed

[@Feckinpaddy29]

I remember my older brother HATED that commercial! He came up with the rhyme "I'm tired of candy... I'm tired of gum... I'm tired of shovin 'em up my bum".

[@ryoamora8655]

Yeah, now he's a male prostitute, go figure.

[@TonyHawkTuah]

🤣😂🤣 How's your brother now ?

[@mauwah8154]

This is amazing

[@lilwonka]

Genius

[@mr.furley6153]

Omg my Lord... that's so funny... maybe cuz it's 4 am and I'm overtired

[@DValedof]

I have wondered this since i was a child - what exactly does he stand to gain by pretending that he does not like spaghetti?

[@maverickREAL]

Cause he doesn't like school lunch.

[@habuhomeboy]

A metric fuckton

[@mattbair2002]

All the Italians hate him because of that

[@JayZer0]

I think it's intended to manipulate kids into thinking they (1) don't actually want junk food and (2) would prefer heartier meals.

[@HayabusaWill]

School cafeteria spaghetti is bad so he pretends he doesn't like spaghetti to not eat it. Enter Chow Daddy food.

[@pittapatttasin]

Wow, this commercial brings back a lot of memories. I wonder if anyone has the news footage covering the drug arrest of the actor who played Chow Daddy. I don't recall the man's name, but when the story broke in the late eighties/early nineties, it was big news in the Boston area.

[@srbrant5391]

He does seem like a guy with a lot of inner demons.

[@Thewritingelf]

He really got busted for drugs ?! I shouldn't be surprised but I am LMAO

[@ryoamora8655]

That's bullshit...Show the article or it DIDN'T happen. Stop stirring shit up.

[@Devalius]

@@ryoamora8655 To be fair, I don't think there IS an article to show, at least on the internet. This seems like such a local thing, you'd have to find an old newspaper article about it for citation, and even then, I doubt anyone remembers where the oddly specific section on it is. As far as I can tell, the claim can't be proven OR disproven, but a few other people who remember this commercial on other sites have a similar story.

[@thegreenestofmachines]

He looks like he’s on drugs in this commercial

[@meatman2203]

Came here from Vinesuce to see if this was real.

[@sanriodeppressionthermos8602]

I dont know if i want chow daddy in my school cafeteria

[@nimmy56]

Chow daddy is the name if you don't want his game, then you get *to f u c k i n g D i E*

[@Seegie16]

BURGEEEEEEEERS...............RAAAAAAAAAH

[@janomartin4483]

DESSERS

[@captwiggs]

@@janomartin4483 CHOW DADDY

[@escargooncominatya4732]

is this a 80s version of a furry?

[@potassium8056]

well... they did exist back then

[@jordangaming5886]

I think so

[@Sharon_Hocutt]

is this commander meouch

[@tggc1983]

As a furry I can and can’t confirm.

[@heavythegreywolf]

@@tggc1983 same

[@habuhomeboy]

If this man was in my school I would be terrified

[@davidcwaite1]

I get a blast every time I see this. Just showed this to my kids and they also got a blast out of it. I enjoyed being Chow Daddy and I'm so glad it was well received by not only kids but parents too. Good Messages aren't always easy to come by these days so keep pushing the envelope and challenge our intellectual capabilities to promote both a Healthy Mind & Body! Cheers, David C. Waite

[@BixbiteBungo]

What did they mean by pretending they don't like spaghetti?

[@Tambundial]

Holy shit it's really you

[@ymatktpk11]

Holy crap! You were Chow Daddy? Damn man. You came to the Winter Hill Community School in Somerville and it was like seeing a rock star for us! You asked questions and gave out t-shirts, and one question was "What is milk good for?" My idiot friend answered "cereal!" and I followed with "bones!" to steal the t-shirt. It was a PRIZED possession of mine, haha. Anyway, great memory. Thanks!

[@davidcwaite1]

@Carry the Lucumber 100% incorrect

[@davidcwaite1]

@@ymatktpk11 right on and I love those t-shirts too

[@daveking2906]

This commercial has bn in my head for 28 years!! I've looked for It forever. I have bn laughing for 2 friggen hours straight. Who ever posted this is f*ckn great. I'm so chow daddy next halloween. Epic!!!

[@marknapoleoni9158]

Dood same here! I looked for it for years I found one website with a pic. Found this today im choking over here so epic

[@riverscuomo7140]

The fact that he specifies "pizza, spaghetti, hamburgers" but then just says "dessert" implies that they don't serve a specific dessert and it's just a weird confectionery lump.

[@1rk3neditz]

its Fluffy Puff Translucent Dessert Related Substance

[@riverscuomo7140]

​@@1rk3neditz I know I'm a year late (and you were too) but I love you for that reference, your name and the PFP. It's like you're me from another universe.

[@wyredaftsquall]

​@@1rk3neditzLook lively!

[@Matzu-Music]

So most school food?

[@devanhinskey9001]

The way he says ‘burger’ is hilariously meme worthy. 0:22 “BURGERRRRRRRRRRR!!!” XD

[@jeffchabotte]

Who is here from 2024 because of Jon Oliver and a core memory has just been unlocked?

[@Matzu-Music]

No core memory, just john oliver

[@j-g9463]

Yoooo…Thanks for posting this up! I’ve been thinking about this commercial/psa for the past 35 years 🤣

[@GLITZandGLOOM]

Same! I looked for this for YEARS! I remember seeing it ALL the time in the late 80s. For some reason, it actually freaked me out as a kid 🤣 But goddamn, it's so good to see this after all these years. I feel like I'm 5 years old again, and I'm 40! Hahaha

[@billmulligan2483]

Finally, the full version of this PSA in up on KZbin! I remember seeing this come on my television in the late 80's while watching cartoons and the lyrics always stuck in my head, about 4 years ago I got the urge to look him up by typing in "Lion dude in red sweater singing about food" in Google and it brought me to only 1 result, which was a Boston area nostalgia website with a link to a crappy KZbin feed of the video. This link's video is far superior. Classic stuff!

[@GusTwinsDad]

This beat. This music. The moonwalk. The weird cat dude.. Is Chow Daddy a poor man’s Thriller?!

[@JayZer0]

I'm not old enough to remember this ad, nor am I from the correct area of the country, but I too have been waiting for the full version ever since I stumbled upon the 10-second clip that was posted several years ago. Thank you so much for uploading! Hard to imagine a time when you could produce a PSA in which kids are instructed to eat pizza and desserts... Love it!

[@theverybestyoutubeaccount]

Do you remember this ad now?

[@jasont6924]

They ran this ad constantly when I was a kid. hilarious, then and now!

[@nathanfuller3759]

Thank you so much! Like others, I looked for a full version of this for years and never thought i'd see it again. I think I even contacted the Greater Boston Ad Council at one point to try and track it down. I can die happy now

[@sparkletune]

I remember that one as well. There was also the 'balancing my meal' one and always count your change. The martian was a weird guy in a silver jumpsuit IIRC

[@cplavin]

Not being able to come across the full version of this before now has been the most confounding thing about the internet that I've ever encountered. I knew some hero would eventually come along. Thank you. Sincerely. I can die in peace.

[@humanperson6372]

This man is behind the bite of 1987

[@FortySwords]

Thank you for uploading this. Ive been looking for the complete version of this and not the abbreviated version, and now Ive finally found it. Sweetness.

[@venture790]

Back in the day I remember watching cartoons one saturday with my dad and this ad came on and my dad was like "It must be hard to be an actor and look back on what you've done later in life." The way he said it I could tell he pitied that guy who played the lion......

[@nightfangs2910]

I went to school with a chow daddy he weighed 500 lbs

[@ehoward140]

I've been trying to find this for years! Thanks!

[@novelkarslol5296]

Mom: we have Michele Jackson at home Michele Jackson at home:

[@l.shikaku-ka3744]

Jotaro San what the fuck is you doing

[@novelkarslol5296]

@@l.shikaku-ka3744 whatever the fuck I want

[@l.shikaku-ka3744]

@@novelkarslol5296 you need to think about your daughter, how would she feel?

[@guyhandsome43]

I remember seeing this when I was 8, thinking "no one pretends to not like spaghetti..."

[@akaredcrossbow]

I haven’t seen this commercial in years! I still think of this commercial anytime I hear someone say burgers, and this song gets in my head. Subliminal messaging and Hooked On Phonics worked for me! 😂🤣

[@dongordito00]

Oh my god I've been looking for this forever. Thanks.

[@Maniac1607]

I remember this. Life was a lot easier back then.

[@idapples]

although i wasn’t born when this commercial aired, i do remember a time a few years ago where i would watch and reference this all the time. its such an odd but fond memory

[@TheHallOfTally]

At 0:11 that moonwalk was smooth

[@puffinman1138]

Been looking for this for a long time, too! Thanks so much for the upload! For once, I don't mind finally listening to what an "educational" PSA is preaching me to do! haha

[@ds9mm]

This shit scared the hell out of me when I was a kid

[@electrogeek77]

OMG THE ENTIRE AD. You have NO idea how happy this makes me.

[@gothadelic9396]

Damn the eighties was a weird time

[@MutedAndReported3032]

Sure were, dear leader

[@eddaniels4731]

I agree, Dear Leader

[@maverickREAL]

Weirdly enough, the kids never saw Chow Daddy after that day. Come to think of it, Ryan never saw his dad again either.

[@josephstalin1887]

0:07 *eyes light up*

[@betterinsodapop]

I have always wanted to be ChowDaddy for Halloween, but since I live out of state now, nobody would know who the hell I was supposed to be.

[@thatdariachick]

I was childhood friends with the little blonde girl in the crowd. She was in 2nd grade when she did the commercial

[@53os]

IVE BEEN WAITING 5 YEARS FOR THE FULL VERSION OF THIS!!! THANKS SO MUCH! I've heard rumors that there is a second chow daddy commercial wherein he spins a pizza on his finger like a basketball. Can anyone confirm the existence of this second chow daddy spot?

[@MSTS1]

@Ledheaded101 - I recorded this in '87; my youngest sib thought it was funny. It was in with all my other '87 clips, but I didn't think anyone else would care about it, so I didn't add it, until recently, when I saw that some were looking for it. Glad to know you enjoy it, and that others do too.

[@DevoutSkeptic]

BURGERS

[@details78]

Grew up in Randolph Massachusetts. Remember this quite well.

[@abark]

One of the many incredibly effective brainwashing spots I can still remember seeing as a child.. 25+ years ago! This and the Mormon commercials(One of which my band 'covered')

[@grog1138]

@MSTS1 What a coincidence! Thanks for posting this!

[@mediadude08]

Pizza! Spaghetti! Burgers! Won't hear those foods being promoted in PSA's here in 2011.

[@zefanto]

Whos just bopping to the music

[@antoineletts2151]

Wow , I see I wasn’t the only one who remembers this and randomly searched for it . Yes the in retrospect the 80’s were weird because it was a major transitional decade , but so many great memories , from toys to cartoons and playing outside . While I’m here does any one remember the abc cartoon break that went : 🎼don’t let a friend push you in to taking drugs you got the riiiight to say no! no ! The right to say no!

[@mynameischancho]

Robolad---its on youtube "by only eating candy baaahs we dont know what we've missed"

[@SoCoolScience]

Who pretends they don't like spaghetti? 4Relz! I cant let anyone know I love one of the best pasta dishes on the planet.

[@williamwinn948]

I've been trying to find this for so long I've typed in everything from guy in lion costume saying spaghetti to 80s school lunch commercials lol. My girlfriend just posted a video to me of Zoobilee Zoo and I fucking found hahaha.

[@rustedrails]

I cannot begin to tel you how this traumatized me as a six year old........

[@rosario508]

Was this intended be like a big deal? Did the creators of this monstrosity think this character was going to have staying power and longevity? Did they have images of merchandising deals, after school specials, cartoon spinoffs, a series of children's books and perhaps even a movie deal? And when it completely crashed and burned did they wonder "What the fuck were we thinking?" or did they think "Gee we really had something there. I wonder why it didn't work out?"

[@1176gunner]

+Ross Cicero i thought the same thing...this abortion could never influence anything

[@srbrant5391]

Well said!

[@arib8782]

Yeah, just a PSA -here’s another example, this one was on TV all the time -and also, for the actor, probably just like Chow Daddy, it was probably just some local Massachusetts bit-part player (you can hear the Massachusetts accent lol) taking one of many a small crappy roles in an attempt to scrounge together a living (unless this is Anthony Hopkins and I just don’t know it -man, that guy can play anything! 😆 ) kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYDGg2V7p9WVrpY

[@gemini_man66]

😂 Remember this as if it were yesterday!

[@MSTS1]

@53os - I thought you'd like it, glad you do! I don't know of any other versions, in fact: this was the only time I ever even saw this on air, and I happened to have had a recorder rolling at that moment.. It just showed up..

[@accurateman9024]

this guy has legit good dance moves

[@georgechidi]

John Oliver, I blame you for reminding me this exists.

[@byronm1919]

He was tired of candy and gum, but was ALSO tired of being hungry at the same time? Try eating the candy and gum, Chow Daddy!

[@alexandermahterian4408]

John Oliver did this to me

[@MitchellPickle]

Thanks Binyot

[@shanadono]

So awesome!!!

[@dmonvisigoth1651]

Thanks John Oliver.

[@mynameismatt82]

This video sets black people back at least 500 years. Even Zoobilee Zoo was more dignified than this.

[@dozaarchives2225]

+mynameismatt82 Zoobilee Zoo was awesome! MAGIC AND WONDER ARE WAITING FOR YOU

[@JoeRossProductions]

Children and Grown-ups and Kittens and Puppies

[@doImatrix01]

i remember seeing this as a kid and thinking "who the hell is pretending they don't like spaghetti?"

[@queenyblahblah]

Aren’t we gonna talk about how the kid literally just falls back on the steps at the start he doesn’t even sit he just kinda flops

[@grog1138]

Did you just post this today on the 1/26/11? For some reason I was thinking about this PSA today before looking on KZbin.

[@d4phyber]

Wow... that brought back some memories... this commercial hasn't even entered my mind since the 80's. It's so weird to see it again. Isn't it a little odd to be advertising for school lunches? It just doesn't seem like something you would ever see today.

[@mikeybug5]

I’m tired of candy, tired of gum, tired of hunger and food that’s no fun. I’m tired of pretending I don’t like spaghetti, but school lunch keeps me born ready and rock steady. Pizza. Spaghetti. BURGURS.

[@MSTS1]

@grog1138 - Yes. I never thought anyone remembered it until I looked it up on YT a couple weeks ago, and saw some interest in it but, no full versions. So I tracked down the tape, and here it is.. -)

[@Thedumbone215]

I’m pretty sure most schools don’t even sell desserts nowadays, even when they do, it’s either Greek yogurt, crude sherbet, or just a cheap store bought brownie/cookie

[@RoughToughTonkasGotTheStuff]

uhh did your school have three layer cakes or something?

[@Teeveepicksures]

@StrafejumpBogle His name is Robolar and he's from Mars. He eats all kinds of candy bars.

[@Sharon_Hocutt]

Is that Commander Meouch from the 80's inspired band Tupperware Remix Party??

[@ibyron]

@genesislordofdarknes I remember the PSA. Saw it in the DC area in the 1970s and maybe early 1980s. I've been trying to find some remnant of it for years!

[@TrickRider58]

Chow Daddy. They called him Chow Daddy.

[@josephfanning1241]

Trying to figure out where I heard the voice was driving me crazy. It's Rowlf from the Muppets.

[@keisync]

this commercial is so nostalgic to me now it’s weird

[@tsunamix0147]

I have to put up with the fact that this ad came from my local area...

[@Leblenlens]

Real spoopy

[@mrg466]

That was funny!

[@jessicaclapper922]

Is Scat Man Crothers doing the voice? He voiced Jazz on Transformers around this time, and sure does sound like him!

[@dukes0916]

@StrafejumpBogle Oh yes! I grew up in New England! The character's name was Robalard (spelling???) & he finds the fruit in a cardboard cut-out Lunar Module. (Presumably the key take-away is that there is nothing better than earth produce. Its on KZbin! Happy Hunting!

[@briaand04]

Hell yes! Chow daddy for Halloween this year. Problem solved

[@toonxlink]

I guess anything really was possible in the 80's.

[@scrappydoo8761]

John Oliver took me here, anybody else came here because of John Oliver

[@gamemerz69]

I don't remember that scene from the lion king

[@BarryAce]

I used to joke that whoever made this commercial was a real sadist because it was promoting school lunches “They want us to get sick?”

[@denzelmendez6773]

I'm watching this in 11:23 pm and I'm having nightmares of this

[@jimmyfoppiano2822]

The blond kid, from the left, seems talented enough to be one of Lady Gaga's back up dancers.

[@ate-ē-ate]

wtf was the watermark for

[@TBird100636]

I vaguely remember this ad. Wasit on all the networks or just WLVI??? I seem to remember it on WLVI only.

[@aalthesuppe]

00:19 is that the origin of the ‘PIZZA!’ Sound effect from Roblox? It sounds a lot like it

[@JonMax1999]

0:19 So this is where they got the Roblox pizza sound from

[@lptlp]

There's no use lying: You all laughed at this guy's gimmick. Not to mention his kick-ass Michael Jackson impersonation at 0:10.

[@moxie997]

I've seen that on here before: "I'm from Mars and I eat all kinds of candy bars"

[@cupocoffee9369]

Is this not the fucking guy that did stand up comedy with the Snoop Lion joke that he kept up with and didn't let die?

[@MBThomas]

TV's Kyle sent me here.