Rogersville, TN – GlossyNews.com – Little Johnny Krebbs loved to sit around his rural Rogersville home like any other kid daydreaming and making wishes. He wished for a puppy. Other times he wished for a new bicycle, but it wasn’t until he wished-upon-a-lucky-star while singing a popular kids song that his wishes finally came true… much to the astonishment of his parents, Glenn and Rita
In the 1950s, a popular hotdog manufacturer coined a song that was soon to make marketing history by including lyrics that every kid could sing as they played.
‘Oh I wish I were an Os-car Mayer Wie – ner
That is what I’d tru-ly like to be
cause if I were an Os-car May-er Wie – ner
Ev-ery one would be in love with me.’
With the advent of television, the song was soon memorized by kids everywhere. It was as easy to sing as if it were a nursery rhyme. Little Johnnie sang it everyday as he ate his hotdog for lunch.
On July 4th, while eating his lunch and singing his ‘wishing song’ Little Johnnie Krebbs actually became an Oscar Meyer weiner right in front of his open-mouthed Mom.
Clothing slipped off. His blonde tussled hair fell out. His ears and appendages also sloughed off into a pile beneath the dinner table. To surprised friends and relatives, he managed to sit upright and continue singing as if nothing was wrong!
Within a few days, reporters from all major networks descended upon Rogersville in search of the Boy Weiner miracle. Soon, after many repeated knocks on the screen door, the Krebbs consented to an interview.
“Our little Johnnie is still loved no matter what he’s become. Our only concern is finding a bun that will be big enough to fit him when he’s older, and we wonder how to keep him out of the sun so he doesn’t get fried!”
Local merchants joined in helping the Krebbs in the spirit of good neighbors and have purchased 200 gallons of mustard, 100 bottles of relish, and 3 crates of sauerkraut to help the family.
It was an amazing public relations coup back in the fifties to sell the lowly hotdog.
I was once at a trade show where the Weinermobile and Little Oscar Myer* were stationed outside greeting people. Kids were going nuts. Little Oscar Myer dressed as a chef handed out little plastic weiners on a bun keyrings and the kids went crazy.
* Little Oscar Meyer was played by actor Jerry Marin who got his start as a Munchkin in the Wizard of Oz.
And he got cholesterol and died.
The Weinermobile design is most often attributed to Brooks Stevens. Brooks was also responsible for classic Harley look, and the idea of offering kitchen appliances in a range of colors.
Guy smart as Brooks Stevens would NEVER let that little TN brat get away with turning into a weiner, without first paying a hefty licensing fee.
Nagging problem for Little Johnny is the alternative lyrics for the song that go something like:
Oh I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner
That is what I’d truly like to be – e e
Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner
Everyone would take a bite of me.
Little Timmy Morgan took that literally.