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What about the Twinkie?
Peter Venkman; Ghostbusters


The Twinkie was used by Egon Spengler in an analogy to explain to the rest of the Ghostbusters how extreme the current psychokinetic energy, or P.K.E., levels were during the first Gozer incident.

Canonicity[]

The Twinkie in the Primary Canon is developed from Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters II, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The Twinkie appears in the IDW Comic Series, a Secondary Canon, which follows Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II, also includes some elements from Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions) and Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Stylized Versions); as well as being canon to Tobin's Spirit Guide (Insight Editions). Ghostbusters: Funko Universe, deemed a Tertiary Canon, follows Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II.

History[]

Primary Canon History[]

Ghostbusters (1984)[]

Egon Spengler warned the other Ghostbusters that the level of psychokinetic energy (P.K.E.) in the city was unusually high, and something "big" was on the horizon. Winston Zeddemore asked him what "big" meant exactly, so Egon picked up a Twinkie from Ray Stantz's desk and used it for an analogy: whereas a normal Twinkie would represent a standard amount of P.K.E., the sample surge Egon was tracking would equate to a Twinkie that was thirty-five feet long and weighing approximately six hundred pounds. Ray was stunned, and Winston observed, "that's a big Twinkie." Egon then ate the Twinkie.

Later, Peter Venkman came down to the basement and Winston asked Egon to "tell him about the Twinkie." Concerned, Peter asked, "What about the Twinkie?"

Ghostbusters: Afterlife[]

After Trevor, Phoebe, and Podcast are pulled over by Sheriff Domingo in Summerville, they discover an unopened Twinkie in the glove box of Ecto-1.

Ghostbusters: Back in Town[]

In 2023, a Twinkie was in a glass case in the Firehouse garage bay.

Trivia[]

Ghostbusters (1984) Trivia[]

  • Harold Ramis came up with the Twinkie analogy as part of a longer explanation describing the universe as an expanding, four-dimensional balloon. The Twinkie part was the only thing to survive into the movie.[1][2]
  • The Twinkie analogy was invented when Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, and Ivan Reitman went to Martha's Vineyard to start working on the script of the movie. In addition to being something to show how dangerous things were getting, the analogy was tied to the notion that Egon snacked a lot.[3][4][5]
  • In the September 30, 1983 draft, on page 72, Peter said the "That's a big Twinkie" line. Winston has the line in the October 7, 1983 final draft, on page 52.
  • The dimensions of Egon’s twinkie are inconsistent: a 600-pound Twinkie should only be about 6.4 feet long while a 35-foot long Twinkie should weigh about 50 tons.[6]

The Real Ghostbusters Trivia[]

IDW Comics Trivia[]

  • On the subscription cover of Ghostbusters: Get Real Issue #3, both Winston's have a Twinkie.
  • On page 19, panel 2, of Ghostbusters Annual 2015, under the Elon note is a quote of Harold Ramis' "We were delighted with the notion that this script could be so 'out there,' and yet still have a scientific and parapsychological plausibility" which is from an annotation on Making Ghostbusters page 104 about how he and Dan Aykroyd the evolution of the Twinkie metaphor in the first movie.
  • On page 19, panel 2, of Annual 2015, right of Winston is a nod to his "That's a big Twinkie" line in the first movie and Egon's estimation it would be 35 feet tall and weigh 600 pounds.
  • On page 19, panel 2, of Annual 2015, left of Egon's boots is "Balloon will pop," a nod to the four dimensional balloon that was originally part of the Twinkie metaphor seen in drafts of the first movie and explained in annotation on Making Ghostbusters page 104
  • As he does at the Firehouse, Egon keeps a Twinkie handy at his apartment seen in Ghostbusters International #1
  • In Chapter 14 of Ghostbusters (2016 Movie), one of the ads in present day Times Square is a Twinkies one and it quotes Winston's "That's a big Twinkie." line.
  • In Ghostbusters International #7, page 20, the Twinkie on the ground is the Key Lime Slime Twinkie offered during the theatrical run of the Ghostbusters 2016 movie.
  • In the Ghostbusters Annual 2017, on page 46, the Primo Spiffies Cakes and ad are based on Twinkies and classic Hostess 1 page ads, for example in old Marvel comics books.
  • On page 11 of Ghostbusters: Funko Universe, in panel 4 and 6, on top of the computer monitor is a box of Twinkies.
  • On page 1 of Ghostbusters: Interdimensional Cross-Rip, a Twinkie is on the dashboard.
  • On page 4 of Ghostbusters: Interdimensional Cross-Rip, the Twinkie is mentioned in the Introduction.
  • On page 11 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #2, Peter mentions Egon was very upset when he learned about the end of production of Twinkies, a nod to when production briefly stopped starting November 21, 2012.
  • On page 3 of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #5, in panel 5, the month the Pin-Up Calendar of Doom! is on has a picture of a Twinkie.
  • On page 9 of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #1, in panel 3, Ray and Winston allude to Egon's Twinkie metaphor in Chapter 15: E.P.A. Man.
  • On Cover A of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #4, there is a recreation of Egon doing his Twinkie metaphor in Chapter 15: E.P.A. Man.
  • On Cover B of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #4, a Twinkie appears.
  • On Cover RI of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #4, there is a Twinkie on a plate by Egon.

Ghostbusters: The Board Game Trivia[]

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Trivia[]

  • Boxes of Yellow Cake Logs are kept around throughout the Firehouse.
  • Yellow Cake Logs can be found in the Firehouse at:
    • At the coffee table in the garage bay.
    • On the metal shelf to the side of the table with the chess board on the second floor.
    • On the counter next to the stove on the second floor.

Appearances[]

Primary Canon Appearances[]

Secondary Canon Appearances[]

Tertiary Canon Appearances[]



References[]

  1. Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters, p. 104 annotation. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA, ISBN 0918432685. Paragraph reads: "The 'Twinkie' analogy was invented by Harold Ramis as a way to explain the enormity of the psychokinetic energy levels Spengler is detecting within the city."
  2. Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters, p. 104 annotation. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA, ISBN 0918432685. Harold Ramis says: "We were delighted with the notion that this script could be so 'out there,' and yet still have a scientific and parapsychological plausibility. From a physics point of view, Dan was always talking about things like 'holes in the reality envelope.' Well, I didn't know what that would mean to an audience, so I came up with this 'Mr. Wizard' kind of analogy -- describing the universe as an expanding, four-dimensional balloon. And as I was talking, I'd be blowing up this balloon. Then I'd explain, 'If something were to penetrate the envelope of our reality...' -- and the balloon would pop. That then led to the 'Twinkie' analogy. The whole thing made sense in terms of the plot but it was just much too long, so only the Twinkie survived."
  3. Ivan Reitman (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 48:14-48:21). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "But I know it came at Martha's Vineyard. And we were trying to think of a very practical way of demonstrating to the world..."
  4. Harold Ramis (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 48:22-48:23). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Harold Ramis says: "Just how dangerous things were getting."
  5. Harold Ramis (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 48:27-48:30). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Harold Ramis says: "We also had this notion that Spengler snacks constantly."
  6. McTague, Carl (2007). Egon’s Twinkie.
  7. Reaves, Michael (2009). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection Volume Three Disc Five, "Camping it Up" Script p. 3. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  8. Peter Venkman (2015). Cryptozoic Entertainment- "Ghostbusters: The Board Game" (2015) (Comic p.3). Peter says: "Does it involve a snack-cake analogy?"
  9. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Revenge of Murray the Mantis" (1987) (DVD ts. 10:09-10:10). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "Great. Another big Twinkie."
  10. Winston Zeddemore (2011). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters: Infestation Issue #2" (2011) (Comic p.1). Winston says: "I don't even want to know how big the Twinkie is this time."
  11. Peter Venkman (2014). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #16" (2014) (Comic p.7). Peter says: "You gotta slow down on those Twinkies."
  12. Winston Zeddemore (2020). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Year One Issue #1" (2020) (Comic p.9). Winston Zeddemore says: "Twinkie, yeah."

Also See[]

Gallery[]

Primary Canon Images[]

Secondary Canon Images[]

Tertiary Canon Images[]

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