On This Day in 1996: A 'Flintstones' Controversy Ended! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 01-02-2011, 12:49 AM

January 1st, 1996 - After 27 years, Betty Rubble debuts as a Flintstone vitamin

With ratings to kill for, the show spawned a multi-million dollar industry in toys, lunchboxes, clothes and stuffed toys. Then along came Flintstones Vitamins, a product of what is now the Bayer company. They became a sponsor of the show, until prolonged pressure from the viewing public, citing the fact that children would not be able to distinguish between the real characters and the ones they would eat, caused their withdrawal.

But wait! There was something missing in the vitamin bottle. It was Betty! There was Fred, Barney, Wilma, Dino, the car, Pebbles and Bam-Bam. What happened to the petite neighbor? That depends on which company line you want to swallow. Either her small waist made her impossible to re-create, because the vitamins kept breaking, or there weren't enough dyes to make another character, or she looked too much like Wilma.

Whatever the excuse, the release of the feature movie "The Flintstones" in 1994, appeared to launch a "Bite Into Betty" campaign, where the public clamored to have her wasp-waisted form added to the vitamin bottle. Never ones to ignore an opportunity for publicity, Bayer started a "Vote for Betty" campaign and provided a toll free number, where you could register your feelings on the issue. Then they bowed to public pressure and added Betty Rubble in 1996.

http://www.amusingfacts.com/facts/De...-vitamins.html

MrCleveland · 01-02-2011, 03:23 PM

Not to mention on "Wayne's World", both Wayne a Garth liked Betty Rubble, their #1 Character that they'd make love to....

Steve M. · 08-15-2011, 12:22 PM

Like Trixie Norton, Betty never got much respect.

tv star collector · 08-15-2011, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

Not to mention on "Wayne's World", both Wayne a Garth liked Betty Rubble, their #1 Character that they'd make love to....

According to an Esquire magazine poll, 58.2% of men surveyed preferred Betty Rubble over Wilma Flintstone. (Source: Craig Yoe's Weird but True Toon Factoids (Random House; 1999))

Steve M. · 08-15-2011, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tv star collector

According to an Esquire magazine poll, 58.2% of men surveyed preferred Betty Rubble over Wilma Flintstone. (Source: Craig Yoe's Weird but True Toon Factoids (Random House; 1999))

Brunettes are more popular than redheads.

01-02-2011, 12:49 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	On This Day in 1996: A 'Flintstones' Controversy Ended! January 1st, 1996 - After 27 years, Betty Rubble debuts as a Flintstone vitamin With ratings to kill for, the show spawned a multi-million dollar industry in toys, lunchboxes, clothes and stuffed toys. Then along came Flintstones Vitamins, a product of what is now the Bayer company. They became a sponsor of the show, until prolonged pressure from the viewing public, citing the fact that children would not be able to distinguish between the real characters and the ones they would eat, caused their withdrawal. But wait! There was something missing in the vitamin bottle. It was Betty! There was Fred, Barney, Wilma, Dino, the car, Pebbles and Bam-Bam. What happened to the petite neighbor? That depends on which company line you want to swallow. Either her small waist made her impossible to re-create, because the vitamins kept breaking, or there weren't enough dyes to make another character, or she looked too much like Wilma. Whatever the excuse, the release of the feature movie "The Flintstones" in 1994, appeared to launch a "Bite Into Betty" campaign, where the public clamored to have her wasp-waisted form added to the vitamin bottle. Never ones to ignore an opportunity for publicity, Bayer started a "Vote for Betty" campaign and provided a toll free number, where you could register your feelings on the issue. Then they bowed to public pressure and added Betty Rubble in 1996. http://www.amusingfacts.com/facts/De...-vitamins.html
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

01-02-2011, 03:23 PM	#2
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,235	Not to mention on "Wayne's World", both Wayne a Garth liked Betty Rubble, their #1 Character that they'd make love to....
	__________________ Thank God for kids that love Obscure Things. Lee Hazlewood (1929-2007) You ARE Special to God! Rev. Ernest Angely (August 1921-May 2021)

08-15-2011, 12:22 PM	#3
Steve M. Back on the road to reality Forum Superstar Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 33,307	Like Trixie Norton, Betty never got much respect.
	__________________ I don't really get out a lot. When I do go out, I couldn't be happier. I love being in a nice milieu. I'm as happy as a clam. Just as long as I'm not in some club playing hip-hop. You hear that sort of thing in a lot of places. That's not my milieu. Rock and roll is good-time music. I love rock. So did my parents.