It’s going to be one of those days. . .
Cinnamon Toast Crunch — yes, the cereal — was trending this morning over this photo from blue-check Jense Karp questioning if he found “shrimp tails” in his cereal:
Ummmm @CTCSquares – why are there shrimp tails in my cereal? (This is not a bit) pic.twitter.com/tTjiAdrnVp
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 22, 2021
Cinnamon Toast Crunch, sensing a PR disaster, immediately sought out information while also offering Karp a new box:
We’re sorry to see what you found! We would like to report this to our quality team and replace the box. Can you please send us a DM to collect more details? Thanks!
— Cinnamon Toast Crunch (@CTCSquares) March 22, 2021
Who’s ready for some Zapruder-like analysis of the cereal?
The thought of a group of people at HQ zooming in and debating whether or not they could get away with saying this is *not* a shrimp tail is cracking me up.
You just KNOW there were naysayers. Let us hear their stories. pic.twitter.com/vfKdVD4yLb
— Nic?le (@NicoleESpears) March 23, 2021
Anyway, Karp isn’t quite ready to eat any more of what’s possibly the world’s most delicious cereal:
GUYS – I am not sure I’m ready for another box!!! https://t.co/OxRs5cvZPC
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 22, 2021
Cinnamon Toast Crunch bent over backward to satisfy its customer:
We understand your concern. We promise you that our team will look into this and get to the bottom of it – but in the meantime, we want to do everything we can to make this right. We'll need further details to research.
— Cinnamon Toast Crunch (@CTCSquares) March 22, 2021
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And “after further investigation” they declared “there’s no possibility of cross contamination with shrimp”:
After further investigation with our team that closely examined the image, it appears to be an accumulation of the cinnamon sugar that sometimes can occur when ingredients aren't thoroughly blended. We assure you that there's no possibility of cross contamination with shrimp.
— Cinnamon Toast Crunch (@CTCSquares) March 22, 2021
But actor and Twitchy regular Seth Rogen does not agree:
Yo that’s shrimp CT CRUNCH!
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) March 23, 2021
Are we being gaslit?
this gaslighting by the cinnamon toast crunch corporation is a national scandal. https://t.co/9EVSpjAzs4
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) March 23, 2021
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
UPDATE: It gets worse?
UPDATE: my wife has a stronger stomach than me and checked the OTHER bag in the family pack. This one seems taped up (?) and also appears to include…(I don’t even want to say it)…dental floss. pic.twitter.com/yKPkpx7PWq
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 23, 2021
And there are black things in the cereal, too:
For real, what are the black things though?
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 22, 2021
Poison control was called, too:
So I called Poison Control. Good news is, if it IS rat poo – I won’t feel the flu-like effects of an infection for a few days.
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 23, 2021
For real – someone tell me they aren’t like maggots or bugs. Is it shrimp adjacent? (also just found this weird cinnamon covered pea thing?)
I wish this was a joke. pic.twitter.com/7pCs0TJCpv— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 22, 2021
He’s getting the “black stuff” tested today:
AM UPDATE: I feel fine. I am going to get the black stuff tested today, and also going to talk to the Costco. Most importantly, nothing new from General Mills since they asked me to send them the shrimp tails that they had tried to convince me was sugar.
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 23, 2021
UPDATE 2.
He’s fighting back against charges he faked it:
Something regarding the stupid “Did he fake this?” take: there are black items COOKED ONTO the squares and tons of it at the bottom of the bag, in addition to shrimp tails and other SUGAR COATED junk. Also, it’s only “viral” because of their insane response. I would’ve dropped it pic.twitter.com/WOt9j2V0sg
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 23, 2021
UPDATE 3.
Karp is having the cereal tested right now:
I plan on continuing full transparency for those concerned about their products. This is the first I’ve heard from them since yesterday (when they said they were sending an envelope) and my new response. pic.twitter.com/EYugRvLbtC
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 23, 2021
And he’s unhappy with how Cinnamon Toast Crunch is handling it on their end:
I plan on continuing full transparency for those concerned about their products. This is the first I’ve heard from them since yesterday (when they said they were sending an envelope) and my new response. pic.twitter.com/EYugRvLbtC
— Jensen Karp (@JensenKarp) March 23, 2021
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Editor’s note: Additional tweets have been added to this post.