Jerry Seinfeld’s ‘Unfrosted’ Writer Defends The Decision to Add a January 6 Insurrection-Inspired Scene in the Netflix Movie

Jerry Seinfeld’s latest movie, Unfrosted, has captured the attention of viewers worldwide. The film marks Seinfeld’s directorial debut, and it makes a unique take on the Pop-Tart origin story.

The hype surrounding Unfrosted is building steadily, with fans anticipating Seinfeld’s entry into the world of filmmaking. Seinfeld, anyway, has a legendary status in the world of television comedy. His involvement as a co-writer and the leading actor has just added to the excitement surrounding the film.

However, one particular scene in the film has sparked some discussion. Spike Feresten, who previously worked with Seinfeld on the sitcom Seinfeld, opens up about a specific sequence in the movie. The scene shows a group of cereal mascots storming the offices of Kellogg’s company, drawing comparisons to the events of the Capitol Insurrection.

Unfrosted‘s Writer Defends the Controversial Scene

While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Feresten talked about his decision to include elements inspired by the January 6 insurrection in the film. He explained that the sequence felt like a natural fit for many reasons., including Thurl Ravenscroft, the actor who voiced Tony the Tiger, who almost came to strike due to feeling underpaid. Feresten said,

“While we were writing it, there was an actual strike at Kellogg’s going on,. And then, of course, there was the insurrection, and we thought, ‘Why don’t we have our own mascot insurrection?’ But really, what it was about was costumed creatures doing violent things. We thought that would be a funny image set of images. We didn’t really think the insurrection was funny, but we thought, ‘If we can pull off violent moves with mascots, that could be a funny situation.'”

Also read: “That was a tough one”: Jerry Seinfeld is Still Troubled By a “mean” Heckler Who Ruined His “fantastic” Joke during a 1993 Standup

Feresten felt that the motivation behind the sequence was to move the story further rather than to make light of the insurrection itself. He said,

“It was never, ‘We want to do a Jan. 6 thing. When you’re building a story, you’re just putting piece on top of piece. And that story led us there, and we thought, ‘If we do this quickly and we make it funny, maybe the audience will enjoy it.’ And that was really the goal of everything in the movie: instructing jokes and scenes that’ll brighten people’s day, even when it may reflect something that was ugly.”

Feresten was very open about the inspiration behind the film’s comedic elements. He found the idea of serious adults inventing silly things for kids hilarious. He was also thankful to producers for giving him the creative freedom required to write such a story.

Also read: “I’m talking to you Ryan Gosling”: Jerry Seinfeld Sends a Warning to The Fall Guy Actor in Surprise SNL Appearance to Promote Unfrosted

The Plot of Unfrosted

According to Time, the movie actually began as an inside joke between Jerry Seinfeld and Feresten about making a film based on the comedian’s favorite breakfast meal. However, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that the project actually started taking shape.

Unfrosted is a fictionalized take on the creation of Pop-Tart. It is set against the backdrop of the heated rivalry between Kellogg’s and Post in the 1960s. Seinfeld plays Kellogg’s head of development, and he shows the world of the cereal business. The movie shows struggles and opposition from cereal mascots and milkmen, who fear that a breakfast food that doesn’t require milk will harm their business.

Also read: From dating a 17-year-old To Self-Diagnosing Himself with Autism, Jerry Seinfeld’s Desire for a “difficult life” Perfectly Aligns with Some of His Controversial Choices

The movie draws inspiration from the early 1900s rivalry between Kellogg’s and Post when C.W. Post stole a Kellogg recipe for cornflakes and rebranded it as Post-Toasties.

Many characters in the movie are fictional versions of real-life figures who were actually involved in the creation of Pop-Tarts. Jack LaLanne, played by James Marsden, is shown as a Kellogg’s taste pilot who inspires the foil packets used for Pop-Tarts. Similarly, Thurl Ravenscroft, played by Hugh Grant, is shown as the mastermind behind the iconic “Grrrrreeeat!” slogan.

Although Unfrosted takes creative liberties with historical events, Seinfeld and Feresten were determined to deliver a comedic experience that viewers can relate to.

Unfrosted was released on May 3, 2024, and is now streaming on Netflix.