When Johnny Carson's comedic critique of fruitcake aired during a holiday season in 1989, it marked a turning point for the dessert’s popularity, transforming a beloved tradition into a punchline. As Carson humorously noted, 'Nobody eats (fruitcakes)... you put it up in the closet somewhere, then you wait until next Christmas.' This epitomized a shift in public perception towards fruitcakes, impacting sales and the industry itself.
Hayden Crawford, of Collin Street Bakery, recalled the fruitful times before Carson’s jokes, stating, 'I'll turn 70 in the spring... we were making almost 4 million pounds of fruitcake annually.' He highlighted how Christmas fruitcakes had become a gift staple, associated with prominent companies across the nation before losing favor due to televised humor.
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