Pop Rocks and soda killed Little Mikey
| Pop Rocks and soda killed Little Mikey | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "The child actor who played "Mikey" in Life cereal commercials died when his stomach exploded after he ate Pop Rocks candy and drank soda." | |
| Domain | Consumer Products & Everyday Life |
| Tactic | Fabrication |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | Late 1970s |
| Origin | Schoolyard rumor that spread across the United States after Pop Rocks were introduced in 1975 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Consumer Products & Everyday Life | |
The legend that Pop Rocks and soda killed Little Mikey is one of the best-known urban legends of the 1970s. "Mikey" was a character in a Life cereal commercial, played by John Gilchrist. He was alive and well and later worked in advertising. Eating Pop Rocks with soda releases a small amount of carbon dioxide, far less than a can of soda, and cannot rupture a stomach.
The claim
Children traded the story as a warning, often adding that the candy had been banned.
What the evidence shows
- Alive. John Gilchrist gave interviews as an adult about the rumor.
- Science. The gas released is roughly that of half a can of soda; the body expels it by belching.
- Company response. General Foods, the maker, took out ads and sent letters to school principals to dispel the rumor.
Sources
- Snopes, "Pop Rocks and Soda."
- Jan Harold Brunvand, The Choking Doberman and Other Urban Legends (W. W. Norton, 1984).