There are few jingles more iconic than the 鈥淥scar Mayer Weiner鈥� earworm that gets folks fired up to grill in the summertime. The hot dog ditty is bested in popularity only by the Oscar Mayer 鈥淲ienermobile鈥� that excites motorists on highways and causes a sudden craving for a good old-fashioned frank on a bun.
But even classics get revamped, and Kirkwood native Mary Clare Kammer is returning home in the newly branded Oscar Mayer Frankmobile as a Frankfurter 鈥� a.k.a., the driver of a six-ton, 27-foot-long wiener.
Oscar Mayer鈥檚 switch from 鈥淲ienermobile鈥� to Frankmobile after 87 years happened earlier this year to celebrate its all-beef frank recipe. Kammer told St. Louis on the Air that the change to her unique ride鈥檚 name is something folks are chewing over. She said: 鈥淲e've had some people come up and embrace it. Some people not so much, but we're seeing if it cuts the mustard.鈥�
Kammer is excited to 鈥渒etchup鈥� with family and friends when she comes to St. Louis for three stops: one in Marthasville on Saturday and two in St. Louis County on Sunday. Driving the Frankmobile into the neighborhood where she grew up will be a special treat. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very surreal for me because this has been a dream of mine for so long. Pulling it into my own driveway [will be] incredible,鈥� she said.
Being a frankfurter is more than gobbling glizzies and cruising America鈥檚 highways. There鈥檚 no need for a commercial driver's license, but Frankfurters are required to have at least a bachelor's degree. 鈥淚t is all about the mission of spreading smiles, and setting up events and giving whistles out and making those connections with people,鈥� Kammer said. 鈥淎nd I have grown in myself. It really is an incredible learning experience, especially traveling to each city and talking with so many different types of people.鈥�
For more about Mary Clare Kammer鈥檚 experience as a Frankfurter, including the Columbia connection to Oscar Mayer and the flyer that set Kammar on the path to travel the country in the newly named Frankmobile, listen to St. Louis on the Air on , or by clicking the play button below.
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When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 9
Where: St. Paul United Church of Christ Car Show (513 W. S St., Marthasville, MO 63357)
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鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by , , , and . is our production intern. The audio engineer is . Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
