Burns My Bacon: There’s Only ONE Way to SAY Reese’s
Rees-IS vs. Rees-EES
One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn’t belong. Which is it? I have had many a conversation/debate regarding the proper pronunciation of the peanut-butter-touted brand Reese’s.I’ve provided my phonetic pronunciations above, so from now on I will refer to “Rees-IS” as the correct/right way and “Rees-EES” as the incorrect/wrong way. I’m sure many of you are offended already. That just means you are wrong.
This is not like those debates of the pronunciation of “Mature” (ma-chur vs. ma-tour) or the word “Tear” (tare vs. teer). We can discuss the different pronunciations and meanings of these words, but there are a couple of differences between these words and our delicious peanut butter friend Reese’s. First, there is only one meaning to the word Reese’s—peanut butter and chocolate. Second, the words “mature” and “tear” have little to nothing to do with food compared with the word Reese’s. We are, after all, committed to food, right?
So here’s the evidence.
Exhibit A: TWO Reese’s commercials with the domino champ and Bill Elliot, of which the advertisement in BOTH commercials pronounces it the right way.
Exhibit B: This hip commercial for Reese’s Puffs cereal mentions the word pronounced the right way in both song and speaking voice.
And finally, going even further back in history, Exhibit C: a Reese’s commercial. I’ll tell you right now – they are all pronounced the right way.
Of course, Reese’s has gotten wise to the controversy and you will find that their recent commercials either say nothing at all, or even the Reese’s Pieces commercials just call them pieces. So we’ve all contributed even more to that filthy corporate America that we all hate so much and believe is evil. So think about that next time—you are ruining America (no exaggeration).
Another piece of evidence that “Rees-IS” is correct – this candy is named after the Reese family. Therefore Reese’s is just the plural of their name – their name is pronounced “Reece”, not “Ree-cee”.
I grew up in Hershey, PA and it drives me INSANE whenever I hear someone say “Rees-EES”. Especially “Rees-EES Piec-EES”… first of all what are piec-ees? Thank you for this post, glad someone else shares this pain!
Agreed!
Also… I really miss Reese’s Puffs cereal. My brother and I ate the crap outta those in the 90s.
***I grew up in Hershey, PA and it drives me INSANE whenever I hear someone say “Rees-EES”. Especially “Rees-EES Piec-EES”… first of all what are piec-ees? Thank you for this post, glad someone else shares this pain!***
Alicia, except for the part about growing up in Hershey, PA, those are my sentiments exactly !
screw you people should learn how to pronounce reeses as the correct term rees-EES you uneducated bastards!!!
Clearly you need a life. Everyone say things a different way. You dont see me going up to boston people yelling in their face for how they say their R’s. leave it alone. you cant control everyone
There are are just two things you need to remember: Reese’s, pronounced correctly, rhymes with pieces.
Reese’s, pronounced INCORRECTLY, rhymes with FECES.
There is only one correct way to say it- the way it was originally created, and stood for YEARS, until this current generation of literacy-challenged individuals misread and mispronounced it.
DUH.