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Reese’s Pieces – whether in the form of two peanut butter cups, smothered with chocolate or as tiny delights sitting in a hard shell, it is hard to pass up either style any day.  However, when asking for a Reese’s outside of the Capital Region, I occasionally get strange looks due to how I pronounce the name.  Say the candy name aloud – Reese’s – Pieces.  Are we pronouncing “Reese’s Pieces” the same?

While on vacation last week, I was asked how I pronounce “Reese’s Pieces.” I quickly responded with how I’ve always said the name, to which everyone in the elevator, all from the Capital Region, said – EXACTLY!  However, we discovered that all of us may not be thinking logically.  How do you pronounce Reese’s Pieces?

All of us in the elevator said REE-SEES PEA-SEES, without hesitation.  Non-elevator riders opted for REE-SEZ PEA-SEZ.

The latter has a serious argument going for it.  First, the creator is H.B. Reese.  The candy is his, so there is an apostrophe in the name – Reese’s. REE-SEZ.  Second, they are pieces of candy.  To rhyme, the pronunciation would be REE-SEZ PEA-SEZ.  Where did we get REE-SEES from?!

Perhaps when I was young lad, watching 1982’s E.T. (Actually, the full name is E.T.  – the Extra Terrestrial. Isn’t that what the ET acronym stands for, though?  Redundancy much?  Extra Terrestrial, the Extra Terrestrial?  I digress), I wasn’t old enough to read let alone pronounce the name of the famed candy E.T. loved.  When I was juuuuust old enough to put words together, it was then I called the candy REE-SEES.  Knowing the candy should rhyme, I simply added the PEA-SEES.   Did ALL of us in the elevator, all of the Albany-area adults, make the same childhood error and let it follow us for three decades?  OR, is the Capital Region on their game and you’re the one mispronouncing E.T.’s fave?

Maybe I just never watched commercials as a child?

Let’s put this to a vote – how do you pronounce this candy:

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