Eva Longoria’s Flamin’ Hot Cheetos movie already involved in spicy controversy

The story behind the film on the creation of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, to be directed by Eva Longoria, has been thrown into some spicy controversy, with the truth behind the origin called into question.

Should you have missed the memo (you can read all about it here, in case), Longoria is making her directorial debut with a biopic on Richard Montañez who has long said he created Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Called Flamin’ Hot, it’s reported production is to begin on the film this summer and is set to be a glorious underdog story all about the former Frito-Lay janitor turned executive who wowed the company and the mouths of the world with this flamin’ hot product.

Montañez had long claimed he began pitching product ideas to the company in the late 80s, after creating the spicy treat in his kitchen, before having an in-person meeting with former Frito-Lay executive Al Carey and then-PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico.

However, an Los Angeles Times report has claimed his whole schtick isn’t so and we can only assume this is really going to be one pain in the flamin’ hot Cheeto for Longoria.

The report cited disputes of Montañez’s claim he was behind the creation, which was backed up by Frito-Lay itself.

A statement from the company read: ‘None of our records show that Richard was involved in any capacity in the Flamin’ Hot test market.

‘We have interviewed multiple personnel who were involved in the test market, and all of them indicate that Richard was not involved in any capacity in the test market. That doesn’t mean we don’t celebrate Richard, but the facts do not support the urban legend.’

According to the company, instead of Montañez it was a junior employee named Lynne Greenfeld who was assigned the task of helping develop the product in 1989.

It’s been reported that after hearing Montañez’s story, Greenfeld contacted Frito-Lay in 2018 and shared her role, which in turn, triggered an internal investigation.

What did it find? According to the Times report, that Montañez did not invent Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

The company added in its statement: ‘We value Richard’s many contributions to our company, especially his insights into Hispanic consumers, but we do not credit the creation of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or any Flamin’ Hot products to him.’

That’s got to sting like a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto to an ulcer.

Montañez – who has also penned a book about his rags to riches story – has hit back at the claims, telling Variety of Frito-Lay: ‘I was their greatest ambassador.

‘But I will say this, you’re going to love your company more than they will ever love you, keep that in perspective.’

Disputing this dismissal of his great tale, he added he hadn’t previously heard of Greenfeld and said they worked for different divisions.

He said: ‘In that era, Frito-Lay had five divisions. I don’t know what the other parts of the country, the other divisions — I don’t know what they were doing. I’m not even going to try to dispute that lady, because I don’t know. All I can tell you is what I did. All I have is my history, what I did in my kitchen.’

According to Variety, the film is still going ahead despite the claims flying about the kitchen, with Montañez believing it’s not about the Cheetos, anyway.

He said: ‘I think that [the film is] going to inspire people to do the right thing. Don’t make the mistake Montañez made. Document everything. The story isn’t really about Hot Cheetos. The story is about overcoming adversity and racial discrimination.’

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