Mashed potatoes.  Baked potatoes.  French Freedom fries.  Tater Tots.  Potato chips.  Hash browns.  Potatoes are eaten daily by 54% of consumers.  The per-capita average annual consumption of potatoes is 134.9 pounds.  Mmmmmmmm... potatoes!  (I'm a mashed man, myself.  But I can choke down potatoes in almost every presentation.)

Idaho is the champion potato-growing state.  Washington lags way behind.  A few other states make a feeble effort.

Your host is a 4th-generation Idaho boy.  Who loves potatoes, and feels a certain connection to potatoes.  Heck - I've even grown a potato or two in my garden spot.  (Mine wouldn't have won ribbons at the county fair, however.  And you don't haul 'em one-at-a-time on a huge flatbed trailer.)

My motorcycle license plate:

There's also a www.idahospud.com website.  The web home of the Idaho Spud candy bar...

It's not my favorite... but it's not too bad, either.  Kind of a chocolate-marshmallow stuff inside, covered with a chocolate coating, and coconut.  (Given a choice between a bar and a nice baked potato with butter, sour cream and chives, I'd probably go with the vegetable.)

Check out a photo gallery of cool Mr. Potato Head Variations...

Finally... did Marilyn Monroe ever look better than when she was sporting an Idaho Potato sack?