Jimmy Dean was a real American. Born in Texas in 1928, Dean made his name as a country singer before founding his own sausage company in 1969. The Jimmy Dean Meat Co. was a successful endeavor, and he sold it to Sara Lee in 1984, staying on as a spokesman until 2003, when the company dropped him.

Of course although the owners changed, they continued to push the envelope as it related to slanging swine. Check out the update at Gwaker to see some of their most stomach turning products.