Stephen King's grocery list (1992?)

[James Callan]

For years, I've heard variations on the idea that Stephen King could publish his grocery list and have a best seller. I've been trying to track down the origin of that idea -- the original quote, even -- but I'm not having much luck.

One of the few related quotes I could find through Proquest was from the LA Times on Jan. 19, 1992, in a parody list of "a few upcoming films":

"Stephen King's Grocery List." A thriller torn from the shopping cart of America's horror master. Martin Sheen stars as the Evil Bagel. (De Laurentiis Ent.)

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=61567469&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=11206&RQT=309&VName=PQD

But I'd swear I'd heard that said about him even in the '80s, when he was at the height of his best-selling powers. Can anyone find an earlier version of the phrase? Or figure out if it originated about Stephen King, or was said about earlier authors?

Thanks.

James Callan
neologasm.com

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