April 15, 2008
It's like the whole world became the Lifetime channel!
I have said for some time that I am tired of the way men are depicted in ad campaigns – clearly, I am not alone. While any single commercial with goofy guys or clueless dads may get a laugh or two, there is a long-term cost at the subconscious level.
Oddly, as someone who usually has opinions and stuff about just about everything, I don't often get all offended by television commercials (or sitcoms) that bash men and fathers or make them look like dolts. Sometimes I do comment about how it would be received if they made the same commercial with a mom or woman looking like an idiot, and (unsurprisingly) those around me think it's a stupid question.
Sort of like "so simple even a therapist could use it," I guess. It just doesn't make any sense to them, with the implication being that men's simpleness is understood by all.
But I guess I don't worry too much about the unfairness. Maybe I should, because the reactions I get when I point out the unfairness illustrates how ingrained the unfair concept has become. But they're television commercials. They're supposed to be retarded. Anyone actually influenced by a television commercial is suspect.
Unfortunately, that appears to be way too many people these days.
Bill Burr was on O&A a while back - he pointed out the same thing. Every guy in a sitcom or commercial is depicted as a retard. I don't watch many sitcoms, but I do notice it in commercials.
I don't have a clip of that show - just his sight:
www.billburr.com
MO Comments Policy: I make it up as I go along
Basically, I don't mess with them unless you're out of line or spamming. The definition of "out of line" is 'whatever Murdoc feels is out of line' but is generally limited to truly hateful stuff.
Don't make a fool out of yourself.
