Check out his more recent take (also from Conan this past week)on his decision to not buy his child a smartphone. And, of course, he's absolutely right. Problem is anyone who is deeply into these techs (read 'da yoots) think he's a grandfather comedian, and take it as just another old person bitching.
As a whole, I have always felt his observations were, like, more obvious than the public and critical acclaim implies. My opinion isn't, like, changed after watching this.
Only related to this blog entry in that it took me to youtube…
and the thought of a follow up to your March 15, 2013 entry headed “A GREAT commercial”’ for a brand of toilet paper I suspect you don’t recall nor do any of your readers...
In a comment at that time I pooh poohed this commercial as being crap – and explained why it didn’t work as a commercial, but acknowledged it was a superb piece of comedy.
Specifically, I just saw a commercial that deals with what toilet paper goes hand in hand with. But as opposed to the one you thought was great because of its undeniable wonderful humor, this one uses its humor to sell its product.
It starts off with a shot of a high-class society babe sitting on a toilet and with perfect diction and poise saying to the camera “You would not believe the mother lode I just dropped.” And it gets better from there.
I may be telling you something the comedy-verse is already very aware of. It’s almost certainly something the ad world already knows. But that’s a world I’m really out of the loop with. Even so, I feel confident in saying this ad will win every major ad award there is.
If you wanted to write another blog entry with the heading “A GREAT commercial” meaning, a commercial that’s funny as hell, and uses it to sell, this is the one to use.
In anticipation of what others may say: yes, it’s easier to create a great commercial if you’ve got a unique product. But that does not diminish the brilliance of this spot. Easier doesn’t mean easy. There were an infinitude of ways this spot could have gone wrong.
Here’s the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLnhuzh9uY
The lack of response thus far would seem to indicate that this piece was received largely with indifference and will neither cost you nor gain you followers.
I do actually use twitter for one thing... I have tickts for my college football games, and during timeouts I check twitter. The beat reporters covering the game post injury and stat updates that aren't really available otherwise. Also useful for explanations on replays. I'm in low corner of one endzone and can't see the opposite as well. Rest of the time I do just watch the game, but it's not a useless tool for a consumer.
It's a very funny piece and I agree with him completely. That being said, I can never enjoy it fully because I know he is on Twitter. And after the scandal of him drunk tweeting about Sarah Palin's disabled son, I also know he doesn't just use it to advertise (which in itself would still be hypocritical). It strikes me the same as when George Carlin used to complain about "the rich" at a one nighter for which he was making $50,000: definitely funny and probably true, but uncomfortable in who was saying it.
I know it's just a performance, but when the performance so clearly has a message we are meant to believe, it does matter whether the writer/performer lives up to it. If Harriet Beecher Stowe was constantly buying slaves, you couldn't legitimately say, "Aaaah, it's just a book."
Not sure how uncomfortable to be with George Carlin lampooning the rich. a) It will have taken him many years to reach the $50k/night level; b) he almost certainly never made it every night, not even every one of the subset of nights that he actually worked; c) he didn't grow up wealthy; and d) he was brilliant, especially in his appreciation and use of language.
So incredibly true. I hate it when I'm stuck behind someone at an event and all they're doing is taking videos. It seems so completely redundant. I admit I did it too, until I noticed that everyone else was filming -- so what's the point in me filming? How many different poorly lit, blurry videos do we need? Secondly, I never actually watch the video itself because it's always an emotionless, pale reflection of the event itself. My memories are always infinitely more enjoyable.
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Check out his more recent take (also from Conan this past week)on his decision to not buy his child a smartphone.
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, he's absolutely right. Problem is anyone who is deeply into these techs (read 'da yoots) think he's a grandfather comedian, and take it as just another old person bitching.
As a whole, I have always felt his observations were, like, more obvious than the public and critical acclaim implies. My opinion isn't, like, changed after watching this.
ReplyDeleteGrandfather comedian? I like that, and I like his stuff too, especially his bit on cell phones.
ReplyDeleteNow I'M an old person bitching.
Only related to this blog entry in that it took me to youtube…
ReplyDeleteand the thought of a follow up to your March 15, 2013 entry headed “A GREAT commercial”’ for a brand of toilet paper I suspect you don’t recall nor do any of your readers...
In a comment at that time I pooh poohed this commercial as being crap – and explained why it didn’t work as a commercial, but acknowledged it was a superb piece of comedy.
Specifically, I just saw a commercial that deals with what toilet paper goes hand in hand with. But as opposed to the one you thought was great because of its undeniable wonderful humor, this one uses its humor to sell its product.
It starts off with a shot of a high-class society babe sitting on a toilet and with perfect diction and poise saying to the camera “You would not believe the mother lode I just dropped.” And it gets better from there.
I may be telling you something the comedy-verse is already very aware of. It’s almost certainly something the ad world already knows. But that’s a world I’m really out of the loop with. Even so, I feel confident in saying this ad will win every major ad award there is.
If you wanted to write another blog entry with the heading “A GREAT commercial” meaning, a commercial that’s funny as hell, and uses it to sell, this is the one to use.
In anticipation of what others may say: yes, it’s easier to create a great commercial if you’ve got a unique product. But that does not diminish the brilliance of this spot. Easier doesn’t mean easy. There were an infinitude of ways this spot could have gone wrong.
Here’s the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLnhuzh9uY
So true, so damned true.
ReplyDeleteOne day, 40 year old smartphone users will pose in the mirror for a selfie, see the grey hair and Tweet: "What Happened? I was just 18."
Sad world we've built.
The lack of response thus far would seem to indicate that this piece was received largely with indifference and will neither cost you nor gain you followers.
ReplyDeleteSo very true and so very funny also.
ReplyDeleteI do actually use twitter for one thing... I have tickts for my college football games, and during timeouts I check twitter. The beat reporters covering the game post injury and stat updates that aren't really available otherwise. Also useful for explanations on replays. I'm in low corner of one endzone and can't see the opposite as well. Rest of the time I do just watch the game, but it's not a useless tool for a consumer.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very funny piece and I agree with him completely. That being said, I can never enjoy it fully because I know he is on Twitter. And after the scandal of him drunk tweeting about Sarah Palin's disabled son, I also know he doesn't just use it to advertise (which in itself would still be hypocritical). It strikes me the same as when George Carlin used to complain about "the rich" at a one nighter for which he was making $50,000: definitely funny and probably true, but uncomfortable in who was saying it.
ReplyDeleteI know it's just a performance, but when the performance so clearly has a message we are meant to believe, it does matter whether the writer/performer lives up to it. If Harriet Beecher Stowe was constantly buying slaves, you couldn't legitimately say, "Aaaah, it's just a book."
Not sure how uncomfortable to be with George Carlin lampooning the rich. a) It will have taken him many years to reach the $50k/night level; b) he almost certainly never made it every night, not even every one of the subset of nights that he actually worked; c) he didn't grow up wealthy; and d) he was brilliant, especially in his appreciation and use of language.
ReplyDeleteI can forgive a lot on that basis.
wg
So incredibly true. I hate it when I'm stuck behind someone at an event and all they're doing is taking videos. It seems so completely redundant. I admit I did it too, until I noticed that everyone else was filming -- so what's the point in me filming? How many different poorly lit, blurry videos do we need? Secondly, I never actually watch the video itself because it's always an emotionless, pale reflection of the event itself. My memories are always infinitely more enjoyable.
ReplyDelete