Overheard in the Gym

A New Definition of Senseless Violence

Posted by Bob Garfield on 02.13.07 @ 04:33 PM

Dude #1: Dude, did you see about the guy who went on a rampage in Salt Lake City. Killed 6 people in a mall.

The Answer Is: "I Do"

If You're E-Harmony.com, or Even Secret Deodorant, What a Super Opportunity

Posted by Bob Garfield on 01.02.07 @ 05:21 PM

Some guy gets a brainstorm: He wants to propose to his girlfiend on a TV commercial. Maybe he's an exhibitionist, maybe he's an opportunist, maybe he just wants to share his love with the whole world.

Welcome to the Grindstone

I Strongly Advise You to Call This Number And Inquire About Their Sleazy Marketing Tactics

Posted by Bob Garfield on 11.06.06 @ 07:27 PM

The envelope is one of those peal-a-pouch deals, like from a W2 form or government check. The return address says simply FORM: GOV877-L3. Beneath the adddress line it says "WARNING: $2000 FINE OR 5 YEARS IMPRISONMENT OR BOTH FOR ANY PERSON INTERFERING OR OBSTRUCTING WITH DELIVERY OF THIS LETTER. 1702 U.S. CODE.

The Flavor of Stepin Fetchit

VH1's Ratings Sleeper is a Cable Minstrel Show

Posted by Bob Garfield on 10.18.06 @ 09:06 AM

Poor Bill Cosby.

Wield This Book!

Yo, Hugo. I Also Have Misgivings About the Bush Administration

Posted by Bob Garfield on 09.22.06 @ 12:37 PM

Moments after Venezuela President Hugo Chavez brandished Noam Chomsky's anti-American screed from the podium of the UN General Assembly (to show that he isn't the only one who think's Geroge Bush is the devil), Chomsky's booksales started going through the roof.

Your Death in Iraq Will Not Be For Nothing

The Free Gift is Yours To Keep!

Posted by Bob Garfield on 09.12.06

The ad is for the U.S. Army Reserve. It's all about a kid trying to persuade his dad to let him sign up. Dad is skeptical, because he knows the Pentagon is calling up every warm body to defend our freedoms/radicalize the entire Muslim world in Iraq.

You're On Notice!

Woe to The Forces That Threaten Advertising

Posted by Bob Garfield on 08.30.06 @ 02:51 PM

See? I'm not the only one who knows where the enemy is lurking.

Pigs at the Trough

Tony Kornheiser Makes a Non-Liar Out of New York Subway Franchisees

Posted by Bob Garfield on 08.29.06 @ 11:09 PM

The other night I was watching the New York Mets play the resurgent (!) Philadelphia Phillies and on comes a commercial for Subway restaurants. In many ways, it was a typically insipid baseball ad: the Yankees' Joe Torre and the Mets' Willie Randolph walking together toward a post-game press conference (for some bizarre reason, as they manage teams in different leagues).

Willie is commiserating with Joe, who evidently has some explaining to do, but Joe tells Willie not to worry; he's learned the key to handling the media is to give them "what they want."

"Lipstick on That Pig," a Song of Conventional Wisdom

The Weatherman is Always Wrong, Jews are Shrewd With Money and Advertising Makes Us Buy Things We Don't Want or Need

Posted by Bob Garfield on 07.17.06 @ 01:26 PM

In a moment, some song lyrics, but first an observation: People think all sorts of stupid shit.

Ad Critic Meets the Ad Criticized

A Chance Encounter Yields Something Nice Over the Transom

Posted by Bob Garfield on 07.08.06 @ 01:15 PM

You think it's easy being an advertising critic? Well, Buster, you're wrong.