Comments on: More Things I learned from TV

By: M. Moretti

M. Moretti — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:36:51 +0000

I regard annoying commercials as comedy entertainment, like politics. I actually thought the “supermodelquins” were a cute way to make a commercial on the cheap without hiring actors. Companies have to cut corners these days, too. About half my wardrobe comes from Old Navy,and a lot of it is not bright colors. The quality of their clothing varies a lot, and there are certain things I never buy there. They mostly cater to teens and children and a little to women my age. I guess they want the moms to shop there, too, as there is little that would suit you. I recently got what I would call a nice belted wrap sweater from them. A week or so later the commercial calls it a “cardi-coat”, and I’m supposed to party in it, as in out to nightclubs.

But back to Christmas. I can’t stand “It’s a Wonderful Life” either. Rudolph, Charlie Brown Christmas, and Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol are the best. Muppets Christmas shows, too, if you can find them. Mr. M has a collection of about five different versions of Christmas Carol. He watches them all, and has debates about best Scrooge, best Ghosts, etc. Most people (myself included) think the Alistair Sim version is the best. The richest man in town lives in a house he is too cheap to keep in good condition. Meanwhile his allegedly “poor” nephew lives in a nice house with his lovely wife having a Christmas party with his friends. You will notice he is so “poor” that he can afford a maid (and probably one or two other servants unseen) and has nice furniture and even a piano. This man is doing alright for the era. The Cratchits are probably more an average family, although Bob could probably do better if he would go work for someone else. Scrooge’s change of heart at the end is classic.

By: Al Gritzmacher

Al Gritzmacher — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:42:53 +0000

Cars are not presents. Cars are a tool, a necessity, a responsibility, not a toy or a gift. Give a car to someone who cannot afford it’s upkeep, it’s a curse. Plus, it’s such a personal choice, you shouldn’t give someone a car without consulting them and letting then in on the decision.

Anyone that has so much money that they are considering a car as a gift should pull the silver spoon out and think long and hard about it. To 90% of the population, a car with a bow on it is such a ridiculous concept it seems over the top.

I didn’t realize Dennis Leary was still doing car commercials, but I heard the one today about the trailer passing you… not my favorite either.

The Sprint bubble commercials are obnoxious too, but I do like the idea of butt-dialing Flav-A-Flav. Can I get that as an option? I’d pay for that!

I didn’t really forget Frosty or the Grinch. They’re okay and legitimate Christmas Classics. Scrooged had it’s good satirical points too. But the majority of the new ones lately seem forced, as if some exec said “We need a new Christmas Special. Whip out a new script for me. Have it on my desk by 2 this afternoon…” The quality just isn’t there.

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:01:13 +0000

I don’t know a single person who buys a car for Christmas, even 10 years ago people didn’t do that. Now with the economy in the shitter, it’s even less likely, yet year after year we see an increase in these pathetic sappy car commercials with cars dressed up in bows, and some wife who’s overly dressed for it being Christmas morning all jaw agape that her wonderful perfect hubby surprised her by buying her a fucking Lexus. Those commercials piss me off.

I’ll give Mike Rowe one thing, he’s 100x better to listen to than Dennis Leary trying to sell me a car with his cynical sounding ‘get real’ attitude. Those commercials really got under my skin.

Honestly, Luke Wilson’s commercials may not be effective, but they’re not nearly as annoying as those Sprint people living in bubble commercials they’ve been churning out and spitting at us at an alarming rate. Or those ones where they throw some map at us for 5 seconds and expect us to honestly believe their coverage is like 5x the size of their competitions.

As for which yearly Christmas specials I look forward to, you nailed them all except one. You forgot Frosty the Snowman. I loved that one. “Let’s name him Oatmeal!” that along with Charlie Brown, Rudolph and Christmas Story are great. Mom used to really love the Grinch, and I don’t mind it. But I don’t find it to be necessary every year like Ralphie and Rudolph are. And I’m gonna stick up for Scrooged. I think that telling is the most entertaining of the slew of incantations of the Dickens story. The story itself is so overtold and boring, Bill Murray actually breathes a little life into the character. I didn’t see the new Jim Carrey 3D one, but I heard it was essentially a straight telling of the story and we’re better off just watching the one from back in the 30s. Scrooged at least didn’t make you want to fall asleep by the second ghost (Carol Kane for the win. What ever happened to her?).

Miracle on 34th Street was awful. I never liked that movie. Its a Wonderful Life was another one of those Mom movies, but I hated it. I never watched it from beginning to end because it always found new ways to bore the living hell out of me. I don’t find Jimmy Stewart watchable. His voice is annoying and he’s just… blah.

There’s my 2 cents…