From: adwright@iastate.edu ()
Subject: Re: Commercials-on-the-brain
Keywords: plop plop fizz fizz
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 11:24:15 GMT

In <1992Oct2.061125.18964@cs.umb.edu> mzraly@ra.cs.umb.edu (Your Pedal Extremities Are Colossal) writes:


>peeve:	I watched too much TV in my youth, and now I've got
>	commercials-on-the-brain:  I remember obscure jingles
>	and public service announcements, and they pop into
>	my head at random intervals.

>I remember Florence Henderson touting Wesson oil and David Naughton
>singing about Dr. Pepper, Johnny Nash singing for Windex and all sorts
>of people singing for Coca-Cola ("I'd like to teach the world to
>sing...")  Visions of commercials for Pepto-Bismol and public service
>announcements with Woodsy Owl invade my consciousness at odd moments.
>Suddenly I visualize a purportedly Native-American woman with denim
>jacket on saying, "Maize: you call it corn..." or the crown that
>appears when some PlasticPerson(tm) tastes Imperial margarine.  I hear
>jingles for Alka-Seltzer and envision commercials for Irish Spring
>("manly yes, but I like it too").  All of a sudden I hear "Easy-Off
>makes oven cleaning easier", "Shine on, shine on 409" or even "Rice
>A-Roni, the San Francisco treat" for no apparent reason.

>It's as if (fed)UpWithPeople were performing in my brain, with all this
>cheerful consumption by well-adjusted perfectly-groomed not-too-rich-
>yet-not-too-poor people.

>Peeve:  PlasticPeople on commercials.

>They don't appear to have any problems more pressing than paper plates
>that spill blueberry pie or slight irregularity (peeve:  euphemisms).
>They are never poor, never live in an apartment -- always a house with
>a decent yard in a quiet neighborhood.  They never have any pets more
>exotic than a cat or dog.  There is never any construction going on in
>their neighborhood.  They never have to worry about whether or not they
>can cover the debt on their credit cards.  They are always employed,
>clean-shaven, and cheerful.  They neither drink nor smoke nor chew with
>their mouths open.

>They never have to go to the bathroom.

>Their children are always cute, if energetic.  They always get along
>with their family and neighbors.  They own know guns and have no
>political beliefs or affiliations.  There is no indication what
>religion they subscribe to, but its probably some common Christian
>sect.  They never fight with one another, or tkae pleasure in the
>misfortune of others.  They are rarely overweight.  They enjoy both
>vegetables and red meat.  They shop at supermarkets, never at
>convenience stores or local groceries.  Their babies never smell bad.

>They are white-bread people, all packaging and no content.  They do not
>exist in real life. If they did, we would have to kill them, and it
>would be fun.

>Peeve:  I will not be compensated by the many companies whose products
>	I have alluded to for mentioning them in a public forum.

>-- 
>Mike Zraly		Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt,
>mzraly@cs.umb.edu	And any thing that may not misbecome
>			The mighty sender, ...
>				-- HENRY V: Exeter to the Dauphin


I lived for two years in a country where commercials in TV were less frequent.
They showed half hour American SitComs in about 20 minutes. It was when I 
came back to the States that it really struck me. On the plus side, when 
you see a commercial where people get excited over more sturdy paper plates
or a paper towell that is more absorbant, you feel your own life is not
so boring. 
Newsgroups: alt.peeves