March 19, 2008

MEN IN COMMERCIALS

This is so tangential to her post that I almost feel bad leaping off from it, but after Dr. Melissa Clouthier gives dating rules for women, she ends with this

This is a lot of rules, but what it comes down to, to me, is treating someone else the way you'd like to be treated. Men might be from Mars, but they're still humans. All the male-bashing that goes on is offensive. One of my least favorite commercials features a guy ordering a pizza which will come in 30 minutes. He asks his wife for sex and she bats her eyes and asks, "What are we going to do for the other 28 minutes?" It's meant to be funny, but it just seems like more of the same disparaging of men.

I too hate that commercial. I have also been meaning to say for a long time how much I hate that tax commercial where the husband is trying to use Turbo Tax or whatever and he's frustrated. And the wife comes up and says, "Maybe you could ask for help? Oh, that's right, you used a box." It is so condescending it makes my teeth grit just to write about it. Maybe you could sit down and figure out an insanely complicated tax code, you nagging cow. How dare you condescend your husband as he tries to save money for your family.

Nowadays I look at these commercials and wonder What Would Kim Do? ever since I read his masterpiece blog post on the issue. His least favorite commercial?

The scene opens at the morning breakfast table, where the two kids are sitting with Dad at the table, while Mom prepares stuff on the kitchen counter. The dialogue goes something like this:

Little girl (note, not little boy): Daddy, why do we eat Cheerios?
Dad: Because they contain fiber, and all sorts of stuff that’s good for the heart. I eat it now, because of that.
LG: Did you always eat stuff that was bad for your heart, Daddy?
Dad (humorously): I did, until I met your mother.
Mother (not humorously): Daddy did a lot of stupid things before he met your mother.

Now, every time I see that TV ad, I have to be restrained from shooting the TV with a .45 Colt. If you want a microcosm of how men have become less than men, this is the perfect example.

What Dad should have replied to Mommy’s little dig: Yes, Sally, that’s true: I did do a lot of stupid things before I met your mother. I even slept with your Aunt Ruth a few times, before I met your mother.

That’s what I would have said, anyway, if my wife had ever attempted to castrate me in front of the kids like that.

Commercials where the husband sucks abound, but one year Budweiser tried to turn the tables and made this as a Superbowl commercial:

Hmmm, apparently it wasn't too popular with the ladies. You mean you don't like being made to look a fool on TV commercials? That's funny, men take the abuse every day.

I will say that there is one husband/wife commercial that I do love: the Sonic ice cream mustache one. It makes me die laughing every time I see it. (Maybe you can only appreciate it if you have a lady mustache...)

Posted by Sarah at March 19, 2008 07:48 AM | TrackBack
Comments

Oh LORD! That sonic commercial was HILARIOUS!

Posted by: airforcewife at March 19, 2008 09:51 AM

I love the Budweiser one. It's sooo true too. Men in this country do take a beating and it sucks. I always hesitate to call myself a feminist because I'm afraid people will think of me as a screaming shew.

My roomate just broke up with the guy she's been dating because he's too "metro"

Posted by: Mare at March 19, 2008 09:59 AM

Hi,

Thanks for the link. Don't feel bad about pulling that part of the post. Actually, that is just one commercial that grates on me. There are many.

The sonic commercials are classic. They are even-handed and no one is spared.

The reason I roped in the commercial to the dating advice is because so many women talk contemptuously with friends and that attitude extends to their interaction with men. And then they wonder why they have problems in the dating world.

Hollywood, educational institutions and the media generally reinforce the anti-male bias and it's sickening.

Posted by: Melissa at March 19, 2008 10:39 AM

As a Man, I've noticed this for a long time. The commercials and TV are only a part of it. Look at how boys are treated in school. They get suspended for being BOYS! You can't change them no matter how hard you try.

Posted by: Navy CPO at March 19, 2008 11:06 AM

Sarah... the "box" commercial. EXACTLY!!! I want to take out that nasty spiteful B*&^H everytime I see it. For that matter - if I was that husband - I would get up and just walk out the door and say... you're so f*&^ing smart - do it yourself!

I love the sonic commercials they are all really funny.

Posted by: Teresa at March 19, 2008 01:19 PM

Yeah, the husband has been pointing this out to me for a while. Why is it "okay" to bash men but "sexist" to bash women?

Posted by: Roses at March 19, 2008 09:23 PM

Hi, Sarah! Tim and I have had so many conversations about the male bashing commericals that now we just have to look at each other and nod. Thanks from one woman who cherishes her husband to another who obviously does the same!!

Posted by: Patti Fitzgerald at March 19, 2008 10:18 PM

Here here!! I completely agree with you.

I'm enjoying your blog and your insights. What an amazing woman and wife you are!

Thank you for sharing. I had to continue this topic on my own blog as well. Thanks for bringing this to mind.

Posted by: Tonya at March 26, 2008 11:41 AM

Many times I tried to figure out, what are people talking about here and what they mean by saying stuff like that. And I realized that they just don’t have a clue about the topic themselves. It’s kinda strange. Anyway I have to say that you mast understand, what’s really doing on to comment things. Otherwise you will look and sound stupid.

Posted by: James at April 4, 2008 08:51 AM

Not bad at all, but this topic is rather little of interest. Please do not disappoint your readership.

Posted by: Better Tom at April 6, 2008 01:49 PM