Craptastics

There is so much wrong with this commercial! Look, fine, so they are helping folks buy a computer and yes, yes, yes, a computer is relevant and vital in this day and age but … I don't think a downgraded computer for the basic user is what they are going for here.

The ad in question is called Help me to Buy and it is painful to watch. Read more

I know what you are saying - Oh no, they didn't! Remember that South Park episode, Jarred Has Aides? This is the one where the creators indulge in a humor via wordplay. So everyone thinks Jarred has HIV-related illness whereas what he actually means that he uses supplements to lose weight? Oh boy. It was one of those cringe-worthy ones and I didn't think I would come across something worse than that. And what do you know, I did! That's where this weight loss product called Ayds comes in. I bet the South Park guys were inspired by this ad when they wrote that episode. Read more

I was innocently watching TV today when I was accosted by, what I took to be, a blatant message of racism. Or was it a clear understanding of a specific demographic? I'm not sure.

Cool Aid

I grew up in Oakland. I'm not sure whether it was my 8th grade history teacher telling me Sidney Poitier wasn't black enough for a biography report in celebration of African American History Month or when the Oakland school board promoted me to tri-lingual with the announcement of 'ebonics', but somewhere I tuned into black culture.

If white people won't let certain black stereotypes die, neither will black people. It was in the back row of biology that I learned from a group of black students that African Americans are rumored to enjoy Cool Aid and grape soda more than their white counterparts. Read more

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Amish "Miracle" Heater?

I just came across the Amish Heaters! Whoa, is this for real? I actually found a number of reviews about it so it seems like the real thing. Apparently some folks bought it, a lot of them really liked it.

Basically it is a fancy Amish mantle which comes with an electric heater … right? Because you don't need a chimney and it is a fireless flame fireplace, right? Er, why do they call it a miracle heater? Read more

Old Spice

Admittedly, this is not an infomercial. Actually, it is your run of the mill ad about Old Spice, a type of bodywash for men. But look at what a brilliant job they have done. It's cheesy, it's cute and they don't take themselves too seriously. Surely this product sticks in your mind after a memorable ad like this one?

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WTF
I've seen more than my share of funny/weird Japanese commercials and infomercials in these past few weeks. It was one of those moments where you just can't stop at one. Check them out:

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Wow, I couldn't believe this ad was for real. It's basically a software / service that speeds up your PC. Wait, it gets better … they also state, on their site, that they can cut down on freezing and crashing. Erm …. doesn't that depend on what OS you have and what you use your computer for anyway?

There are some excellent remarks by the folks who uploaded this video. Like the fact that this PC-only product is running on a Mac. I also noticed that the various loading screens look like the weird spam links you end up on online. Read more

She's having a bit too much fun?
Can I just say this now … I hope never to see anyone try this in a public place. So far I have been lucky, unlike this poor bloke. Yea, if I were him in that situation, I would be traumatized too.

The topic in question is a saddle-like exercise gear. You know, you get this machine which has a saddle that moves (shakes? Gyrates? Grinds?) under you. As if that was not bad enough, turns out, you can set it to different speeds. Ooooh, this is just as bad as that jerky-hand-motion dumbell!
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I came across this weird swine flu commercial the other day. I'm not going into the conspiracy argument that most folks on that link has dived into. Rather, I just wanted to say one thing ….. how creepy is this ad?

I'm not saying its creepy because I agree with the 'it could spread like wildfire' scenario they are painting. Nah, I found it disturbing because of the way the folks were talking about the whole matter. Did you hear that bit about Dotty getting the flu? Did anyone else balk when the narrator said “But Dotty had a heart condition and she died”? Read more