Posted on 02/17/2005 1:26:35 PM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
In this PC age of advertising, there is one group who can still be made the butt of jokes with total impunity: middle-aged white guys.
The latest installment was on display in a commercial I just caught. A befuddled guy is sitting on the couch, fiddling with the TV remote. His roughly 11-year old daughter enters, and he tells her he can't seem to switch to a given channel.
"Of course not," she curtly informs him, "it's been blocked." She goes on to inform the ignoramus that most channels can be blocked via the remote or by calling the cable company.
He asks whether channels can be unblocked, and once again she condescendingly explains they can, then snidely adds:
"But you're going to have to get Mom's permission."
He calls out for his wife. She enters, and he imploringly asks her if he can watch the channel. She glances at the screen, gives a curt "No!" then exits.
Another day in the life of Bumbling, Stumbling White Guy.
Yes, yes, I know: "don't be so touchy. I thought it was funny. Chill out. Relax." etc. Look, I have no problem if this was an equal-opportunity thing. But it does bug me that if the tables were turned cries of outrage would echo throughout the land.
************
Hey! Not true-the way he does the robot is the bomb.
I will pass your regards on, lady.
Before there was White Chicks there was BAPS, so your point is moot. No body got outraged about either one.
I'm not so sure.....with all the welfare programs and welfare fraud going on I think they know that these people have a hell of a lot more disposable income than your average working family that has a couple kids, PAYS TAXES, and trying to survive without any type of assistance. I live in an area where I see illegals driving nice new trucks and walking through Walmart in the middle of the day with a pack of kids.
The fraudulent ID industry is going full blast at the moment....that's why when one is arrested he's got 2-3 aliases.
which is what I don't understand. I'm a married woman, I do most of the shopping for my husband and me, but I don't find the suggestion that my DH is a moron who needs me to constantly clean up his mistakes appealing at all. I have a hard time believing most married women like the idea that their husband is an idiot. If that's true, then our society is in serious trouble.
It isn't just advertising - it's also TV shows that revel in the portrayal of fathers as stupid. Even shows that are otherwise family-friendly, like "Everybody Loves Raymond" engage in this stereotype. It's a very troubling trend, because these TV shows do influence children. When I was a middle-schooler in the early 90s, I oftened mimicked the smart-ass kids I saw on TV who were always much wittier than their hapless parents, especially their fathers. The TV shows portrayed these kids as cool and I wanted to be cool too. Luckily my parents had zero tolerance for such disrespect and I quickly learned not to imitate the TV kids. Unfortunately, not all parents care as much about their kids, and it's quite worrying to think about how much influence anti-father TV shows and ads have on these children.
It does seem that in most of the commercials I've seen, it's always a smokin' hot twenty-something chick married to a fat, balding, inconsiderate, clutzy, middle-aged white guy who has trouble with complex tasks such as closing his mouth when he breathes or tucking in his shirt.
This has been a stock caricature since the 50's.
The helpless bumbling father trying to be what John Wayne told him a man should be but always falling short. His family that takes in stride his feeble bursts of patriarchal assertiveness, knowing that beneath it all is helpless 'Pop'.
Shouldn't you stick with tax matters, chick? :) Hehe!
Actually, cyborg was teasing me about being a stupid caveman.
My husband once told me if I blocked his stations he would lock my ratings also. LOL!
I happen to agree. Those commercials just piss me off, too.
We need more commercials with dumb women.
Although I'm the one who started this thread, to a certain extent I'm willing to cut advertisers some slack.
Take ads, like ones for ADT home protection systems, that portray criminals. Inevitably the criminals are white or at best of indeterminate race. This doesn't bother me because I understand it would be so provocative in such situations to use an obvious member of a racial minority.
I know. I just felt like changing the subject :-).
Or at least the kid was educating dear ole dad on how mommy was protecting them, like she would talk to a little brother. THAT aspect of it, the attack upon fatherhood, I do find disturbing.
I think I find Geiko's caveman commercials most offensive... I look a lot like those guys.
The problem is he dances exactly the same way when he's trying to do the mambo.
Oh, I agree completely. In fact, I'd like to see advertisers recognize that some people are serious and do some serious advertising, rather than the noxious crap they try to feed us.
I'm watching a lot less TV these days, and watching movies, insted.
It takes a lot of confidence and self esteem in order to laugh at one's self. The advertisers and sitcom writers know the middle age white men can handle it.
I think the fragility of minority and women's egos may not be able to handle it if they are portrayed as the dumb ones too much.
Halle Berry wore white face in this?
:) It worked. Great!
Of course, you're probably married to one of those dumb white guys. Right?
Sarcasm only for lurkers about to pounce.
"I don't find those commercials to be at all funny. I prefer the Gecko/Geico commercials, although I do believe that gecko may be male.."
Best ads on TV.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.