Monday, December 07, 2009

Getting it wrong this holiday season and laughing all the way

It happened so fast I doubted what I saw. Fortunately, I wasn't alone, and I turned to see my partner's jaw open in shock as well. What the ? A television commercial from a hot dude extolling the virtues of giving the gift of a pap smear for Christmas? You don't believe me, right? Oh I have proof.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Is it real? Is it a joke? I still don't know, but according to the CBS Cares website, the concept for this campaign came up during a dinner at Il mulino in Manhattan. And the story over there combines the description of a cold metal speculum and the shaving of parmesan cheese on the writer's dinner. Don't believe me? Oh go read this good stuff for yourself.

You'll also find that it's not just about Christmas, or the generic holidays. Oh no. CBS Cares enough to include the Schmear.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Are these for real? Are they a joke? Is the whole story of coming up with this and tying together a fine meal at an Italian restaurant in their website over there really authentic? But the crem de la creme: do they know that their program, CBS Cares, actually reads as CB Scares? Because that's what I saw on screen when I saw it for the first time. SCARES.



I want to say FAIL but hey, I blogged about them, didn't I? DOH!

8 comments:

LJ Banks said...

oh, no way. So wrong on so many levels for so many reasons I will not go into.

Jacquelyn said...

Ewwwww, wrong, wrong, WRONG! One more reason for me not to watch tv!

Best Wishes, Marie said...

i did see these while watching tv with my husband ... and he was like "what the heck did he just say?" since then i have only seen them being discussed on news shows and by late night comedians. i actually think it is a bit cool that is has the topic out in the open. if someone gets a check up that might not have gotten one..... good job.

Desert Diva said...

Pap smears are good (and necessary). However, I don't think the holiday season is the time to extol their virtues. Ick. I'm waiting for the commercial for the gal to put on a rubber glove and say, "cough" to her man. Did I already say "ick?"

CrackerLilo said...

We don't watch very much of anything on CBS, thank the Gods. I take Desert Diva's "ick" and raise her an "ICK!" I'd even tolerate it better without the backstory of the restaurant meal.

Anonymous said...

And here I was, thinking I'd imagined it all the other night after one too many glasses of red wine! I was doing too many things at once, so thought I misheard. Obviously not. Thanks for the reality check, LeLo! Trudy's Mom

LSL said...

Thank you for posting about this! It's wrong in so many ways. I hope someone is telling CBS.

Anonymous said...

Hi Lelo~~ You are too funny! I keep my mute button in close proximity whenever the TV is on. I loathe among other things, the blather of commercials, unless it's the bantering Apple vs. Microsoft guys. I saw the cbSCARES' [good one, girl!] dark haired guy, recognized him from a soap opera a few years ago, I think but didn't really give a rat's @$$ what he had to say. And another time I saw the menorah blowing out or whatever it did but also missed the supposed important message about how much CBS cares about little ole me! Schedule your wife's pap smear? Are you freaking kidding? Because it's what's inside that matters? Triple ICK!
It would be funny if it weren't so freaking pathetic. Almost like a tacit misogynism: Men, you'd better take care of your woman because she's incapable of such complicated tasks and let's face it men, regular sex is the most important thing she does for us and we wouldn't want anything to jeopardize that.

Not sure you'll want to post this, Lelo. Sarcasm comes in heavy doses with such ripe fodder.

Good luck with your office makeover. I look forward to the "afters." I would have saved my kitchen cabinet doors too. Those things are gems.