Sunday, February 6, 2005

SUPER BOWL CLASSIC

Probably the most famous Super Bowl commercial of all would be that Coca-Cola spot from 1979. It showed a hobbled Mean Joe Greene of the Pittsburgh Steelers rebuffing the adoration of a kid in the tunnels leading back to the locker rooms. The kid offers Mean Joe his Coke and in appreciation, the linebacker gives the kid his grimy, dirty, sweaty jersey.

"Thanks, Mean Joe!"

It made such an impact by tugging on the heart-strings of America that three years later a TV movie was filmed to expand the storyline. This 1982 made-for-TV movie 'The Steeler and the Pittsburgh Kid' was the first feature film based on a commercial.

The commercial starred Tommy Okun with Mean Joe Greene, but it was Henry Thomas - soon to become more famous for "E.T." and also seen in "Legends Of The Fall" and "The Gangs Of New York", - who portrayed the Pittsburgh Kid in the tele-flick.

Therefore, by the powers vested in me by... well, me, I declare that the Coca-Cola commercial took place in Earth Prime-Time. But 'The Steeler And The Pittsburgh Kid' must be relegated to Earth Prime-Time Delayed due to the recasting.

Will any commercial from this year's game have that kind of impact to inspire a movie? We'll just have to wait and view.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

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