Not all the blipverts aired during the Super Bowl had to have cosmic significance for Toobworld. Some of them helped expand the boundaries of the TV Universe simply by showing new aspects in its everyday life.
First off, I'd like to mention another banned ad which would have fallen into this category. Ford was hoping to introduce the Lincoln Mark LT truck with a little story in which a clergyman found a set of keys in the collection plate.
The minister (priest?) goes outside and discovers that the keys belong to the aforementioned truck and although he may not actually worship the vehicle as a false idol, the reverend does experience the deadly sin of Lust. Only then does he find out that the keys were dropped into the collection by a little girl who didn't know any better and so he gives the keys back to her father.
Some victims of clergy sex abuse complained that it made light of their problem. Before Ford pulled the ad, a spokesman thought that perhaps because of their traumatic experiences, these critics were seeing something that wasn't there.
I agree. I saw the ad after hearing about it getting yanked from the schedule and I still didn't feel it had any connection to the problem.
But hey, that's me. I could be wrong. Alls I know is that I got out of the growing up in the Catholic school system (reasonably) A-OK. I can't speak for those who had to endure such a hardship as being abused by someone in a position of trust.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Sunday, February 13, 2005
SUPER BOWL SLIDERS II
With another credit card commercial, this time for MasterCard, some of the all-time great blipvert VIPs gathered for dinner: the Gorton's Fisherman, Count Chocula, Charlie the Tuna, Mr. Peanut, Chef Boyardee, the Vlasic Stork, and the Morton's Salt Girl.
On the table itself, and crossing over into his fourth blipvert (at least!) for another company, was the exemplary Pillsbury Doughboy.
Outside the window was the Jolly Green Peeping To- er, Giant. He had to be down on his hands and knees in order to peer into the window.
And in the kitchen? Mr. Clean was doing the dishes.
I had no trouble seeing animated characters side by side with the live action Fisherman from Gorton's. But as some of them were talking animals - and anthropomorphic goobers and dough - then I have no choice but to relegate the ad to the wonder world of the Tooniverse.
But it was definitely one of the high spots for me this Super Bowl. I just wish it had aired earlier in the game so that it might have made more of an impression on the other viewers. (Not many of the reviews I've seen have mentioned it.)
I certainly would have liked to have seen more of this theme than the one from Napster!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
On the table itself, and crossing over into his fourth blipvert (at least!) for another company, was the exemplary Pillsbury Doughboy.
Outside the window was the Jolly Green Peeping To- er, Giant. He had to be down on his hands and knees in order to peer into the window.
And in the kitchen? Mr. Clean was doing the dishes.
I had no trouble seeing animated characters side by side with the live action Fisherman from Gorton's. But as some of them were talking animals - and anthropomorphic goobers and dough - then I have no choice but to relegate the ad to the wonder world of the Tooniverse.
But it was definitely one of the high spots for me this Super Bowl. I just wish it had aired earlier in the game so that it might have made more of an impression on the other viewers. (Not many of the reviews I've seen have mentioned it.)
I certainly would have liked to have seen more of this theme than the one from Napster!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
SUPER BOWL SLIDERS I
It's a dark, deserted parking lot late at night. A woman cries out for help.
And a slew of super-heroes from Marvel appear, all ready for Clobberin' Time - Captain America, Thor, Spiderman, Wolverine and Storm of the X-Men... plus a few others I couldn't identify.
But when they learn of the woman's dilemma, they all groan in exasperation: her Visa Check Card was missing! All of the super-heroes know that if your card lost or stolen, you won't be held liable for any purchases made by anybody else and the card will be replaced by the next day.
Even Captain America carries one.
It was a great opportunity to see a Marvel Team-Up, TV Style.
But this wasn't exactly Toobworld. It was more like one of those nexus worlds where characters from different dimensions end up meeting, because they certainly weren't all from the TV Universe, no matter which dimension.
Thor? Thor has been represented several time in Earth Prime-Time, most notably in episodes of 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' and in a showcase pilot. So it doesn't matter too much that the details of his physical appearance might have altered slightly - after all, he's a "god"; he can do what he wants.
Wolverine, Storm, and the others - they are certainly not the superheroes from the Cineverse; they're definitely not Hugh Jackman or Halle Berry. And they're not the versions found in the Tooniverse either. Although usually we pass off cartoon characters as the artistic representations of real life people, there's something about these versions that doesn't quite fit. More than likely, they're from one of the alternate versions of Earth Prime-Time, and for alls I know, they're probably from the evil mirror universe.
Captain America? This tele-version is probably from Earth Prime-Time Delayed. There was a Captain America who appeared in prime time already about two decades ago, maybe more. Not being immortal, he would have been aging all this time and this cowled crusader was too young to be the same guy. And too much of a wise guy to boot - you could tell by the facial expression he made.
Then there's Spiderman. Here's another of Marvel's Mightiest who appeared in Toobworld decades ago. He'd be in middle-age by now if this was the same guy. And based on the vocal impersonation when he told the lady to "read my lips" (great line/visual, by the way), it's apparent that they were going for the Tobey McGuire sound.
And that makes him the Spiderman from the Cineverse, the movie universe explored by a sci-fi writer in a trilogy several years back.
Finally, one last super-hero showed up, but not from the Marvel line-up. There was no need to fear, for Underdog was there! And as such, he must have arrived there from the Tooniverse, where humans and humanoid animals co-exist.
(I hope someday to find out who provided the voice for Underdog in this commercial. It's my hope that they used the original soundtrack from the 60s cartoon, so that it would pay homage to the late, great Wally Cox.)
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
And a slew of super-heroes from Marvel appear, all ready for Clobberin' Time - Captain America, Thor, Spiderman, Wolverine and Storm of the X-Men... plus a few others I couldn't identify.
But when they learn of the woman's dilemma, they all groan in exasperation: her Visa Check Card was missing! All of the super-heroes know that if your card lost or stolen, you won't be held liable for any purchases made by anybody else and the card will be replaced by the next day.
Even Captain America carries one.
It was a great opportunity to see a Marvel Team-Up, TV Style.
But this wasn't exactly Toobworld. It was more like one of those nexus worlds where characters from different dimensions end up meeting, because they certainly weren't all from the TV Universe, no matter which dimension.
Thor? Thor has been represented several time in Earth Prime-Time, most notably in episodes of 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' and in a showcase pilot. So it doesn't matter too much that the details of his physical appearance might have altered slightly - after all, he's a "god"; he can do what he wants.
Wolverine, Storm, and the others - they are certainly not the superheroes from the Cineverse; they're definitely not Hugh Jackman or Halle Berry. And they're not the versions found in the Tooniverse either. Although usually we pass off cartoon characters as the artistic representations of real life people, there's something about these versions that doesn't quite fit. More than likely, they're from one of the alternate versions of Earth Prime-Time, and for alls I know, they're probably from the evil mirror universe.
Captain America? This tele-version is probably from Earth Prime-Time Delayed. There was a Captain America who appeared in prime time already about two decades ago, maybe more. Not being immortal, he would have been aging all this time and this cowled crusader was too young to be the same guy. And too much of a wise guy to boot - you could tell by the facial expression he made.
Then there's Spiderman. Here's another of Marvel's Mightiest who appeared in Toobworld decades ago. He'd be in middle-age by now if this was the same guy. And based on the vocal impersonation when he told the lady to "read my lips" (great line/visual, by the way), it's apparent that they were going for the Tobey McGuire sound.
And that makes him the Spiderman from the Cineverse, the movie universe explored by a sci-fi writer in a trilogy several years back.
Finally, one last super-hero showed up, but not from the Marvel line-up. There was no need to fear, for Underdog was there! And as such, he must have arrived there from the Tooniverse, where humans and humanoid animals co-exist.
(I hope someday to find out who provided the voice for Underdog in this commercial. It's my hope that they used the original soundtrack from the 60s cartoon, so that it would pay homage to the late, great Wally Cox.)
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Saturday, February 12, 2005
BLIPVERT BROUHAHA
There was a bit of a scandal over the airing of GoDaddy.com's commercial during the Super Bowl - enough of one to get the second airing of the spot near the two-minute warning (as well as a "Brought to you by..." voice-over) yanked.
In the ad, an actress named Nikki Capelli was testifying in front of a censorship panel when suddenly the strap on her halter top broke, nearly causing a wardrobe malfuntion. But it did draw attention to the URL printed across her chest: GoDaddy.com.
The Super Bowl producers and the NFL (who allegedly demanded that the commercial be pulled, although they deny it) may have prevented a second showing, but the damage had already been done. Nikki Capelli and her own version of the Goodyear blimps were now a part of the TV Universe.
(Why were the Powers That Be so afraid of a repeat performance? Did they think that the next time the outcome would change? I don't think Sam Beckett ('Quantum Leap') or Frank Parker ('7 Days') would have leapt or back-stepped in order to make sure we got an eyeful of Ms. Cappelli's attributes.
The Super Bowl producers tried to prevent two other ads from appearing; one by Airborne featuring Mickey Rooney and his naked butt, and the other for Budweiser with a behind-the-scenes look at what really caused Janet Jackson's own wardrobe malfunction.
But even though they succeeded in keeping us from learning the truth or from seeing Rooney's booty, they still found their way into the world of the Cathode Ray. Both ads found exposure in news programs and even the morning shows. (Although Rooney's booty was now more pixilated than dimpled.) So for all intents and purposes the Super Bowl Star Chamber failed in squelching it entirely.
And so the producers of all three commercials got what they wanted in the first place - exposure for their ads and thus their products. They may have sounded the trumpets of indignation in their cries against censorship, but the news coverage was free publicity.
It all reminds me of Susan Lucci's "shame" - seventeen years without winning an Emmy for her work on 'All My Children'. And yet each year, people came away remembering Susan Lucci and never remembering who actually won for Best Actress. And she got several TV movie deals and a chance to host 'Saturday Night Live'.
But once she won? Where else has she been besides in Corinth?
So the best way to get the most for your blipvert buck when it comes to the Super Bowl? Produce a horrible commercial that you know will never get airplay, cry "Censorship!" when it is rejected, and make sure the evening news show the ad often.
Max Bialystock would be proud.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
In the ad, an actress named Nikki Capelli was testifying in front of a censorship panel when suddenly the strap on her halter top broke, nearly causing a wardrobe malfuntion. But it did draw attention to the URL printed across her chest: GoDaddy.com.
The Super Bowl producers and the NFL (who allegedly demanded that the commercial be pulled, although they deny it) may have prevented a second showing, but the damage had already been done. Nikki Capelli and her own version of the Goodyear blimps were now a part of the TV Universe.
(Why were the Powers That Be so afraid of a repeat performance? Did they think that the next time the outcome would change? I don't think Sam Beckett ('Quantum Leap') or Frank Parker ('7 Days') would have leapt or back-stepped in order to make sure we got an eyeful of Ms. Cappelli's attributes.
The Super Bowl producers tried to prevent two other ads from appearing; one by Airborne featuring Mickey Rooney and his naked butt, and the other for Budweiser with a behind-the-scenes look at what really caused Janet Jackson's own wardrobe malfunction.
But even though they succeeded in keeping us from learning the truth or from seeing Rooney's booty, they still found their way into the world of the Cathode Ray. Both ads found exposure in news programs and even the morning shows. (Although Rooney's booty was now more pixilated than dimpled.) So for all intents and purposes the Super Bowl Star Chamber failed in squelching it entirely.
And so the producers of all three commercials got what they wanted in the first place - exposure for their ads and thus their products. They may have sounded the trumpets of indignation in their cries against censorship, but the news coverage was free publicity.
It all reminds me of Susan Lucci's "shame" - seventeen years without winning an Emmy for her work on 'All My Children'. And yet each year, people came away remembering Susan Lucci and never remembering who actually won for Best Actress. And she got several TV movie deals and a chance to host 'Saturday Night Live'.
But once she won? Where else has she been besides in Corinth?
So the best way to get the most for your blipvert buck when it comes to the Super Bowl? Produce a horrible commercial that you know will never get airplay, cry "Censorship!" when it is rejected, and make sure the evening news show the ad often.
Max Bialystock would be proud.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Wednesday, February 9, 2005
ABC TO TRUMP THE DONALD
It's not enough that Donald Trump has managed enough appearances in fictional settings as himself to guarantee himself a plush slot in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame; now he'll be fictionalized totally and played by an actor in a TV movie.
ABC has given the go-ahead to an unauthorized movie about the real estate mogul, who is enjoying something of a career and popularity resurgence in his role as host of NBC's hit series "The Apprentice."
"Donald Trump is the American version of royalty," said Quinn Taylor, senior vp movies and miniseries at ABC. "He's probably one of the most fascinating and intriguing men certainly of my generation who has continually kept himself at the top of his game. That he was able to do it is worth exploring."
Trump will not be involved in the as-yet-untitled project, which is based on Gwenda Blair's business-oriented book "The Trumps: Three Generations That Built an Empire."
Taylor added that the movie will cover the past 25 years or so in Trump's life, but will not include details on "Apprentice," which does air on a competing network.
So much for Television Without Borders. Oh, well. It would have been fun to see a fictional version of Omarosa!
Casting will begin immediately, and the project could go into production as early as March, Taylor said, adding that no airdate has been set.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
ABC has given the go-ahead to an unauthorized movie about the real estate mogul, who is enjoying something of a career and popularity resurgence in his role as host of NBC's hit series "The Apprentice."
"Donald Trump is the American version of royalty," said Quinn Taylor, senior vp movies and miniseries at ABC. "He's probably one of the most fascinating and intriguing men certainly of my generation who has continually kept himself at the top of his game. That he was able to do it is worth exploring."
Trump will not be involved in the as-yet-untitled project, which is based on Gwenda Blair's business-oriented book "The Trumps: Three Generations That Built an Empire."
Taylor added that the movie will cover the past 25 years or so in Trump's life, but will not include details on "Apprentice," which does air on a competing network.
So much for Television Without Borders. Oh, well. It would have been fun to see a fictional version of Omarosa!
Casting will begin immediately, and the project could go into production as early as March, Taylor said, adding that no airdate has been set.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
COOL BOSTON BEANS
Months ago I wrote an essay here called "Boston Commonality", in which I hoped that some of the other Boston-based shows might one day link to 'Boston Legal'.
My wish was granted........
Chi McBride will reprise his role of Steven Harper from "Boston Public" in an upcoming controversial episode of "Boston Legal," it's been announced.
McBride will play the school principal who bans certain network news coverage on school grounds. The episode, entitled "Let Sales Ring," will air on SUNDAY, MARCH 13 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.
McBride also played the role on the 'Boston Legal' predecessor, 'The Practice'. So of course that means he'll now be eligible for inclusion in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame!
Maybe I should do a whole year's worth of DEK characters with Kelley inducted as well!
You stinker!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
My wish was granted........
Chi McBride will reprise his role of Steven Harper from "Boston Public" in an upcoming controversial episode of "Boston Legal," it's been announced.
McBride will play the school principal who bans certain network news coverage on school grounds. The episode, entitled "Let Sales Ring," will air on SUNDAY, MARCH 13 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.
McBride also played the role on the 'Boston Legal' predecessor, 'The Practice'. So of course that means he'll now be eligible for inclusion in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame!
Maybe I should do a whole year's worth of DEK characters with Kelley inducted as well!
You stinker!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
NOTH EXPOSURE
HOORAH!
The prodigal son is returning to the fold on a regular basis... in a way.
This news story just came in Tuesday night:
LOS ANGELES - Chris Noth's guest appearance this weekend on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" is the start of something "big".
Noth, who left the original "Law & Order" 10 years ago, will become a regular on the spinoff beginning next season, series spokeswoman Pam Ruben Golum said Tuesday.
He will split duties with current series lead Vincent D'Onofrio, who's continuing as police Detective Robert Goren. Each actor will appear in 11 episodes for the fifth season. The NBC series airs at 9 p.m. EST Sunday.
Noth's casting will ease the work load for D'Onofrio, who was hospitalized briefly last year for exhaustion. "The hardest job in show business is being a single lead on an hour drama series," said "Law & Order" creator and executive producer Dick Wolf. "Vincent has done an unbelievable job for the last four seasons, but after 3 1/2 years, the grueling pace finally took its toll."
He called Noth's addition to the show an "ideal solution." Noth, who was Sarah Jessica Parker's love interest, Mr. Big, on HBO's "Sex and the City," will again play police Detective Mike Logan, his character from 1990-95 on "Law & Order."
My thanks to Yahoo! news for that story.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
The prodigal son is returning to the fold on a regular basis... in a way.
This news story just came in Tuesday night:
LOS ANGELES - Chris Noth's guest appearance this weekend on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" is the start of something "big".
Noth, who left the original "Law & Order" 10 years ago, will become a regular on the spinoff beginning next season, series spokeswoman Pam Ruben Golum said Tuesday.
He will split duties with current series lead Vincent D'Onofrio, who's continuing as police Detective Robert Goren. Each actor will appear in 11 episodes for the fifth season. The NBC series airs at 9 p.m. EST Sunday.
Noth's casting will ease the work load for D'Onofrio, who was hospitalized briefly last year for exhaustion. "The hardest job in show business is being a single lead on an hour drama series," said "Law & Order" creator and executive producer Dick Wolf. "Vincent has done an unbelievable job for the last four seasons, but after 3 1/2 years, the grueling pace finally took its toll."
He called Noth's addition to the show an "ideal solution." Noth, who was Sarah Jessica Parker's love interest, Mr. Big, on HBO's "Sex and the City," will again play police Detective Mike Logan, his character from 1990-95 on "Law & Order."
My thanks to Yahoo! news for that story.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
SPOOKY & KOOKY
Although I was specifically looking for crossovers in the Super Bowl commercials, some of them struck me for their potential or just hit me funny.
The blipvert for the Ford Mustang 2005 convertible - This had the spooky aura of an opening sequence for 'The X-Files'. The cop approaches a car at a stop light in the middle of nowhere during an hellacious snowstorm.
The guy at the wheel is dressed for a Beach Boys video, not for the movie "Fargo". And he's frozen solid; his skin is like glazed porcelain.The voiceover warns that this is why convertibles are not introduced in the winter.
But was it the frigid temperatures that did the guy in? Maybe it was an alien attack or an experiment by the government gone wrong.
I saw the commercial several times over and it still creeped me out.
The one that I found to be gut-wrenchingly funny was for Ameriquest, who do something with mortgages.
A guy is making dinner before his wife gets home, but while he's chopping the scallions, their white fluffy cat spills the spaghetti sauce all over the floor and then gets itself smeared in it.
The guy picks up the cat by the scruff of the neck with one hand (now getting the sauce all over the front of his white shirt) while holding the big knife in the other.
And that's when the Missus comes home.
The moral: "Don't judge too quickly. We don't."
It didn't serve its intended purpose to get me to learn more about the company (I've got nothing to mortgage anyway - soul? What soul?), but it certainly went straight to my level of funny business.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
The blipvert for the Ford Mustang 2005 convertible - This had the spooky aura of an opening sequence for 'The X-Files'. The cop approaches a car at a stop light in the middle of nowhere during an hellacious snowstorm.
The guy at the wheel is dressed for a Beach Boys video, not for the movie "Fargo". And he's frozen solid; his skin is like glazed porcelain.The voiceover warns that this is why convertibles are not introduced in the winter.
But was it the frigid temperatures that did the guy in? Maybe it was an alien attack or an experiment by the government gone wrong.
I saw the commercial several times over and it still creeped me out.
The one that I found to be gut-wrenchingly funny was for Ameriquest, who do something with mortgages.
A guy is making dinner before his wife gets home, but while he's chopping the scallions, their white fluffy cat spills the spaghetti sauce all over the floor and then gets itself smeared in it.
The guy picks up the cat by the scruff of the neck with one hand (now getting the sauce all over the front of his white shirt) while holding the big knife in the other.
And that's when the Missus comes home.
The moral: "Don't judge too quickly. We don't."
It didn't serve its intended purpose to get me to learn more about the company (I've got nothing to mortgage anyway - soul? What soul?), but it certainly went straight to my level of funny business.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
GRILLS GONE WILD!
Back when I was still running my Tubeworld Dynamic website, (thank you, thank you), I did a spoof report on the new version of 'The Weber Show', which would be all about the alien invasion of Dalek-like robots who lived among us disguised as barbeque grills.
Even had a few nice shots from TV sitcoms with those evil red round jobs lurking in the background.
So it was a kick in the head to see that Dunkin' Donuts splurged with their advertising bucks to carry that idea further. They were introducing their new grilled steak breakfast sandwich with the proposal that we should all have those sandwiches in the morning and let our grills have the day off.
Even though it's the middle of winter, the blipvert was geared to summery images of grills enjoying their new-found freedom. They were out fishing, hanging by the pool, water-skiing, swinging on tire swings, and lolling in hammocks.
But if any of them were plotting the eventual overthrow and subjugation of humanity, we weren't privy to their diabolical plans......
I think we've got the basis for Jack Bauer's next '24' hour cycle!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Even had a few nice shots from TV sitcoms with those evil red round jobs lurking in the background.
So it was a kick in the head to see that Dunkin' Donuts splurged with their advertising bucks to carry that idea further. They were introducing their new grilled steak breakfast sandwich with the proposal that we should all have those sandwiches in the morning and let our grills have the day off.
Even though it's the middle of winter, the blipvert was geared to summery images of grills enjoying their new-found freedom. They were out fishing, hanging by the pool, water-skiing, swinging on tire swings, and lolling in hammocks.
But if any of them were plotting the eventual overthrow and subjugation of humanity, we weren't privy to their diabolical plans......
I think we've got the basis for Jack Bauer's next '24' hour cycle!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
GAME OF THE NAME
Kyle Thompson and Dawn Carpenter had a son on Feb. 4, 2004, a couple of months after the UPN science fiction show 'Jake 2.0' was canceled after less than four months on the air. They liked the name of the series and so they named their baby boy Jake Matthew Thompson 2.0.
"He's like an upgrade of us, the better version," Thompson said. The state birth certificate, however, reads "Jake Matthew Thompson Two Point Zero".
Carpenter, a housekeeper at a convalescent home and an aspiring actress, said some co-workers have told her that when her son reaches school age, classmates will make fun of his name, "but I don't worry about it. They made fun of me because my nose is small. They make fun of you no matter what you do."
This seems to be a growing trend. Over the last year, a handful of couples have been naming their children after the sports network ESPN... usually as a middle name. And there have been a few baby girls who've been named after the networks award - the Espy.
Well, this is nothing new. And my second cousin would tell Mrs. Puny Nose not to worry about what they call her son in the playground. He says that the kid will weather it just fine.
And if anybody can vouch for that, it's Meat-head Dabkowski.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
"He's like an upgrade of us, the better version," Thompson said. The state birth certificate, however, reads "Jake Matthew Thompson Two Point Zero".
Carpenter, a housekeeper at a convalescent home and an aspiring actress, said some co-workers have told her that when her son reaches school age, classmates will make fun of his name, "but I don't worry about it. They made fun of me because my nose is small. They make fun of you no matter what you do."
This seems to be a growing trend. Over the last year, a handful of couples have been naming their children after the sports network ESPN... usually as a middle name. And there have been a few baby girls who've been named after the networks award - the Espy.
Well, this is nothing new. And my second cousin would tell Mrs. Puny Nose not to worry about what they call her son in the playground. He says that the kid will weather it just fine.
And if anybody can vouch for that, it's Meat-head Dabkowski.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
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