# Again with the annoying commercials! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** commercials-ads\ **Created:** [June 28, 2017, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089 "2017-06-28T22:06:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 366
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7307 "2026-04-14T18:15:35Z")
The Progressive ads. What is the vocal defect that makes the woman with the bangs (at the dog park for some reason) talk like Fran Drescher? Good grief does that get old in a hurry. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7308 "2026-04-14T18:34:39Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > What is the vocal defect that makes the woman with the bangs (at the dog park for some reason) talk like Fran Drescher? She’s from [Pittsburgh.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SruMKGoj71M) ( Link is an example of some ladies speaking [Pittsburghese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Pennsylvania_English) ) > **[Natalie Palamides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalie_Palamides)** > > Natalie Palamides is an American actress, comedian and television writer. > Aspiring to work at Saturday Night Live, Palamides moved to Los Angeles and joined the Upright Citizens Brigade after college. She began voice-over and commercial work. She also took classes on clown performance at the Idiot Workshop and the Lyric Hyperion. Early sketches featured Palamides' characters: fantasizing about eating salad from a man's pants; complaining to the manager of sandwich shop Eggslut as an anthropomo... ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7309 "2026-04-14T19:25:36Z")
> [@salinqmind1](#): > > There’s a small sleeping dog draped across the top of a couch (that’s something a CAT does)… My brother’s dog would do that, because from there they could look out the window. Often this was to guard against squirrels. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7310 "2026-04-14T19:36:41Z")
> [@salinqmind1](#): > > There’s a small sleeping dog draped across the top of a couch (that’s something a CAT does) Someone forgot to tell Chloé that. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55207700611_f43a846461_b.jpg "20260414\_143141") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/190534151@N04/55207700611/) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7311 "2026-04-14T19:44:24Z")
> [@salinqmind1](#): > > Yes. The proud father. It’s been a maddening thing to hear all my life. But Spectrum didnt come up with that. it has been pushed as a way to get the Father more involved with Childbirth. I like to watch Sundance. Great Channel. BUT it constantly runs nasty screaming nightmare producing ads for stuff from Shudder. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7312 "2026-04-14T20:07:20Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > The Progressive ads. What is the vocal defect that makes the woman with the bangs (at the dog park for some reason) talk like Fran Drescher? Mara is the character’s name, BTW. I’m not sure that the character’s voice is so much Pittsburghese (as per @Skywalker’s link) as it is an affectation/voice-acting choice (with a helping of “vocal fry”) to make the character come across as sarcastic and weary. ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7313 "2026-04-16T03:17:30Z")
I find the KoreaDate ads on SDMB very narrowing somehow. I showed them to my aunt, a fifty year old South Korean-American college instructor here. She said there’s apparently a good segment of rovers looking for romance with Korean women. The strangeness to me stems my thirty year old nephew relationship with my aunt. She’s a really enthralling pianist, an organized and charismatic college instructor. However my uncle has said she’s not like the women in the ads. My aunt could never be someone you email for love. Uh-uh and a no way! ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7314 "2026-04-16T15:25:17Z")
From the article linked by **Skywatcher:** > Aspiring to work at Saturday Night Live, Palamides moved to Los Angeles … I think there’s a problem if she’s moving to LA looking for a job that’s based in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7315 "2026-04-16T15:50:16Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > I think there’s a problem if she’s moving to LA looking for a job that’s based in NYC. Well, to be fair, she apparently moved to LA to join a sketch comedy group there (the Upright Citizens Brigade), with the _ultimate_ goal of making it to SNL (which, yes, in NYC). Edit: regardless, and back to the topic, Progressive obviously loves the Flo (and friends) ad campaign, but as they’ve added supporting characters, and as it’s evolved, they’ve wound up with (IMO) two so-quirky-as-to-be-highly-unlikable characters, in Jamie and Mara. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7316 "2026-04-16T15:57:06Z")
Sure, but I haven’t caffeinated yet and couldn’t pass up the easy lay up. I’ll go back to being quiet now. After mentioning the Farmers commercial with the two guys pruning a tree or shrub or something. One then sings “We are gardeners” to the tune of the “We are farmers” jingle as the screen goes to the logo with the chorus providing the “bum ba bum bum, bum, bum, bum” refrain. What does that have to do with insurance? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7317 "2026-04-16T16:03:39Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > After mentioning the Farmers commercial with the two guys pruning a tree or shrub or something. One then sings “We are gardeners” to the tune of the “We are farmers” jingle as the screen goes to the logo with the chorus providing the “bum ba bum bum, bum, bum, bum” refrain. What does that have to do with insurance? This one? It’s an odd ad. It’s only 7 seconds long (which means it probably mostly runs online). Looking at it as an ad guy (which I am), it seems like they wanted to create something that was funny and memorable in that very short time; all it’s meant to do is reinforce the Farmers’ name and their ear-worm-y jingle. It’s not meant to communicate anything else, and sometimes ads are done solely to remind you about what you already know about the product or brand, and keep that brand at the top of your mind. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cPaU_jg1QL0/maxresdefault.jpg "Gardeners | Farmers Insurance®") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPaU_jg1QL0) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7318 "2026-04-16T16:29:02Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I’m not sure that the character’s voice is so much Pittsburghese (as per @Skywalker’s link) as it is an affectation/voice-acting choice (with a helping of “vocal fry”) to make the character come across as sarcastic and weary. I’ve found some videos of the actress in interview or travelog settings. She’s either always in character (à la Gilbert Gottfried) or it’s her normal speech pattern. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7319 "2026-04-16T17:13:37Z")
> [@salinqmind1](#): > > There’s a small sleeping dog draped across the top of a couch (that’s something a CAT does) No. All our dachshunds did this. One liked to sit up right near your shoulder and sneak kisses when you weren’t paying attention. Ew! I’ve been kissed by a dog! /Lucy van Pelt. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7320 "2026-04-16T17:46:53Z")
Insurance people: are there any insurance companies on Earth that won’t find you a discount if you buy home insurance along with car insurance? “Bundling” one of them calls it. ---
**Author:** ![bobsmom101](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobsmom101/32/2867_2.png) [@bobsmom101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobsmom101)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7321 "2026-04-16T18:58:37Z")
My solitaire game is incessantly interrupted (how **DARE** they!) by ads featuring tradwives holding obviously AI and kinda creepy infants while stirring up some potion involving Jello and a white powder which is poured into ice cube trays. I gather that eating this stuff will get you back to that husband-pleasing figure. Supposedly endorsed by Dr Oz. What IS this magic ingredient? Or is it just stealth marketing for Jello? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7322 "2026-04-16T20:43:08Z")
> [@bobsmom101](#): > > some potion involving Jello and a white powder which is poured into ice cube trays. A bit of Googling brings up a bunch of questionable sites disguised as respectable universities; other sites suggest this is a new take on [“bariatric gelatin”.](https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/healthcare/articles/glpro-claims-evaluated-natural-glp-231600988.html) [Which had been previously marketed as a way to “reverse diabetes”.](https://malwaretips.com/blogs/glpro-blood-sugar-support/) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7323 "2026-04-16T22:54:03Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Insurance people: are there any insurance companies on Earth that won’t find you a discount if you buy home insurance along with car insurance? It’s pretty common. Most of the big U.S. property/casualty insurers offer homeowners’ and renters’ insurance as well as auto insurance. So, “bundle and save” is something that pretty much all of them can/will do. However, some smaller companies may specialize in one or the other; in particular, if you have a bad driving record, and the big companies aren’t willing to touch you anymore, you’re likely looking at getting auto insurance from a company that specializes in that sort of coverage (called SR-22 here in Illinois). ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7324 "2026-04-17T08:36:53Z")
Trivago commercials. At least they got rid of the guy with the teeth, but now they have guys buried in the sand. If I was on a tropical beach, I’d be looking at the ladies instead of talking about hotel prices. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7325 "2026-04-17T17:43:33Z")
Teeth guy is still around. There’s one where he and his buddy are mercilessly mocking another guy for paying too much for his hotel room. Assholes. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089/7326 "2026-04-17T18:29:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Looking at it as an ad guy (which I am), it seems like they wanted to create something that was funny and memorable in that very short time; all it’s meant to do is reinforce the Farmers’ name and their ear-worm-y jingle. Yeah, I’m a retired Ad Guy, and I still remember my then-kindergartner complaining “Hey, they blew it! The Pepsi Company just showed people laughing and never said it tasted good!” The kid did not buy my explanation of a _“lifestyle ad”_… The current crop of _“absurd situation ads”_ would’ve really pissed him off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089.md?page=365) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-annoying-commercials/790089.md?page=367)