# Carrot-Top or AT&T Man? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 25, 2001, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126 "2001-08-25T22:58:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2001, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/1 "2001-08-25T22:58:01Z")
Those of us who were exposed to American commercials over the past few years remember the AT&T Man, I’m sure. He was a loud, dopey guy who tried to be hip in all kinds of settings and failed constantly, never seeming to notice what a dork he is. Lately, his contract seems to have expired, or maybe he’s working on a sit-com or something—who knows? Anyhow, they’ve got the stand-up comic Carrot-Top doing these ads now. I’ve never liked him. What’s weird (and surely a personality flaw) is that I actually _liked_ AT&T Man. I think I might like crack, too, if I’d only try it. I miss AT&T Man. So, the latest poll is on: AT&T Man or Carrot-Top? It doesn’t have to be sexual (it’s not in my case), but if any of you are turned on by either of them, well, go ahead and talk about it. Don’t worry—I won’t judge you. Much. ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/2 "2001-08-25T23:14:48Z")
You can keep both of 'em–I’ll take Eva Savalot (sp?). ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2001, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/3 "2001-08-25T23:19:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chance the Gardener \* > So, the latest **poll** is on: AT&T Man or Carrot-Top? Mods! Clean up in aisle 4! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/4 "2001-08-26T00:01:27Z")
Hey, don’t be knocking Carrot Top, the only famous person to come from my college, Florida Atlantic University! Home the Fighting Owls! Yeah, the owls! What’s so goddam funny!?!?! ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/5 "2001-08-26T00:17:26Z")
And he’s beloved in Charlotte, North Carolina, home of Jesse Helms, the Charlotte Hornets and the Carolina Panthers! Hello? :: crickets :: Anybody there? Anybody? Bueller? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/6 "2001-08-26T00:47:52Z")
I may not be the first person to make this observation, but I have noticed that commercials regarding any sort of phone service (long distance, collect, whatever) have a unique property that sucks all the comedy out of whatever celebrity is doing them. Remember George Carlin’s phone commercial? Dennis Miller’s? Two of (IMO) the funniest comics working today, and their commercials couldn’t elicit so much as a smirk from me. I think that’s why they went with Carrot Top. If it’s not going to be funny anyway, wh shell out bucks for an actual commedian? ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/7 "2001-08-26T02:59:21Z")
Eva Savealot with with 1-800-collect…same as Mr. T! I like Carrot Top, I think he’s hilarious. Many disagree with me but I think he’s got an endearing personality. So there! \< I like em quirky and cute, even the flaming red hair is endearing…so there! \> ---
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/8 "2001-08-26T03:26:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chance the Gardener \* > **Those of us who were exposed to American commercials over the past few years remember the AT&T Man, I’m sure. He was a loud, dopey guy who tried to be hip in all kinds of settings and failed constantly, never seeming to notice what a dork he is. Lately, his contract seems to have expired, or maybe he’s working on a sit-com or something—who knows?** You would be thinking of David Arquette, much like all the other people (i.e. Adam Carolla) he took his money and ran off. ---
**Author:** ![Arken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Arken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arken)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/9 "2001-08-26T04:35:00Z")
Those 1-800-COLLECT and 1-800-CALL-ATT commercials are all so similar that I can’t tell one from the other. You’d think if they really wanted someone to use their service, they’d make their commercial LESS like the competition’s… ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/10 "2001-08-26T14:08:45Z")
Who would I most like to see ankle-deep (inverted) in a pool of steaming sewage? That’s a tough choice… ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/11 "2001-08-26T14:40:13Z")
The whole famous personality/long distance (cell phone) phone shill connection is a mystery to me. It’s as if the famous person has decided, “Hey, let me throw my career in the crapper by being as annoying as possible as often as possible for a product almost no one cares much about.” Candice Bergen, Jamie-Lee Curtis, James Earl Jones. These are all people who had steady work. They must have had some serious money in the bank. What the hell were they thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/12 "2001-08-26T15:29:27Z")
Carrot Top That is the one I would hit it head with a shovel. ---
**Author:** ![Arken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Arken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arken)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/13 "2001-08-26T17:57:22Z")
Ah, for the days when TV commercials were the realm solely of pro-footballers, former Love Boat cast members and William Conrad… ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/14 "2001-08-26T18:04:09Z")
“Carrot Top” must go. We all know it. He should be captured and sent to work on a squid cannery ship for a decade or two for his crimes against humanity. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2001, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/15 "2001-08-26T18:33:31Z")
Ah yes, one of the great debates for the ages… I like Carrot Top. He’s harmless. I’ve seen him on _Politically Incorrect_, and he made fun of himself in a way that I find really appealing. He knows he looks goofy, he knows he’s a prop comic, and he’s okay with that. “Comics” like, say, Pauly Shore, who’s just out-and-out creepy, or even Adam Sandler, whom I suspect has talent and is a nice guy but keeps doing all these unbelievably stupid movies playing really stupid, creepy characters… I’m sorry, what was the question? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/16 "2001-08-28T05:44:08Z")
Mr. Rilch worked on Carrot Top’s movie “Chairman of the Board”. He said CT was very low-key, polite and no attitude. So the character sucks, but I don’t wish any harm on the person. ---
**Author:** ![Lucifer12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@Lucifer12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucifer12)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/17 "2001-08-28T13:51:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*I think that’s why they went with Carrot Top. If it’s not going to be funny anyway, wh shell out bucks for an actual commedian? \*\* KER-POW! Now _that’s_ a good slam! I salute you, sir (or ma’m)! ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/18 "2001-08-28T14:07:15Z")
Can we get them to fight each other? That way, everyone wins. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/19 "2001-08-28T14:48:45Z")
[screeching halt] > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*Hey, don’t be knocking Carrot Top, the only famous person to come from my college, Florida Atlantic University! Home the Fighting Owls! > > Yeah, the owls! What’s so goddam funny!?!?! \*\* **WHEN** did they change from the Burrowing Owls to the Fighting Owls?!?! Jeez, is **nothing** sacred any more? And are they still planning to build the new stadium on top of the Burrowing Owl colony? The one that’s been there for years and gave the school its mascot? Last I heard they were going to wipe out the area for the stadium and parking lot. And by the way, Temple University also has an owl (generic) for a mascot. [/screeching halt] ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrot-top-or-at-t-man/78126/20 "2001-08-28T17:03:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by screech-owl \* > \*\* > And by the way, Temple University also has an owl (generic) for a mascot. > > \*\* So does Rice! And they have the MOB (Marching Owl Band), the coolest marching band anywhere.