But there’s a difference between harassing behavior and the behavior exhibited by the poor shlubs in these commercials. If they were being dickheads to the CB, they would deserve the treatment. They’re not. The CBs simply decide to be mean.
I think that the target audience of the “castrating bitches” ads would be… castrating bitches. I can’t imagine that men that self identify as “dweebs” would watch one of those ads and say “Humm, that dweeb was just humiliated by a castrating bitch because of product X. I must go get some product X right now, so I too can be humiliated.”
However, I can see how some women, who are perhaps sick of lame come-ons, might find the ads apealing.
I have certainly cracked a grin at one or two of them, and I’m not even a castrating bitch.
Not me, I’m short, hairy, and somewhat overweight. Imagine a 1890’s mad-bomber sterotype (the round kind, not the tall, skinny kind.)
**
This happened a lot to me in high school, but since then, I’ve gotten curt “No, thanks”, and the occasional cold shoulder where someone’s just turned away, but the sort of deliberate meanness that the characters in these commercials show is a whole 'nother level.
The motor oil one’s not aimed at women, though. It’s aimed at guys. Not to imply that only males change their oil or that they alone are responsible for such a task. The CB clearly addresses a male.
Fenris, I thought I was the only one who was really bothered by the clear braces commercial. The first time I saw it, all I could think was “what a bitch!!”.
I even went as far as to have my daughter watch it as a “how not to” lesson for her. I don’t care if you are the most beautiful person that has ever walked the face of the earth, or the butt ugliest neanderthal to ever walk out of a cave, if you treat people with respect, you deserve the same respect back. Even the worst pick-up line, if delivered with at least a bit of friendliness, deserves, at the very least, a polite rebuttal. I always found that saying, “that was was the worst pickup line I have ever heard”, in a half joking/half serious manner was a wonderful ice breaker, and usually ended the attempt in a friendly way. And if it didn’t end it, it was often the start of a REAL conversation.
The funniest part of this commercial is the implication that Carmen Electra, who married Dennis Friggin’ Rodman, has some kind of standards concerning who she will and won’t go out with.
I blame the entire movement on Angie Dickenson (with a dash of Tori Amos of course).
As I see it, the role of the castrating bitch is no different than the empty headed, beer-swilling, womanizing male often seen portrayed in many a commercial. I don’t necessarily watch Miller Lite ads thinking, ‘goddamnit, that schmuck has no regard for women’ (or good beer for that matter).
Viewer discretion is advised.
P.S. My issue with the clear braces commercial is the fact that their teeth are all perfectly straight and phenomenally white. Show me those bad boys on Jethro the snaggletooth damnit!
That explains it. That look is so in right now. Witness George Costanza and that guy Sippowicz from NYPD Blue. With any luck you’re balding. Probably have to beat them off with a stick because they think your witty, cuddly, and smart.