# Commercials I'm hatin' right now **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 10, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052 "2005-12-10T17:36:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/61 "2005-12-13T17:36:12Z")
The new Vonage ads - I just don’t get them. There’s a person in the foreground talking about Vonage, but in the background there’s something bizzare going on. In one, the guy’s naked neighbors are puttering around the backyard (blurred out, of course), in another one, the spokesperson is on a city street and there’s a guy in a huge lobster suit trying to get through a revolving door. There’s several different versions, always with something weird happening behind the person talking about Vonage. I think they’re stupid - the background action is too distracting. You don’t even pay attention to what the person in the foreground is saying. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/62 "2005-12-13T17:51:39Z")
I hope this doesn’t get this thread kicked over to GD, but the one that totally drives me crazy is the Honda commercial where they have the singers in their red & white outfits singing “We Wish You a Happy Holiday.” I know some people think that it’s not PC anymore to say Merry Christmas, and I personally don’t get offended at all if someone says Happy Holidays to me. As far as I’m concerned, either greeting is just fine. But DON’T change the lyrics of the song to say Happy Holiday instead of Merry Christmas. That is just WRONG. ---
**Author:** ![archmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@archmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/archmichael)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/63 "2005-12-13T17:58:08Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > I hope this doesn’t get this thread kicked over to GD, but the one that totally drives me crazy is the Honda commercial where they have the singers in their red & white outfits singing “We Wish You a Happy Holiday.” > > I know some people think that it’s not PC anymore to say Merry Christmas, and I personally don’t get offended at all if someone says Happy Holidays to me. As far as I’m concerned, either greeting is just fine. > > But DON’T change the lyrics of the song to say Happy Holiday instead of Merry Christmas. That is just WRONG. In their defense, I believe they actually changed the lyrics to “Happy Honda Days” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Composer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Composer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Composer)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/64 "2005-12-13T18:04:03Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > I hope this doesn’t get this thread kicked over to GD, but the one that totally drives me crazy is the Honda commercial where they have the singers in their red & white outfits singing “We Wish You a Happy Holiday.” I think it’s actually, “We Wish You a Happy **Honda** Day.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Composer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Composer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Composer)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/65 "2005-12-13T18:06:28Z")
So what if my post was six minutes too slow. :o ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/66 "2005-12-13T18:10:15Z")
> [@archmichael](#): > > In their defense, I believe they actually changed the lyrics to “Happy Honda Days” Even so, there are plenty of songs out there with the words “Happy Holidays” that they could have used instead of this one (May the calendar keep bringing Happy Honda Days to you). Every one I have talked to thinks they are saying “Happy Holiday” as a direct replacement for “Merry Christmas” in the song. Perhaps in a different year, they could have gotten away with it, but Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays seems to be a politically charged issue this year, and this ad plays right into it. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/67 "2005-12-13T18:24:22Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > I just saw a commercial I don’t like – it’s the Visa commercial in which the ski coach advises the athlete to calm down before a big race by imagining her card was stolen. I don’t care how many protections Visa offers, I’m still going to be irritated and inconvenienced if my card is stolen. This oen irks me too, but for a different reason. The coach tells the skier to act as if her Visa check card was stolen, so she takes off like a madman, getting a gold medal or whatever. Yet…the voice over guy just got done saying that you don’t HAVE to worry, because Visa has all this fraud protection. So shouldn’t she then ski as if she was out for a leisurly time on the slopes? THAT would actually make a better commercial, and it would make SENSE. Are ad agancies really this dumb? ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/68 "2005-12-13T18:59:37Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Are ad agancies really this dumb? Yes. Actually, I’m convinced that a lot of ads are desperation ploys from an advertising team up against their deadline. (e.g. At 4 a.m., one junior ad exec, bleary eyed and wiped out, says, “How about we go with talking cows?” Everyone else replies, “Great idea!”) Anyway, the most idiotic recent commerical I’ve seen is the family at the mall who are arranging whom should call whom so they can meet back together, when… …wait for it… …They realize that none of them actually own cell phones! :rolleyes: Haw, haw! ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/69 "2005-12-13T19:08:40Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > Every one I have talked to thinks they are saying “Happy Holiday” as a direct replacement for “Merry Christmas” in the song. If I were you, I’d try to find a better-educated class of person to talk to, then. You do realize, don’t you, that the Honda add is a non-satirical parody of an actual tuen, whose name, and proper lyrics, are indeed “Happy Holidays.” ([Link to lyrics at 123christians.com](http://www.123christians.com/christians/christmas/carols/index1.html).) If the lyrics were actually "Merry Christmas:, what the hell sense would it make to change them to “Happy Honda Days”? Pick your battles, friend, and take it to Great Debates, not here, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/70 "2005-12-13T19:15:56Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > If I were you, I’d try to find a better-educated class of person to talk to, then. > > You do realize, don’t you, that the Honda add is a non-satirical parody of an actual tuen, whose name, and proper lyrics, are indeed “Happy Holidays.” ([Link to lyrics at 123christians.com](http://www.123christians.com/christians/christmas/carols/index1.html).) If the lyrics were actually "Merry Christmas:, what the hell sense would it make to change them to “Happy Honda Days”? > > Pick your battles, friend, and take it to Great Debates, not here, thanks. No, [this](http://41051.com/xmaslyrics/wewishu.html) is the song that they have changed to “We wish you a Happy Honda Days.” The link you provided is to the Irving Berlin song “Happy Holidays”, which I suggested in a previous post would have been a better alternative than the one they used. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/71 "2005-12-13T19:19:25Z")
I hate most commercials where they appropriate a classic-rock song, but cut it off in unnatural places to make it conform to the ad campaign. Current anti-favorites: 1. JC Penney, which uses ELO’s “Livin’ Thing”, but only the line about “It’s a givin’ thing.” That one really annoys me, because I keep expecting them to finish the frickin’ song, or at least the line! 2. The one that uses “Dust in the Wind.” People! It’s a _depressing_ song! It’s about _death_! (I love it, but it is.) Why are you using it to advertise cars? ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/72 "2005-12-13T19:34:45Z")
Beyonce and her family do NOT shop at Walmart. I hate that commercial. The Bell South commercial with the radio contest and the need for high speed internet in order to win the trip to Jamaica. The girl’s “friends” are obnoxious. I hate it! ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/73 "2005-12-13T19:40:28Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > No, [this](http://41051.com/xmaslyrics/wewishu.html) is the song that they have changed to “We wish you a Happy Honda Days.” The link you provided is to the Irving Berlin song “Happy Holidays”, which I suggested in a previous post would have been a better alternative than the one they used. Ah. My bad. Haven’t seen the ad, and I misread your post. In that case, I would have to chalk it up to ham-handed commercial-writing by committee. I agree with your first post, in that case. Regardless of anyone’s position on the so-called War on Christmas, changing lyrics so they don’t scan anymore is WRONG, and incredibly irritating. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/74 "2005-12-13T19:45:05Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > > [@Dante](#): > > > > The “What happens in Vegas” ads vaguely annoy me, but the woman who keeps giving out fake names is very hot. > > I like that one - she’s giving out the names of characters from various sitcoms “Hi, I’m Monica/I’m Phoebe/I’m Rachel” (the girls from _Friends_) or “Hi, I’m Carrie/Charlotte/Miranda/Samantha” (the girls from _Sex and the City_). Guess you have to know the shows. Since she rattles them off in order, it’s pretty funny. I like it when the guy asks where they’re from, and she sputters out “Mayberry”. The guy just shrugs and goes “Cool.” The ones that irk me are the ones where the tagline might as well be “Come to Vegas and cheat on your spouse!”. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/75 "2005-12-13T20:08:15Z")
Oh, how I loathe the phone commercial (vonage???) that plays that ridiculous tune in the background – whoo-oo, whoo-oo-oooo … (as if that help you any) … i just got that damn song stuck in my head right now just thinking about it. I HATE YOU! I think there’s a car commercial that uses the same jingle. And whoever mentioned Joan Cusack for her phone ads is absolutely right. How someone can say that she’s NOT absolutely annoying is beyond me. Where I live, the city busses drive by with larger-than-lifesize images of her head, neck, and shoulders, holding a phone next to her face with some sort of smirky expression on it and it makes me want to hit something very hard. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/76 "2005-12-13T20:08:39Z")
Ok, just saw another one yesterday that qualifies for the list. It’s for the new Ratchet and Clank game and shows a teenage dude standing in his yard, accompanied by two cheap looking Ceylon rip-off robots. He’s looking up in a tree at his poor kitty, who’s stuck up in the top. So the Ceylon-Lites shoot down the tree, crush an SUV, and rescue the cat. So far, I’m cool with that. But they’re playing the theme song from THE GOLDEN GIRLS the whole time!! This is not at all necessary to my overall mental well being, unless the robots were maybe shown hunting down Rue McClanahan and Betty White. Then I’ll allow it. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/77 "2005-12-13T20:10:41Z")
I’d like to say that I hate that IT commercial for Ebay (does Ebay really need to advertise?), but it’s impossible for me hear the theme song, Daydream Believer, and not smile. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/78 "2005-12-13T20:22:51Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > But they’re playing the theme song from THE GOLDEN GIRLS the whole time!! This is not at all necessary to my overall mental well being, unless the robots were maybe shown hunting down Rue McClanahan and Betty White. Then I’ll allow it. You do realize that the theme song from The Golden Girls was a hit, in its own right, before it was the theme song, don’t you? (I’ve not seen this commercial, so I don’t know if they use the actual Golden Girls theme song, or the original hit song by I-forget-who). ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/79 "2005-12-13T21:01:50Z")
> [@The Shroud](#): > > I really hate the pain-reliever commercials where _very_ serious, condescending women talk directly to the camera in extreme close-up. The worst is for Excedrin Migraine; if I ignore her words, it feels like she’s breaking up with me or something. What I hate about Excedrin commercials is that the weird combination of extreme closeups and very solemn faces (and do their eyes look extra wet to anyone else?) make them seem just creepily serious. I always expect the commercial to end with, “And now that I’ve dealt with my crippling migraine, I finally can get on with my plans to commit suicide.” > [@Khadaji](#): > > The KFC commercial where the woman and man compare lunch and then she laughs and laughs and he says “Why is that funny” and she says “Because _you’re_ the rocket scientist.” The advertiser for these KFC commercials gets murdered extra hard because they keep saying “casual dining restaurant” like it’s a normal expression. “I paid twice as much at a casual dining restaurant!” I think the point of that commercial was that despite our social stereotypes even though he’s a rocket scientist and she’s an attractive woman, she’s the one who’s so incredibly socially stunted and obnoxious that no one wants to hang out with her. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052/80 "2005-12-14T16:08:41Z")
A new addition: What would YOU do for love over the holidays? A guy stranded in an airport, all flights are cancelled. But he has this $15K diamond necklace to get to his beloved. He tells here on the phone that he can’t make it…sorry. End of act one. As if a 2 part commercial cliffhanger isn’t bad enough. Cut to act 2. He pulls up in a snowplow, evidently hitch hiking home to be with his SO. They meet in the yard, both looking like they don’t really recognize each other. A warm embrace ensues. In reality, he gets the crap beat out of him and his diamond necklace stolen. A snow plow driver finds him near dead in the ditch and thaws him out and takes him home. The SO hears the snow plow, but not expecting Diamond boy to be home, she has her on-the-side guy go out into the yard with her. That’s the real reason Diamond Boy has that look on his face. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercials-im-hatin-right-now/335052.md?page=5)