# ebay ad - WTF? Have you seen anything worse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 15, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745 "2011-08-15T02:22:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/1 "2011-08-15T02:22:13Z")
Check this out. [Ernie in garbage](http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Sesame-Street-Puppet-Ernie-Muppet-/180709442939?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a131f457b#ht_500wt_1413). What the fuck were these people thinking? “Hey! I know! Throw Ernie in the trash with the half eaten pasta! Offer to wash it!” I’d buy it, but honestly, I wouldn’t want it without the spaghetti. 😕 People are strange. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/2 "2011-08-15T02:36:47Z")
I won’t pay more then $3.00 for an Ernie with only won hand. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/3 "2011-08-15T02:37:36Z")
Maybe if he had more than “won” hand I’d say it was OK. Edit: Damn you, **Joe**! ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/4 "2011-08-15T02:45:01Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Maybe if he had more than “won” hand I’d say it was OK. > > Edit: Damn you, **Joe**! c’mon, that one was two easy! ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/5 "2011-08-15T03:01:20Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Maybe if he had more than “won” hand I’d say it was OK. > > Edit: Damn you, **Joe**! Hey! He’s handiABLE! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/6 "2011-08-15T03:08:17Z")
I believe the scrathed eye makes up for the won hand but I’m no expert. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/7 "2011-08-15T03:16:51Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Check this out. [Ernie in garbage](http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Sesame-Street-Puppet-Ernie-Muppet-/180709442939?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a131f457b#ht_500wt_1413). > > What the fuck were these people thinking? “Hey! I know! Throw Ernie in the trash with the half eaten pasta! Offer to wash it!” > > I’d buy it, but honestly, I wouldn’t want it without the spaghetti. 😕 > > People are strange. I would assume they are thinking:" Hey, we found this doll that someone threw away. I wonder if we could sell it. Quick, take a picture, and let’s put it up on eBay." I get what you are saying, though. Why not, you know, clean it up first, then put it in a nice place, take a photo, and then list it? The only thing I can think of is that they don’t think it will sell and don’t want to bother with the effort if it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/8 "2011-08-15T03:44:50Z")
I’m going to chalk this one up as a piece of Terry Richardson-esque sleaze-art. It’s actually pretty punk-rock. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/9 "2011-08-15T17:32:34Z")
They are trying to move quick before Ernie and Bert marry in NY. Ernie futures are falling. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/10 "2011-08-15T18:15:58Z")
This ad is rife with misspellings and the puppet is missing a limb. OTOH, she _does_ have a %100 feedback rating. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/11 "2011-08-15T18:21:00Z")
So what, won hand a scrathed eye - shipping is free. That’s worth the price right there. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/12 "2011-08-15T18:44:35Z")
This is what happens when there is no listing fee. Hell, why not try? ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/13 "2011-08-15T18:49:15Z")
When I first started reading, I was thinking **Oscar the Grouch** , which would have been minorly okay, but this? This is sacrilege! Q ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/14 "2011-08-15T21:48:56Z")
What I wonder about sometimes: The seller may be trying to boost his/her feedback ratings. In collusion with a friend or sock accounts. Put crap up for sale, stuff no one would conceivably buy, let friend/self win it. No need to actually ship it. Leave positive feedback. Once the feedback is good enough, “sell” something big to a sucker and take the money and run. The plan would be spoiled if someone else actually won the item and you had to go thru shipping and all. So, make the ad as bad as possible. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/15 "2011-08-15T21:56:02Z")
Okay, I had to know. I asked the seller why the puppet is photographed in spagetti garbage. Will update when I get a response. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/16 "2011-08-15T22:22:56Z")
I got a response! “It was thrown there in anger from another and I took the picture in secret as not to extend the situation then I suddenly quickly hid it and closed the bag and took it to the trash keeping Ernie in secret. He is adorable. He cannot be trash.” Then a follow up message: “Will you please buy him. Do you want him. I should mail him before he is found. I don’t need another situation. He’s fairly priced and so cute. I will subtract one dollar. I will have to sneak to the post office too.” Aww, I feel bad for Ernie now. Won’t somebody buy him? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/17 "2011-08-15T22:32:50Z")
I think Ernie was a victim of domestic violence. All those years of living in the closet (and Ernie’ continual stupidity) finally took their toll on Burt’s short fuse temper. Burt first scratched Ernie’s eye so he couldnt see to defend himself and then Burt ripped Ernies hand off in a fit of testosterone fueled rage. Of course Ernie bleed out rather quickly, explaining his rather odd facial color. And thats not spaghetti sauce in there, thats blood. And Burt, being Burt, tried to dispose of the body by just throwing it in trash, hoping that somebody would think Oscar the Grouch had done it defending his home from invasion using the “castle” doctrine. Sesame Street is a cold, disturbing place… ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/18 "2011-08-15T23:03:02Z")
Look, people, it’s five bucks. Will one of you buy it and report back? I mean, _I_ would, except… well, you know… ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/19 "2011-08-16T00:55:27Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > I got a response! > > “It was thrown there in anger from another and I took the picture in secret as not to extend the situation then I suddenly quickly hid it and closed the bag and took it to the trash keeping Ernie in secret. He is adorable. He cannot be trash.” > > Then a follow up message: > “Will you please buy him. Do you want him. I should mail him before he is found. I don’t need another situation. He’s fairly priced and so cute. I will subtract one dollar. I will have to sneak to the post office too.” > > Aww, I feel bad for Ernie now. Won’t somebody buy him? 😃 This is both funny and disturbing. What was going on that 1. The poor Ernie puppet was the object of such wrath? 2. Why was the seller so terrified that she had to take the picture in secret? 3. Why did she steal the Ernie by putting him in the trash and sneaking him out of the house? 4. Why couldn’t she clean up poor Ernie before trying to sell him? I want to know what the situation was. If I knew these people, I’d buy Ernie to extend the situation. ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745/20 "2011-08-16T01:03:33Z")
Interestingly enough, the seller spelled “instituted” correctly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-ad-wtf-have-you-seen-anything-worse/592745.md?page=2)