# Help remembering a commercial - computer related, 1990s, dorky blonde guy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353 "2008-12-22T19:35:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/1 "2008-12-22T19:35:32Z")
I’m trying to recall a set of commercials from, I think, the mid or late 1990s. They were computer related. Software? Hardware? Not sure. The spokesman was a blonde geeky guy with long-ish hair. I do not remember the product. Does this ring any bells? I know for sure it is NOT the annoying “dude, you’re getting a Dell” guy. ---
**Author:** ![Marathon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Marathon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marathon)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/2 "2008-12-22T19:42:29Z")
Right now, the only blonde, geeky, long-ish-haired spokesman from the 1990s I can think of is the [one](http://www.perfectduluthday.com/encyclopedia2.jpg) for Encyclopedia Britannica. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/3 "2008-12-22T19:45:15Z")
“Dude, you’re getting a Dell!” ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/4 "2008-12-22T19:46:54Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > “Dude, you’re getting a Dell!” First thing that came to my mind, too. Steve, the Dell guy? ETA: I feel stupid for rereading the last line of the OP. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/5 "2008-12-22T19:46:59Z")
> [@Marathon](#): > > Right now, the only blonde, geeky, long-ish-haired spokesman from the 1990s I can think of is the [one](http://www.perfectduluthday.com/encyclopedia2.jpg) for Encyclopedia Britannica. Yes! I wonder if he did commercials for Encyclopaedia Brittanica CD-ROM? ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/6 "2008-12-22T19:49:05Z")
Figured out why I thought it was computer-related. He starts [this commercial](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkBxl8Cq-fI) sitting in from of a computer. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/7 "2008-12-22T19:54:05Z")
Knew it had to be the britannica guy from the thread title alone. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/8 "2008-12-22T19:55:38Z")
Oops. Didn’t read closely enough. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/9 "2008-12-22T19:58:06Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Oops. Didn’t read closely enough. Sorry. I assumed you were making a joke. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/10 "2008-12-23T00:05:08Z")
I knew it was for that Encyclopaedia Britannica kid. I recall some website or magazine did a follow up on him. I recall he ended up being pretty normal. But he was annoying back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/11 "2008-12-23T02:07:57Z")
> **[Donavan Freberg (donavanfreberg) on Myspace](https://myspace.com/donavanfreberg)** > > Donavan Freberg (donavanfreberg)'s profile on Myspace, the place where people come to connect, discover, and share. ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/12 "2008-12-23T03:48:49Z")
So much for **Hippy Hollow** ’s “pretty normal” theory. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2008, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/13 "2008-12-23T05:15:24Z")
According to IMDB, he is Stan Freberg’s son. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/14 "2008-12-23T05:47:04Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > According to IMDB, he is Stan Freberg’s son. Estranged, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/15 "2008-12-23T05:57:34Z")
> [@PetW](#): > > So much for **Hippy Hollow** ’s “pretty normal” theory. Link was worth it for "[Sash Suicide" pic](http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=80907555)on the bottom though. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/16 "2008-12-23T06:02:49Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Estranged, unfortunately. [No less annoying however](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LGoYcS41bA&feature=channel_page) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/17 "2008-12-23T06:21:54Z")
Is it the Dell kid? ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tyrrell_mcallister/32/16772_2.png) [@Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrrell_McAllister)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/18 "2008-12-23T06:34:15Z")
And now, five years later, I finally get this [Onion piece](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33526). ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/19 "2008-12-23T08:58:29Z")
Is that Pat Cashman as the narrator in the linked video? ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353/20 "2008-12-23T09:56:48Z")
I thought it was abundantly clear that it was the kid who did ads for the Encyclopedia Britannica. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-remembering-a-commercial-computer-related-1990s-dorky-blonde-guy/478353.md?page=2)