# I hate commercials that make parents, adults, kids, oh hell anybody look like idiots **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 13, 2022, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585 "2022-08-13T04:04:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/21 "2022-08-13T17:22:11Z")
Hmm, yes llama. Apparently I need to proofread and or edit better when I post late at night (or really any time). I will need to watch commercial 2 to see if the woman is, indeed, a random adult. I thought the implication was that she was the girl’s mother. However, even if she was a random adult she would have to be seriously dumb to not be able to tell the difference between a _L_lama and a camel. Oh, and no I don’t want to die on this hill. This just seemed to be the best forum for my extreme irritation with commercials that make people look incredibly stupid, inept, clumsy, etc. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/22 "2022-08-13T17:35:44Z")
I hate the trope in commercials of the clueless husband fumbling around in the kitchen or with the washing machine, only to be rescued by his competent wife who saves the day. This is offensive to both men and women: it implies that men are too dumb to do household chores and at the same time that it’s the woman’s natural destination to handle these tasks. Vomit inducing. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/23 "2022-08-13T17:52:26Z")
The Llama is a quadruped. It has four legs, fins, and a beak for eating honey. Llamas are very dangerous. If you see one where people are swimming, you must shout “LOOK OUT! THERE ARE LLAMAS!” Llamas are bigger than frogs. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/24 "2022-08-13T17:53:15Z")
Meh. Some of my favorite commercials make someone look like an idiot. Like one where someone picks up The Lord of the Rings in a book store and goes “They made a book out of this too, now?” ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/25 "2022-08-13T20:35:10Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I hate the trope in commercials of the clueless husband fumbling around in the kitchen or with the washing machine, only to be rescued by his competent wife who saves the day. I do most of the cooking and basically all of the laundry. I’m just better at it than my wife. No complaints from me, I don’t mind it. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/26 "2022-08-13T20:46:46Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > A 1 L Lama is a holy man, a 2 L Llama is a beast of burden, and a three L Llama is one hell of a big fire. I enjoyed this post. That is all. mmm ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/27 "2022-08-13T23:22:49Z")
I remember first reading the poem by Ogden Nash in an anthology of English language poetry I had in high school. In the poem he wrote: _And I will bet a silk pajama/There isn’t any three-l lllama._ This was followed by a footnote reading: _The author’s attention has been brought to a particular type of conflagration known as a three-alarmer. Phoo._ ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/28 "2022-08-14T04:17:18Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > All I can say is that my parents (born in the late 1920s) had only vague ideas about my early-1980s interest in Star Trek, Star Wars, Goldorak (aka Grendizer), Albator (aka Harlock), and dozens of other things. I was in my early 20s when Pokemon and Harry Potter started taking off here in the United States. I had to ask one of my older coworkers who had children what a Pokemon was. I thought Harry Potter was the name of the author for the first 2-3 books. When I saw them at hte bookstore, Harry Potter’s name was huge and I just assumed he was the author. I’m sure I’m even more out of touch today with popular culture aimed at children. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/29 "2022-08-14T04:30:43Z")
I could not say it better. Thanks for posting that. I guess when someone has to look foolish, top of the list is the dad or husband - because everyone knows they’re stupid and worthless. That’s one reason I dont mind the llama girl commercial - one time the guys get a break. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/30 "2022-08-14T04:34:10Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I guess when someone has to look foolish, top of the list is the dad or husband - because everyone knows they’re stupid and worthless. Speaking as someone who works in advertising: it’s more that adult men (particularly adult white men) usually are the ones who wind up being poked fun at/made the butt of jokes in ads (if anyone is), because making fun of women, minorities, or other historically-marginalized groups is now seen as “punching down” (justifiably so), and an advertiser who airs ads like that will frequently find themselves the subject of criticism. To me (who spent much of my childhood being picked on and made the object of jokes), I think the real solution is, “we don’t really need that kind of humor in our advertising, poking fun at _anyone_,” but YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/31 "2022-08-14T04:35:13Z")
I hate the dumb husband stuff too. I think it’s fading quite a bit though. I just hate any commercial that makes a functioning human being look like an idiot. A lot of those “as seen on tv” commercials are big offenders. Some of the faces they make are … well I hate them, but some times I have to laugh anyway. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/32 "2022-08-14T04:35:55Z")
Yeah, I was afraid to mention that, but that’s my observation as well. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/33 "2022-08-14T04:37:11Z")
> [@Sylvanz](#): > > A lot of those “as seen on tv” commercials are big offenders. Some of the faces they make are … well I hate them, but some times I have to laugh anyway. Those are what my wife calls the “stupid people” ads, as they depict people who are incapable of doing the most simple and straightforward things, particularly while using kitchen tools. “Oh! I have no idea how to actually pour pancake batter onto a griddle! Oh, why won’t someone invent a device that will save me from this nightmare!?” ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/34 "2022-08-14T04:41:03Z")
And when they get the nightmare saving device their smiles and reactions barely look human. 😂 ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/35 "2022-08-14T05:23:59Z")
Uncanny valley. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/36 "2022-08-14T05:42:27Z")
Mr. Show liked to mock the “stupid people amazed at stupid product that fixes a problem they shouldn’t have” commercials. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6gdAJefPME4/hqdefault.jpg "Mr Show - Bag Hutch") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gdAJefPME4) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mRntutn8udw/hqdefault.jpg "Mr. Show - Mayostard / Mustardayonnaise / Mustmayostardayonnaise") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRntutn8udw) Sad thing about that second one; now it’s a real product. ☹ > **[Amazon.com : Heinz Mayomust Mayonnaise & Mustard Sauce Mix (16.6 oz Bottle)...](https://www.amazon.com/Heinz-00013000000840-Mayomust-16-oz/dp/B00J59V704)** > > Amazon.com : Heinz Mayomust Mayonnaise & Mustard Sauce Mix (16.6 oz Bottle) : Grocery & Gourmet Food ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/37 "2022-08-15T03:25:21Z")
Okay, sure it doesn’t make the kids look good, but still [makes me laugh](https://youtu.be/gf1SakItQXw) ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/38 "2022-08-15T04:20:27Z")
I laugh every time I see that one! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/39 "2022-08-15T17:37:58Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Are frogs the new breadbox? Slight hi-jack but it’s kinda cute. My bosses boss, when talking about projects, does not use the term bigger/smaller than a breadbox. He uses the term bigger or smaller than his car. He drives a Fiat 500. So for us, the breadbox is a Fiat 500. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585/40 "2022-08-15T18:36:19Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Okay, sure it doesn’t make the kids look good, but still I’m the one griping, but I laugh at that one too. It’s sooo over the top it makes it clever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-commercials-that-make-parents-adults-kids-oh-hell-anybody-look-like-idiots/969585.md?page=3)