# I'm taking the bus and you will not see me at the pancake social tomorrow! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 24, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304 "2011-12-24T19:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HotDogWater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/35a633/32.png) [@HotDogWater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotDogWater)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/1 "2011-12-24T19:31:58Z")
What does this mean? I’ve seen the commercial a million times yet don’t get the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/2 "2011-12-24T19:44:13Z")
😕😕😕 A little context would help. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/3 "2011-12-24T19:52:37Z")
I have no idea what commercial you’re talking about, but it’s clear to me that someone is so offended that he/she is not only taking the bus home instead of accepting a ride home with the offender, he/she is also going to avoid the offender’s company the next day, to the extent of not attending a social event where the offender may be presumed to be present. Sounds funny. Got a link? ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/4 "2011-12-24T19:54:05Z")
It’s one of those Geico caveman commercials. It’s not at all funny. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/5 "2011-12-24T19:57:12Z")
The one where he and NFL sack specialist Brian Arakpo are playing Scrabble. Agreed, not even remotely funny. ---
**Author:** ![Mewl\_Dear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Mewl\_Dear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mewl_Dear)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/6 "2011-12-24T19:58:02Z")
IYour words are hurtful. It is one of the stupid caveman commercials. Neanderthals. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/7 "2011-12-24T20:00:04Z")
The caveman is playing Scrabble with his football player buddy–who spells out Neanderthal, among other “offensive” words. Caveman then storms off in a fury. I think he is really mad because football player buddy has clearly been cheating, because I think you are only supposed to have a maximum of 7 tiles in a Scrabble hand. ---
**Author:** ![milquetoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/8 "2011-12-24T21:24:53Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I think he is really mad because football player buddy has clearly been cheating, because I think you are only supposed to have a maximum of 7 tiles in a Scrabble hand. Except that the games uses round tiles instead of square, and the board doesn’t say “Scrabble” on it. Thus, it’s merely a Scrabble-like game with unspecified rules. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/9 "2011-12-25T05:36:46Z")
Like this commercial; the caveman is back and better than ever. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/10 "2011-12-25T07:24:30Z")
> [@milquetoast](#): > > Except that the games uses round tiles instead of square, and the board doesn’t say “Scrabble” on it. Thus, it’s merely a Scrabble-like game with unspecified rules. The football player was obviously cheating because he could spell neanderthal. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/11 "2011-12-25T07:32:04Z")
> [@milquetoast](#): > > Except that the games uses round tiles instead of square, and the board doesn’t say “Scrabble” on it. Thus, it’s merely a Scrabble-like game with unspecified rules. So it’s the one at the end of the BBC (tv) version of **Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy**? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/12 "2011-12-25T08:28:37Z")
[Here’s the link to the commercial for context.](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEkQtwIwBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dr1i0fQWDSU4&ei=kN32Tu-qFLDZiQLT3PzCDg&usg=AFQjCNGuh4W5YB2Y6hMheaMquUVyHadxyQ) ---
**Author:** ![HotDogWater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/35a633/32.png) [@HotDogWater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotDogWater)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/13 "2011-12-25T16:49:21Z")
Thanks for the link **cochrane** that should help. My question is about that last line quoted in the OP title. why is taking the bus funny? what is the pancake social and why is threatening not to go funny? My teenage daughter thinks that the entire set up is to make fun of old people. Old people play games in the park. Old people take the bus. Old people go to pancake socials. but if she is correct, it’s a horrible commercial, and would not get old people to by insurance. So I figure there HAS TO BE a gag we’re missing. Or else why would the commercial be played a million times? ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/14 "2011-12-25T17:04:04Z")
The whole premise of these commercials is that cavemen are not all “Ugg!” and carrying a club despite the stereotype. They are actually sensitive, snobby, douchy guys. The tone is supposed to be like “We’re a culture, not a costume.” So when you use those old hurtful “slurs” in casual conversation, they begin to think that maybe they really didn’t know you at all. So they don’t want to ride home with you, thankyouverymuch, and they have better things to do than go to that stupid pancake social now that they know how their so-called friends think of them. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/15 "2011-12-25T18:58:04Z")
A good rule of thumb is that the cuter and more common the ad, the worse the product. geico really sux as a actual insurance company. Now, I don’t really get all the caveman ads, esp this one, but I do admit the Gecko can be cute at times. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/16 "2011-12-26T00:54:15Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > It’s one of those Geico caveman commercials. It’s not at all funny. Your last statement is completely redundant. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TurboNuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@TurboNuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TurboNuke)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/17 "2011-12-26T01:14:23Z")
It only makes sense to me if Arakpo is dating the caveman. Then it’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/18 "2011-12-27T16:31:17Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > The tone is supposed to be like “We’re a culture, not a costume.” So when you use those old hurtful “slurs” in casual conversation, they begin to think that maybe they really didn’t know you at all. So they don’t want to ride home with you, thankyouverymuch, and they have better things to do than go to that stupid pancake social now that they know how their so-called friends think of them. Exactly. He’s saying, “If you’re going to use ethnic slurs like that, then I don’t want to be seen around you. I’m not riding in your car, and from now on I’ll be avoiding social events where I might run into you.” ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/19 "2011-12-27T19:38:29Z")
You can’t expect the caveman commercials to make sense. There was one where he was helping an attractive female find her keys and he left because they had the Geico logo. I mean, she obviously was so easy a caveman … ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304/20 "2011-12-27T20:32:13Z")
My question is - who thinks Arakpo is well enough known to serve as a pitchman for a national company? I root for a team in the same division as the Redskins, and I only have the slightest awareness of him. Was Rula Lenska unavailable? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bus-and-you-will-not-see-me-at-the-pancake-social-tomorrow/607304.md?page=2)