# Pizza Hut ad with muppets: "Chance and Probability"?!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 27, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434 "2004-06-27T19:51:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SimonMoon5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@SimonMoon5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SimonMoon5)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/1 "2004-06-27T19:51:37Z")
Okay, I like pizza and I like muppets. But… The latest ads for Pizza Hut’s new pizza idea (you can buy four small pizzas that have different ingredients on them) drives me crazy. The muppets are fighting over what they should have on their one pizza, when a human woman interrupts them. “What do you know?” Ms Piggy asks condescendingly. And then this human woman blathers on, trying to sound like she’s really smart, while explaining the whole “You can buy four small pizzas with different ingredients now” idea, but… she’s obviously _not_ smart. She sounds like an effin’ moron. She states the possible number of different pizza combinations “based on chance and probability”. WTF? What do chance and probability have to do with this rather simple computation? Chance? You’re not rolling dice randomly to see what pizzas are ordered, are you? Geez, quit trying to make the poor muppets think you’re smart. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/2 "2004-06-27T20:00:29Z")
What’s even more disturbing is this: this is now the second national campaign by Miss Piggy raving about how good it is to eat cooked pig. Denny’s grand slam breakfast was the first. As humorous as the cow was in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, truth be told, I’d rather not have my meal asking to be eaten. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/3 "2004-06-27T20:18:48Z")
> [@SimonMoon5](#): > > Geez, quit trying to make the poor muppets think you’re smart. I think that’s Jessica Simpson. She’s riffing on her public perception as an airhead (which she probably isn’t given how successful she’s been) to make the ad funny. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/4 "2004-06-27T20:20:00Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > What’s even more disturbing is this: this is now the second national campaign by Miss Piggy raving about how good it is to eat cooked pig. Yes! I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed this. My mom said, “Someone else said pepperoni” but I insisted that it was Miss Piggy who screamed that she wanted pepperoni. I have an intense dislike for Miss Piggy anyway, and I’m glad I can list yet another reason why. She’s a cannibal. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/5 "2004-06-27T20:59:42Z")
> [@SimonMoon5](#): > > She states the possible number of different pizza combinations “based on chance and probability”. > > WTF? What do chance and probability have to do with this rather simple computation? Chance? You’re not rolling dice randomly to see what pizzas are ordered, are you? [Turns out it’s not quite as simple as you’d think.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260133&highlight=Jessica+Simpson) I’m with you on the chance and probability thing though. It’s combinatorics! ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/6 "2004-06-27T21:02:30Z")
That ad bothers me, too. What amuses me is that the guy who wrote the ad was trying to be ironic by showing Jessica Simpson doing something brainy, but the actual irony was the ad revealing that the writer himself doesn’t know the difference between probability and combinatorics. ---
**Author:** ![missing\_link](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@missing\_link](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missing_link)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/7 "2004-06-27T21:44:40Z")
Well, I don’t know about Pizza Hut, but with other pizza places probability and chance definitely play a part in what you get on your pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/8 "2004-06-27T22:59:45Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > I’m with you on the chance and probability thing though. It’s combinatorics! Clearly! Didn’t these ad execs ever watch Square One TV? I mean, there was a whole thing with Dweezel Zappa _explaining_ combanitorics, for crying out loud! ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/9 "2004-06-28T10:21:26Z")
To be fair, there are many cases where probability is a useful way to think about combinatorics, if not as many as vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/10 "2004-06-28T15:54:09Z")
If you’re not a mathematician, the only place you’re going to run into combinatorics is during a unit on probability. I can forgive them that, although it is a little grating. It’s how they got the number of combinations totally fuckin’ wrong that really irritates me. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/11 "2004-06-28T16:18:29Z")
Yeah, but that pizza where you get four kinds looks good. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/12 "2004-06-28T16:38:08Z")
ehhh, ISTM they would just be glorified Personal Pizzas, i.e. mostly crust, with what meager toppings they do have coming off when you pick up a slice. On second thought, it sort of applies to their large pizzas as well… ---
**Author:** ![Ninja\_Pizza\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Ninja\_Pizza\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ninja_Pizza_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/13 "2004-06-28T16:57:45Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > ehhh, ISTM they would just be glorified Personal Pizzas, i.e. mostly crust, with what meager toppings they do have coming off when you pick up a slice. > > On second thought, it sort of applies to their large pizzas as well… I work there. We’re specifically forbidden to say “yeah, it’s basically four personal pans, but they’re square,” so forget I just said that. One of these days, when I’m really bored, I’m going to measure a personal pan and figure out the exact fractional acreage of four personal pans vs. one for4all. (I loathe the “let’s put a number in the name in place of a real word” crap, but that’s another rant for another day.) For a limited-run special (it was supposed to stop on march 28) it’s been **very** popular. About a quarter of my deliveries involve these things. I suspect it’s the “you can get four different pizzas in one box” that makes them popular. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/14 "2004-06-28T18:18:43Z")
> [@](#): > > I work there. We’re specifically forbidden to say “yeah, it’s basically four personal pans, but they’re square,” so forget I just said that. One of these days, when I’m really bored, I’m going to measure a personal pan and figure out the exact fractional acreage of four personal pans vs. one for4all. (I loathe the “let’s put a number in the name in place of a real word” crap, but that’s another rant for another day.) Pie Are Square. I’m sorry. Forget I said that. I couldn’t help myself. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/15 "2004-06-28T18:20:21Z")
who cares? I just want to look at Jessica. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/16 "2004-06-28T19:16:42Z")
My wife insisted that we try this pizza, since we had a coupon, and since we generally like different things on our pizza. I resisted this, because the last few times we’ve gone to Pizza Hut have been disappointing, but agreed to try it. The pizza was sad. Just sad. The crust was greasy, and the toppings weren’t fresh. The whole thing was an unappetizing mistake. I should’ve just gnawed on the box it was delivered in. Based on chance and probability, Pizza Hut eats big Muppet balls. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/17 "2004-06-28T21:05:37Z")
Actually, I kind-of like these pizzas. The personal pan pizzas have a thicker crust. To me, they just seem. . .I don’t know. Like greasy Bisquick. These have a crunch to them, and strike a perfect balance between my fiance’s and my tastes in pizza (I like thin crust, he like thick crust; this works pretty well). Granted, it’s not really pizza. Pizza is what you get from Lou Malnati’s or Barnaby’s. This is pseudo-pizza. It’s just better than average pseudo-pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/18 "2004-06-28T21:22:06Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > It’s how they got the number of combinations totally fuckin’ wrong that really irritates me. That, the whole point of the advert is that she’s being clever. But she isn’t. It’s like they pretend Pizza is so wonderful it can make you fly, but instead of showing a clip of flying, they show you being dismembered by a combine harvester. And hope no-one notices. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/19 "2004-06-28T21:41:33Z")
Let me get this straight. Jessica Simpson is on the screen and you have enough blood left in your head to do math? ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2004, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434/20 "2004-06-29T07:28:58Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > Let me get this straight. Jessica Simpson is on the screen and you have enough blood left in your head to do math? We have met the geek, and he is us. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pizza-hut-ad-with-muppets-chance-and-probability/252434.md?page=2)