# Really stupid things that annoy you in commercials **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961 "2012-01-19T00:54:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/21 "2012-01-19T16:12:02Z")
> [@Bilbo1967](#): > > The fact that in commercial land, all women are strong, empowered and intelligent, whereas all men are barely functional, insensitive idiots. Whenever I wonder if I’m just being oversensitive, I mentally switch the genders. And… ewwwww! If a guy talked to his wife that way, he’d be reviled as a condescending, controlling pig. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/22 "2012-01-19T16:28:24Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > We have a local establishment that has an annoying commercial. To a bombastic orchestral soundtrack, we hear a female narrator ponderously intoning, “The Wooster Inn: A place…to dine. A place…to meet. A place…for friends.” And so on. The thing that annoys me is that the narrator pronounces “a” not as a schwa but as the first letter of the alphabet. When the commercial comes on, my son and I always say, “A place…to mispronounce the indefinite article.” How is that mispronounced? [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) and the OED both list the long “a” as a correct pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/23 "2012-01-19T16:39:15Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Ditto ringing phones and doorbells. The doorbells drive the dogs nuts. Those are bad, but it’s the horns, tires screeching, etc. ARE DANGEROUS when you’re driving. ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/24 "2012-01-19T16:45:58Z")
> [@JuliaSqueezer](#): > > They used to run an ad for Grape Nuts where a guy was sitting on a log at a campsite and didn’t hear the bear approaching from behind because he was crunching away on cereal. The crunching sound, with swishy saliva undernotes, made my skin crawl. I could not grab the remote fast enough! The grape nut commercials are soo silly:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/25 "2012-01-19T16:53:31Z")
Commericals showing trucks doing things that they cannot do, with an ironic “Trucks cannot actually do this, do not attempt” disclaimer at the bottom. Commericals showing cars doing things that every driver does every day, with an unironic “Professional driver on a closed course, do not attempt” disclaimer at the bottom… ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/26 "2012-01-19T16:53:40Z")
I don’t like the one where the guy is on the phone with Allstate in the middle of the night and his wife gets jealous. First off, why is he on the phone apparently just making changes to his plan in the middle of the night, why can’t she tell it’s a guy even after he tells her his name is Jake, and then I feel bad for the poor Allstate guy who is working in the middle of the night and dealing with idiots calling. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Doctor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/27 "2012-01-19T17:11:04Z")
> [@slm2955](#): > > The grape nut commercials are soo silly:rolleyes: “The reason it’s called “Grape Nuts” is that it contains “dextrose,” which is also sometimes called “grape sugar,” and also because “Grape Nuts” is catchier, in terms of marketing, than “A Cross Between Gerbil Food and Gravel,” which is what it tastes like.” - Dave Barry ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/28 "2012-01-19T17:12:09Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > “Now Shoprite does the can-can selling lots of brands of everything in cans cans…” \*Curse \*you, I am going to have that stuck in my head \*all day. \* (Picturing the little Toulouse-Lautrec cartoon, and noting that they \*always \*have one black can-can cartoon dancer, as 1890s Parisian cabarets were \*so \*well integrated.) ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/29 "2012-01-19T17:20:38Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > What do I hate most in commercials? > > Bumbling Dads who can’t make a simple breakfast for the kids without burning down the house, who can’t do simple chores without an ensuing disaster, who can’t wash a load of clothes without flooding the house, who can’t change a diaper without infinitely smarter Mom stepping in to set him straight. > [@ShelliBean](#): > > I hate that as well. Tide is running a commercial now with a normal stay-at-home dad that is coping well and running the house (well, the laundry anyway). Made me happy. A few months ago I saw a Yoplait Go-Gurt brand yogurt commercial where a dad takes some yogurt out of the refrigerator and gives it to his kid. It was so shocking seeing a man who was able to execute this extraordinarily difficult task, because we all know that only moms can operate refrigerators and take care of children. :rolleyes: It’s actually making me consider buying some of their yogurt. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/30 "2012-01-19T17:32:23Z")
Car commercials in general. Like they just throw them out there and see if anyone is sitting home watching and suddenly thinks, ‘I think I’ll run out get a new car, that Ford Focus looks pretty good’. And they show commercials for cars and trucks over and over and OVER! I get it. There are cars and trucks being made and that are for sale. I don’t need to see a dozen commercials an hour for random vehicles, it’s not like I have NO IDEA of what kind of car or truck I want, like I need to see endless examples of the newest and the bestest. Lexus? Nice. Grand Cherokee? Nice. So? I will need in the next ten years something along the lines of my present day Camaro. And then they show an aerial shot of their vehicle (professional driver on closed course, do not attempt at home) whipping along a totally empty scenic highway, king of the road, no obstacles. How often do city and suburban drivers take a road trip through the Rockies, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/31 "2012-01-19T17:32:57Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > How is that mispronounced? [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) and the OED both list the long “a” as a correct pronunciation. I live pretty near **freckafree** \*, but I haven’t heard this commercial, so I’m guessing it’s just an exaggerated diction that makes it sound weird. \*\* wave \*\* ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/32 "2012-01-19T17:38:02Z")
> [@Bilbo1967](#): > > The fact that in commercial land, all women are strong, empowered and intelligent, whereas all men are barely functional, insensitive idiots. Unless, of course, the product bring sold is a home security system or an infomercial gadget. I’m irritated by improper use of game controllers…seeing people just randomly jamming the buttons is the most common thing, but lately I’ve seen a few where a standard controller is being moved around like a Wii remote. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/33 "2012-01-19T17:41:27Z")
The coy, I’m so happy I discovered this product but golly I’m just to cool to truly smile, smirk that is in every goddamned commercial I see. I can’t even really discribe it well – but I know there are fellow anti-smirkers out there. You guys know what I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/34 "2012-01-19T17:53:46Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > What do I hate most in commercials? > > Bumbling Dads who can’t make a simple breakfast for the kids without burning down the house, who can’t do simple chores without an ensuing disaster, who can’t wash a load of clothes without flooding the house, who can’t change a diaper without infinitely smarter Mom stepping in to set him straight. Those guys age geniuses compared to the guy who can’t possibly fathom wi-fi but buys hook-line-and-sinker the statement from his daughter that the internet cord to his computer is “invisible”. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/35 "2012-01-19T17:54:33Z")
I’m always mildly annoyed by people in commercials who insist on eating candy bars by holding them awkwardly with the name part of the wrapper facing the camera. It just looks so un-ergonomic. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/36 "2012-01-19T17:57:41Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Commericals showing cars doing things that every driver does every day, with an unironic “Professional driver on a closed course, do not attempt” disclaimer at the bottom.. These annoy me, too. You needed a professional driver and a closed course to drive a car around a gentle curve in the road? ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/37 "2012-01-19T17:59:48Z")
Cling-ons on cartoon bears, for one… ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/38 "2012-01-19T18:21:55Z")
[QUOTE=freckafree] The thing that annoys me is that the narrator pronounces “a” not as a schwa but as the first letter of the alphabet. When the commercial comes on, my son and I always say, “A place…to mispronounce the indefinite article.” [/QUOTE] You’d prefer “Uhh place to dine. Uhhh place to meet…”? Uhhh, I don’t know what it is. Unless they’re leaning on the ‘a’ like Fonzie and saying “Aayy place…” which would be silly. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/39 "2012-01-19T18:25:39Z")
Bad grammar. There’s a Mercedes commercial running now that shows big heavy chains being attached to the rear doors of a sedan. Car tears off at breakneck speed, chains grow taut, rear doors are violently torn off and suddenly the car is a coupe! V/O: “More power…more style…more technology…Less doors.” ARRRRGH! _ **Fewer** _ Doors, dammit! Rasps my eardrums, it does! ---
**Author:** ![Finally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/67e7ee/32.png) [@Finally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finally)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961/40 "2012-01-19T18:37:44Z")
The Family Guy commercials where the little kid repeats stuff over and over and over and over. Lunge for remote here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-things-that-annoy-you-in-commercials/609961.md?page=3)