# Reference in Dr. Pepper Fansville Ad

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-in-dr-pepper-fansville-ad/827388>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 8, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-in-dr-pepper-fansville-ad/827388 "2019-01-08T03:56:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-in-dr-pepper-fansville-ad/827388/1 "2019-01-08T03:56:20Z")

</div>

Been meaning to ask this for a while, but today’s probably the last day that this commercial is relevant:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_WasiBj2ZYc/maxresdefault.jpg "Fansville Presented By Dr Pepper – “Unusual Suspects” Pt. 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WasiBj2ZYc)

The background is that Dr. Pepper has been co-marketing the College Football National Championship game throughout the season with ESPN. The story line is a parody of a mystery of some type. Every time I watch that ad, the girl screaming “Are you wearing a wire? ARE YOU WEARING A WIRE?” makes me think that it must be a reference to something else in pop culture. Am I right?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-in-dr-pepper-fansville-ad/827388/2 "2019-01-08T06:00:30Z")

</div>

I don’t know that it’s something more specific than, “Nearly every undercover cop movie, ever.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![UndisputedKingofNothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b3f665/32.png) [@UndisputedKingofNothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UndisputedKingofNothing)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-in-dr-pepper-fansville-ad/827388/3 "2019-01-08T19:09:59Z")

</div>

I don’t think it’s a direct reference to any one particular piece of pop culture, more of a general allusion. I love that line reading, though, and the ad campaign as a whole. My personal favorite was the kid with the soccer magazine stashed under his mattress and his father’s disgust at finding out his wife experimented with other sodas in her youth.  
Also, I didn’t realize that the sheriff was Brian Bosworth until I read it this morning. He’s an even better actor than Les Miles.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reference-in-dr-pepper-fansville-ad/827388/4 "2019-01-08T19:12:21Z")

</div>

> [@Miller](#):
>
> I don’t know that it’s something more specific than, “Nearly every undercover cop movie, ever.”

I know that “wearing a wire” is common in television and film, but I was referring to the way she screamed it. If it’s not a reference to anything else, then props to the the actress.