# Things you see in TV commercials that never happen in the real world **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** commercials-ads\ **Created:** [February 18, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112 "2020-02-18T15:22:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/1 "2020-02-18T15:22:12Z")
For example: - Doctors who present slide shows on their tablets, facing the screen out and away from them. - A perfectly multiethnic group of conventionally attractive BFFs. - white, black (light skin with type 3A or 3C hair), Asian, and Hispanic/Latino – in their late 20s or early 30s. - Getting really excited about salad. - A fridge full of nothing but yogurt. - Cradling a cup of coffee or tea with both hands, and leaning your head back _really_ far after every sip. - Finding a perfectly restored or preserved Craftsman bungalow for US$249,900. - Trashing a living room after your team scores a touchdown or goal. - Doing yoga alone in a scenic locale. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/2 "2020-02-18T15:27:00Z")
Driving through downtown Boston without any traffic. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/3 "2020-02-18T15:36:41Z")
A cop partnered with a large, flightless bird. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/4 "2020-02-18T16:15:50Z")
People like Dr Marcus Welby (remember him?) appearing unannounced in your kitchen. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2020, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/5 "2020-02-18T16:19:01Z")
People making furtive 3 a.m. calls to their State Farm agent. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/6 "2020-02-18T16:20:56Z")
Eating a large sub sandwich, fully loaded, and holding the sandwich vertically with one hand. An insurance salesperson inexplicably wearing a white apron. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/7 "2020-02-18T16:24:52Z")
Women at a cocktail party discussing feminine hygiene products and laughing about it. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/8 "2020-02-18T16:27:23Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > - Finding a perfectly restored or preserved Craftsman bungalow for US$249,900. [1930 Craftsman](https://www.oldhousedreams.com/2020/02/13/1930-craftsman-in-manhattan-ks/) in Manhattan, Kansas. Not perfect, but except for the kitchen it looks pretty good, and it’s $225K. [1905 Craftsman in Kalamazoo](https://www.oldhousedreams.com/2020/02/06/1905-craftsman-in-kalamazoo-mi/), again in decent but not perfect shape, $214K. On either coast that pair would be significantly higher, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/9 "2020-02-18T16:34:44Z")
Professional beauticians who soak their clients’ hands in dishwashing liquid. Grocery store managers who become upset when a customer squeezes toilet paper. Leprechauns who try to keep commercial breakfast cereal away from small children. — Ukulele Ike, old ---
**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:** [February 18, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/10 "2020-02-18T16:36:33Z")
Woodchucks chucking wood into a lake. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/11 "2020-02-18T16:51:28Z")
A hot chick perched on a barstool showing off her beautiful bare feet. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/12 "2020-02-18T17:09:25Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Leprechauns who try to keep commercial breakfast cereal away from small children. Children who try to keep commercial breakfast cereal away from rabbits. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/13 "2020-02-18T17:19:24Z")
Not a tv ad, a print ad - usually before the superbowl, in the coupon insert of the newspaper, usually for Kraft foods, for pepperoni, junk food - coupons for cheese and snacks, and recipes how to make dip. For years and years I’ve seen these ads. A group of excited, attractive, youngish football fans sitting crammed together on a huge couch. White couples, a scattering of black people, one or two Asians. All of them ‘lit’, happy, wearing matching jerseys, and one of the men holding aloft a football. (which I don’t get - when people watch ice dancing, do they hold aloft a pair of ice skates?) My experience with watching the superbowl is bringing the pizza, wings, and beer to the fat guy sitting in his recliner in front of the tv. A shocking lack of photogenic same-age friends to come over for a big fat jolly superbowl party! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/14 "2020-02-18T17:26:25Z")
A well-balanced breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/15 "2020-02-18T17:38:35Z")
People telling all their friends about the prescription medication they’re taking, and then proceeding to list all the possible side effects. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/16 "2020-02-18T17:45:07Z")
An actor who isn’t a doctor but plays one on TV plugging a pharmaceutical product. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/17 "2020-02-18T17:47:08Z")
Kids giving their bed-ridden mother flack about having bought life insurance. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/18 "2020-02-18T17:47:57Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > People telling all their friends about the prescription medication they’re taking, and then proceeding to list all the possible side effects. And using the phrase “moderate to severe” while describing their condition. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/19 "2020-02-18T17:49:42Z")
People going into their doctor’s office and demanding the newest medicine for whatever (because you know he’ll get pissed and order a chunk of your liver removed every week for the next six months for “tests.”) A little sad cloud following me around. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112/20 "2020-02-18T17:52:53Z")
Quarter Pounders with Cheese that are more than 1.5 inches tall. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-see-in-tv-commercials-that-never-happen-in-the-real-world/848112.md?page=2)