# Totally Stupid or Useless PSA's **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231 "2013-03-18T04:52:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/41 "2013-03-19T23:21:44Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Does anyone one remember the animated guy who hankered for a hunk of cheese? I guess it was to tell kids to eat cheese instead of candy bars but I don’t remember any kid I know having to be talked into eating cheese. It’s not like he was saying eat cabbage as a snack. > > I also hate it because the guy who wants to eat a wheel of cheese was shaped exactly like I’m shaped now. He was a bad omen. Don’t eat cheese, kids or you’ll end up round with stick arms and legs! Oh, I remember that guy! His name was Timer. He starred in an Afterschool Special about the human body. It was a pretty good entry in that series as I recall. Successful too, since they gave him the cheese gig. I actually kinda liked Timer. ---
**Author:** ![BunnyTVS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BunnyTVS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyTVS)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/42 "2013-03-19T23:35:30Z")
> [@BunnyTVS](#): > > Not a PSA, but a warning on the new Duracell Display stand at work: > > Caution: Do not use batteries as toothpaste. > [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I would \*love \*to know the story behind that admonition! The stand has some blurb about squeezing every drop of power out of your batteries, and shows one of them being rolled up like a nearly empty tube of toothpaste. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/43 "2013-03-19T23:52:20Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > Why do you think they call it dope, kid? I don’t care what you people say, that is the single greatest anti-anything slogan ever, and one I still use. > [@Disheavel](#): > > Here is a local television [PSA that I star](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW6FFABtLPE) in. I’m straight and not into teenaged boys, but I’ll save the women and gay men here the trouble and ask, How YOU doin’? 😉 > [@PoorYorick](#): > > Anybody remember the old PSA’s on the [dangers of blasting caps](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqP0V9OfCIY)? Were blasting caps really laying around for kids to find? Since those ads usually ran during a baseball game or Afternoon Rainout Theater, I assume they were aimed as much to the guys who used them as the kids who could find them. And how do lasting caps “stray?” Do they have legs? And why is Johnny Bench collecting blasting caps? Was that his job off-season? Because it looks like it’s the middle of the baseball season to me. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/44 "2013-03-20T00:09:19Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > I’m straight and not into teenaged boys, but I’ll save the women and gay men here the trouble and ask, How YOU doin’? 😉 [Chris Farley]I bet he goes to \*\*Yankton \*\* High School![/Chris Farley] ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/45 "2013-03-20T00:21:24Z")
I hanker for a hunka, a slab or slice or chunka, I hanker for a hunka cheese! I’ve never seen blasting caps in my life. Except in those ads. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/46 "2013-03-20T00:25:59Z")
The Tine for Timer videos were great – the cheese one and the eat some kind of breakfast one. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/47 "2013-03-20T01:03:38Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > “This is your brain on drugs”. Nope, it’s a fried egg, retard. I always thought,“Can I still eat the egg?” ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/48 "2013-03-20T03:41:10Z")
> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#): > > [Chris Farley]I bet he goes to \*\*Yankton \*\* High School![/Chris Farley] Let’s keep it down or I’ll make you count to 10…and think again. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/49 "2013-03-20T03:42:10Z")
And now for something truly out of left field - [an anti-littering PSA by David Lynch.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSWv90msTUc) Yes, THAT David Lynch. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/50 "2013-03-20T04:32:06Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > And now for something truly out of left field - [an anti-littering PSA by David Lynch.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSWv90msTUc) > > Yes, THAT David Lynch. Wow. I title that one “Littering gives power to the Rat-God.” ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/51 "2013-03-20T15:53:00Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The Tine for Timer videos were great – the cheese one and the eat some kind of breakfast one. I remember the “Wagon Wheel” snack one, and “Sunshine on a Stick”, frozen fruit juice in a ice cube tray with toothpicks for handles. Obviously the USDA was also in kahoots with Big Orange Juice as well as Big Cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/52 "2013-03-20T16:07:50Z")
Hanker for a Hunka Cheese (Wagon Wheel) – [Time for Timer PSA: "Hanker for a Hunk o' Cheese" (1970s) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3jgo5ea_zc) You Are What You Eat – [time for timer- "you are what you eat!" - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwfylbLIioo) Sunshine on a Stick – [VINTAGE 80'S "TIME FOR TIMER" PSA COMMERCIAL SUNSHINE ON A STICK - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12IND9q8_d0) My favorite: Quickie Breakfast – [- YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNh18hWcZ7k) _A hard-boiled egg, Or chicken leg, Or cheese or luncheon meat, Or peanut butter sandwich, Any time of day is a treat!_ ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/53 "2013-03-20T16:44:34Z")
Timer: American children of the '70’s, there is something you can be number one at in 35 years and all you have to do is eat fried chicken for breakfast and snack on a wheel of cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/54 "2013-03-20T16:58:45Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Hanker for a Hunka Cheese (Wagon Wheel) – [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3jgo5ea\_zc](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3jgo5ea_zc) > > You Are What You Eat – [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwfylbLIioo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwfylbLIioo) > > Sunshine on a Stick – [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12IND9q8\_d0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12IND9q8_d0) > > My favorite: Quickie Breakfast – [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNh18hWcZ7k](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNh18hWcZ7k) Out of curiosity, was there some way, outside of these ads, that we were supposed to know this guy’s name was “Timer”? I remember seeing these ads many, many times as a kid, but I never did understand what he was saying at the beginning (“Time for Timer”), and even if I had I don’t think my kid-brain would have identified “Timer” as a proper name. This thread is the first I’ve heard of it being the character’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/55 "2013-03-20T17:03:04Z")
I remember long ago that the gov released new nutrition guidelines that discouraged processed meats like hotdogs, and the fuckin’ hotdog lobby produced a PSA defending how healthy and good for you their products supposedly were. I can’t recall much else in the way of details. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/56 "2013-03-20T17:06:11Z")
OK, the Time For Timer PSAs were pretty good. But even better were the Schoolhouse Rock shorts. Educational, fun and very memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/57 "2013-03-20T18:26:44Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > “This is your brain on drugs”. Nope, it’s a fried egg, retard. PSA effectiveness notwithstanding, it’s called a freaking metaphor. I mean, seriously. > [@Don\_Draper](#): > > What I wanted to mention. When they got to the part where the announcer says “Any questions?” I always wanted to shout at the screen “Don’t you know heads think GETTING FRIED is a GOOD thing???” They do? ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/58 "2013-03-20T20:12:45Z")
I had no idea this was for the LDS when I was a kid. It was just pure terror in a PSA. So maybe it was useful? Lying: [- YouTube](http://youtu.be/thyffmWejtM) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/59 "2013-03-20T21:17:51Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > [Stop the Madness](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5zJvX3pIY4) feasted at the 80’s cliché table and vomitted itself into our wonderous eyes I…just…um…er…what…uh…can’t… Wow. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231/60 "2013-03-20T21:34:50Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > [Stop the Madness](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5zJvX3pIY4) feasted at the 80’s cliché table and vomitted itself into our wonderous eyes > [@Acsenray](#): > > That was awesome. Like, totally awesome! _[Boo! Surprise David Hasselhoff!!]_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/totally-stupid-or-useless-psas/653231.md?page=4)