# What's with the type of joke where you say the full brand name? Why is it funny? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 22, 2021, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392 "2021-03-22T01:54:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/1 "2021-03-22T01:54:29Z")
I don’t know if it’s a “modern comedy” thing but Family Guy does it a lot, John Mulaney has it in a number of sets, and I know Jim Gaffigan also has done it a few times. But basically when during a story you constantly refer to the full product name/taglines of something for no reason, like “So today at breakfast I was eating my Heart Healthy Honey Nut Cheerio’s Part of a Balance Breakfast and in the newspaper I saw…” or “While I was driving my 2005 Toyota Celica around the block” I don’t know why but I HATE that kind of joke. And why is it funny? There’s a John Mulaney bit where he CONSTANTLY says the full brand name of the car in the joke, and it seems like the entire point of the bit is to see how many times he can repeat the cars full name with no punchline. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/2 "2021-03-22T02:02:10Z")
I’m not familiar with those “jokes,” but I suspect it’s poking fun at obvious/ham-handed product placement mentions in TV shows and movies. Regardless, that doesn’t sound funny to me at all, so I can’t help you on your real question. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2021, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/3 "2021-03-22T02:04:05Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I’m not familiar with those “jokes,” but I suspect it’s poking fun at obvious/ham-handed product placement mentions in TV shows and movies. Also the drug ads where people talk about their “moderate to severe” [disease]. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/4 "2021-03-22T02:06:28Z")
@running_coach : Agreed. Pharma ads another example of actors being forced to try to talk “naturally” while delivering lines that no real person would ever say. ---
**Author:** ![ALOHA\_HATER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@ALOHA\_HATER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ALOHA_HATER)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/5 "2021-03-22T02:14:37Z")
The guy at the front of the room with the microphone has to remind the audience he’s humble regularly, to keep them from getting jealous of the attention. The first comedian is pointing out that they’re not, in fact, a fitness model (as Cheerios ain’t that healthy) and the Mulaney thing is saying though he might have some fame he’s regular folks driving an almost embarrassingly plebian car. It’s the same joke as when Superintendent Chalmers complained about his hood ornament being stolen because “that’s how they know you’re driving a Honda.” ---
**Author:** ![blabbermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9a140/32.png) [@blabbermeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blabbermeister)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/6 "2021-03-22T03:19:56Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Family Guy does it a lot Family Guy has a 10-minute bit about Corning fiberglass insulation. I don’t get it either. Maybe 1950’s TV was so full of ads for it that it was a public annoyance and Family Guy was trying to bring back those nostalgic times. Beats me. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/7 "2021-03-22T03:22:39Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Also the drug ads where people talk about their “moderate to severe” [disease]. Plaque psoriasis! I’ve been watching too much MSNBC lately and they’re constantly showing ads with people talking about their “moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.” The wording always jumps out at me too. I have no idea what plaque psoriasis even is, but if you happen to have a moderate to severe case of it, just watch MSNBC for a while to find out the name of the corresponding wonder-drug. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/8 "2021-03-22T04:12:33Z")
If you want to see an Australian version of this from about 1980 or so featuring Paul Hogan (of Crocodile Dundee fame) watch this: (mildly NSFW so I’ve broken the link because the thumbnail is, errrm, well, you’ll see. Remove extra space in url) [https://www.youtube](https://www.youtube). com/watch?v=6bqZByl5oaA I hadn’t seen this in 40 years and then it happened to come up in my youtube feed. There are a couple of things about the sketch that _really stand out_. You’ll see what I mean. The odd thing is that the sketch is at least to me quite funny on its own and doesn’t need any, ahem, ornamentation. I’d forgotten till I saw this just how much social mores have changed. The woman is Delvene Delaney who was then and is still now married to John Cornell, who co-wrote and produced the show and the same with Crocodile Dundee. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/9 "2021-03-22T16:24:31Z")
According to what I hear, > [@Ralphie](#): > > official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle! was hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/10 "2021-03-22T16:25:44Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > There’s a John Mulaney bit where he CONSTANTLY says the full brand name of the car in the joke, and it seems like the entire point of the bit is to see how many times he can repeat the cars full name with no punchline. Do you have a link to the bit, because I don’t remember him doing this at all. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/11 "2021-03-22T18:07:46Z")
I think this goes back pretty far, even before modern product placement. I can’t nail it down but I’m pretty sure they would do this on the Carol Burnett show and in other sketch comedy way back when. It’s just funny to hear people use ad speak outside of the commercials. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/12 "2021-03-22T21:49:24Z")
It can be used to try to get get naming decisions reversed. The Michigan State Spartans Presented by Rocket Mortgage are the most recent example. That only lasted a few days until people making fun of the name forced them to back off. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/13 "2021-03-22T21:50:03Z")
In the early 60’s Ray Stevens had a song about Jeremiah Peabody’s Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2021, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/14 "2021-03-22T21:50:28Z")
How about Jeremiah Peabody’s polyunsaturated, quick-dissolving, fast-acting, pleasant-tasting green and purple pills? (Actually, I don’t find that song very funny.) Whoa, ninja’d! ---
**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:** [April 15, 2021, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/15 "2021-04-15T00:38:24Z")
Was that the template for his later song, “Ned Nostril and his Southsea Paradise, Put Your Blues on Ice, Cheap at Twice the Price Band (Ikky-ikky Ukky-ukky)”? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-type-of-joke-where-you-say-the-full-brand-name-why-is-it-funny/938392/16 "2021-04-15T16:36:38Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > … Family Guy does it a lot … WACKY WAVING INFLATABLE ARM FLAILING TUBE MAN