• Welcome to the Muppet Central Forum!
    You are viewing our forum as a guest. Join our free community to post topics and start private conversations. Please contact us if you need help.
  • Christmas Music
    Our 24th annual Christmas Music Merrython is underway on Muppet Central Radio. Listen to the best Muppet Christmas music of all-time through December 25.
  • Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
    Let us know your thoughts on the Sesame Street appearance at the annual Macy's Parade.
  • Jim Henson Idea Man
    Remember the life. Honor the legacy. Inspire your soul. The new Jim Henson documentary "Idea Man" is now streaming exclusively on Disney+.
  • Back to the Rock Season 2
    Fraggle Rock Back to the Rock Season 2 has premiered on AppleTV+. Watch the anticipated new season and let us know your thoughts.
  • Bear arrives on Disney+
    The beloved series has been off the air for the past 15 years. Now all four seasons are finally available for a whole new generation.
  • Sam and Friends Book
    Read our review of the long-awaited book, "Sam and Friends - The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show" by Muppet Historian Craig Shemin.

What is up with these DISTURBING commercials, lately?

Drtooth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
31,717
Reaction score
6,710
And you guys think our commercials are disturbing? International commercials are even worse, because America's like the ONLY country that's so patsy about certain things we can see on TV.
I could go on and on about that. I'm still baffled why there are no educational PSA's about the stuff, but we commercials for a certain Jelly... and I'm not talking Smuckers here.

The thing that REALLY bugs me are commercials for sell your gold or gold coin collections that mention "recession," "bailout," or "Great Depression." These people CLEARLY are either in someone's pocket or are preying off the disgust of people who has the impression that the last "leader" of this country didn't screw things up so badly and everything is happening now with our new guy. I don't take it from loud mouth jerks out to sell books and get kickbacks from certain companies so they can avoid paying their fair share of taxes... I'm sure as heck won't take it from some get rich quick scheme posing as financial security.

And really... all that ugly costume jewelry (I hate the sight of aging fat women and their fake jewelery... I'm sorry) you send in won't even make back the postage. It's a get rich quick scheme, and NO one has been able to yank those commercials off the air because they aren't selling sugar to children. I REALLY hate that hypocrisy. I still say those Pay Day title loan commercials caused the credit problems that screwed us up.
 

D'Snowth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2003
Messages
38,849
Reaction score
12,814
Okay, now here's a really disturbing commercial I saw a while back...

A group of ladies were throwing their friend a birthday party, and one of them gave her what was to be an absolutely wonderful, and fantastic present: a vibrator.

No kidding, and this wasn't a video on YouTube I saw, this was on TV: a commercial promoting vibrators. But then again, this was on VH1, and they (and MTV) have been known for showing questionable content... even in their advertising, I suppose.
 

Drtooth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
31,717
Reaction score
6,710
I saw it watching the syndicated version of Curb your Enthusiasm. I plotzed and laughed for about 20 minutes from shock. I really don't wanna get into this, and this is very adult subject matter... but there are no PSA's about this stuff because it's considered offensive, but they can sell stuff FOR it? That's a double standard in and of itself.
 

D'Snowth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2003
Messages
38,849
Reaction score
12,814
I saw it watching the syndicated version of Curb your Enthusiasm. I plotzed and laughed for about 20 minutes from shock. I really don't wanna get into this, and this is very adult subject matter... but there are no PSA's about this stuff because it's considered offensive, but they can sell stuff FOR it? That's a double standard in and of itself.
Kind of like how people who advocate a certain cause almost always is someone who was in the troubling situation, and has turned his or her life around, thus speaks from experience, yet people say Bristol Palin shouldn't be an advocate for abstinence because she was fooling around when she wasn't supposed to? Not that I'm defended Bristol, I'm just pointing out a similar double standard.
 

frogboy4

Inactive Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2002
Messages
10,080
Reaction score
358
TMI from TMZ

It's a little over the top, but I don't see what the big deal is. I think that particular device is a lot safer and the ads are far more tame than the marketing for legal drugs used to boost the libido. The only thing that surprises me is that VH-1 still has a viewership.

I'm no fan if the Palin clan and have no interest in any part of their political or personal lives as long as they stay the frog away from me. The worst I can say is that I find many of their actions to be distasteful, but anything beyond that is none of my business. I don't know these people or care to. We've become too much of a TMZ culture. It's hard to escape hearing the tabloid garbage that panders to worst part of human nature. Our need to belittle others in order to feel good about ourselves. :rolleyes:
 

CensoredAlso

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Messages
13,453
Reaction score
2,291
Kind of like how people who advocate a certain cause almost always is someone who was in the troubling situation, and has turned his or her life around, thus speaks from experience, yet people say Bristol Palin shouldn't be an advocate for abstinence because she was fooling around when she wasn't supposed to? Not that I'm defended Bristol, I'm just pointing out a similar double standard.
There is definitely a double standard there. I don't agree with Sarah Palin politically but the way she and her children have been treated is cruel and bullying, plain and simple. It's like we never left the school playground.
 

D'Snowth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2003
Messages
38,849
Reaction score
12,814
the way she and her children have been treated is cruel and bullying, plain and simple. It's like we never left the school playground.
Speak for yourself, they bring it on themselves.
 

CensoredAlso

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Messages
13,453
Reaction score
2,291
Speak for yourself, they bring it on themselves.
Sarah Palin does a little bit, but not to the extent that people have taken it. And her children shouldn't be targets, period.

But that's the end of my political rant for the day, lol. I'm an independent after all. :wink:
 

Drtooth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
31,717
Reaction score
6,710
There is definitely a double standard there. I don't agree with Sarah Palin politically but the way she and her children have been treated is cruel and bullying, plain and simple. It's like we never left the school playground.
The problem is that you have someone speaking for everyone what morals and values SHOULD be, looking down on people who don't agree with them who can't control their kids. Personally, I think all the criticism should fall on the MOTHER for all this, but then they thrust her out as a "good example" even though she did something wrong. Now, if they use her as a "This is what could happen, and it's wrong" like that woman with a fat face and a hump on her neck who told kids about the dangers of smoking, that's one thing.

But I'd like to add something from an episode of Dilbert... they had a banquet for this basket ball player who was addicted to drugs who quite the stuff and became a hero. Dilbert angrilly points out, we're making a hero out of someone who did the wrong thing in the first place. Especially since there are so many people who do the right thing, and still wind up in lousy situations. I think that's the same case here. The difference? The common person who could wind up with a baby as a teenager is cast out of society, forced to quit school, and their life is ruined. Bristol's mum has enough money to hire help to raise her kid while she has a normal life. Especially since, said mother goes on talking about what morals are.

I'm not going to even get into the cross hairs thing, and taking a tragedy and making it look like she's the victim. Suffice to say, I hate how political figures claim morals only to hold them over the heads of everyone else. That said, no one complained when someone on the right mocked Obama's kids. I said that in the "Am I the only one" thread for more info.

But Frogboy again is right. We have a TMZ culture that has an unhappy mix with our bitter political culture. Let's say things were different and the other guy got elected, Palin wouldn't be able to enjoy complaining about the problem... no... she'd be part of the group that gets slack from having to fix or ignore the problem. WE create these monsters, and run with pitchforks when they go wrong. Look at Britney Spears... she went nuts BECAUSE the stalkerazzi kept jumping out at her. Same bit with Lindsay... sure, she has to take responsibility for hanging out with party girls. but half the time, some doofus with a camera jumps out and tkaes compromising, almost black mail quality photos of her.

You know, the more I think about it, the more I side with Sean Penn and Tony Danza who punched those photographers in the face.

As for the ads....

It's a little over the top, but I don't see what the big deal is. I think that particular device is a lot safer and the ads are far more tame than the marketing for legal drugs used to boost the libido. The only thing that surprises me is that VH-1 still has a viewership.
I would LOVE to do a 5 page complaint about the drug industry and how the US is the only country that doesn't illegalize drug ads... and my sub rant about how people turn the other way when they're on, but snide at the sugary breakfast ad that keeps Dragon Ball z Kai on television barely (it's one or the other... but the kids don't control their own money when adults do, and pills aren't quick fixes for real problems). But I still say it's a bit of hypocrisy that we can get away with selling a certain jelly (and I ain't talking Smuckers) but we can't put up If you HAVE to, do it safely or try not to do it at all PSA's because THOSE are considered taboo. Again, either put it all in or take it all out. Not 50/50 of what's most profitable.
 

CensoredAlso

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Messages
13,453
Reaction score
2,291
The problem is that you have someone speaking for everyone what morals and values SHOULD be, looking down on people who don't agree with them who can't control their kids.
Well again I'm not saying Palin doesn't deserve it at all. I'm saying it's gone way too far to the realm of cruelty and it only makes her hardcore attackers look unreasonably obsessed, which doesn't make them look good come election time.
 
Top