Offensive Television Commercials
Is it me or have there been a ton of really offensive television commercials that have started to air recently?
Different Than Old-Time Offensive Television Commercials
Years ago in the Northeast of the United States, there was an electronics discount store named Crazy Eddie. His prices were INSANE and his television commercials used to bug the shit out of me.
They used to bug me so much, that one time, Thaddeus decided to buy a CD player and went to a local Crazy Eddie and bought one. I was more than surprised. I thought he and I were on the same page with our hatred of these commercials. It turned out to be one of my favorite Thaddeus stories in the end.
Thaddeus worked mostly in retail during his time working. He could never understand why people yelled at sales-people. His thinking was that they are the people who can help you, and you should treat them with respect. This philosophy was tested when he went to return the $210 CD player to Crazy Eddie.
He brought it back, unopened and with the receipt and said he’d like to return it for a refund. The counter/sales person said they didn’t give refunds and that the best he could do was a store credit. Thaddeus repeated he’d like to return the CD player for a refund. The salesman turned and pointed to a sign that said “No Refunds” and repeated that they didn’t give refunds. Thaddeus calmly replied, “And I’d like to return this for a refund, please.” Then the salesman said he’d have to get his manager. When the manager came out, Thaddeus repeated his request again. The manager pointed to the sign and said they don’t give refunds. Once more, Thaddeus said, he understood and that he’d like a refund.
The manager turned to the salesperson and told him to process the return and a refund.
There was no fuss or angry words. Thaddeus just respectfully repeated his request until he got what he wanted.
The Dissolution of A Shitty Advertiser and Fraud
Many older East Coast folks know this but “Crazy” Eddie Antar, the owner of the business was indicted and convicted of fraud and went to jail. And it turns out from his behavior that some might actually agree that he was a bit crazy.
Current Bad Commercials
Lately, it’s the incessant Lumē deodorant commercials, the toe-fungus remedies and the diarrhea medicines that always come on just as we’re sitting down to eat. I refuse to post links to any of these actual commercials because I find them gross.
Perhaps I’m just getting old and all, get-off-my-lawn, but I won’t ever buy any of the products where I’m disgusted by the advertisement. And I’ll make Thaddeus return it if he buys any of it.
Current Knitting
I’ve added a second scarf to the scarf-gifting pile.
The latest scarf is about 6″ wide and 97″ long (yes, over 8 feet!). I called it Koknar because that was one of the Afghan translations for poppy. And the rows and welts of red/pink and green in the scarf reminded me of cultivated poppy fields.
I’ve come up with an interesting way of doing welted stripes of color that I’ve never seen documented before. It’s reversible, although each side highlights a different color more clearly.
Its not plain garter stitch, and yet it’s all knitting. I may publish the pattern just to document the stitch technique.
Oh, yes indeed. I hate those Lume commercials. I don’t want to hear about that annoying woman’s butt crack, or see her smelly feet.
And the Ozempic ads, oy. I take Ozempic, so I can’t refuse to because the ads are annoying.
My mother’s reply to things like commercials and stores with policies she did not agree with was to “Vote with her feet” and not go to that store. She would so agree with you. 🙂
When I see a commercial come, I simply press the mute button until all of the advertisements are done and then unmute to return to what I was watching. No aggravation at all.
Even better, we record most of our favorites so that ads can be fast-forwarded through.
Big love for the scarves, Joe. I’m knitting Kate Davies’ Polkagris, a lovely two-color striped neckerchief for a friend’s b’day, using a sapphire-blue from BluFiber Co. and a pinkish-red hand-paint from Oink. Beautiful.
Recently read RETAIL GANGSTER – book about Crazy Eddie, how he got started and his downfall-his dysfunctional methods were a family tradition.
Love the way the colours look in your scarf. Certainly hope you do publish a pattern.
And agree with your comments about annoying commercials. I know they need to be unique but there are better ways then being annoying and/or loud and simplistic.
Living in the Midwest, we were subjected to calf-wormer ads at supper time. My mom particularly hated that juxtaposition.