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Friday, May 29, 2009

USA-1000

As you know, I often try to post something funny on Friday and today I have to talk about the world beard competition. Did you guys hear about this? It was held earlier this week. Here are the three winners, in order (first place on top, third on the bottom)


Who's beard do you like the best? I like the guy who won, and I must say, even with that bizarro beard, he's not too bad looking. Am I right?

Ok, I have one more thing to share with you and I'm not sure how comfortable I am sharing this. It's an old commercial from the 70's that Chris sent to me. You will not be able to get the song out of your head for days. And I guarantee you'll even say "nobody bothers me, either!" and wink after you sing it. You'll see what I mean. I told Chris I was reluctant to share it because it's impossible to get out of your head, but he said that if I don't inflict it on as many people as possible, it will haunt me forever. So without further ado...

11 comments:

Kathy said...

I really like the second beard. It's like a sculpture. I wonder if I could get mine to do that if I grew it out?

Is that Simon and Garfunkel singing in the video? Those nutty Koreans.

Chris Willie Williams said...

Hee! I'm glad you posted the video. It's nice to have it handy, so I don't have to go searching on YouTube whenever I need a fix.

Kathy, the song was written (and presumably performed) by Nils Lofgren, who used to be in Neil Young's and Bruce Springsteen's bands. I can only assume that he was dismissed immediately after penning this jingle.

The beard competition has to have been fixed if the second guy didn't come away with the prize. He's awesome. I want him to be the executor of my estate when I die. He is to read my will aloud in the town square, from a lengthy unfurled scroll.

Kathy said...

Thanks for the info Chris. But could you please verify if Julie Andrews is singing in this commercial? The song is so heartwarming, it has to be her. Everyone should be aware....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK_jDA3qrUU

Priscilla said...

I take issue with that second guy in the so-called "beard" contest. It looks more like a mustache, I don't see any hair on his chin...? ;)

Chris Willie Williams said...

Kathy, this is from the trivia section of Julie Andrews's IMDB page: "Though uncredited, Andrews wrote the National Social Health Association's 1969 jingle 'VD is for Everybody.' She had improvised the lyrics to the tune of 'A Spoonful of Sugar' on the set of Mary Poppins (1964) during an absinthe-fueled tirade that notoriously led to the recasting of both the Jane and Michael Banks characters at the demand of the child actors' parents. Though director Robert Stevenson ordered footage of Andrews's rampage destroyed, deeming it 'upsetting' and 'almost supernaturally vulgar,' bootleg copies circulated in Hollywood for years, finally drawing the attention of NSHA president Jam Miscovich.

"Miscovich contacted Andrews for permission to use the song in one of a series of PSAs that also produced well-loved titles such as 'America's Hitchhikers: Collect 'Em All!' and 'Loosen Up, Ya Prude.' Andrews agreed, going so far as to offer to sing the song for the ad herself in exchange for 'a pair of sturdy boots' and cab fare to the local switchyard. Though the melody was slightly altered from that of 'A Spoonful of Sugar' for legal reasons and the FCC standards of the time required the NSHA to excise several of Andrews's more explicit puns in order to be permissible for broadcast, 'VD is for Everybody' swept the Clio Awards for the year. The spot is credited with a 33% increase in American VD transmission for the 1971 fiscal year."

Elizabeth Downie said...

That's one of the funniest things I've ever read, Chris. When I first started reading it, I almost thought it was real. It gets better and better as it goes, and I love the last line. Hilarious!!!

Katherine said...

I didn't even watch the Jhoon Rhee video and I still got the song in my head! Curse you...

That VD video scares me! I shudder to think of the nightmares I'll have tonight featuring Jhoon Rhee, Julie Andrews, and that creepy VD song. It may be Grammy and Emmy Award-winning material!

Katherine said...

I forgot to mention the beards. The beards will have a prominant role in my nightmares as well. (Picture Julie Andrews in beard/'stache #2, dancing around some fields, singing the VD song with those kids at the end of Jhoon Rhee doing Taekwondo around her. Epic.)

Sarah said...

Despite my intense hatred of all things mustachioed due to my heavily disliked boss (aka "El Mustachio"), I find that the full on beards are not as well done as Bachelor #2's facial 'fro. Well done #2, well done!! :)

David and Linda said...

Beard number one makes me hungry - the bottom part of it looks like he attached a honey comb - all you need is some bread and peanut butter and you have lunch. Maybe that's what he had in mind. Comfort food in case he lost.

Anonymous said...

The second guy is my favorite! Even though he technically doesn't have a beard.

I love the video. I work in a sector of TV advertising call Direct Response Television (DRTV). The purpose of our commercials is to elicit an immediate response from the viewer (usually through an 800 number or URL)... And yes, your beloved Snuggie is one of our clients.

I love this spot because it nailed a few important factors for a DRTV spot even before there was much of an industry. It fulfilled a basic and easy to understand need... feeling safe (not letting people bother you). And there was a concise call to action with the "Call Now".

I'm going to have to pass this one around the office.

Best,

Ben M.