This is the place

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

UPDATED FEBRUARY 8th: Having taken the evening to reflect, plus after doing some research, I have decided that the best commercial of the evening was: The Dave Letterman Show ad. It was incredibly memorable. It was laugh-out-loud funny. And apparently they really were all together in the room. It was filmed at the Ed Sullivan studio and kept completely under wraps. The fact that they were able to pull that kind of national surprise in this day and age of spoilers and leaks gives it, as far as I’m concerned, the edge.

The place where I’ll be live blogging the commercials during the Super Bowl, the season’s final game of football.

Football, the one hour game that can run two, two and a half hours or more, making it the TARDIS of sports: You go into it thinking it’s one size but once you’re in it, it just seems to go on forever.

Football or, as fans of rugby refer to it, that game like rugby where the players are such pûššìëš they have to put on helmets and padding. (Have you ever seen rugby? Seriously? All the brutality of football except they’re dressed in shorts and t-shirts. It’s literally like they just rolled out of bed and started careening into each other.)

As always, the focus of this blog will be on the most interesting part of the evening: The commercials. Comments will be below the cut. Plus I may decide to comment on the game here and there, using my copious expertise on the subject.

So get ready. The first inning will start at 6 PM, in just 25 minutes. Or, in football terms, in an hour and ten minutes.

PAD

5:56: “The Who” are going to be playing at halftime? Excellent.

5:58: “Your Toyota dealers are focused on the safety of their customers.” Well, yeah. Now.

6:00: If football met the Grammys, or “Super Bowl: The Musical!”

6:04: Phil Simms has amazing hair. I wonder if it’s made from the same plastic as the football helmets.

6:05: Hyundai: Emphasizing safety. Smart.

6:07: My God. L’Oreal. Seven minutes in and it’s a WOMEN’S commercial? How did THAT sneak in here?

6:10: They enter to the Alan Parson’s Project? Okay.

6:14: It may be the comic fan in me,but I want to see a crossover with the Geico Gecko and the cavemen.

6:19: God save the Queen. What a voice Queen Latifah has. Obviously some sort of technical problem since she was pulling at her ear piece, but she didn’t let it slow her down one bit.

6:22: Carrie Underwood sings the National Anthem. And somewhere Simon Cowell is sneering and saying, “Sounded pitchy.”

6:23: “Coming from M. Night Shaymalan. A movie that might not suck.” I’m there.

6:24: Rogaine grows hair on 85% of guys. I’ve already got hair on 85% of me. It’s the percent on my head that I miss.

6:26: McDonalds ad featuring baskeball players. Like the average frequent customer of McDonalds could slam dunk a basketball. Although I am left wondering: who WAS that guy in the stands? Kath says she thinks it was Patrick Byrd.

6:28: Story moment notion: They do the coin toss, the coin comes up with the scratched head side, the ref says, “You both lose,” shoots them both down, and pulls off his rubber mask to reveal he’s Two-Face. File that away.

6:29: Kath now says she meant to say Larry Bird.

6:30: “Bad weather brings talent closer together.” Also molecules.

6:31: Oh. There’s a whole game after the coin toss. I thought when one team won the coin toss, that was it.

6:32: All those guys muttered their names. They need to sit them down for name elocution lessons with Yolanda Vega (no one outside of New York will get that.)

6:40: Flag on the play. I keep thinking of Eddie Izzard saying, “Do YOU have a flag?”

6:41: I was thinking about Mary Warner saying she’s never watched a Super Bowl, and it occurs to me that until I married Kathleen, I never watched it either. Once I walked into a Blockbusters and the guys were astounded to see me because they had literally no business that day. I asked why and they said, “Superbowl.” I didn’t know.

6:42: Thank God for Bud-Light. Great commercial.

6:43: Snickers: So when I’m hungry I turn into Abe Vigoda or Betty White on the football field? That’s not true! I play like Abe Vigoda or Betty White when it comes to football no matter whether I’m hungry or full.

6:45: Okay, is Hyundai TRYING to be the most boring commercials?

6:46: GREAT Doritos ad. That’s the most devious animal since the squirrels that deliberately caused cars to get into accidents and then high-fived.

6:51: And unlike some Robin Hoods, he can speak with a British accent.

6:52: Oh my God, give that kid from the Doritos ad his own TV show.

6:53: Bud Light. Yeah, I definitely want these guys on meteor watch.

6:55: I wonder if quarterbacks ever want to shout at the crowd, “Would you shut up! I can’t hear myself think!”

7:02: Greatest Simpsons Coke ad ever.

7:03: I’ve been watching these Go Daddy commercials for three years and I’m still unclear on what they are. No, don’t bother explaining it to me: I don’t care either.

7:05: I”m not sure if it’s a good idea for Doritos to draw a direct connection between their product and funerals.

7:06: Any ad that ends with a woman resting her hand on her beaver gets my interest.

7:08: Now THAT was a car commercial. And it wasn’t even for the actual car, but the tire. Nice job, Bridgestone.

7:10: At this rate, the game will end 40-0.

7:18: Budweiser. You can’t go wrong with a commercial that’s got music from “Stripes.” I love the people with the tire tracks on their backs.

7:19: They were advertising “Shutter Island” for the latter part of last year. Then they moved it and dumped it in February. That doesn’t bode well.

7:20: HOW THE HÊLL DID THEY GET LETTERMAN AND LENO TO DO THAT TOGETHER? Maybe it was trick photography.

7:20: “Whichever team you support, may the other team play less effectively.” Okay, I want a t-shirt that says that.

7:21: Two commercials in a row, totally unrelated, both of which involve not wearing pants. That’s just bad planning. It was totally pants.

7:22: Okay, FINALLY a fun Hyundai ad. Wonder how that slipped by.

7:24: I still can’t get over that Letterman/Oprah/Leno ad. All they needed for a capper was Sarah Palin walking in with fried moose chips.

7:26: They should totally work Bud into an episode of “Lost.”

7:27: Now THAT’s a challenge. “You have to make a Super Bowl ad for men’s soap. Called Dove.” They certainly did as well as could be expected.

7:36: Is that Michael C. Hall talking? If it is, for God’s sake, give him a Dodge, give him whatever he wants. You don’t want to wind up strapped to a table wrapped in plastic.

7:38: Never watched any CSI program, ever, but I might give that a look.

7:40: “Another warm pig belly for my aching feet!” Sounds like an evening at our house.

7:44: Ariel absolutely cannot wait for the Harry Potter park to open. I wonder if she saw that ad just now? And I wonder if that’s the first amusement park ever based on book (not counting Bible amusement parks).

7:46: Flo TV. I’m not sure whether to be amused or offended by that commercial, as if choosing to spend time with your girlfriend instead of watching a game makes you gutless.

7:48: Cute ad for “Intel.” Even Robots have feelings.

7:52: Boy the FLO TV commercial brought back memories. Liked the quick shot of Andy Kaufman. I still hold out hope he’ll turn up alive.

7:54: “And after 30 minutes of play that took one and a quarter hours…”

7:55: By the way, for anyone reading this blog who really, REALLY doesn’t care about the Super Bowl, turn to “Animal Planet” and watch the Puppy Bowl. It’s awwwww-inspiring.

8:01: My God, they’re doing Tommy. Bless them.

8:02. Nuts. A medley.

8:03: * sigh * The years have taken the toll on Daltry’s voice, but man, they can still play.

8:12: Fun fact: Roger Daltry played an immortal on the TV series ‘Highlander.”

8:14: Seriously, if you’re not watching “The Good Wife,” you’re missing a great series.

8:18: Never heard of ‘The Back-Up Plan,” but I think I want to find out more about it.

8:20: I actually don’t know anyone who loves a Honda.

8:20: And it’s the return of “Super Bowl: The Musical.” Actually it’s starting to sound like the beginning of a Bond film.

8:21: If they can’t agree on who has the ball, they should just cut it in half.

8:28: “Prince of Persia” looks pretty cool.

8:29: Was that Megan Fox? If so that’s the best acting I’ve ever seen from her.

8:30: Never has there been a more perfect “punch line” than a whole commercial themed around punch buggy that ends with Tracy Morgan getting slugged by Stevie Wonder and demanding, “How do you DO that!”

8:31: Anyone care to call Barney Stinson at 877-987-6401 and tell us what’s there? I’m kinda busy here.

8:38: Thank you, Jeff and Julio.

8:39: Hey! The Griswolds! Screw “Homeaway,” how about a new “Vacation” movie where they visit the Grandkids?

8:40: Another great Bridgestone ad.

8:40: That means “Bring it on, fat man?” Someone said that to me the other day while smiling. I thought they were complimenting my t-shirt. Or maybe complementing it.

8:42: I’m sorry, the moment I started hearing “Bolero,” my thoughts drifted to Bo Derek and I was gone for sixty seconds. What was the commercial for again?

8:43: I’d be very disturbed if my baby spoke with that voice.

8:48: We finally got through as well. To go into detail, Barney first claims he’s not a recording, then chats you up briefly, says you sound great, and then suggests you meet at McClarens at (and a robot voice jumps in and says 3:45 AM, October 16, 2016.”

8:50: GET A BOOK ON PARIS, ÃSSHØLÊ!

8:52: I’m not sure what to make of the Sorento ad, but anything that features a character from Yo-Gabba-Gabba bowling is fine with me.

8:59: Metro something. Don’t get the commercial, don’t care about the product.

9:00: Sure hasn’t turned out to be 40-0, has it.

9:05: Maybe he should have tried dancing to “Single Ladies” before kicking.

9:06: Vizio. “The best of the Internet.” Isn’t that an oxymoron?

9:07: The popcorn and nuts commercial was awesomely bad.

9:07: I was interested in “Undercover Boss” until I found out it wasn’t an espionage drama.

9:16: I was wondering if/when the Budweiser clydsdales would show up. I feel like I just saw an entire Disney movie in sixty seconds.

9:20: If I can actually talk about the game: That 2 point conversion was huge. Now even if the Colts score and make the point, the most it’ll be is a tie; they need to score yet again.

9:21: Great Denny’s ad with the screaming chickens, especially the ones you couldn’t hear screaming in space.

9:21: I still feel like we need a great Justin Timberlake ad.

9:23: Saints fans should be sitting with Colts hats upside down to make the luck spill out of the horse shoe.

9:26: I can’t say I’m enamored of a United States that has turned into a terrorist police eco state. I won’t be thinking about buying an Audi so much as I would be thinking about moving to another country.

9:29 Manning picked off. How often does THAT happen?

9:30: That was the first Doritos ad that left me saying, “Huh?”

9:33: Oh God, the disconcerting babies are back.

9:43: Somewhere Queen Anthai is going nuts right now.

9;45: Something tells me Brees is going to be the head of the Mardi Gras parade this year.

9:47: MAKE THE CREEPY BABIES STOP!

9:52: That was impressive. I love seeing all the player’s kids on the field.

9:53: I wonder if Anthai is on Bourbon Street.

9:55: Yeah, no offense to Walmart fans, but I think my wife deserves something just a little more upscale for Valentine’s Day. At the very least, Sears.

9:56: Colts fans are busy throwing stuff at their TVs when the ad for “Saints Fans: Your team is great! Buy their stuff to celebrate it!” came on.

9:57: Everyone touches the Lombardi trophy as it goes past. It’s kind of like the football equivalent of a Torah, I guess.

958: Folks, we’re going to sign off, go upstairs and watch “Spartacus” in HD, because we just can’t get enough of sweaty guys slamming into each other. Plus: Lucy Lawless!

95 comments on “This is the place”

  2. you know i don’t understand why they make it so hardm for people to watch their ads youtube.com/adblitz is supposesd to have as they air but there is nothing.

  5. I think Carrie’s been spending too much time up here in Canada with her Ottawa Senators fiance and is forgetting the words to her national anthem. It sure sounded like she sang “… the land of the brave and the home of the brave.”

  6. Did you hear about the recent WSJ article that pointed out that there’s only about 11 minutes of actual football action in an NFL game? Plays usually last less than 10 seconds, and the time between plays is usually more than 30 seconds. The article discussed what the networks have to do to maintain the illusion of action (let’s just say they’re *really* thankful for instant replay).

  7. I had to Google “Yolanda Vega”. Your comment was funny, but probably would have been funnier if I’d known the reference offhand… 🙂

  8. Actually, I’m not sure Simon ever said anything bad about Carrie. He picked her from day 1 to win.

  10. So I heard they were advertising the Who to play a medley of CSI theme songs…

    I don’t know if I should cry or laugh.

  11. Jasonk: Ad Agencies get paid as a percentage of ad sells (generally speaking). Free showings, no pay.

  17. “5:56: “The Who” are going to be playing at halftime? Excellent.”

    But I thought the Who’s on FIRST!

  20. Watching the game – being caught up on what the guys want to talk about later.
    .
    Shopping with the girlfriend – maybe getting some later.
    .
    I know that from my POV, that’s a no-brainer…

  21. At first I thought the Letterman/Leno/Oprah was going to be a Haiti thing, as in “we all come together” — but no, it was a flat-out Letterman promo! What, in God’s name, can be the cause of Jay Leno appearing in such a thing?

    By the way — the Tim Tebow abortion ad, if there’s no more to it than what we saw in the first ad block, looks to have been done in by cold feet at the last minute.

    1. Man, just had one of those moments when you realize just how old you really are.
      My 7 year old asked me who the old guys singing on TV were.
      I made him go to bed…

      2. 85 Bears, on tv during a Saints Superbowl…most inappropriate commercial yet. Jim McMahon is basically a villain to New Orleans.

        (Long story short..that year the Bowl was in New Orleans and he was a HUGE douchebag)

      3. My friend asked me “who is singing in the half-time show?
        .
        Smartalec that I am, replied, “Yes”
        .
        He responded, “Yes is singing in the half-time show?”
        .
        I replied, “No. The Who”
        .
        He paused and we both just looked at each other and shouted, “First Base!”

    2. By the way — the Tim Tebow abortion ad, if there’s no more to it than what we saw in the first ad block, looks to have been done in by cold feet at the last minute.
      .
      Apparently there was a lot of back and forth with the network about what they could say in the ad.

  23. They played in that same stadium in 1989 (about five name changes ago), and I’m still annoyed that I wasn’t able to get tickets.

  25. I called “Barney.” It’s a pretty funny recorded message where he sets a date with you at McLaren’s. Amazed I actually got through on the first try. And yes, that WAS Megan Fox.

    1. This morning, I heard that Conan *had* been approached to participate in the spot. He never said “no,” but wasn’t able to make the timing work. That’s why Oprah was included.

    1. You don’t remember the part where Dante Alghieri was a Crusader, and Beatrice sold her soul to Satan in exchange for his safe return home? Then he killed Death and stole his scythe to go rescue her??
      .
      …Yeah, me neither.

    2. Doritos Samurai! Yeah, that makes me want to run right out and pick up some chips. For self-defense, maybe…

      1. Obviously, that was supposed to be a stand-alone post. It is apparent that the Internets hate me today.

      2. I saw that commercial and immediately IMed my girlfriend: “I know what my Halloween costume is this year.” (She makes costumes and is wanting to do it professionally.)
        .
        Theno

    1. Listen city boy.

      First off, roosters ARE Chickens. You meant to say they aren’t hens.

      I spent summers on a farm. My mother grew up on a farm. Most of the ones in the commercial weren’t even live chickens but robots. Those were hens. I have dealt with them too often not to recognize a hen from a rooster.

  31. BTW, PAD, Go Daddy is a Domain Registrar/website host.

    They’re the registrar for your domain name.
    You (or Glenn) pay them money for “peterdavid.net”

    1. Seriously, Saturday night SportsCenter was showing the Manning voodoo dolls on sale in the Quarter.

      As a side note, I’m convinced that voodoo works for sporting events. And that there’s a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus in N’awlins who’s very good at it. Y’see, UNC won the men’s basketball championship in both 1982 and 1993, both times in the Superdome. And, as it happened, in both games with less than a minute to go, a player on the opposing team suddenly made a completely brain dead error that sealed the game for UNC. In ’82, a Georgetown player just threw the ball to a UNC player; the UNC player didn’t have to move or do anything to get it other than just catch it. in ’93, a Michigan player called a time out with no such remaining, resulting in a technical foul giving UNC two points and possession.

  33. OMG! SAINTS WIN! WHOOHOO!!

    I can remember decorating my Aint’s Bag for a day camp skit…so WHOHOO!!!

  34. PAD: Oh I’m sure Brees was booked for a parade when the Saints made the play offs, if not sooner.

    Of course, Payton Manning might be on one too…he’s a home town boy (went to my cross town high school rival). His dad, Archie, is to the Saints what Babe Ruth is to the Yankees.

  36. No one mentioned the “controversial” anti-abortion ad. Turned out to be much ado about a referral to the website. yawn.
    (I’m pro-choice, for the record)
    I was much more offended that every man in the bud ads was portrayed as a slack-jaw neanderthal.

    1. I was much more offended that every man in the bud ads was portrayed as a slack-jaw neanderthal.
      .
      Which is different from every man in the vast majority of commercials how?

  38. A few thoughts on the commercials:
    The Tim Tebow ad turned out to be the Gutless Wonder of 2010. All tease, no strip.
    Loved the Denny’s ads, especially this line in the first one: “Say you have jury duty.”
    I agree with edhopper about the Bud Light ads.
    Nice to see Chevy and Beverly get out of the house.
    Punch Buggy was full of awesome at the end.
    The Simpsons Coke commercial = instant classic.
    The Budweiser Clydesdale ad = ditto.
    The Coke/Bolero ad made me think of the old Colt 45 Malt Liquor ads for some reason…don’t ask me why.

  39. Regarding book-based theme parks, I suppose it depends on where you draw the line for theme park. The Berenstein Bears have had their own “park for little kids within the main park” deal at Six Flags, IIRC. Peter Pan has had a number of parks but without much in the way of rides (more of the “storybook garden” sort).

  41. Looked up the right wing nut “turth in politics’ ad. He’s a psycho lawyer who wants to give big bucks to conservative politicians but doesn’t want to let any one know who he is. Wonder how much that ad cost him?

  42. And now, an exhausted nation can go to sleep…except for the guys who are busily making the “Hitler Finds Out The Saints Won” videos for youtube.

  43. That offside kick really got the Saint’s momentum going. Seems that Mardi Gras celebrations will start a week early.

    The 1st Doritos commercials with the dog was my fave, but the Google commercial telling a story through search requests was rather touching.

  44. 7:44: Ariel absolutely cannot wait for the Harry Potter park to open. I wonder if she saw that ad just now? And I wonder if that’s the first amusement park ever based on book (not counting Bible amusement parks)

    Not if you count Seussland, also located at Islands of Adventure.

  46. OH MY GOD YOU SHOULD SEE THIS CITY.

    I walked up and down St. Charles Avenue a bit. Hugged many, many random strangers. Was given random beer. Gave away random beer. Stayed the hëll away from Bourbon Street because I don’t feel like getting trampled TO DEATH UNTIL I DIE. 😉

    Best exchange of the night:
    ME: This is the manliest you are ever going to get.
    MY HUSBAND KARL: I know. I kinda want to go fix a car.

    WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS!

  47. CBS really ought to watch how they spread their ads around.

    Two ads featuring women being harshly tackled (Betty White & Tim Tebow’s mom) aired back to back.

    Then two ads featuring people without pants airing back to back. And mind you, I was watching the game at the local movie theatre. My eyes have yet to recover from the damage.

  48. Thanks for the cool commerical recap PAD. Sounds like there were some good ones (and some really bad ones). 🙂

    As for me, I spent the night watching Smallville “Absolute Justice” (it was really cool) and 24 from Monday! Then, played my new PS3 game White Knight Chronicles. Great night.

    DF2506

  49. 8:12: Fun fact: Roger Daltry played an immortal on the TV series ‘Highlander.”

    .

    So did Joan Jett. It’s the one episode i want to see but never have.
    .

    8:20: I actually don’t know anyone who loves a Honda.

    .
    I did.
    .
    Till some jerk jumped the green while my step-daughter was trying to turn left and clobbered it. (Helen was shaken but uninjured, BTW.) Kathleen probably remembers us and our Hondas.

      1. That is the absolute acme of nift.

        Thanx.

        I’ll watch it later, after i get my cake out of the oven, frost it, and sleep a while.

      2. The was actually the pilot of the series (though not the first episode chronologically) and contains dialog inconsistent with the rest of the series.

        I’m a raging nerd, yes.

    2. And Rowdy Roddy Piper,

      And I think Bull from Night Court.

      And your favourite other character actors whose names you don’t know.

      I’m not sure why I’m continuing this thread. Other than to say, wasn’t Daltry the bad guy in the Vampirella movie, too?

      1. One of the ways that the producers helped to sell the show was to include rock stars in it. Others include Sheena Easton and Roland Gift who appeared several times as a bad guy

      2. There was a Vampirella movie?
        .
        Daltrey also appeared as the Streetsinger in Golan/Globus’s “Mack the Knife” version of “Threepenny Opera”.
        .
        It was overall pretty poor, but it did feature Raul Julia reprising Macheath…

  50. Re: The Google ad. Let’s just say that I’m not the only ex-Googler who was going WTF with regards to Google doing what amounted to a brand ad for the friggin’ search engine. Y’know, the thing that has around 70% usage in the US and is what everyone knows about Google? I could maybe see doing an ad for the Nexus One phone (which Google actually sells) or could easily see putting together a fun “Things other than a search engine you can do at Google” ad, but this? I mean, back at, I believe a 2003 company meeting, there was a fake “Super Bowl” ad done as a joke and shown to us since, y’know, we’d never do anything like that…

    Btw, the ad that was shown has been a YouTube video for several months now. Personally, I prefer the Batman search story one, but that seems to have been taken down. Basically a “What if Google was around when Bruce Wayne was orphaned”, to the Elfman theme from the ’89 movie.

    1. With Bing shaping up to be a decent competitor, and rumors of other web browser makers at least looking into switching to Bing as their default engine, Google needs to avoid being complacent with their top business. That’s why they ran the ad.

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