There's a huge exhibit at the New York Public Library right now called "The Real Men and Women of Madison Avenue," dedicated to the greatest examples of advertising ever. Funny that the public library is one of the few public spaces left that hasn't sold all its wall space to advertisers (we think—haven't been in a library since they invented the internet), but ads got in there through the back door anyhow! The educational back door. But we're going to save you the trip; after the jump, five classic ads from the exhibit that sum up everything the ad industry has ever taught us:

Clairol: Girls are purty.

Volkswagen: People look closely at things that are small.

9 Lives Cat Food: People like stuff with animals.

Levy's: All that "we are the world" shit makes people feel good enough to want to buy your thing.

Isuzu: Be funny.

Filed under: OpEd, Rescue Me, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

(M3) "I like a bar with a nice clean head." - Lou

I'm gonna have to agree with Lou on this one. Nothing is more disgusting than walking in to a bathroom at a bar and seeing water(?) all over the floors, toilet seats with yellow stains, no toilet paper, and sinks that don't work. Some people though, that won't bother them. After all, you are just going in to pee and leave. Unless you're Lou. And you've had 12 beers. And the "pains" kick in. And there's no toilet paper. And you use your sock. The most troubling thing to me about that? There's lot of people who would probably do what Lou did in the same situation. Ugh.

Continue reading Rescue Me: Criteria

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Documentary, Episode Reviews

(S03E06) After two weeks of hard core issues, it's nice to take a break and get an episode that isn't quite so divisive. I was hoping that this final 30 Days would be like the season premiere in that it showed me some things I wasn't aware of.

Growing up in Arizona, I went to school with quite a few Native Americans. I remember my friend Dave King would always make jokes about how I (the white man) took everything from him. It was all in good fun but it was one of the things that made me sensitive to the plight of the Native Americans. Now, as an adult, I always vote in favor of keeping the Native American casinos exempt from paying state taxes. Maybe it has more to do with feeling guilty but, that's how I roll.

Continue reading 30 Days: Life on an Indian Reservation (season finale)

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Keith Gessen cannot adopt the adorable foster cat we got him, because he is apparently leaving the country soon. So it's available! She's spayed, housetrained, about 6 months old, and v v friendly. So if you'd like your very own Lolcat, email us.