Archive for the ‘twisted reality’ category
January 27, 2020
Many of us know geriatric nuts, but Mr. Peanut was one of a kind…I mean, how many anthropomorphic peanuts do you know?! The brand icon, whose full name was Bartholomew Richard Fitzgerald-Smythe, is a strange candidate for a staged death, being more recognizable than his host brand Planters. He’s anchored the brand for over a century, and is instantly recognizable by his top hat, cane, monocle, and spats.– How many people do you know who wear spats?
In a recent commercial, Mr. Peanut is riding in the Nutmobile (what else?) with Matt Walsh and Wesley Snipes when they swerve to avoid hitting an armadillo, and their distinctive ride careens over a cliff, leaving the trio hanging in a comic book situation from a branch that is slowly cracking, too weak to support their combined weight. Mr. Peanut, perceiving their dire predicament, sacrifices himself for his friends, voluntarily loosening his hold to drop from the great height onto the Nutmobile, which explodes. It appears to be a tragic but noble death…or have we jumped (or dropped) to conclusions?
The “funeral” of Mr. Peanut is to be aired as a Super Bowl commercial spot, at which time many questions will be answered about the fate of the “ruthless capitalist” who sold his own people! Will he germinate when placed into the ground, to come back in some new incarnation…or perhaps be replaced by his daughter, Ms. Peanut? Inquiring minds want to know…
(Tip o’ the pen to Carycomic!)
Categories: absurdities, advertising, anthropomorphic, commercials, television, twisted reality
Tags: Mr. Peanut death commercial, Mr. Peanut dies
Comments: 6 Comments
January 13, 2020
Well, the holly-daze are over, and the winter doldrums are upon us…and just like many of us, the Chantix turkey in a recent commercial fights boredom by finding ways to fill his time.
And fill his time at home he does! He gets his mail, watches fish in an aquarium, and even works on a jigsaw puzzle…I could never get into that. The turkey even takes to his kitchen, and makes some kind of concoction in his blender that includes (what else) a generous infusion of bird seed. The Chantix Turkey can take his time, ‘ya see, to quit smoking slow turkey…
Since the Chantix turkey lives in a nicer home than I do, I wonder how he earns his living…and disturbingly, I have something in common with him. No, I don’t smoke, but I also need to get a life…and wouldn’t the Chantix Turkey at Home be a better reality series than most that are now on? I’ve watched far worse bird brains…
Categories: absurdities, advertising, anthropomorphic, avian, commercials, feathered friends, furry, furry commercials, television, twisted reality
Tags: Chantix Turkey at home, quitting "slow turkey"
Comments: 7 Comments
January 9, 2020
Forget your articulate and genial “window bear” commercial. In this Geico offering, the bear is much less anthropomorphic, and is physically in a house, trashing it…
A well-to-do middle-aged couple sits on recliners in their beautiful home, each watching separate tv screens. “He wanted a man-cave in our new home,” begins the woman, “But she wanted to be close to nature, so we met in the middle,” adds the man. The scene then widens to reveal a true cave entrance in the dwelling wall, out of which emerges…a bear, who making growling bear-noises slowly advances on all fours into the room.
“Look who just woke up!,” comments the woman brightly. “You are so cute!,” she says to the bear, who advances to the refrigerator and noses it open, the door eventually winding up detached several feet off to the side as the bear stands upright and begins to messily forage within the fridge, physically shaking it and retrieving a bottle. Foodstuff is strewn on the beautiful hardwood flooring…
“You got it! You are so smart!,” the adoring woman commends the bear, who sloppily consumes the drink. Apparently this bear, like some people’s dogs, can do nothing wrong. It seems that one thing the couple could agree upon is getting help from Geico homeowners insurance. From the mess that the bear is leaving, they’re gonna need it! Their cost of regular major appliance replacement alone has got to be astronomical…
Categories: advertising, animal presence, animals, commercials, furry, furry commercials, television, twisted reality
Tags: Geico "Man Cave" ad, Geico bear
Comments: 5 Comments
December 19, 2019
In his latest commercial, the Chantix Turkey, who dresses as if equipped from the Eddie Bauer catalogue, heads downtown and enjoys a variety of colder-weather activities. He ice skates but isn’t overly good at it, falling onto his feathered behind. Who can then blame him for warming his tail feathers by a convenient fire? In the city, the turkey also is seen emerging from a store, buying a soft pretzel to which he liberally applies mustard, and going to a newsstand. After such a full day, the turkey rides a bus home, clicking his heels upon entering it in jubilation that he has finally kicked his smoking habit “slow turkey.”
This commercial is notable in that we are shown other living creatures in the world which the turkey inhabits, and they both at the pretzel vendor and newsstand also appear to be turkeys! This doesn’t appear to be a Zootopia type scenario with a variety of different animal species, but rather just other anthropomorphic turkeys. Evolution has then followed a strange path here, although human vices like smoking still exist. There’s gotta be a comic Twilight Zone episode here…
That’s right…it’s a fowl world! But then again, you already knew that. Just someone tell me how the turkey’s feet fit in those clunky hiking boots he seems to favor wearing. And I think that I could kill for a good hot soft pretzel right about now, wouldn’t you? Soft pretzels…Mmmm!
Categories: absurdities, advertising, anthropomorphic, avian, feathered friends, furry, television, twisted reality
Tags: Chantix Ice Skating Turkey
Comments: 3 Comments
December 13, 2019
Are you ready for the insurance-themed experiences of a lifetime? – -Well, you’re in luck, because you can visit Progressive Park, or thrill to Progressive On Ice! There should be no trouble getting into either location, and parking is abundant…
It’s fun for the whole family in the commercials at Progressive Park, where you can experience the no-bump bumper cars or the traffic jam roller coaster! For a more dazzling spectacle, take in Progressive On Ice, where Flo and Jamie look-alikes skate gracefully past scenarios like flimsy accident simulations. and have the whole seating aisle to yourself!
It’s all incredibly silly, but you gotta love the exuberant Progressive fursuited mascot dog who seems to be having a great time in spite of it all. Just be good, or you may find an iconic Progressive rate comparison tool under your Xmas tree…
Categories: absurdities, advertising, anthropomorphic, commercials, furry, television, twisted reality
Tags: Progressive On Ice, Progressive Park
Comments: 4 Comments
December 11, 2019
He just might be the perfect antidote for too much enforced Christmas sweetness…Krampus, that is, the nightmarish figure with goatish and demonic features out of European folklore. He’d be right at home pursued by paranormal or cryptic investigators as he’s usually portrayed with hooves, claw-like fingers, long spiraled horns, and covered with dark hair. His tongue is long and protrusive, and his specialty is dealing with naughty children, beating them with birch switches and stuffing them in his sack for transport back to his lair, perhaps to become dinner…
The worst that Santa would do to you is put you on his “Naughty List,” or perhaps leave you a lump of coal. Santa’s a milquetoast compared to Krampus, who would terrorize you as kind of an anti-Santa. In “Old World” Europe, fairy tales weren’t always for entertainment…they could be morality plays intended to scare children into good or at least compliant behavior. Grimm’s fairy tales in the original could actually be pretty grim.
In Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, adults get involved in a chaotic Krampus tribute involving public drunkenness and men running through the streets dressed as devils, with Krampus Night traditionally December 5th. In recent years, some people in the U.S. have begun throwing Krampus parties as a sort of twisted, anti-Christmas celebration. Krampus has enjoyed kind of a renaissance lately, and been featured in horror movies. So be good, for goodness sake! – -Ahh, I do so like Old World traditions… 🐺
Categories: anomalies, anthropomorphic, furry, historical perspectives, seasonal, strange, twisted reality
Tags: Krampus
Comments: 3 Comments
November 20, 2019
Many of us have had the experience of driving with a distracting or troublesome passenger, some so irritating that you can barely drive for wanting to choke the life out of them. Well, Dean Winters and Tina Fey have another Allstate commercial gem that probes the potentially vexing relationship between a mother/daughter-in-law, with “Mom” judgemental and dispensing lots of unwanted advice…
Winters, who can play anything from a car thief to a raccoon to a cat, morphs easily into the mother-in-law role, wearing earrings, applying blush and lipstick, and mercilessly needling the driving Tina Fey with caustic and critical barbs about her driving and other things. “I’m your mother-in-law,” Winters advises viewers at the onset, “and I have to question your every move!”
Question this mother-in-law certainly does, such as “Do you have to drive this slow?” Turns out that Tina Fey is observing driving safely in conjunction with the Allstate Drivewise app to get insurance discounts. “How did you make someone I love?!,” questions Tina Fey. The nastiness continues…“My son always did say that you were the ‘safe choice,’ ” carps Mother Mayhem. “And that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me!,” replies the long-suffering daughter-in-law.
After admonishing Tina Fey to try her lipstick as it was her son’s favorite color, Mayhem can’t resist asking her daughter-in-law why she drives like an old lady. “You’re an old lady!,” Tina Fey reminds her meddlesome passenger.- – Ahh, family! Blessed be the ties that bind…and gag!
Categories: advertising, Brilliant but twisted, commercials, television, twisted reality
Tags: Mayhem: Mother-in-Law
Comments: 2 Comments
November 18, 2019
Don’t worry; Foxsylvania hasn’t gotten into some kind of kinky sexual thing here. It’s just Dean Winters as Mayhem impersonating a 70-pound St. Bernard dog as he tries to distract driver Tina Fey as she resolutely pilots her vehicle. All of the uncontrolled puppy behaviors are depicted; affectionately licking his owner (after eating his own poop, fortunately not shown), thrashing materials around with his mouth, and barking out the window at other (real) dogs in cars…
…and why does Tina Fey have nerves of steel? She’s using Allstate’s “Drivewise” app to qualify for a discount as a safe driver, and Mayhem’s “tongue on cheek” performance isn’t going to deter her. He is, after all, just a baby…and Mayhem may have met his match, although he certainly seems to be enjoying himself…
Categories: absurdities, advertising, Brilliant but twisted, commercials, furry, furry commercials, television, twisted reality
Tags: Mayhem: St. Bernard
Comments: 4 Comments
November 12, 2019
I’ve always considered the Sparkle Fairy to be in that rarified class of people (entities?) who are cool yet disquieting at the same time. Progressive insurance’s Flo I would include in this grouping, although she lacks supernatural powers. I’m not sure that I’d like to encounter the Sparkle Fairy in my supermarket or elsewhere, although she seems mostly harmless. To give proper credit, however, she wears blue really well, and some people even consider her hawt. I also appreciate her general vibe and “fish-out-of-water” characteristics.
In a recent commercial, a guy is pigging out on ribs, a messy meal, and wishes for more paper towels to assist in this.–Presto! The Sparkle Fairy appears, and announces that her product now offers 200 more sheets than a leading competitor’s brand. “I wish I had 200 more ribs!,” pines the hungry guy. Obligingly, the Sparkle Fairy makes those ribs appear on his table. Smitten, the guy proposes marriage on the spot. “I’m into Giants,” advises the fairy matter-of-factly. To each their own, I suppose, and who am I to judge?
In my twisted mind, I can envision a paranormal investigation show going in search of the Sparkle Fairy and perhaps baiting a trap with paper towels. When thus captured, the fairy’s anger is unleashed and serious dark enchantments ensue, with many turned into newts. Hilarity ensues…
Categories: absurdities, advertising, Brilliant but twisted, commercials, Mythology, television, twisted reality
Tags: the Sparkle Fairy
Comments: 3 Comments
November 10, 2019
Delayed and bumped by baseball, The Masked Singer finally aired a compensatory double episode this past week subtitled Mask Us Anything/Maskish. Eliminated were the Penguin (Sherri Shepherd} and the Black Widow (Raven Symone). I rather figured that Penguin would soon depart, but was rather sad to see Black Widow go as she looked like something Ellen Ripley might fight in an Aliens movie. Spidery squatting postures and on-stage effects like giant webs added to Black Widow’s allure…
Surviving performers included Rottweiler, Ladybug, Flower, Thingamajig, Butterfly, Tree, Leopard, Flamingo, and my personal fave, the Fox, who performed “Look Ma, I Made It” accompanied by back-up dancers absurdly attired in hats that sported ears and fox tails. The performance included a synchronized dance break in which the Fox demonstrated that he can move superbly even encumbered by a full body costume…he really got his groove on!
Whether you’re furry, love offbeat stuff, or just don’t want to let go of Halloween, this show is worth a look…
Categories: animals, anthropomorphic, furry, television, twisted reality
Tags: The Masked Singer
Comments: 1 Comment
FOXSYLVANIA 
You must be logged in to post a comment.