Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (Full Version)

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slaveluci -> Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/30/2009 9:05:40 PM)

There's been one running day in and day out here. It shows a couple folks in a bathtub full of water, elevated over a bonfire and says something to the effect of: "Ooooh, that hillbilly hottub looks dangerous." Are you kidding me? I know commercials often attempt to make men appear clueless and I don't appreciate that either. But "hillbillies?"

According to Merriam Webster, "hillbilly" means "a person from a backwoods area." Is their any other group that would tolerate such bigoted, prejudiced nonsense in a mainstream commercial such as this? I remember a year or two back when a commercial for granola bars had a kid saying his/her neighbors were hillbillies. That section of the commercial ended up edited out due to complaints. Great! I'm just wondering where the complaints are about this one.

Of course, it's only making fun of poor folks and "hillbillies" are almost universally thought of as being white. So, apparently it's no biggie since it's not making fun of poor blacks, Jews, Native Americans, Hispanics, etc. It irks me to no end and, believe me, I won't be spending my dollars at Quizno's if that's their level of intelligence and sensitivity.

Anyone else find that commercial wrong?

luci

_____________________________

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peachgirl -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/30/2009 9:13:08 PM)

to be honest, I kind of just ignore that commercial, as I do most commercials.

do I think they intentionally targeted a particular group?  no, someone from their ad agency thought it was funny without considering the consequences.  if it's the same company that came up with their very first ad campaign, the one with those horrible gerbil things, I'm not in the least bit surprised.  that commercial kept me from eating there for YEARS! 



Marc2b -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/30/2009 9:20:28 PM)

On the one hand you are quite right about the hypocrisy on who we are “officially” allowed to make fun of and who we are not, but redneck (hillbillies, hicks, whatever you want to call them) culture is based upon a near total lack of pretense. I grew up half hick myself and have never met a people more willing to laugh at themselves. I know people who would see that commercial and think, “now there’s an idea.”



NihilusZero -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/30/2009 11:16:56 PM)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrLQWPcb4-0

Meh. I guess I should be treating it to the equivalent of "ghetto" being used as such, but "hillbilly" doesn't often have actual derogative connotations. The commercial doesn't show anything negative. The MacGuyver-esque inventive attempt to make a poor man's luxury seems more matter-of-fact about the status (financial, social) of people who would qualify as hillbillies than an insult to them (nevermind "hillbilly" not being an actual ethnic term at all).



ThatDamnedPanda -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/30/2009 11:32:22 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: peachgirl
if it's the same company that came up with their very first ad campaign, the one with those horrible gerbil things, I'm not in the least bit surprised.  that commercial kept me from eating there for YEARS! 



"those horrible gerbil things"... that's funny as hell. And come to think of it, didn't they chatter away in a fake, Frito Bandito pseudo-Mexican accent? Those things repulsed me. I've never eaten there to this day, because the commercials were so amateurish and second-rate I didn't trust the food. I had this mental image of all their restaurants being staffed by greasy little rat-like creatures with bad personal habits, and even though on a logical level I know this can't be the case, I nevertheless cannot shake the mental image.



Termyn8or -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/30/2009 11:50:14 PM)

FR

Bigoted ? Here goes.

Blacks drive cool, arm at arm's length to the wheel, laid back, possibly smoking endo. But that is none of my business.

Whites drive with the wheel practically up there ass, through the windpipe, and have cameras all over their cars.

Just give them some decent BBQ ribs and a watermelon. Oh, and these ribs had better be good or they'll eat you right after. And if they like the ribs they will be like a mafia they think, but all they really have is a gang. Wait until they come to me.

Hispanics, they were never a problem, they really don't put out anyone tough enough to worry me. I just wish they would put some fucking woofers in their cars.

What does this illustrate ? What it means ot me is that no matter how civilised we seem, those things still exist. You want the world to be la-tee-da in the morning well too bad. The fact still is in the White slavery business a White kid brings in twice what a Black kid does. Why is that ? We might not see a reason for it, but the market does.

You figure it out and get back to me, my voice is a bit hoarse tonight.

T



einstien5201 -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 12:04:53 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Termyn8or

The fact still is in the White slavery business a White kid brings in twice what a Black kid does. Why is that ? We might not see a reason for it, but the market does.



It seems to me that if the term "White slavery" was accurate, a "Black kid" wouldn't even be on the market....

As for the original topic, I haven't seen more than bits and pieces of the advertisement in question (with the DVR, the wife and I generally skip most of the ads), but I don't think there's anything wrong with making fun of any group of people. It may not be good business sense, but companies have been known to make poor choices often enough. I laugh at things that amuse me, and often as not those things are myself. Anyone who can't figure out for themselves what's true and what's amusing fiction deserves what they get.

Stereotypes may exist for a reason, but only an idiot acts on them.

Some common, but rarely objected-to stereotypes (with various levels of truth behind them):

Smart kids wear glasses, therefore any kid with glasses must be smart.
Men don't understand women, or if they do only use this knowledge to get into their pants.
Women always go the bathroom in groups.
Time travel will always result in you sleeping with your mom or other direct female ancestor.
Those who play sports are stupid, therefore anybody who is stupid must be good at sports.



Termyn8or -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 12:27:48 AM)

Know what einstein, I'll take you on on this one. This actually sounds sarcastic because of your nickname, but it is not meant to be.

1. If these ads affectr anyone, they should be shot dead at sunrise.

2. Stereotype DO exist for reasons, but those reasons are no longer valid. I wish people to grow enough skin to eventually accept that fact.

3. Smart kids wear glasses. Yup. I was nearsighted from birth I think, and I could never see the blackboard. I did therefor not follow the curriculum of the masses and my IQ is pretty good relatively.

4. Men don't understand Women. I agree. But Men do not understand other Men either. They have a comradery of sorts, almost like a club. But wherever they are at when the phone rings the room falls silent. I find it best just to be nice and not try to figure them out, it seems like they can detect the attempt. Since we have no facts, we have to go on inuendos, illusions and conclusion by others. Actually in theory this should work out wuite well, but it does so rarly in practice. This phenomenen has not yet been explained.

5. Only when allowed. In other words usually the Man put them in that group. That would then be his problem.

6. I have explored the notion of time travel quite extensively in a story, it has been published. I suggest you read it before engaging in a serious discussion of time travel.

7. Those who play sports ? I agree. If not for the money the job really sucks. None of my family got into that bullshit, but then if you don't make at least a hundred grand a year you are not invited to the Chistmas party. And I am not kidding.

T



blacksword404 -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 5:26:26 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: ThatDamnedPanda

quote:

ORIGINAL: peachgirl
if it's the same company that came up with their very first ad campaign, the one with those horrible gerbil things, I'm not in the least bit surprised.  that commercial kept me from eating there for YEARS! 



"those horrible gerbil things"... that's funny as hell. And come to think of it, didn't they chatter away in a fake, Frito Bandito pseudo-Mexican accent? Those things repulsed me. I've never eaten there to this day, because the commercials were so amateurish and second-rate I didn't trust the food. I had this mental image of all their restaurants being staffed by greasy little rat-like creatures with bad personal habits, and even though on a logical level I know this can't be the case, I nevertheless cannot shake the mental image.



Well that whole gay ad with the guy and the oven did it for me. I can't look at a torpedo anymore. And for sure no fucking sauce. All I wanted was a sub. I didn't need images too. They have some of the best subs but I can't eat there.

Seems they do have some huge balls on them though.



DomImus -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 5:48:00 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: slaveluci
Of course, it's only making fun of poor folks and "hillbillies" are almost universally thought of as being white. So, apparently it's no biggie since it's not making fun of poor blacks, Jews, Native Americans, Hispanics, etc. It irks me to no end and, believe me, I won't be spending my dollars at Quizno's if that's their level of intelligence and sensitivity.

Anyone else find that commercial wrong?


Yes and no. Clinically you are correct. Make fun of one of the protected groups and you are in automatic hot water. If the guys in that hot tub were black Al Sharpton would be on the next Larry King show to bitch about it. Beyond that I thought the commercial was pretty harmless. I live in metro Atlanta but I lived in a more rural part of Georgia for about fifteen years. Like Marc2b I know a few folks who will be pissed at Quiznos for stealing the idea they had years ago.





barelynangel -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 6:01:09 AM)

Okay i haven't seen the commercial but hell if you (meaning individuals) look hard enough at EVERYTHING seen on TV you (meaning individuals) will find something someone in the world can be offended about -- but is it REALLY necessary?  Personally, no its not, people are slowly sucking the humor out of all things because of thin skinned people who are so concentrated on insult in everything.

And before you ask, yes i think blacks, Jews, Native Americans, Hispanics, etc. need to relax also.  I am blonde and Polish -- so you can imagine the jokes and ways to make fun of me but you know what, i laugh at funny blond jokes and Polak jokes.  I could take major offense as most blonds and Polaks are white and get all sensitive, but in the end, i don't because life is too short to be offended by everything you see or find some way to be offended by everything you see or hear.

If it doesn't appeal to you, then write the company and explain why they have lost a customer.  These company's don't just willynilly put commericals up, most big companies like this put thousands if not millions of dollars into marketing every year to fnd out what appeals to people.  So SOMETHING told them in their research that their target audience may somehow find this commercial appealing.  

I don't see anything wrong with your description of it or the use of hillbillies, but i also crack up at Jeff Foxworthy's You might be a redneck if --- which THIS COMMERCIAL may be some kind of spin off from as he is popular countrywide.  I don't exactly know how the commecial relates to subs but i haven't seen it either -- just going based on your description.

angel



Louve00 -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 7:37:38 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: barelynangel

I don't see anything wrong with your description of it or the use of hillbillies, but i also crack up at Jeff Foxworthy's You might be a redneck if --- which THIS COMMERCIAL may be some kind of spin off from as he is popular countrywide.  I don't exactly know how the commecial relates to subs but i haven't seen it either -- just going based on your description.

angel


I haven't seen the commercial either.  Reading this thread I thought about those poor cavemen in the Geico commercials.  But angel brings up a very valid point.  Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck if..." is directly aimed at finding humor in less-than-intelligent human beings.  He made alot of money on it, offended no one, and he's still going strong.



barelynangel -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 9:27:18 AM)

grins, i confess i crack up at the caveman commercials also.    But also, i rarely see what the fuss is all about lol with regard to offenses people see in commercials or TV programs among otherthings -- hell i LOVE the Beverly Hillbillies.  Shame on me for not being politically correct and finding enjoyment in comedy.

angel 



popeye1250 -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 11:34:39 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: barelynangel

grins, i confess i crack up at the caveman commercials also.    But also, i rarely see what the fuss is all about lol with regard to offenses people see in commercials or TV programs among otherthings -- hell i LOVE the Beverly Hillbillies.  Shame on me for not being politically correct and finding enjoyment in comedy.

angel 


LOL, Barely, I love the Beverly Hillbillies too!
And, Amos and Andy reruns as well.
Stereotypes are just that. And being of Irish descent not all Irish people eat "lucky charms" or belong to the IRA.
I used to laugh at those "Irish Spring" soap commercials, WTF kind of accent is that? It's not "Irish", Ohio Irish maybe, I've never heard Irish people talk like that!
And I don't understand why some people consider it "potentially racist" (LOL!) to see a black person eating a watermellon!
I *LOVE* watermellon and I hit the jackpot when I moved to this state and saw that they sell them right out of the back of pickup trucks at gas stations, stores etc.
I use stereotypes all the time not to insult people but to make them laugh.
"Howdy Miss Jane, whoo-eee you sure do look nice today! Just a brandnew pickup truck!"
Can you imagine if the Beverly Hillbillies ..."went B&D?"
I can just see Jethro tied down to a rack and Miss Jane in a Dominatrix outfit with a whip! "Now Jethro, you' can't avoid me this time you big hunk of country sausage."
"Hey Miss Jane, I cain't get these here rope manacles off!" "Granny, Uncle Jed, help! Hel....mmmfffttt."



Louve00 -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 1:43:36 PM)

Beverly Hillbillies were funny, too.  LOL...Popeye, I can picture Ellie Mae ripping them off herself somehow and then chasing the one who tied her in them to hogtie him up...and Jethro?  He'd be screeching for Granny from Miss Jane, while Grannie herself took one peek at the situation and ran to defend him with her shotgun.  hehe...too bad they didn't have a kinky writer for the show [;)]

But I also found humor in Archie Bunker, SNL, In Living Color, and any other of brand of comedy out there.  If you can't find the humor in life, it gets pretty dull.



OrionTheWolf -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 1:59:00 PM)

~FR~

Actually if anyone wants to research it, the term hill-billie was first used to describe people from NE Alabama, that lived in the hills. Those hills are the end of the Appalachian Mountain chain, so actually it refered to those that were from the southern end of that mountain chain.

When I first saw the commercial I laughed, as I thought of my Uncle "Dub" and Uncle Raymond. You see my maternal ancestory is from the Appalachians. My family in that area before has been called rednecks, and the response has often been " I am a fucking hillbilly, not some stupid redneck.". My family from that area farmed and worked the rocky, poor soil of those mountains since the time of immigrating from Scotland and Ireland. The people that live there are some pretty hard people, and most could not measure up to what they have to do every day to make money or bring in food. If anyone is familiar with Hank Williams Jr.'s song "Country Boy Can Survive", he is singing about the people of those hills (mountains). They have a sense of family and community that is rare today, but are often the but end of many jokes. They understand what family means, and what it means to be "a man of your word", because as my Grandpa said "a rich man has his money, but the most valuable thing us working folks have is our word.".

No need to be offended, most hillbillies that see that commercial probably laugh. Hillbillies are not the overly-sensetive type that see offense where none is actually intended. Now insult them to their face, and things will get uncivilized real fast.



popeye1250 -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 3:33:51 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Louve00

Beverly Hillbillies were funny, too.  LOL...Popeye, I can picture Ellie Mae ripping them off herself somehow and then chasing the one who tied her in them to hogtie him up...and Jethro?  He'd be screeching for Granny from Miss Jane, while Grannie herself took one peek at the situation and ran to defend him with her shotgun.  hehe...too bad they didn't have a kinky writer for the show [;)]

But I also found humor in Archie Bunker, SNL, In Living Color, and any other of brand of comedy out there.  If you can't find the humor in life, it gets pretty dull.


Louve, I totally agree! Humor is what makes life fun! I wish they wanted to do an adult version of the Beverly Hillbillies, I'd love to be a writer for it!

Orion, I agree again, I served in the Navy and Coast Guard with many guys from the Appalachians and they are the salt of the earth!
They make good corn liquor too![:D]



tazzygirl -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 3:49:24 PM)

Heck, most of them that see that commercial may even give it a try!



sophia37 -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 3:49:51 PM)

That ad was offensive? Please. That was mild. And I'm the hillbilly who might try to do such a thing. I was amused. Loosen up a bit. 



ShoreBound149 -> RE: Bigoted "Quizno's" commercial (10/31/2009 9:58:06 PM)

Seems like an odd perspective for someone who quotes Hunter S. Thompson and George Carlin.....twice



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