Tonight's episode of Family Guy inspired this entry.
Kool-Aid has a looong history of advertising campaigns, some more memorable than others. As usual, I'll be focusing on the ads from the late 80s and early 90s. If you're looking for the more classic commercials, you're at the wrong place. I'm one month and three weeks shy of my 25th birthday, those were before my time.
One of the ad campaigns from my childhood was "Wild and Wacky". The following commercial is a trip. It looks like a film student's first project. It embodies the cheese of the late 80s and early 90s. Kool-Aid Man busts through the wall in a pair of pink leopard print pants and a blond wig that resembles fiberglass insulation.
Here's a low-quality commercial of my absolute favorite flavor ever: Sharkleberry Fin. Fintastic!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Joy of Painting
During my pre-school years, I stayed glued to PBS from the time I woke up in the morning until the 5:00 PM (CST) airing of Sesame Street ended and gave way to MacNeil/Lehrer. I did give the TV a rest between the 11:00 AM and 2:00PM airings of Sesame Street, because during those hours, PBS aired boring "grown-up shows", such as Sewing With Nancy. However one of these "grown-up shows" managed to capture my interest: The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross.
I'm not sure why I was so captivated by this show. Could it have been Bob's soothing voice? His salt and pepper fro? That smooth jazz theme music? Maybe it was classic phrases like "happy little trees" that drew me in. My dad, however, sang a different tune. One day, he put his foot down and refused to watch one more second of "that poofy-haired fucker".
I had no idea that this show ran until 1995. I also didn't know that it started airing in 1983 (my birth year). Judging from Bob's fro, I always assumed that it was from the 70s. I guess I should have known better, his lapels were way too small.
The Joy of Painting's legacy lives on to this day. Reruns still air sporadically. There's even a proposed video game based on the show. No, really. I guess the Frugal Gourmet game was a no-go.
Ultimately, The Joy of Painting taught me a valuable life lesson that everyone should keep with them: "We don't make mistakes, we just make happy accidents."
Here's a sampling. Be warned, Bob tends to get a little crazy with the cadmium yellow!
BONUS! Even the writers of Doug recognized how ripe for parody this guy was.
I'm not sure why I was so captivated by this show. Could it have been Bob's soothing voice? His salt and pepper fro? That smooth jazz theme music? Maybe it was classic phrases like "happy little trees" that drew me in. My dad, however, sang a different tune. One day, he put his foot down and refused to watch one more second of "that poofy-haired fucker".
I had no idea that this show ran until 1995. I also didn't know that it started airing in 1983 (my birth year). Judging from Bob's fro, I always assumed that it was from the 70s. I guess I should have known better, his lapels were way too small.
The Joy of Painting's legacy lives on to this day. Reruns still air sporadically. There's even a proposed video game based on the show. No, really. I guess the Frugal Gourmet game was a no-go.
Ultimately, The Joy of Painting taught me a valuable life lesson that everyone should keep with them: "We don't make mistakes, we just make happy accidents."
Here's a sampling. Be warned, Bob tends to get a little crazy with the cadmium yellow!
BONUS! Even the writers of Doug recognized how ripe for parody this guy was.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Commercial: Dizzy Dizzy Dinosaur
Ah, Dizzy Dizzy Dinosaur. Yet another result of the late 80s dinosaur craze. I hounded and hounded my parents for that damn game. They eventually gave in and bought it for me. I don't exactly remember what made my parents crack. It wasn't my birthday or Christmas. I think I might have done something to earn it. Either that or my parents got sick of my whining.
I played that game a total of one time. I never really had anyone to play it with. My parents didn't have the patience to play for too long, Brother #1 was still too young to have enough of an attention span for board games, Brother #2 was taking up residence in my mother's womb, and needless to say, Brother #3 had yet to make his debut into the world. I ultimately discarded most of the game and played with the dinosaur by itself. I don't even remember the game's objective.
Here's the commercial in all of its glory. I first saw it circa 1989 and it continued to air until about '92. I remember that catchy jingle like it was yesterday. That's probably what drew me in to begin with. But DAMN, that kid's voice is grating.
I played that game a total of one time. I never really had anyone to play it with. My parents didn't have the patience to play for too long, Brother #1 was still too young to have enough of an attention span for board games, Brother #2 was taking up residence in my mother's womb, and needless to say, Brother #3 had yet to make his debut into the world. I ultimately discarded most of the game and played with the dinosaur by itself. I don't even remember the game's objective.
Here's the commercial in all of its glory. I first saw it circa 1989 and it continued to air until about '92. I remember that catchy jingle like it was yesterday. That's probably what drew me in to begin with. But DAMN, that kid's voice is grating.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Commercial: Fruit Wrinkles
What ever happened to Fruit Wrinkles? Those were the best fruit snacks ever. I definitely preferred them over Fruit Roll Ups. One day, they just up and disappeared, along with Jell-O Pudding Pops.
Here's a cute claymation ad that I vaguely remember. The quality is pretty good, especially for a commercial. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it's from the 80s or 90s, so I guess I'll tag it as both.
Here's a cute claymation ad that I vaguely remember. The quality is pretty good, especially for a commercial. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it's from the 80s or 90s, so I guess I'll tag it as both.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Magic Screen Depreciation
WARNING: THIS IS POSSIBLY THE STUPIDEST, MOST INANE POST EVER. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR BRAIN BREAKAGE.
For Christmas 2006, I received the first Pee Wee's Playhouse DVD box set. I found the show to be just as whimsical as I remembered. However, every rose has its thorn. For me, Magic Screen is the thorn on the rose that is Pee Wee's Playhouse.
My irrational hatred for Magic Screen is a recent development. I don't remember disliking her as a kid. I can only offer up a few lame explanations for why she irks me so much now.
Maybe it's the fact that I find her to be visually unappealing? Those beady eyes, metal claw hands, permanent jacked-up smile, hideous sparkly screen... ugh! What an eyesore. She's not exactly auditorally pleasing either. That whiny amplified voice sets my teeth on edge.
Ultimately, I think my main problem with Magic Screen is her pushiness. Every time I hear "Pee Wee, it's time to play with MEEEEEE!" I want to scream at the TV. Wait your damn turn, Magic Screen! Pee Wee will play with you when he's good and ready! Even Pterry's whiny ass didn't pester him that much.
For Christmas 2006, I received the first Pee Wee's Playhouse DVD box set. I found the show to be just as whimsical as I remembered. However, every rose has its thorn. For me, Magic Screen is the thorn on the rose that is Pee Wee's Playhouse.
My irrational hatred for Magic Screen is a recent development. I don't remember disliking her as a kid. I can only offer up a few lame explanations for why she irks me so much now.
Maybe it's the fact that I find her to be visually unappealing? Those beady eyes, metal claw hands, permanent jacked-up smile, hideous sparkly screen... ugh! What an eyesore. She's not exactly auditorally pleasing either. That whiny amplified voice sets my teeth on edge.
Ultimately, I think my main problem with Magic Screen is her pushiness. Every time I hear "Pee Wee, it's time to play with MEEEEEE!" I want to scream at the TV. Wait your damn turn, Magic Screen! Pee Wee will play with you when he's good and ready! Even Pterry's whiny ass didn't pester him that much.
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