Video Of The Day: "IDK, my BFF Rose"

I'm normally not the kind of blogtard who would allow my blog to be used to shill for a commercial product, and that's not what this post is about.

But stick with me on this one. I do have some meta stuff I want to talk about.

Earlier this year, after completing their merger with Cingular Wireless, AT&T Wireless unveiled a series of commercials touting their wireless plans. One commercial [not included here] showed a "mother" chastising her "family" for "throwing away" their rollover minutes, represented in the ad by tiny analog clocks. A follow-up commercial showed a different "mother" chastising her "daughter" for running up the family's wireless bill through excessive text messaging:



This commercial, which has come to be known as "IDK, my BFF Jill", is probably the most polarizing commercial of the year. Everyone I know hates this commercial. Except for me. I love it.

Why? I use this kind of SMS shorthand all the time myself. Not usually in speech, sure, but that's the joke that makes this ad. No one "talks" like this. Now. But soon, we will.

In fact, it's already happening. Educators have already begun the teeth-gnashing and the hair-pulling and the whatnot over students who use SMS shorthand in essays. Some educators are even debating whether they should "teach" SMS shorthand as a way to control the monster that has already been unleashed. I'm not sure what they would "teach" exactly -- is it socially improper for youngsters to write, or say, "WTF" when communicating with their elders? -- but I'm sure we'll work it out. Whatevs.

It's okay, people. Calm down. Breathe. We'll survive this. INBD.

Anyway, most people hoped that "Mom" and "Beth Ann" had completed their nails-on-the-chalkboard reign over our airtime. But recently, AT&T Wireless unveiled a new add, "IDK, my BFF Rose". And, of course, it's my "Video Of The Day". NJOY:



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Random thoughts about the above:

* The new [second] clip above was posted to YouTube by user "attmobility". So, AT&T Wireless. How do we feel about advertisers gettin' all up in OurSpace?

* The older [first] clip above was posted to YouTube by [presumably] a regular user. It and other clips of the same ad have already been viewed over 1 million times. Does that make my first question moot?

* The first clip is a rip from the teevee. The second clip comes straight from AT&T. The first clip comes with the Oasis sample still audible at the end. The second clip has the music excised. How do the Gallagher brothers and their record label feel about all of this?

* The actress who plays the "Mom" in these two adds is Orlagh Cassidy, who plays the character "Doris Wolfe" on the CBS soaper Guiding Light. [Don't ask me how I know that. Just know that whenever I see her on the show, I mumble under my breath, "Me paying this bill, that's what's S...NF".] Anyways, I've always been curious how much soap work pays. And how much commercial work pays. And now, how much AT&T Wireless had to pay to get her to come back for another go-round?

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Bonus Fall Out Boy video, "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs":


[Note that the video is sponsored by Tag Body Spray. Sigh...]