This might be the worst sellout ever in primetime TV product placement.
From a recent episode of Hawaii Five-0:
Actually, that’s not product placement – that’s a friggin’ commercial.
And friggin’ insulting.
Not to mention the incessant Chevrolet flogging on the show.
Enough already, CBS!
Originally posted on the Newer! Improveder! Sneak ADtack!
This coveted award is being bestowed at an unprecedented early date thanks to the absolute inanity of Francesco Scattino – sorry, Schettino – aka Captain Chicken of the Costa Concordia.
The hardworking judges chose the winner from a photo finish between two statements by Schettino (via The Guardian).
This:
“I didn’t even have a life jacket because I had given it to one of the passengers. I was trying to get people to get into the boats in an orderly fashion. Suddenly, since the ship was at a 60-70° angle, I tripped and I ended up in one of the boats. That’s how I found myself in the lifeboat,” said Schettino.
And this (the winner!):
Schettino said he was not afraid of a drugs test: “I don’t do drugs and I had not drunk.” By grounding the vessel close to the shore after it struck rock he believes he saved the lives of many passengers.
What – as opposed to grounding it in deep water?
Maybe Schettino wasn’t drunk when he caused this disaster, but we’d have to be to accept his explanation.
Anyway, if this guy isn’t the biggest idiot in the world, he’ll do until someone better comes along.
From MSNBC’s First Read:
Relishing in controversy, Gingrich cuts ad out of debate moment
[From the Campaign Outsider Syntax Squad: No, guys – you either relish something or revel in it. Pick one.]
To continue:
No one can say that Newt Gingrich shies away from controversy. To the contrary, he seems to relish in it [Hey! What did we tell you?], to be emboldened by it.
He drew big applause from the South Carolina GOP crowd during his latest sparring with a moderator at last night’s debate when talking about food stamps and children working as a janitors, which some have perceived as having racial overtones.
Now, he’s made an ad out of it. His campaign cut down his response to 30 seconds, added music, and played up the applause.
And here it is:
Whatever you think of Gingrich’s message, you really have to admit: that was some serious showmanship on display.
First there was this piece in the Boston Globe:
Couple found love at Occupy Boston
A bond forged in crowd who shared fervent beliefs
November 15 was a busy day at Occupy Boston. Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons was speaking at the camp. Crowds had gathered in the drizzle. Protesters toiled to make their tents ready for the rain.
But Anya Karasik, 18, and Robert Stitham, 25, only had eyes for each other.
Holding hands outside the food tent before the encampment disbanded, they were the archetype of an Occupy couple – he, a red-headed Mainer with tattoos on his arms; she, a petite upstate New York girl with a heart-shaped face and a boyish haircut, wearing a knit grandmother sweater three sizes too big.
Now come this piece in the Boston Herald:
Key fact fails to occupy Globe story
Featured protester a convicted sex offender
Looks like somebody forgot to Google.
The Monday Boston Globe featured a photo on the front page of its Metro section of a lip-locked couple who “found romance” at Occupy Boston.
“Holding hands outside the food tent before the encampment disbanded,” read the accompanying story, “they were the archetype of an Occupy couple: he, a red-headed Mainer with tattoos on his arms; she, a petite upstate New York girl with a heart-shaped face and a boyish haircut, wearing a knit grandmother sweater three sizes too big.”
Good details — but the story failed to mention one big one: Robert “Red” Stitham, the 25 year-old beau whose relationship with Anya Karasik, 18, is the focus of the piece, is a Level 3 sex offender.
Ain’t love grand . . . news content?
The hits just keep on comin’ in South Carolina.
Exhibit A: The first negative ad from Rick Santorum (R-No More Mr. Nice Dweeb).
Campaign Outsider Verdict (pat. pending): Too little, way too late.
Exhibit B: Yet another Ron Paul (R-Free the Osama Bin Laden One!) scorched earth TV spot.
Campaign Outsider Verdict (pat. pending): Too much, way too late.
The New York Times coverage of Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou’s re-election featured this photograph of his victory speech:
Really?
Is that right?
Oops! The hardworking staff missed this Super PAC:
Pro-Stephen Colbert
Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow (news)
Sorry about that.
Cheers,
Once around Myrtle Beach, James, and don’t spare the horses.
• If you picked “capitalism” or “felons” for your drinking game, you were knee-walking by 9:22.
• The audience also seemed to be drinking.
• Mitt Romney (R-I Wouldn’t Do Well in Jail) and Rick Santorum (R-I Am the Jail) had an excellent dustup over whether felons should be able to vote. Edge: Santorum.
• Did Bret Baier really promo “more fireworks” going into the first commercial break?
• Jon Huntsman (R-I’m Not Here) quote o’ the night: “Mitt Romney is a perfectly lubricated weather vane on the important issues of the day.”
• 9:32 – Rick Perry (R-Remember Me?) is having his strongest debate performance yet. Then gets disappeared for the next 30 minutes.
• Newt Gingrich: Unlike Barack Obama, we actually think work is good. Also unlike Obama, Gingrich thinks simplistically.
• Romney whacks Obama for promoting companies that contribute to his campaign. That’s rich, considering this.
• Bosom buddies: Ron Paul and Dwight Eisenhower, Newt Gingrich and Milton Friedman.
• Boo birds targets: Juan Williams, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney.
• Rick Perry: Forget electrified border fences. Let’s go for predator drones against illegal immigrants,
Yikes, y’all.
The hardworking staff (and its wholly owned subsidiaries) has been on the nym wars – the battle over anonymity on the web – like Brown on Williamson (see Sneak ADtack! coverage here and here).
New grist for the mill (via the Center for Media Research):
Social Login Preferred to Site Registration
According to the Janrain Social Identity study, conducted by Blue Research, consumer frustration at being asked to register on a website continues to grow, and almost eight in ten people want social login to be offered as an alternative.
That is to say, 80% would apparently rather provide a verified identity (mostly through Facebook) than have the option of creating a new identity, including pseudonyms.
A new front in the nym wars.
Which, if you believe this survey, Facebook seems to be winning.
You can’t spit without hitting a Super PAC in the GOP presidential primary, as this helpful chart from Time graphically illustrates (through 1/12/12).
Here’s a different way of configuring the list, with links to the groups and related news stories:
Pro-Romney
Citizens for a Working America (news)
Pro-Gingrich
Pro-Santorum
Red, White and Blue Fund (news)
Pro-Paul
Pro-Perry
Pro-Huntsman
Our Destiny PAC, RIP (news)
Campaign Outsider Special Bonus™:
Pro -Obama
Two notes:
• The hardworking staff believes Time’s chart got it wrong about what they call “Leadership for Families” and assign to Gingrich. We can’t find it; maybe Time mixedit up with Leadrrs for Families/
• We also can’t find “WDJ.” Any and all help much appreciated.
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