Ad Report Card: Use FedEx, Vote Buchanan, or Die

Reader Comments from The Fray:


[Notes from the Fray Editor: Richard Pyfrom put it succinctly: "Steve is a legend, not some guy". Jon, below, explained it nicely. Coco, put it, umm, differently: he thought that not knowing about the croc guy made Rob Walker as bad a racist and bigot at Pat Buchanan. Step forward, Meridian: "I find it sad that people seem more upset that Mr Walker didn't know who the Croc Hunter was than were incensed about the English thing." The interestingly-named Gabriel Oak said "I suppose Pat Buchanan and his ancestors all spoke something like Cree." Matthew Miller has a challenge for Moneybox, below. Don't count on it, Matthew--someone tried this a few weeks ago (click here and scroll to the bottom) and do you know what Mr Walker said? Mr Walker said--and this is a direct quote--"Nah".]


The thing that makes the first one funny (or funnier, anyway) is that the guy that does the commercial is always holding up these outlandish venomous animals in his hands on his show--and they really do bite him. He then usually shows the audience the bite marks and displays it as though it merely helps him to explain the nature of the animal even further, disregarding the fact that blood is oozing down his arm. That he volunteered to poke fun at himself is even better.

--Jon

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With all due respect for Rob Walker's usually razor-sharp insight, I think spaghetti and meatballs is entirely consistent with the message of the ad. It is clearly aimed at the white ethnics who are supposed to be the most fertile ground for racial resentment. And notice that the guy is alone: you could argue that bitter loners (losers?) are more likely to support hateful extremists like Buchanan. Of course all this is repugnant and insulting to single men and white ethnics, but it does tell us a lot about what the campaign is trying to do.

--Polargirl

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I think your analysis in this case way misses the point, although this "ctiticism" comes from (a) one of your biggest fans who (b) doesn't own a television set and (c) spent 25 years in advertising. I've heard a hundred references to "that crocodile guy" from my friends, most of whom are 20-something artists, actors and musicians. He's a big-time cult figure and I thought FedEx was brilliant to hire him. I laughed aloud when I read your recap of the spot. As for the Buchanan piece, I almost suspect his ad agency of trying to make the best of a bad situation. If your boss told you to produce a spot for Buchanan, wouldn't you want to try to salvage some of your (imaginary) professional dignity by toning toward the absurd? I doubt anyone in Buchananland gets it either.

--Steve Fussell

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I think the FedEx ad would have been a tad funnier if it had Steve Irwin choking up and dying on the meatballs, and Pat Buchanan's ad would be a hoot if it showed a bunch of politicos dropping dead from snake bites--I'd vote for the snake.

Actually, Slate, I thought your review was funnier than the ads. Keep up the good work

--Bewildered

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I have to give a C- grade for this article. I challenge Moneybox to check his local listings and catch an episode of The Crocodile Hunter to see if he missed the grade on the FedEx commercial. I will patiently await the retraction.

--Matthew Miller

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(10/17)