Friday, March 10, 2006

A great show you're probably not watching...


Hustle now being shown on AMC and it is definitely worth setting up TiVo or DVR or even program your VCR to watch it. The premise is a group of grifters band together in order to run one last con before Mickey Stone retires. Using a group of five pros, this con is a snap. Well almost. Mickey doesn't retire, he just gets hungry for more. And now because of the generosity of AMC and the BBC we get to watch episodes of Hustle.

I was instantly hooked when I saw the first episode and it's a show not often missed when the DVR gets the weekly overhaul. It's got a pretty good slot on Saturday from what the press says but I always tape mine which means there are several opportunities to catch this smart and very entertaining show.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Raise your hand if you're offended...

(and your mouth is gaping open from the latest round of advertising)

I am a huge advocate of personal responsibility and educated consumers. What I am not a fan of is hokey advertising that treats 75% of the general population like monkeys in an exhibit at the zoo.

Right now my wtf face is turned to the marketers for e.p.t..

Scene
: woman running in the park. Bends over to tie shoe.
Voice over: I cant seem to focus, maybe I'm pregnant.

Yeah, stop right there. WTF? W. T. F.? Maybe I'm pregnant? What kind of loss of focus solution is that? Hell, I am without focus on a daily basis but I am damn sure that it isnt because I am prego. This is the kind of advertising that takes us (the viewing audience) as a bunch of buffoons. How in the world does having a lack of focus equal pregnancy? And it encourages stupidity about being smart and practicing safe sex or at least being aware enough of some kind of contraceptive measure if you dont want to be with child after getting it on.

Hooray for getting the word out on drug store pregnancy tests. Boo for being morons about it and cramming the lamest line in the world as a lead-in for your commercial. Seriously. People have bad days and lose their focus. Not everyone is pregnant.

After all this bitching I still dont have a suave way of approaching the "I'm late for my period and holy shit, I might be pregnant" angle. All I know, there has to be a better option than this.