Assless Chaps, Mom Jeans, Mullets, and Mustaches

Listening to: Chinese Democracy (yes, again)
Mood: Strung Tight (I took a very late nap today)

As usual, VH1 classic is providing me with some entertainment. I always find it great fun to look back on different times and styles and have a good laugh. I’m sure I’ll be laughing about 2008 in 20 years too. As a kid growing up in the 80’s, I saw lots of questionable fashion choices. Let’s take a look at 2 of them.

So. Gloria Estephan. I can’t remember which music video this was, but it was a pretty well known 80’s tune. Gloria’s not a bad singer. Hot face to boot. But Gloria, honey, who told you that mom jeans and ass-less chaps would be a good idea? Who? You had a great stage presence and a decent song, but I just couldn’t stop staring at your bottom half trying to figure out what you had going on down there. I’m going to go out on a limb here and declare ass-less chaps a bad thing for 95% of people. Seriously Howard Stern, you are included in that 95%. Mom jeans are just wrong for everyone. Absolutely everyone.

On to the Man Mullet Stache. I don’t know who came up with this look, but they need to never go near men’s fashion again. The easiest way I can describe this look is to say Lionel Ritchey. Don’t get me wrong, I love listening to Lionel Ritchey just as long as I don’t have to look at him. The mullet, the mustache. *Shudder* By themselves they’re just bad, but together, they’re so bad they’re almost good, in a comedic way. That look just doesn’t work for anyone, but it was so ubiquitous. Gloria’s fashion camp also decided one of these gems of a man should be in her video too. I’m sure Gloria is slapping her head and saying “Doh!” when she sees the music video just like the rest of us do when we see 80’s pictures of ourselves with huge, permed hair, acid washed jeans and neon leg warmers.

In conclusion, I’m SO glad the 80’s are done. I hope most of the fashions never see the light of day again. I’ll laugh from here. I don’t want to see it up close again.

Becky

Ted Nugent is Freakin Nuts

Listening to: Ghost Adventures – Creepy Shit!
Mood: TGIF, baby!

So this probably doesn’t come to a surprise to anyone unlike me who was totally ignorant about who Ted Nugent was, but that dude is absolutely frickin nuts. I saw him on an old MTV cribs episode. Wow. He gets a hard-on over a hunting stand.

I watched the video from Wango Tango too. He was one sweaty dude. He was almost swimming in his own sweat while singing about sex. I know they say that sweat and pheromones attract those of the opposite sex, but please. I can safely say that I would NOT want to do the wango tango with him.

They ask this dude his opinion on political things too. I still haven’t figured that out. I know he comes off as a right wing nut who is all about gun rights for individuals, but why ask Ted Nugent? Because he was a singer, or has a famous name? Ah well. I guess if we can make a big deal of Joe the plumber (who wasn’t actually a plumber) then we can listen to Ted Nugent for a few minutes.

Becky

Pet Pedicures and You

Listening to: An Adoption show on Siberian Adoption
Mood: Unanchored.

Wow. It’s been quite a bit of time since I emerged from the time warp black hole that is being a mother of an almost 5 year old and an almost 1 year old. Whew is it good to get some grown up expression out.


I don’t know if you’ve seen the commercials on animal planet about pedicures, but it really cracks me up. We had dogs when I was growing up. I worked at an animal hospital also, so I’m pretty comfortable with cutting animals nails.


The premise of this ad is that if you cut your pet’s nails with a traditional pet nail clipper, you are hurting them and are a terrible pet parent. They even have a vet saying that they always try to eliminate pain in pets (read: and why aren’t you, you jerk?). The schtick is that you should buy a pet “pet-icure” system that slowly files the nail away painlessly. They have lots of cut dogs in the commercial that sit quietly and patiently while their nails are being filed. I haven’t seen too many dogs that will sit still while their nails are slowly filed.


The best part of this advertisement is how they imply that if you don’t use the Pedicure system, you are a horrible person who will cause your pet tons of pain and mental anguish. Really? I think it’s a good concept, but this commercial is too ridiculous.

Becky

Bounty Girls

Listening to: Akhila chatter – like usual.
Mood: Excited for the Weekend

Anyone noticed that there seem to be a lot of bounty hunter shows popping up? It started out with Dog the Bounty hunter – the fruity red neck dude who really cares about the scuzz balls he catches. I’m not really a huge fan if you couldn’t tell. Then, these shows started popping up all over the place. Or perhaps it’s just all the different channels available now.
One of the shows that really irks me (and all bounty hunter shows do) was Bounty Girls. The premise of the show is a bail man and a team of chick bounty hunters hunting down people who don’t go to their day in court. It’s really a ridiculous show. Lots of bitchiness, cattiness, and the bond man coming off looking like a pimp. Literally. The way those women kiss his ass is totally ridiculous. Look ladies, not only are you doing yourself a disservice by behaving like spoiled teenaged girls, you are doing a disservice to others also by promoting the reality tv trend that has people encouraging others to act petty, selfish, and generally like assholes.

Becky

Teddy Bears and Laser Hair Removal

Listening to: Peter Pan
Mood: Excited for the Weekend

I know, I know. Not usually something you hear in the same sentence. We get advertisement envelopes in the mail for local businesses. I’m sure most of you do. I got an ad about laser hair removal that featured a totally naked chick wrapping her arms around a huge teddy bear. Em, what? Why in the world would you sit buck nekked for an advertisement with a child’s stuffed animal? And why is that at all relevant to hair removal? Because the bear is hairy? I don’t think I want to see a totally nekked bear. I really didn’t need to see her naked with the bear either! Just another example of a marketing team that needs to be fired.....

The General.com

Mood : Tired
Listening to: John Stewart

I was watching some show the other day and saw a commercial for the general.com. It’s an insurance company with a cartoon general as a mascot. I don’t know about you, but I have a serious problem trusting a no-name insurance company that uses a cartoon as a mascot. Geico is pushing the line with their animated gecko, but at least most people know who they are. General.com is not. What kind of insurance coverage would you get? It almost doesn’t matter, because really, who is going to go check it out? A cartoon general? I think they need to either hire some marketing guys or find some who will encourage people to take them seriously.

Saving Dar Fur - One Tee Shirt at a Time

Listening to: Anthony Bourdain in Ghana
Mood: Calm

I was leaving Target today when I noticed a man walk by with a green tee shirt that said Save Darfur. Now I really hate picking on people who are at least trying to improve the condition of others. It shows that they at least have others in their thoughts and are trying rather than constantly being caught up in their own lives. It kind of made me wonder if this young gentleman was involved in the rescue of Darfur in any way beyond a tee shirt. I sincerely hope so, seeing as to how tee shirts are a decidedly ineffective way of stopping the slaughter of lots of people. It’s great that people are reminded of situations like Darfur, but unfortunately, a tee shirt is likely to remind them for 15 minutes, and then fade into the background of the mind. Tee shirts are a great start, but we need to remind people in a manner that spurs them to action. We claim to be a great humanitarian nation. We should be doing more than we do to improve not only the condition of our citizens, but also of those around the world.