Don't know why this bothers me so much but it does. I think it has to do with my general disdain for the concept as a whole when they hoisted it upon us several years ago and the fact that they decided to bring it back for another go 'round just annoys the hell outta me. And to top it off, they throw in the old switcheroo at the end. It's enough to make me want to never eat at Carl's Jr again. And considering that I consume 90% of my daily calories down my feeding tube, it's a stone cold 100% lock that I will make good on my previous statement.
Here's the beef:
Don't Bother Me, I'm Eating. Those five little innocuous words have bugged me since they were strung together and forced unmercifully through our retinas and down our throats a bunch of years ago by the good people at Happy Star HQ. Not satisfied with an assault on two of my senses, the only sound the viewer is subjected to for a majority of the spot is the crispity crunchity explosion of the subject biting into his burger and sipping his drink.
I thought that they had moved on marketing-wise by replacing those commercials with ones featuring Paris Hilton washing her car and Hills star Audrina Patridge sunning herself on the beach. I was perplexed by the guy seductively staring at his dashboard hula dancer while chowing down but I let it slide. At least it wasn't the Don't Bother Me dude munching away.
And then they brought it back. If you haven't seen it yet, here's what you missed: A manly-looking man has pulled his vehicle to the side of the road and is silently -- except for the thousand decibel bites -- enjoying a picnic while leaning on the fender of his ride. A basso profundo voice utters my least favorite phrase -- aside from You've Got ALS -- while the fine print rolls and the commercial ends.
The first couple times I saw it, I turned away out of pure reflex. The next half-dozen times it appeared on my screen, I paid attention a bit more. And that's when I got annoyed.
Apparently they are advertising two burgers for five dollars in this spot. I must have missed that fact the first handful of times I watched it. Then, as I read the disclaimer that appeared at the bottom of the screen and I learned that the loaded with cheese and onion rings burger Mr DBM,IE is loudly masticating on in the preceding commercial is NOT the burger being offered in the two for five bucks deal, I couldn't believe my eyes.
I've seen some shady stuff on tv in my day but this was a first for me. Why wouldn't they show the actual hamburger in the spot? Is it inferior to the one they showed onscreen? Is it less crunchity? Was it a budget issue? Too cheap to spring for some new footage?
Whatever the reason, it has really been bugging me since I noticed it. Thanks for letting me vent a bit on the subject. Have you seen it? Does it bother you or should I watch less tv?
