The alternative reality of television commercials have a way of sneaking up on you..and you can't help but wonder if the world you experience is real or imaginary. Let's explore.
If you lived anywhere near New York City between 1974 and 1988, then you knew one simple fact: "Some women just look that way…" For more, read this glorious essay on the Ritz Thrift Shop commercial.
Meanwhile, Rochester's House of Guitars offers an altogether different experience.
Chicago has long felt the awkward power of the omnipresent Moo & Oink, perhaps the funkiest meat market on the planet.
Wait, what was that on my fork?
Small, moving, shooting parts that are made to lodge in your throat. Yes, that adds up to one of the funnest kid games on the planet: Bing Bang Boing!
More...including pies, dancing, leg warmers, and video games after the jump!
How come only kids are allowed to pie themselves? We need an adult version of this game right now! And yes, I mean a dirty version...
Could it get any lamer than GoBots? If you don't know the answer to that question, then you haven't met Protagatron and Antagatron.
What criteria do most television rent-to-own dreamers use to select which store is going to rip them off? Service? Value? No... They look for the best dancing!
Is it possible that leg warmers can come in a wide variety of bland colors...and still be just plain fun? Note: This used to be the cutting edge of advertising on MTV.
Video Game flashbacks: Did Dig Dug almost start a world war? Did Captain Kirk convince me to buy a Commodore computer? Did ET have a really boring game? Did Carol Channing play virtual poker with me?
Yes yes and yes!
the voice on Bing Bang Boing! is that suppose to be FDR? "WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR BUT BING BANG BOING!" or "WE GOING TO BING BANG BOING THOSE JAPS ALL THE WAY BACK TO JAPAN"
Posted by: The Humanvise | April 10, 2008 at 03:12 AM
re: pie face
fist waterboarding and now this don't tell the folk at guantanamo bay about this
Posted by: The Humanvise | April 10, 2008 at 03:17 AM
I love the Pig and Oink. If only more tv commercials were like that one! It's hard to believe that pie face was a real product. Who the hell thought that was a good idea?? Thanks for posting this. These were a lot of fun to look at...
Posted by: jukeboxmafia | April 10, 2008 at 03:35 AM
Ooh, yes, I fondly recall the Ritz Thrift Shop commercials. Somehow it melds in my mind with the mental images of hearing about the women duking it out over the stuff in Filene's Basement. The gal in the Ritz commercial could have had a mean upper cut.
Posted by: Krys O. | April 10, 2008 at 08:30 AM
I think that's the infamous Armand Schaubroeck in the House of Guitar ads. He owns the place, if memory serves
Posted by: Grandpa Scorpion | April 10, 2008 at 09:26 AM
I would love to have seen Johnny Ramone play that Mosrite guitar that looks like the one on the cover of the Lyres' She Pays The Rent EP. Apparently those no-goodniks in Rochester didn't buy enough copies of Leave Home or Rocket to Russia so that he could buy the guitar.
Posted by: diskojoe | April 10, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Ahhhh, I love those House of Guitars commercials! Been waiting for some to pop up on YouTube.
I dimly recall the ones from the early 70's, Arnold was flying the flag of freakdom in Western New York.
Posted by: schlep | April 10, 2008 at 10:47 AM
God, I loved the Ritz Thrift Shop spot....the voice over guy sounds really familiar...but there's no information on this spot other than the agency. Shame.
Posted by: Dale Hazelton | April 11, 2008 at 09:54 AM
I now have Moo & Oink stuck in my head forever, which is a little better than the one it replaced: a herpes sore cream song to a tune from Bye Bye Birdie: "Cold sores are gonna clear up, Put on a happy face." I hear this commercial every morning and immediately my brain cracks a little.
Posted by: Will | April 11, 2008 at 05:05 PM