The Return of Terry Tate October 23, 2008 12:38 AM Subscribe
Terry Tate would like to let you know to Get Out The Vote! He also has a couple of messages for Sarah Palin. He's coming From Russia With Love to tell you Reading Is Fundamental to establishing your world view.
*No governors were harmed filming these messages*
The first thing I thought of when I saw these was "man, Reebok's taking a hard-line stance in this election." posted by disillusioned at 12:47 AM on October 23, 2008
Holy Shit. I watched the Russia one first...got sucked in like those Internet scary face YouTube videos. My heart is racing at the moment.
Damn you Terry Tate. You ruined a good Palin gloat. posted by salishsea at 1:02 AM on October 23, 2008
I don't like these. I don't want even the tiniest hint to be planted in the heads of the dumber and meaner bastards out there that violence against a candidate might be funny and acceptable. Would it be cool if some hilarious character called the Asshole Assassin supposedly shot one of the candidates in the head? posted by pracowity at 1:25 AM on October 23, 2008
I don't want even the tiniest hint to be planted in the heads of the dumber and meaner bastards out there that violence against a candidate might be funny and acceptable.
I thought the videos were funny, by the way. We can agree to have a difference of opinion about their 'intended audience' or 'message', but if you're going to pull that tired 'media makes people do the bad things' card, then I think you might want to consider a quiet life in a Faraday cage on a distant asteroid with your ASIMO. People often make bad decisions, and have since the beginning of time. Stop freaking out. Accept that sometimes the saltines you get have too much salt on them; either put them in the soup or toss them to the pigeons.
Casual violence suggested against candidates aside (the first one was fine in that regard - no candidates, just the Office Lineback schtick repurposed for GOTV use), the cuts in those last two videos were disconcertingly effective - in both it actually looked like Palin got fly-tackled.
But yeah, she's a startlingly inarticulate and clearly out of her depth candidate, but it still makes me uncomfortable seeing here being smacked to the ground and shouted at, however true Terry Tates' criticisms may be. posted by Happy Dave at 2:10 AM on October 23, 2008
Accept that sometimes the saltines you get have too much salt on them; either put them in the soup or toss them to the pigeons. [*/places beans back in fridge.]
You're way out of line, Minus215Cee.
We all know you don't need to refrigerate beans. You can leave them out on the counter for a week, as long as you check with AskMe before eating them. posted by rokusan at 2:18 AM on October 23, 2008
While I definitely enjoyed the office one more than the ones involving Sarah Palin (I thought their set-up was a little long), I can't say that there is any valid criticism of "violence" against these. It's a fantasy notion of placing Sarah Palin into the fantasy world of Reebok's Office Football environment.
If someone edited Obama into a hockey video to be checked into the boards, I don't think it'd be called "violence against the candidate," it'd be rightly called as a humor piece. Especially if the video was fake hockey, like putting him into a clip from the Mighty Ducks. posted by explosion at 4:21 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]
Not everybody watches the Super Bowl. So some people missed the original Terry Tate commercial, which was aired during the Super Bowl, upon which these are based. posted by twoleftfeet at 4:36 AM on October 23, 2008
Somebody with no experience with the Super Bowl commercials will see Pretty White Lady Candidate getting brutalized by Hulking Angry Black Man, which is probably not the right message to send to a lot of Americans right now. posted by Shepherd at 4:40 AM on October 23, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]
I can't take more than 3 milliseconds of Palin's vacuous idiocy, but the first one was kinda funny. posted by DU at 4:49 AM on October 23, 2008
Sorry. Screwed up that link. posted by notreally at 4:50 AM on October 23, 2008
see Pretty White Lady Candidate getting brutalized
comedic violence. as long as you make it the kind of violence a viewer given to see herself in palin's place cannot imagine being subjected to, you're fine.
I had no idea the agency was resurrecting the terry tate campaign but it's on their website. thanks for highlighting this. posted by krautland at 4:51 AM on October 23, 2008
I'm a woman with feministic views.
I've been a victim of politically-inspired violence.
I'm European and know next-to-nothing about American football.
Still, I loved these. LOVED them.
Given that this is all fantasy, and Sarah Palin experienced no real physical violence, I read these segments as a much more honest and realistic response to Palin's "vacuous idiocy" (well put, DU) than the whole going-through-the-motions attempts by media pundits to "analyze" her comments as if they're any sturdier than a house made out of wet paper bags.
Palin is obviously a cretin. Her vacant mind is so monstrous, ugly and full of hate . . . her notions so poorly-conceived and evil . . . her understanding of the world so lacking . . . that at least in a metaphysical or fantasy sense, having some 150 kilo footballer tackle her to the ground feels about right to me. posted by Dee Xtrovert at 5:27 AM on October 23, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]
Christ, that Terry Tate is terrifying. In a good way, though. There's something about that manic stare, thumbs-up pose at the end of those videos that is astounding.
I have a special little place in my heart for Terry ever since those first commercials. I'm not much for the NFL, but that man's got screen magic. I want to hug him. posted by middleclasstool at 6:08 AM on October 23, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]
Ladies and Gentlemen, your next new President! (after McCain croaks!) posted by blue_beetle at 7:09 AM on October 23, 2008
Will someone please tell me that Sarah Palin didn't really think about naming a son 'Zamboni'? That it was said with self-deprecating humor but reported as if it was actually meant, or that it was made up and treated as fact, or ... just somethin'?
The Russia one is a bit meh.
Reading Is Fundamental.... very good. posted by datter at 8:00 AM on October 23, 2008
Terry Tate is fantastic and these videos are no exception. posted by Damn That Television at 8:46 AM on October 23, 2008
Go Terry.
While watching these I had to actually remind myself that was actually Palin saying those words, and not Tina Fey or some other fill-in. And I found them as offensive as a roadrunner cartoon.
Meep Meep. posted by mecran01 at 8:56 AM on October 23, 2008
Politics, violence, and potential mixed messages aside, I just love seeing people get blindsided by a linebacker tackle! posted by geeky at 9:07 AM on October 23, 2008
Hooray for violence. Too bad there isn't one with some comedic prison rape. That one never gets old.
It's ok when we do it. posted by jsonic at 9:35 AM on October 23, 2008
He hits too high, and he doesn't wrap up. He's able to knock these people down by hitting them around their shoulders because he's bigger and strong than they are, but that doesn't always work when the competitors are more evenly matched. He should drive his shoulder into their midsection, wrap his arms around them, and lift and drive with his legs. Low man wins, baby! Woo! posted by kirkaracha at 9:58 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]
The recycled ad concept, like coffee beans, isn't the same if you reuse the grinds.
In these examples, it may be something you want to do [ha-ha], but no, not working for me. In fact, these examples with violence is perfect fodder for some of those brainwashed masses to act out [prisons are full of some examples of this]. Also, #2 & #3 are way too long.
The first one reminded me what a train wreck SP is. UGH. A brainwashed puppet, just pull a string or offer pie and they'll say and do anything. A real deep thinker that Sarah. Right. I don't care if you speak in tongues, but keep it to the confines of your 'church', m'kay? [—whoops, slight derail.]
For my reused coffee beans, I prefer the Breaking Bad* concept.
A new media way that targets the demographic of first time voters better [Obama].
*[To see Breaking Bad example, you'll need to enter your own name to see the video...In the form of a blog with the topic "You Are a Slacker, I was tipped off about speaking to you. Press connect and I'll tell you why", with embedded video. Very well done.
Those not familiar with Breaking Bad...Here and Wikki.] posted by alicesshoe at 10:14 AM on October 23, 2008
Damn you LordSludge, beat me to it./ posted by alicesshoe at 10:15 AM on October 23, 2008
Hey, call it "teamwork"! posted by LordSludge at 10:29 AM on October 23, 2008
Sarah Palin getting drilled into the ground by a linebacker after a couple incoherent comments can't hurt quite as bad as Michelle Bachmann having her party cut off all funding after an anti-American rant against Obama. posted by clearly at 10:33 AM on October 23, 2008
[Terry, if you are out there, I voted and have the receipt/sticker to prove it] posted by clearly at 10:34 AM on October 23, 2008
I'm not a fan of slapstick comedy and I don't really understand schadenfreude. But I thought these were so far into ridiculousness, that I never had a problem enjoying all the Office Linebacker commercials.
WHOOOOH! I bet Terry Tate would have pwnd on Caps Lock Day. posted by not_on_display at 11:53 AM on October 23, 2008
Not everybody watches the Super Bowl. So some people missed the original Terry Tate commercial, which was aired during the Super Bowl, upon which these are based.
Wasn't that like 5-6 years ago? I can't believe he's still milking it.
Sarah Palin getting drilled into the ground by a linebacker after a couple incoherent comments can't hurt quite as bad as Michelle Bachmann having her party cut off all funding after an anti-American rant against Obama.
"Absolutely, I'm very concerned that he [Obama] may have anti-American views. That's what the American people are concerned about. That's why they want to know what his answers are. That's why Joe the Plumber has figured so highly in the last few days."
Who's behind these? I don't see any obvious branding on his site, though I'll admit I didn't exactly pore over it. Presumably Reebok still has the rights to the character, so they must be involved at some level.
I find it hard to believe he's just doing this himself in a comeback bid, but how funny would that be? posted by Ian A.T. at 7:01 PM on October 23, 2008
I fucking loath football, but I gotta love Tate. That maniacal wide-eyed look throwing the thumbs up? Hell, it makes me want to go and tackle shit.
"Hey Katie!"
Yeah, that was just icing. posted by quin at 10:06 AM on October 24, 2008
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posted by disillusioned at 12:47 AM on October 23, 2008