Pity the Blowfish.

April 7, 2005 6:56 PM

And you thought Hootie had sold out already. Onion hula-hoops, burgers growing on trees, and lots of suggestive sauce licking. [via]
posted by gottabefunky (48 comments total)

Wow, is this really the first post about this. I'm sick of hearing about this ad, but it appears to be a novel post.

'impliedsexuality' - please tell me you didn't use that as a tag.
posted by jmgorman at 7:07 PM on April 7, 2005

Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock is fucking SPINNING in his grave. That commercial makes me want to kill everybody in my neighborhood.
posted by 40 Watt at 7:08 PM on April 7, 2005

Oh, and thanks for ruining my evening, gottabefunky.
posted by 40 Watt at 7:08 PM on April 7, 2005

I first saw that commercial in Columbia, SC (home of hootie) and the four of us watching were silent for a minute and then proceeded to laugh our asses off.

Apparently they (Darius and gang) are "in the market" for new songs for their new album, as in they are going to BUY songs to record. Hilarious.

That site reminds me of this classic Epinion. ("The day I peed on Hootie's soap")
posted by shoepal at 7:10 PM on April 7, 2005

Totally awesome. I can't stop watching it.

Note the cameo appearance of the Subservient Chicken. That's what puts it over the top for me. That, and the nice caboose.
posted by Jart at 7:13 PM on April 7, 2005

I was impressed to see Vida Guerra make an appearance (as "Caboose girl"). Seriously, one of the sexiest women alive.
posted by jonson at 7:19 PM on April 7, 2005

Did FHM charter a new fraternity or something?
posted by Hankins at 7:27 PM on April 7, 2005

Notice those effeminate cowboys with burly fries rising behind them? My gay friend did. That's one sexed up hetero-homo commercial. You see what you want to see.
posted by fleener at 7:38 PM on April 7, 2005

Burger King: Hobo Paradise

(insert tired but apropos pepsi blue joke here)
posted by unsupervised at 7:48 PM on April 7, 2005

I am almost positive this has already been linked, but I can't find anything via search. Hrmmm.
posted by scarymonsterrrr at 7:50 PM on April 7, 2005

Thanks unsupervised! I knew it all sounded familiar.
posted by shoepal at 7:59 PM on April 7, 2005

Excuse me shoepal, you're in my spot.
posted by lazymonster at 8:12 PM on April 7, 2005

This is great. If you're gonna sell out, go all the way, baby!
posted by frenetic at 8:13 PM on April 7, 2005

Yeah, I could never for the life of me figure out why BK was using "big rock candy mountain" in a commercial. On a literal level, I can't imagine who on earth it's supposed to appeal to (the hobo demographic?), and if it's an ironic twist on... something, then I doubt many people get it, to say the least. Though the commercial does have an odd, Peewee's Playhouse kind of appeal. If you're into that kind of thing.
posted by rkent at 8:20 PM on April 7, 2005

Okay, about a month ago I told my sister about this commercial and laughed about Hootie and about the girl with the 'nice caboose'. So last time she was over, the commercial came on and the Vida Guerra part was gone—censored(?). Has anyone else noticed multiple versions of the commercial? I'm wondering if some soccer mom thought it was too racy.
posted by dhoyt at 8:23 PM on April 7, 2005

Sorry lazymonster. I should have waited 13 minutes. Next time, I'll be more patient. A thousand apologies.
posted by shoepal at 8:24 PM on April 7, 2005

Even when David Lynch does TV commercials, they aren't this David Lynch-ish. It's brilliant.
posted by BoringPostcards at 8:27 PM on April 7, 2005

I hate to say I adore that ad. Creepy and bizarre and over-the-top, just like their other recent ads. I love the firm that works with them.
posted by dougunderscorenelso at 8:27 PM on April 7, 2005

dhoyt: may not be that sinister; sometimes they cut back a 30 second ad to fit in a 15 second slot. Of course, I personally would not elect to cut out the caboose scene, but they didn't ask me.
posted by rkent at 8:36 PM on April 7, 2005

I like it as well. It's odd, yet strangely soothing. Plus appearances by Brooke Burke and Vida Guerra never hurt.

But the Burger King himself is just creepy...
posted by bawanaal at 8:41 PM on April 7, 2005

I wasn't going to post this, but since Vida's ass is the talk of the town...Does anyone find this picture at all erotic? I don't know what to make of it, except that I find it funny.
posted by unsupervised at 8:42 PM on April 7, 2005

Fuckin' minstrel show bullshit.
posted by klangklangston at 8:50 PM on April 7, 2005

Ÿ
posted by shoepal at 8:51 PM on April 7, 2005

Since when is a tv commercial best of the web?

Sorry, maybe I'm just bitter because my town just spent $100,000 to bring these blowfishes here, and didn't leave any money leftover for a decent moon-bounce for my 6 y.o.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 8:54 PM on April 7, 2005

Speaking of the Burger King Guy, see "Return of the King" -- old Slate article about "Wake Up with the King," BK's latest viral ad campaign featuring the masked king greeting various morning people with breakfast burgers.
posted by brownpau at 8:56 PM on April 7, 2005

It's okay shoepal. I didn't have anything to say anyway. First Corey Feldman then Hootie. I was hopping around, clutching myself. Wasn't quite sure what to do in all my excitement. Didn't really intend for it to end up on you.

Oh - that BK Mask. Here I go again.
posted by lazymonster at 8:59 PM on April 7, 2005

I guess viral campaigns still work.

I'd suggest no more tv commercial links, but if that car company comes out with another dancing Transformer I'm counting on you guys to link it for me.
posted by cali at 8:59 PM on April 7, 2005

Once upon a time, there would have been pancakes.
I liked pancakes. Anyone else like pancakes?
posted by me3dia at 9:08 PM on April 7, 2005

I still hate America.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:31 PM on April 7, 2005

Notice those effeminate cowboys with burly fries rising behind them? My gay friend did. That's one sexed up hetero-homo commercial. You see what you want to see.

*insert hot beef injection joke here*
posted by AlexReynolds at 10:47 PM on April 7, 2005

Hm. I've seen an abbreviated version of this commercial a few times -- but upon seeing the full-length version and actually reading the lyrics -- holy crap -- I'm kinda surprised that BK "got away" with some of this! I have no idea who any of the people are -- except the Hootie guy -- but they sure seem to register with some demographic.

Bizarre, whimsical, and just plain weird.

But the burgers are still good.
posted by davidmsc at 11:05 PM on April 7, 2005

Very much like The Rock in Be Cool.

And she does have a nice caboose. (Uh, NSFW.)
posted by kirkaracha at 11:35 PM on April 7, 2005

Wow! Awesome! David LaChapelle is the man!
posted by Djinh at 12:31 AM on April 8, 2005

I just want to say that the idea of Hootie and his band of blowfish having sold out is laughable. I really think that phrase should be reserved for people who had some artistic integrity in the first place. Then, when they trade it in for cash, market share, etc... you can say they sold out.

It's like saying, "Yeah, Uwe Boll really sold out when he made Alone In The Dark." Selling out isn't the problem. Crap movies/music is the problem.
posted by shmegegge at 1:22 AM on April 8, 2005

I mean, hell, that song is better than any hootie song ever was.
posted by shmegegge at 1:22 AM on April 8, 2005

"The breasts, they grow on trees" is priceless.
posted by fixedgear at 3:10 AM on April 8, 2005

I was in the Columbia music scene during the whole "ooh we're going to be the new Seattle" mass self-delusion that took place around about the time Cracked Rear View hit it big. MTV were in town, doing a special, a few other local bands seemed poised to ride Hootie's coattails into the national arena, and we all found ourselves thinking that Columbia actually had a reason to exist, after all. There was so much live music I even ran a succesful website (SCMusic.com) for 3 years off the back of gig listings and reviews.

Then everyone got sick of Hootie.

Columbia's music scene now? Hah. One venue still doing live music of any note when in the heydey there were ten.
posted by LondonYank at 3:42 AM on April 8, 2005

This is the fucking SARS of viral marketting, and you all are carriers. What the fuck?
"Oh my God! They have this commercial on the teevee and it is like weird and stuff!"
posted by klangklangston at 5:42 AM on April 8, 2005

I actually had a Tendercrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch the other day. It wasn't bad. Which is more than I can day for Hootie. Even though the lead vocalist had a good voice, the material was just waay too bland.

I'm also a little stunned that Darius McCrary needs to do this to pay the bills. Didn't Cracked Rear Veiw outsell Dark Side Of The Moon or something? That's an awful lot of money to blow through.

I'd also really like a breast tree. 44DD's preferably.
posted by jonmc at 6:37 AM on April 8, 2005

This is the fucking SARS of viral marketting, and you all are carriers. What the fuck?
"Oh my God! They have this commercial on the teevee and it is like weird and stuff!"
posted by klangklangston at 8:42 AM EST on April 8 [!]

I didn't think much of the commercial but regarding viral marketing, it's OK ot get played if you know it's happening and you go along. I seriously doubt morons read metafilter (well, maybe a few), so it's not like we are spreading it to the general population.
posted by a_day_late at 6:40 AM on April 8, 2005

Also, I now know who this Vida Guerra person is. That was worth it right there. It's tough being an old, senile fart.
posted by a_day_late at 6:43 AM on April 8, 2005

Ten years ago no one said shit about viral marketing. They just rehashed (and poorly) their favorite scenes from funny TV commercials.

Jesus.
posted by cortex at 6:51 AM on April 8, 2005

Pity the blowfish? No way man -- that's the single best fucking Hootie song ever recorded! Thank you g.b.funky! Now I know what I'm having for lunch today.....
posted by spilon at 6:58 AM on April 8, 2005

Well, you know...Cocaine ain't free.
posted by Optamystic at 7:50 AM on April 8, 2005

Vida Guerra = "Life war"
posted by gottabefunky at 8:37 AM on April 8, 2005

This is the fucking SARS of viral marketting, and you all are carriers. What the fuck?
"Oh my God! They have this commercial on the teevee and it is like weird and stuff!"
posted by klangklangston at 5:42 AM PST on April 8 [!]

why not try for a third post, maybe we'll all get it this time.
posted by jimmy at 11:01 AM on April 8, 2005

Vida Guerra. Now that I know, I am happy.
posted by malaprohibita at 1:26 PM on April 8, 2005

First McDonlads with "I'd hit it" and now this? What's the deal with sex selling food lately? I don't really like the ad, but that's only because it's really effective. Everyone I know has paused at the end of seeing it the first time with a WTF? expression on their faces, usually followed by laughter/expressions of disbelief. So you've got the absurd nature of it, which makes it stick in your mind, and the sex, which makes it stick in your mind, which ends up making it really memorable. Plus, the food products are inseperable from the rest of the commercial content, guaranteeing that people will actually associate the product with the commercial, as opposed to ones with mostly unrelated subject matter and product placement at the end. And everyone that I mention it to (making it even more effective) remembers it almost instantaneously.
posted by nTeleKy at 10:11 AM on April 12, 2005