4 Reasons The Old Spice Guy Is Hot

1. He made us love commercials all over again.  

And I say that as someone who doesn't have a television!  I heard so much about the first Old Spice ad that I finally reluctantly, with much eye-rolling, looked it up on YouTube just to see what the fuss was about.  

Surprise!  The fuss was justified!

Commercials have become so obnoxious that even the best special effects are wasted on a jaded audience.  But something about the combination of innovative storyboarding, tongue-in-cheek script, and Isaiah Mustafa's smirking self-confidence makes it all worthwhile.

The only down side is, it makes every other commercial look even more stupid and lame by comparison.

2. He's talking back to the internet.  

Old Spice started a thing where you can ask Isaiah Mustafa questions on Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter, and he will post a video answer.  Cue the sound of the internet losing its collective mind.  (Which sounds a lot like the screaming crowd when the Beatles landed.)

Let's face it: people on the internet love positive feedback.  After all, isn't that why we Twitter and leave comments on Reddit?  And in this case, the feedback takes the form of a special video from a really awesome guy, who also is famous, and he's TALKING TO YOU.  Honestly, that's pretty great.  

The only problem is that you know what's going to happen next.  Every mascot in the world is going to jump on the bandwagon.  Today it's the Old Spice Guy… tomorrow it's going to be that creepy-ass new Burger King, or the AFLAC duck.  Cue tongue-in-cheek Duff Man reference!



(But if Mr. Pibb wants to answer my questions, that would be MORE THAN ACCEPTABLE.)

3. Look, he's just awesome, okay?  

I have spent a surprising amount of time pondering this question.  Why is Isaiah Mustafa cool, while the Five Hour Energy Guy (who has the same basic schtick - handsome and smug about it) is just begging to be punched in the face?  Or at least given a wedgie.    

Monacle Smile!

The truth is, the Old Spice Guy is cool.  He's got it.  He is therefore allowed to flaunt it.  



What is "it"?

I'm afraid I'm going to have to quote Grandpa Simpson.  "I used to be 'with it', but then they changed what 'it' was. Now what I'm with isn't 'it', and what's 'it' seems weird and scary."

(Except the Old Spice Guy, obviously.)

The Old Spice Guy takes everything that's cool about Stephen Colbert, wraps it in a ridiculously hunky package, and trots it through a series of mind-bending special effects.  What's not to love?

4. He's random.  

The randomness is definitely a big part of the humor.  Expensive magnifying glass!  Why are random things funny?  Well for one thing it's only really funny when it's being said with a straight face by a incredibly hot official corporate spokesperson, who delivers the lines deadpan.  Birthday cake.  



See what I mean?  Randomness just isn't as funny if you're not hot AND being paid to represent a historic deodorant manufacturer.

Steinbrenner: Mr. American Yankee

George Steinbrenner died this morning of a heart attack. He was eighty years old.

I have been nearly a life time New York Yankee fan and so when I read on the Internet that George Steinbrenner, the guiding influence behind the team since 1973, died this morning about 6:30 am, I had to stop and pause.

George Steinbrenner born George Michael Steinbrenner III, on the 4th of July in 1930, made the legendary New York Yankees better, by keeping expectations high. In doing this he was not just Mr. New York Yankee, of the world famous baseball organization, he was the Mr American Yankee of our times. He wanted everything to be the best. To him, the best was the biggest -- big was best. Everything had to be the best..Everything had to be big. He thought big and spent big..He built big things, whether they were a shipping fleet or a sports media empire. He was full of energy, was a do-er, got things done, expected those on his team to get things done. He had his critics, builders who build big things do.

George Michael Steinbrenner III, R.I.P

Conan Gloats

Did you think the Late Night War between Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien was over? Well, it isn't.

The Associated Press reports that NBC submitted both versions of The Tonight Show - Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno - for Emmys consideration, letting the TV academy decide what to include in the category. Today, Thursday, the Emmy Award nominations were announced and the Tonight Show the Conan O'Brien won four nominations. The Tonight Show starring Jay Leno received zero nominations. Conan O'Brien gloating, posted the following twit on Twitter --" Congrats to my staff on 4 Emmy nominations. This bodes well for the future of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien"

NBC,which removed O'Brien from The Tonight Show in favor of Leno, issued the statement, "We congratulate Conan and all of our nominees on their creative accomplishments and their deserved nominations."

Conan's fans on Twitter joined in on the ribbing of Leno. One person posted --"0 noms for Leno, 4 for Conan. Another -- "Conan, Not Jay, Scores Emmy Nom". Another -- "Two reasons to watch the Emmys: Conan O'Brien's possible revenge, and Betty White simply being there."

It's LeBron's Day

Today is the day for the big announcement from LeBron James.

This is the summer time. The Congress is still out on the 4th of July recess, so there isn't a lot of Washington news. The Russian spies seemed not to have been all that effective as spies, so they have limited appeal, and there is a deal to send them home in a swap for one of our spies the Russian have, for the minnows our side caught of theirs. The weather in the East continues to be so darn unpleasant, but how many things can you say about the heat. BP is being BP, and people are tired of talking about BP and not cussing. And so what is left? Lindsay Lohan? LeBron is a better story. Why? Because the hype is better. The drama is better. No Sturm und Drang. And a whole big network, ESPN, is behind him. And he has a mystery going. Which NBA team will get his services?

The buzz about this is so hot. The climax is scheduled to unfold tonight, Thursday, at 9PM Eastern. LeBron James will reveal the team that won the right to pay him lots of cash. But will it take a whole hour to announce the lucky NBA team? Maybe there will be dancing girls and cotton candy? Probably not. It will probably be all LeBron.

LeBron James: Show Biz Hot

Show business! Sports is show business. LeBron James is the hottest person in show biz this hot summer. Tonight, Thursday, on ESPN, at 9 p.m., Eastern, Mr James is scheduled to announce the name of the lucky NBA team that for zillions of duckets will be blessed with his services. Yes, America, Mr. LeBron James will announced his free agency decision. A word to President Obama, if you want the attention of the American people, cool it on your day job and get on the professional basketball court. Challenge Kobe to a few baskets, but LeBron, right now is a little too hot. You may fade in the light of his sun. Who wouldn't? Who else could demand a full hour of national television time to announce where he's going to work?

But I really can't knock LeBron or ESPN. If this is what the public wants, make it available. This is America. The pursuit of happiness is the right of every American, and LeBron is pursuing it big man style. As for ESPN -- what's happening now that is bigger? Not the World Cup? America doesn't care about the World Cup, the USA is no longer in the games. I can't think of anything else that ESPN can cover at 9 P.M. on a summer Thursday night. And I guess it is the right thing to do for ratings.

LeBron James and ESPN are both in the pursuit of happiness, big time.

Hot Dog Champ Gets Eaten Up By Police

The Fourth of July is synonymous with many things, but one event is taking over, with the event being the Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island.  Thousands gather to watch grown men and women stuff their faces with hot dogs, and ESPN even broadcasts the festivities.  This year's contest proved to be unlike any other.  The contest itself held to normalcy until the very end.  Joey "Jaws" Chestnut dominated the field, inhaling 54 hot dogs in 10 minutes to win the coveted mustard yellow title belt, but then a figure emerged from the crowd, with it being none other than former-champ, Takeru Kobayashi.  The crowd began to chant, "LET HIM EAT! LET HIM EAT!," and tried to take the stage wearing a "Free Kobi" shirt in his protest of not signing with Major League Eating.  The result of not signing, however, forces him not to be able to participate.

As he jumped the stage he was arrested and then charged, according to ESPN, with, "obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest, trespassing and disorderly conduct."  This forced him to be held overnight in a New York jail.  After his release, again through ESPN, Kobayashi said, ""I went as a spectator to cheer on my buddies that I used to eat with.  Everyone in the crowd kept chanting 'let him eat, let him eat.' So I jumped onto the stage to prove that I am still the champ, but I was arrested."  His attorney, Mario D. Romano, told the New York Post, "He was protesting the restrictions of his contract.  He jumped on the stage in response to people telling him to eat. All he wanted to do was eat quickly and publicly."

It will be very interesting to see if the charges move ahead or if they are dropped in this very curios and odd case.  It sure did add some extra excitement to the day, but others, especially the event's organizer were not impressed to say the least.  Richard Shea told the New York Daily News, "I feel badly for everyone who worked so hard that the story today is all about this disruption."

 

All Little Girls Grow Up

Big non announcement. Well, it's an announcement, not big and is non news. Miley Cyrus has split from Hannah Montana. So? Don't all little girls grow up, or are supposed to anyway?

Ms. Cyrus has broken out of the romper room, skipped free of the Disney stables and she is galloping toward where? The playboy mansion? Or something further away from Pluto, Minnie and Mickey Mouse, to Lady GaGa land?

In the video, she looks back on 'Hannah Montana,' the show that brought her fame, and she gets a little serious, wondering, "whether the new child stars of today will actually have it easier than she did."

She spent many years playing her alter ego 'Hannah Montana,' on the TV and on stage. But the question America is asking -- well, some--a few, are asking -- Is Miley Cyrus ready to be just Miley Cyrus? Or does she plan to compete with Lindsay and GaGa, and Britney and Paris Hilton?

The boy forgot he was just a toy.

Hot dogs -- Eating hot dogs on the 4th of July -- what is more American than that? Competition is what America is about every day.

The former hot dog speed-eating champion of the world, Takeru Kobayashi, was he hot dogging it on the 4th of July? Or was he barking like a lonesome dog who has lost his bone? He is Japanese, but was he being as American as one can get, standing on principles on the 4th of July?

The gentleman was arrested at an event that he once dominated. He was the six-time champion. The event -- the speed hot dog eating competition on the 4th of July at Coney Island, New York City, USA. He did not compete this year, because of a contract dispute. At the end of the competition, right after the winner was announced, Mr Kobayashi tried to get on the stage to make a statement, and was dragged off to the slammer. See the video.

I won't mention the name of the winner because as a speed eating champ, he is no Mr. Kobayashi.

Mr Kobayashi  must have thought that speed eating is a sport, and that the speed-eating body, Major League Eating, is a federation of sportsmen. Lordy! The speed eating event at Coney Island on the 4th of July! That should have been a hint that this "sport" is nothing but a carnival side show -- a summer amusement!

Backup. Aren't all "sports" no more than carnival sideshows?

Mr Kobayashi has his fans. As he tried to get up on stage the crowd chanted: "Let him eat!"

'Tsunami' (the name he is called) -- The great 'Tsunami' resisted police attempts to eject him from the stage. Like a protester, insisting on making a point, Mr Kobayashi grabbed on to stuff, as the police pulled him away. The man was grabbing on for the sake of principles? He has been charged with resisting arrest, trespass and obstructing governmental administration. He is guilty of not understanding the system.

Mr Kobayashi has said that he refused to sign a contract with Major League Eating, because the contract offered would prevent him from entering speed eating competitions run by other federations. And? Did he think for a minute that competition is about determining who is the best in the world at any given sport or ability or skill? No. Competition is about rules, following the rules of the people who sponsor the competition. It is never about the best in the world. It is about the best in the game.

And not only that, worst of all -- the boy forgot he was just a toy.

Serena Williams Is Hot

She wins and she wins, and she wins easily.

Serena Williams is the best at what she does. She is the best women's tennis player in the world. She easily won at Wimbledon today, Saturday, July 3rd, dominating her opponent in 6-3, 6-2 match, winning her fourth Wimbledon singles championship. Her opponent was Vera Zvonareva of Russia. The victory was Serena Williams' 13th Grand Slam title.

I don't want to sound sexiest, but appreciative, when I say Serena Williams is not only a very, very good women's tennis player --- again, the best in the world --- she is very sexy. She is a full bodied female athlete. To the male viewer, sho has eye appeal. That appeal and her skills on the tennis court makes her the most widely watched and followed lady tennis player in recent memory, if not in the history of the sport. She is a beautiful lady to watch, as she plays the game of tennis.

Janet Is Hot!

When? Last night, Friday, July 2nd. Where? At the Essence Music Festival, inside the Louisiana Superdome, in New Orleans. What? Audience ownership. Who? Janet Jackson.

Janet Jackson, rocked, wowed, owned the night, thrilled the audience. Two years away from the stage -- just a crowd teaser -- her performance was worth waiting for. Janet showed how she got her Grammys. She earned them. She was incredible. A comeback performance? Did she ever go away? Social media this morning is bumping with her praises. Fans are ecstatic. The critics are pleased.

The Essence festival is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Essence Magazine, a magazine aimed at African-American women.. This year the spotlight in on fantastic African-American female artists. Janet Jackson performed on the opening night.. Gladys Knight, Alicia Keys, many other are among the performers scheduled to appear.

"It means a great deal for me to be in the company of such wonderful women, women who I have the pleasure of knowing personally," Janet Jackson said in an interview before her performance. "I'm especially honored to be able to play on a stage that also hosts Gladys Knight. She watched me grow up and I remember her being around the Motown family when I was a kid. It's definitely an honor."

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