February 10, 2025

I assume videos like this are scripted by someone other than the person on camera. Are these not commercials?

I watched the Super Bowl last night because I fell prey to the rumor that Elon Musk had spent $40 million of his own money on several pro-DOGE commercials that would air. That didn't happen, and I spent the evening viewing the actual commercials, which, by the way, were terrible.

They weren't funny. And since any damned thing you can think of — such as the singer Seal as an actual seal — you can make look "real," there's no wow factor in showing anything. And how many times was the narrative arc simply: 1. Wonder what this is an ad for? 2. Oh, yeah, that.

Anyway, propaganda for DOGE, yeah, why not? Let the anti-DOGE folk propagandize back. I'm sure there's some clever way to express the old anti-transparency idea. Maybe a glossy CGI take on the old metaphor of government as a sausage factory. You like the sausage well enough, so don't be looking inside.

116 comments:

Jamie said...

The commercial for Coffee Mate cold foam, with the tongues doing bizarre things - everyone in our living room spontaneously cried out, "No!!"

Grossing out your customers is a weird advertising ploy.

The Seal one made me laugh in spite of myself, but I can't remember what it was for, so, also a weird advertising ploy.

Dave Begley said...

I was just talking about the missing Musk Super Bowl ads.

Who is that girl? She has a great future.

Krumhorn said...

If you turn off the sound, the girl is definitely fuckable. Isn’t that the test for casting?

Krumhorn

Bob Boyd said...

There were a couple messages from the crooks and grifters, that seem way out of date now, still telling Americans their neighbors are a bunch of racist, fill-in-the-blank-phobic haters.

Dave Begley said...

Ann:

Why do you assume that Tik Tok was scripted? Because she is a young and beautiful woman?

Ann Althouse said...

"Why do you assume that Tik Tok was scripted? Because she is a young and beautiful woman?"

Because it's so well-written. It is pre-written isn't it? She might seem like she's talking spontaneously and not doing a script, but that — and her great good looks — are a sign that we are watching an actress.

Ann Althouse said...

That said, I'd like to think that Musk cares about his stake in transparency, and putting this up on his X account, if it's not what it looks like on the surface (a young person enthusing about DOGE), would hurt his reputation. I'd like to think he wouldn't do that.

Dave Begley said...

I looked her up. She appears to be a SAHM who lives in the country. She has horses and sews. Super talented.

Ann Althouse said...

@Krumhorn

She looks 17.

Dave Begley said...

Ann: Check out her Tik Tok channel. Super talented.

Colleen Brown said...

I agree with Ann. The commercials were terrible! They were so bad that my favorite commercial was for a local law firm! It just showed the members of the firm and the founder of the firm talking about their services. But I do have to say that I always like the Clydesdale commercials.

Ann Althouse said...

"Ann: Check out her Tik Tok channel. Super talented."

And if she were an actress doing scripted propaganda for conservatives, how would it look different?

I remember the days of Lonelygirl15

Dave Begley said...

Ann: Don’t be so cynical.

Quayle said...

Adverts were indeed terrible. Game was boring. Saturday's "Six Nations" England- France rugby match, however, was amazing!

Dave Begley said...

Ann:

Check out Conneally Angus online. The star is Hannah Conneally. She lives with her extended family on a ranch in the Sandhills. Hannah and her brother both are Creighton grads. Both got perfect ACTs. Her brother Gabe was on the basketball team. And she makes her own bagels.

Ann Althouse said...

"Ann: Don’t be so cynical."

Don't be so naive.

Ann Althouse said...

"Check out Conneally Angus online. The star is Hannah Conneally. She lives with her extended family on a ranch in the Sandhills...."

I don't need more of that Instagrammy stuff. Enjoy your fantasies. I'm not spending my time searching for the line between truth and fiction in dreamy Instagram accounts.

Meade just sent me this tune: "White Woman's Instagram."

Wince said...

It's a "Legally Blonde" impression, isn't it? Minus the fashion accoutrements.

Dave Begley said...

Savannah Lynn Misner resides "deep in the heart of Texas" where she trains her horses, Liberty, Justice, and Independence. Savannah Lynn is an avid hunter and barrel racer who also enjoys competitive mounted shooting, designing and sewing costumes, competing in mounted shooting, performing aerial silks, and managing her princess character children’s birthday party business.

Peachy said...

Not an ad. That's me.

Aggie said...

Her monolog looks very rehearsed; no matter how fresh her looks or how great her talent is, she clearly practiced so it does indeed look like a commercial. Doesn't help Elon, and he is no doubt aware that it's going to only become more difficult to stay in good graces with the public sentiment.

I avoided the bread & circus, as I've become cynical myself since the product started kneeling for the anthem and show no signs of repentance. I heard there would be two anthems played, which confirms my sentiments. Sorry the bread was stale, but really...... who is still willing to be lulled by this crap? Not me.

Heartless Aztec said...

There waa even a "Jesus" commercial. Tis' a Brave New Super Bowl World.

Quayle said...

Carnivals and vaudeville employed this trick, called a shill or a plant. They would put paid people in the audience to clap and cheer enthusiastically.

Peachy said...

If I made a tiktok video like that- I would write it down, work on it some more, adjust it with re-writes, and memorize and rehearse it. Why not? You don't need to be an actor to do those things.

Jaq said...

"I try to be cynical, but it's so hard to keep up." - Lily Tomlin (IIRC)

Birches said...

Every influencer is paid by someone. Maybe it's not Elon paying, but these things don't go viral organically anymore. I've gotten to the point where I don't believe Hawk That girl was spontaneous.

Peachy said...

The hatred of evil Fauci isn't just a thing on the right. Everyone with a working brain hates that evil money grubbing dog-torturing people-torturing rat-F****er.

Birches said...

Every influencer is paid by someone. Maybe it's not Elon paying, but these things don't go viral organically anymore. I've gotten to the point where I don't believe Hawk That girl was spontaneous.

Jaq said...

Remember when Congress looked at what Nazi Germany did with propaganda and in 1948 outlawed the use of it by the government against the American people in the Smith-Mundt Act? Remember how Nancy Pelosi repealed it just a few short years ago, and suddenly millions of Federal dollars under control of the Democrats started flooding to outfits like Reuters, the AP, and the New York Times?

Just a coincidence. So sure, propagandize DOGE. I am fine with it. These are the rules.

Dave Begley said...

I know Savanah Lynn Meisner is real because I know Hannah Conneally is real. I know her brother from Creighton basketball.

Howard said...

The over the top reactions to DOGE doing exactly what they campaigned on together, Elon and Don is the signal that their finding huge chunks of flab and metastasizing tumors.

Liposuction, massive excisions and chemo is coming next.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Jaq said...

Just a coincidence. So sure, propagandize DOGE. I am fine with it. These are the rules.

It's only called Propaganda when the other side is better at doing it than your side is.

Howard said...

Smart women are frequently beautiful and athletic because natural selection. Successful offspring requires a top tier female and beauty is the bait men need to make the right decision.

JAORE said...

Yeah, must be a commercial. No weeping, screeching, cursing all things most of us believe in, no he's HITLER!!!! Oh why, oh why can't conservatives do TikToc as well as the left. So it must also be tied to Musk (hat tip to the NYT) "without evidence".
/sarc (not necessary to add for MOST of the Althouse faithful, but there you go.)

James K said...

I don't really care if it was scripted. It was well-delivered, she didn't appear to be reading, and it came off as authentic. On the down side, it was nothing that a hundred other people haven't said, so it's kind of superfluous, which is true of 99% of social media.

Wa St Blogger said...

I got the vide that the video was over produced in several ways. Overly emotive, overly cutesy with the zoom-ins. Too well arranged speech to be anything but rehearsed. All three were negatives for me and detracted from the message.

On the other hand, there is no reason she was commissioned for the work. If this is her schtick, then she could be doing it because her garnered audience clicks for that bait.

Yes, in many ways everyone is "paid", but there is a difference between the prostitute and the girl friend.

Gusty Winds said...

Who cares?? We have been living under a corrupt kleptocracy our entire lives. Propaganda has been used by elites (including University elites) to brainwash the masses, and protect the ripe fruit they steal and consume. Fight fire with fire. What has been exposed is just the tip of the iceberg. It will extend to our public education system and our public and private universities. Colleges are part of the money laundering system and it will be revealed. Then, the endowments should be used to relieve student debt.

Bob Boyd said...

One time a girl's car horn stuck and I had to open the hood, locate the horn and decide what to do, which was disconnect a wire. That horn blaring right in my face while I was at it made time slow down.
I hadn't thought about that incident for many years, not until I watched the above video.

Scott M said...

Why are so many of these sitting in their cars when filming?

Gusty Winds said...

Our entire liberal education system has brainwashed and indoctrinated America's children for at least fifty years. I don't care if this fresh faced young woman had a script. It is time to free America's youth from the self-serving evil clutches of liberal educators. The education system, especially at the university level, has been part of the corruption all along.

Anthony said...

Was the new Jeep/Groundhog Day commercial during the game? Saw that last week and absolutely loved it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nEAkPNi9Og

Gusty Winds said...

Althouse said...Don't be so naive. Americans are discovering they have been naive their entire lives. Especially when it came to the self-proclaimed intellectual and altruistic fake values of our education system and liberal elites. Now you want to get nitpicky on the dragon slayer?

TobyTucker said...

DOGE ads airing during Superb Owl game seems a lot like the Beyonce at Kamala rally come-on, except in this case I'm not sure what the ulterior motive was.

Only ad I approved of was the "salty" one for Ritz with Aubrey Plaza. Why? AUBREY PLAZA! The other ads were underwhelming if not cringe. A real waste of money.

Half-time show - couldn't make out the words of whatever he was singing. And... SO diverse! I've read that the NFL was still pushing DEI. Is this the ultimate DEI endgame? (Just asking for a friend)

NFL ad featuring black girl vs totally toxic white guys - REALLY? (If I didn't know better I would have thought this was Russian propaganda trying to stir up racial tension)

Peachy said...

Go Gusty go! Righto, man.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Musk put a tweet out this weekend absolving lower level Federal workers and laying the problems on senior management at these agencies. He basically got the those low level workers all bollixed up about losing their jobs then gave them a life line. I bet right now he's got people sitting down with them saying "Now, tell me what a rat bastard your boss really is...".

Musk and Trump are running psyops. Anyone who thinks otherwise has got their head stuck in the sand. They know who they need to get rid of and they're Hell bent on doing it in away that will keep those people from being able to easily come back.

Ann Althouse said...

"Only ad I approved of was the "salty" one for Ritz with Aubrey Plaza. Why? AUBREY PLAZA!"

Her husband just killed himself. That's what I had to think through the whole thing. It wasn't like it was an edgy commercial justifying scarfing down crackers when you're devastated.

Ann Althouse said...

"I don't really care if it was scripted. It was well-delivered, she didn't appear to be reading, and it came off as authentic."

That's true of the typical political commercial. I agree that it's well-scripted and well delivered, but unlike a typical TV commercial, it isn't obvious whether it's another commercial or a sincere and independent human being. I think it's important to maintain skepticism.

I'm seeing a lot of video like this on TikTok and I don't want to be complacent about what's real and what isn't.

Ann Althouse said...

"Althouse said...Don't be so naive. Americans are discovering they have been naive their entire lives. Especially when it came to the self-proclaimed intellectual and altruistic fake values of our education system and liberal elites. Now you want to get nitpicky on the dragon slayer?"

I spread it around and have spread it around for 20+ years. It's cruel neutrality. It's what I do. You don't like it when you don't like it. But *I'm* not a propaganda outlet.

Krumhorn said...

Ann Althouse said...
@Krumhorn

She looks 17.



Yeah. And that’s when the trouble started.

- Krumhorn

Peachy said...

After the last 4 years of pure hell.... Not sure I care if someone shows support of cleaning up government corruption and waste.

Ice Nine said...

>Ann Althouse said...
She looks 17.<

...and she acts 17.

rehajm said...

Ann Althouse said...
@Krumhorn

She looks 17


…legal in my state…

Ice Nine said...

The ads were terrible. Gone are the days of clever, weird, and innovative Super Bowl ads. It seems the rage now is to get some celebrity or another and stick him in a dumb, unfunny skit. And the celebs chosen all seem to be middle-aged to old "stars" who range from fading to washed up, and whom no one cares about anymore. I mean, Willem Dafoe and Kris Jenner? Really? Do people buy things because those two recommend it? Their ads, and others, might as well have had $20/hr starving actors in the roles.

TobyTucker said...

Ann - I'm aware of this. I can't imagine what lead up to this tragedy and what she must be going through. You're right, the ad itself was nothing to write home about but I can't help it, I just adore AUBREY PLAZA!

rehajm said...

…also the democratizing of video media has provided the opportunity for ordinary people to become polished- nay, accomplished actors. So no idea or shits if it’s real but a fail to assume too polished therefore fake…

rehajm said...

I was surprised at the lack of politicizing in the ads. Perhaps there was fear of discovery those woke ads were funded by taxpayers.

…unrelated: the Pfizer ad sure did hide the Pfizer part…

Gusty Winds said...

Althouse said...But *I'm* not a propaganda outlet. Nobody is leveling that accusation. Of course you're not. And as a fourteen year follower of this blog, obviously I'm a big fan of your approach. The stakes here are MASSIVE. This girl certainly doesn't seem programmed like Greta Thunberg.

There is an opportunity in front of us to free America's youth from living their lives under the heavy yoke of a corrupt kleptocracy. We have one chance and it is now. It will take more than a crowbar to pry Gen Z and Gen Alpha away from those who have brainwashed and damaged their mental, financial, and physical health. The moral compass here points in a very clear direction.

Gusty Winds said...

I see Tik-Tok videos of people demanding a refund on all the taxes they've paid their entire lives. They don't seem scripted. The people making those videos are genuinely and rightfully pissed off.

BudBrown said...

I just looked up the Bill Murry ad. I woke up thinking it was a friends of bill deal. Not.

Freder Frederson said...

I spread it around and have spread it around for 20+ years. It's cruel neutrality.

You really need to give up on the "cruel neutrality" bullshit and admit you are totally in the bag for Trump and Musk.

It must be disheartening to realize, at the age of 74, that everything you taught for most of your career has been thrown out the window in a couple of weeks. Your devotion to the Iraq War was bad enough, but you have really gone over the cliff on the Musk/Trump administration.

Peachy said...

Freder - oh do shut up.
Ann does a great job allowing freedom of speech. You assume she should be a toady/ pro-speech censorship(D) for the corrupt left. You assume wrong.

Quayle said...

Freder, your pride is getting the best of you. We must all strive to love truth more than we love "our side" or "our opinion" or our perceived superiority.

Jupiter said...

I believe the term "commercial" is short for "commercial announcement" or "commercial message". Wherefore, a political exhortation is not a "commercial".
May I suggest, that were you to choose a more appropriate term, you might better convey what exactly you find objectionable. It would seem that you are accusing the woman of some species of insincerity. But I can't agree that a performance becomes insincere, merely by being practiced of rehearsed. Are you suggesting that she is a paid performer, and is saying things that she doesn't mean?

Gusty Winds said...

Freder said...You really need to give up on the "cruel neutrality" bullshit and admit you are totally in the bag for Trump and Musk. Freder is obviously in the bag for corruption, money laundering, and massive waste of tax dollars while Americans suffer. The first logical assumption of anyone defending a kleptocracy is they are on the beneficial receiving and of the theft.

Jupiter said...

I believe the term "commercial" is short for "commercial announcement" or "commercial message". Wherefore, a political exhortation is not a "commercial".
May I suggest, that were you to choose a more appropriate term, you might better convey what exactly you find objectionable. It would seem that you are accusing the woman of some species of insincerity. But I can't agree that a performance becomes insincere, merely by being practiced or rehearsed. Are you suggesting that she is a paid performer, and is saying things that she doesn't mean?

Jupiter said...

THAT's interesting! I mistakenly typed "of" instead of "or" in that comment. So I decided to delete it and post a corrected version. But knowing how flakey blogger is, I chose to post the correction first, and then delete the old version. And blogger simply replaced the old version with the new. How do you suppose that works?

hombre said...

“ It must be disheartening to realize, at the age of 74, that everything you taught for most of your career has been thrown out the window in a couple of weeks.”

This is lefty logic bullshit from someone immune to intellectual growth. I was an elected Democrat for 20 years. The Party and its pet mediaswine are barely recognizable since the Obama Presidency. For example, who would have expected them to saddle us with a demented President for four years and expected us not to notice? We noticed. Althouse noticed. There is no seismic shift here, just a commitment to common sense.

Harun said...

Ann, are you aware that people get paid to do social media content now?

Like actual real money?

So, yes, it will be done well, with a script.

And yes, pretty people will have an advantage.

Freder Frederson said...

Ann does a great job allowing freedom of speech.

I never said she didn't. I said her insistence that she is applying "cruel neutrality" and that she is somehow above partisan posturing is bullshit.

Freder Frederson said...

Althouse said...But *I'm* not a propaganda outlet. Nobody is leveling that accusation.

I am.

Freder Frederson said...

This is lefty logic bullshit from someone immune to intellectual growth.

How about this for a thought exercise. If Harris had won, and she decided that she was going to appoint George Soros to do exactly what Musk is doing, how would the conversation be different on this website?

I would be objecting just as strongly, but I imagine all of your heads would be exploding (including Althouse's) and complaining about the gross unconstitutional actions taken.

Marcus Bressler said...

I've taught Public Speaking at the collegiate level. I'm not an actor. But I could do a TikTok similar to that. Just write a script, rehearse, and maybe do several takes. That is SO much easier for many people than getting up in front of a group.

Enigma said...

I've heard that Chinese social media is absolutely packed with young, beautiful, nationalistic women who spout anti-USA and anti-foreign propaganda. @Althouse indeed notes the double-edged sword of being young and beautiful and female: Many people will watch no matter what you say and many don't even care what you say. Many will suspect you are paid for your services.

@Howard is also correct about natural selection: Those with superior reproductive fitness are often really strong both physically and mentally.

Gusty Winds said...

Freder said... If Harris had won, and she decided that she was going to appoint George Soros to do exactly what Musk is doing, how would the conversation be different on this website?

SWING AND A MISS!!! 1) Both Harris and Soros are in on the liberal driven corruption and theft. 2) Harris didn't win. 3) Auditing the Federal Gov't and it's agencies is not unconstitutional. 4) Stealing from the American taxpayer is illegal.

You must be benefiting from the theft.

Mary Beth said...

"Don't be so naive", says the woman who watched the Super Bowl for Musk's ads.

That rumor started with the TikTok account of @brianbanjo. A satire account.

ron winkleheimer said...

"How about this for a thought exercise. If Harris had won, and she decided that she was going to appoint George Soros to do exactly what Musk is doing"

I would think that they must have been replaced by pod people, and then I would cheer and applaud and thank the good LORD for that miracle. And when people tried to deny the existence of God I would ask them how else they could explain Harris and Soros trying to end government corruption and shrink the size and scope of government.

Peachy said...

The Democrat Party is an evil and corrupt religious cult.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

If Harris had won, and she decided that she was going to appoint George Soros to do exactly what Musk is doing, how would the conversation be different on this website?

I'll bite, Fredo.

Musk campaigned for and with Trump, including that memorable short speech at Butler, PA. They explicitly said what DOGE would do, even before Trump adopted that acronym. So we all knew or should have known what a "full audit" would look like.

Harris barely campaigned at all, was quite circumspect about what her priorities were and could not intelligently answer a question. Any question. She couldn't even address how she transitioned from "the first Indian-American senator" to being a "black vice-president" without calling the people racist for asking. So if she suddenly tried to slip Alex Soros (much more likely since he's a DC insider) or his decrepit old father into government there would be a very different reaction from normal Americans, because the situation is totally different and would have, typically for Harris, involved a lot of deception.

As it is "normal Americans (according to a CNN poll and a NYT poll) agree with the statement "Trump is doing what he was elected to do" by a 70-30 split, with even a majority among democrats agreeing.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Nice twist Ron. I perhaps left out that DOGE was discussed widely BEFORE the election. It was implied, but our local pendants do like to pounce and seize.

Fred Drinkwater said...

Freder,
Canonically, thought experiments must be at least theoretically possible.

Lazarus said...

Scripted? Sure. Probably by her boyfriend.

Leave him alone. He has his hands full as it is.

Lem Vibe Bandit said...

Don’t like the message, go after the messenger.

Rory said...

"Saturday's "Six Nations" England- France rugby match, however, was amazing!"

This was stunning! Well worth finding the highlights.

Freder Frederson said...

As it is "normal Americans (according to a CNN poll and a NYT poll) agree with the statement "Trump is doing what he was elected to do" by a 70-30 split, with even a majority among democrats agreeing.

And I would probably agree with that statement.

Of course, it doesn't address the issue of whether what Musk and Trump are doing is constitutional (and I would think Althouse would at least address that issue) or legal.

boatbuilder said...

And if she were an actress doing scripted propaganda for conservatives, how would it look different?

I don't understand the objection. Either it's truthful and effective, which makes it good "propaganda," or its dishonest, in which case it is subject to critical attack.

Just because it's delivered by a attractive person doesn't discredit it. Look at the political propaganda Hollywood puts out.

Freedom of Speech.

Rabel said...

Apparently, some people think that pretty girls can't also be smart.

Leland said...

My starting assumption is Soros did have access to Treasury data. If not directly, then he had enough manipulation of those that did to be irrelevant to my concerns. The difference is Trump’s transparency about what Musk is doing and the reasons for it.

Gusty Winds said...

From the purchase of Twitter, turning into X, and then getting involved in politics, Elon Musk is providing the most shocking transparent look inside the corruption that is our federal gov't. There are tens of thousands of holier than though criminals involved in all of it. What Musk has delivered so far is surface level corruption. It will get worse the deeper it goes.

boatbuilder said...

Bob Boyd 9:03--Hah!

boatbuilder said...

How about this for a thought exercise. If Harris had won, and she decided that she was going to appoint George Soros to do exactly what Musk is doing, how would the conversation be different on this website?

Well, in the unlikely event that Soros did "exactly what Musk is doing," and exposed a huge network of hidden payoffs and kickbacks using taxpayer funding under the guise of "humanitarian aid," I would applaud it. Even if (or perhaps especially if) the beneficiaries of the grift were alleged "conservatives".
So what is your problem with it, Freder?

Ann Althouse said...

"Why are so many of these sitting in their cars when filming?"

I think it's for the lighting -- all those windows --- and to shut out distractions and noises. But maybe also to look like they're out and about — active people — not sitting at home. And home might be messy or ugly. A car is a car, and if it's messy, the mess isn't in the part that's seen on camera.

Ann Althouse said...

If you knew someone was is getting money for coming to this blog and commenting, who would you guess that it was?

Ann Althouse said...

And who would be paying?!

Leland said...

The better social media content is scripted. Most will say so from time to time, because they want you to appreciate the effort to make it look effortless.

Ann Althouse said...

In the early days of blogging, one would get "swarmed." That involved a lot of people talking about you elsewhere on their sites. Trashing you. Intimidating you. Lying about you. Saying things about your family members. There was an effort to drive people — especially women — off the internet. And it worked to some extent. If you don't prioritize your blog, you would delete it... or turn it into some watered down story of your sweet little life in the country with horses or whatever.

Freder Frederson said...

If you knew someone was is getting money for coming to this blog and commenting, who would you guess that it was?

I wish it was me. What extreme narcissism level does it take to believe that someone would actually pay anyone to comment on your blog?

If it were the good old days, when you were still cheerleading for Bush and the Iraq War, I would guess Simon, and that Scalia was the one paying.

Rabel said...

One problem with the Hot/Crazy Matrix is that it doesn't account for outliers such as realsavannahlynn, Megyn Kelly, or a young Ann Althouse.

I'm almost certain that none of those are trannies.

walter said...

It was fun to unexpectedly see a local commercial I worked on in the mix. I also remember the breast cancer commercial, kinda for the wrong reasons.

Wa St Blogger said...

How about this for a thought exercise. If Harris had won, and she decided that she was going to appoint George Soros to do exactly what Musk is doing

In a way something like this did happen. In 2016, Trump was elected, and I thought he was just a Dem hiding in an R suit. I expected him to just govern like any other east coast Dem. But he didn't. He governed based on what was good for the people and so I became more supportive of him as time went on.

Had Harris and Soros started to govern in ways that I approved, I too would support them.

But your "exercise" is not about the results but in who is doing them. You assume that it is a "when our side does it" kind of issue, but it is not. We like Trump not for the R, but for the action. Your side only likes the letter, and don't care one whit about the action.

walter said...

https://www.redsharknews.com/how-many-cameras-will-be-used-on-super-bowl-lix

Wa St Blogger said...

"Why are so many of these sitting in their cars when filming?"

I think it's for the lighting -- all those windows --- and to shut out distractions and noises. But maybe also to look like they're out and about — active people — not sitting at home. And home might be messy or ugly. A car is a car, and if it's messy, the mess isn't in the part that's seen on


I don't think that is the reason at all. It's performative. These content creators have access to all the lighting tools they need to create what they want. They do it in the car because it evokes a spontaneous and unscripted vibe. It has worn out and is trite now, but it is supposed to suggest that it was something you just threw together with thoughts you got while riding in your car and had to just get out.

walter said...

Don't take Freder seriously. HE'S NOT USING CAPS!!

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Had Harris and Soros started to govern in ways that I approved, I too would support them.

You'd know you woke up in alternate universe. It is funny how the Left just slobbers all over that actual Nazi collaborator for access to his money.

Wa St Blogger said...

And who would be paying?!

Someone about 2 levels down for USAID?

My guess on who is being paid? It would be those who post uncredited talking points, and do not engage in substantive back and forth about an issue when asked. Or, those who criticize the who without discussing the what.

Krumhorn said...

How about this for a thought exercise. If Harris had won, and she decided that she was going to appoint George Soros to do exactly what Musk is doing, how would the conversation be different on this website?

Musk has actually built companies and things. Soros has never built more than a daily steaming pile of poo. Although he did try to corner the silver market at some point. In addition, Soros has been a major factor in creating the problem. He would be an unlikely candidate for this task. I can only imagine why you would think he would be.

- Krumhorn

Jaq said...

It's kind of amazing to discover that when we thought that Soros was privately funding his interference in US politics, the Secretary of State and prosecutor races, he wasn't. He was using USAID money.

So when Musk starts using USAID money to push his personal politics, you let us know Freder, and I will buy a sharpie and make a sign and meet you at the street protest.

Jaq said...

The funniest one I saw was a minister complaining that without USAID money, he was going to have to shut down his "ministry," which was dedicated to importing new Democrats, err I mean refugees into the United States.

There is an establishment clause in the First Amendment, isn't there? How is this constitutional?

rehajm said...

Ann does a great job allowing freedom of speech.

...but give credit where due- she does a great job shutting down speech she doesn't like when she wants to...

Dave Begley said...

Everyone should go to the Real Savannah Lynn's social media and watch her ride her horse and shoot ballons at the same time. Texas authentic.

Jim at said...

complaining about the gross unconstitutional actions taken.

Name one. Name just one unconstitutional action being taken by Trump and/or Musk.

You bitching and whining about exposing the billions and billions of dollars being flushed down the tube isn't unconstitutional. It's just you bitching.

So, name one. Or shut the fuck up.

wild chicken said...

I checked out after Girl Plays Football. Do they really believe any girl would be competitive against boys?

Gospace said...

A lot of people watched the Superbowl last night, eagerly awaiting the "ADS!". The Musk ones that didn't appear. They were all disappointed. Some would have watched anyway. One son would have- he was at a Superbowl party. Another wouldn't have but for awaiting the "ADS!". Me? I didn't watch it. Haven't for years. Or is it decades? Not sure- it's been a while.

I have to wonder if the NFL put out that misinformation themselves to increase ratings...

William said...

I' m with Begley. Parts of if looked amateurishly professional rather than professionally amateurish. That bit with the close ups. She looked like someone who had just invented a way to film exclamation marks......The sneeze looked a little suspicious. Like someone trying not sound rehearsed. But the contrived spontaneity had an amateur feel to it......I don't think professional ad people are that good at portraying amateurs.....I'm meta- cynical. I'm too cynical to believe that advertising people are that good at faking sincerity.

Mason G said...

Didn't make it through the video. If the goal was to be annoying, I'd say the girl was successful.

Enigma said...

@Mason G: Turn off the sound. I could not imagine being in a relationship with such a sharp-edged harpy, regardless of her political views.

Mason G said...

"Turn off the sound."

Doesn't help. Maybe it works for others but the exaggerated facial expressions and herky-jerky movement isn't at all appealing to me.

Post a Comment

Comments older than 2 days are always moderated. Newer comments may be unmoderated, but are still subject to a spam filter and may take a few hours to get released. Thanks for your contributions and your patience.