04/18/24
April 04, 2007
Frank Thomas strikes out with the Television Bureau of Canada: A commercial featuring new Toronto Blue Jay designated hitter Frank Thomas has been forced off the air. In the spot, Thomas swats a young boy off a bed in a pillow fight, an act the TBC deems too violent. Watch here on YouTube and decide for yourself.
The sheer, utter violence. Shocking in it's brutality. Please, give me a break. All the murder and bloodshed on network TV, and someone has the audacity to say this is too violent?
posted by dyams at 06:29 PM on April 04, 2007
Those Television Bureau of Canada needs to take a chill pill. The commercial was funny. It is no different than cartoon violence.
posted by bry66 at 06:46 PM on April 04, 2007
Dairy Queen can have their customers shoot flames out of their mouths. Molson Canadian ads show the use of a blatantly illegally curved hockey stick to retreive bottles of beer from the fridge and yet the Television Bureau of Canada finds this over the line? While typing this, I'm watching the Thrashers play the Caps. There was a TSN inhouse promo ad on. Two players are pillow fighting in that commercial, why is it not being pulled? Ovechkin! I'm shocked, nay, appalled! Aside to owlhouse, ........We got a diamond, we got nine men, got a bat, a ball, and that's not all......
posted by tommybiden at 07:04 PM on April 04, 2007
I don't understand.That little video is cute,sweet and funny.What violence? Just another reason to s can my TV when HD comes in. The little TV I see now is free and thats too expensive.
posted by sickleguy at 07:31 PM on April 04, 2007
Yeah, this is ridiculous. The ad was goofy and fine. Whaddya want? Let's play ball! There have been reports that the unedited version appeared Monday on Rogers Sportsnet, a private broadcaster. It did, during the opener. I'm a witness!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 08:02 PM on April 04, 2007
There have been reports that the unedited version appeared Monday Unedited? The straight footage with all the takes and outtakes and stuff? I'd like to see that. The Blue Jays must be totally thrilled. In the YouTube era, I imagine nothing gets your ad watched by more people than having it banned by some organization. I wonder how the TBC would feel about the new Padres ad that has a group of autograph-seeking kids being hot iron branded by Greg Maddux.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 09:14 PM on April 04, 2007
The most shocking thing to me in that ad is that Frank didn't rupture an achilles going up those stairs. I wonder how the TBC would feel about the new Padres ad that has a group of autograph-seeking kids being hot iron branded by Greg Maddux. Or the one where Mad Dog wins a friendly clubhouse bet and sells Trevor Hoffman's kids into chattel slavery.
posted by holden at 09:35 PM on April 04, 2007
I see why the Television Bureau of Canada pulled the ad. I really do. Actually, I hear why they pulled it. When you hit people with pillows, it does not sound like a Bruce Lee movie. And the fact that it's a kid... (Also, why the hell is Thomas prancing? It's kind of disturbing.) But, no, I wouldn't have pulled it.
posted by forrestv at 11:21 PM on April 04, 2007
If the kid hadn't got up at the end, then fine. I could MAYBE, POSSIBLY see a slight point, but the kid is clearly fine. It's not like he took a bat to the kid. Fuck off TBC.
posted by Drood at 02:09 AM on April 05, 2007
The most shocking thing to me in that ad is that Frank didn't rupture an achilles going up those stairs. Classic! I was truly expecting the boy to fly out the window, and was surprised that he didn't. I know I've knocked my boy off of the bed in a pillow fight and he's fine, so what's the big deal? Lighten up, TBC.
posted by wingnut4life at 04:33 AM on April 05, 2007
(Also, why the hell is Thomas prancing? It's kind of disturbing.) That's just his little homerun trot he does everytime he hits a deep one. I just saw the commercial and it seems totally harmless. I see plenty of other commercials that so happen to have either sex or violence or both to sell their product.
posted by BornIcon at 06:37 AM on April 05, 2007
That's pretty harmless. Also - even cheeky. Too bad the suits didn't feel the same way. Hopefully Frank doesn't take this too hard and, you know, do his sulk-suck routine. Probably not, but I'm putting it out there. That said, I'll take Canadian TV broadcast standards over that of our lovely American counterparts anyday. Why? One word: Tits. We get network tities after 9 PM, swearing (unedited) content most of the time and noooooodity all the time on the specialty channels that are part of the basic cable package. God bless it. Talk about an important part of my informal education.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:26 AM on April 05, 2007
We get network tities after 9 PM, swearing (unedited) content most of the time and noooooodity all the time.... We get FOX too!!
posted by BornIcon at 08:49 AM on April 05, 2007
The Rangers are planning their own version of the same commercial, except in theirs, Sammy Sosa swings the pillow at a kid and misses.
posted by dyams at 08:51 AM on April 05, 2007
Question is: Is the pillow goose down or corked?
posted by BornIcon at 09:18 AM on April 05, 2007
In the words of the immortal GZA, "Tommy ain't my mother----in' boy."
posted by Venicemenace at 10:14 AM on April 05, 2007
In the words of the immortal GZA, "Tommy ain't my mother----in' boy." Liquid Sword: Labels That's a classic joint, Venice
posted by BornIcon at 10:38 AM on April 05, 2007
I agree BI. In general, that first round of Wu solo albums is just incredible. Unfortunately, the post now makes no sense, because TommyBoy's idiotic post got deleted, and it sounds like I'm dissing Frank Thomas. Ah well. Personally, I thought the ad was mildly amusing, definitely not offensive, maybe a touch weird, but nothing to get worked up about either way. It's nowhere near as funny as that SNL clip of Peyton destroying little kids with his laser rocket arm.
posted by Venicemenace at 10:52 AM on April 05, 2007
It's nowhere near as funny as that SNL clip of Peyton destroying little kids with his laser rocket arm. Venice, now that was a funny segment. Especially at the end when he says something to the effect that they can come to over to his mansion then says, 'I'm only fucking with you'
posted by BornIcon at 11:10 AM on April 05, 2007
Its funny, but I suppose I could understand why it was taken off. Actually its really funny, but when you put it into perspective- its some huge guy nailing a tiny little child off the bed. Funny but wrong, kinda like A pregame show with Tim McCarver as the host.
posted by Kendall at 04:51 PM on April 05, 2007
I fail to see the harm in a slapstick style routine such as this. I grew up watching Warber Brothers Cartoons and after my first TNT/Acme Rocket skate related arrest, I learned that volince like this don't fly in the real world. I don't think Canadian kids are stupidier than I. PS huge thumbs on the Genius reference.
posted by HATER 187 at 10:44 PM on April 05, 2007
I have a feather pillow that if hit with it, would damn near knock you out. Pillow fights are fun no matter who is involved. Someone really needs to take a chill pill.
posted by dbt302 at 08:25 AM on April 06, 2007
I grew up watching Warber Brothers Cartoons I grew up watching cartoons myself but I remember the Warner Bros. cartoon with the 'TNT/ACME Rocket skate', I've never heard of Warber Bros. I have a feather pillow that if hit with it, would damn near knock you out. Pillow fights are fun no matter who is involved Please tell me that was a joke~
posted by BornIcon at 09:22 AM on April 06, 2007
The whole thing looks kosher to me. I think he should have made the kid fly outta the house. I think the director did not take any chances. Don't want to offend anyone.
posted by Kamarsun at 11:43 AM on April 07, 2007
In the first place, I want Dr John Evans to tell me if I should watch that, rather than the Television Bureau of Canada. And I can't get 'Let's Go Blue Jays' out of my head since he put it on his SpoFi CD Swap.