Dirty Dancing

 

By Elaine Viets

Have you seen this French ad? The hot pink male stripper in the video has been viewed by more than 4.6 million people on YouTube. Last time I checked, some 11,000 viewers liked the ripped stripper.

Here’s what puzzled me. Some 200 disliked him.

Why? He’s not even a real person. He's a laser image. The dude doffs his duds in such a lighthearted way. Who could possibly be offended?

Men, that’s who. Okay, some men. This comment from TSLlol was typical. I’ll call him Mr. T.

"Wait a second . . . us males get dissed on for liking anime girls," Mr. T grumped. "But it’s totally normal for women to get wet over a laser silhouette guy?"

Uh, I know it’s a commercial for bottled water, Mr. T, but I wouldn’t describe my reaction as "wet." Amused, maybe. Tingly, possibly. But I require a flash of real flesh for anything stronger. Consider Chris Hemsworth, the star of  "Thor." Chris is beefier than Blond Bond, yet humorous and sensitive. I really admire his quirky eyebrow. You can see it here. 

 

But I wandered away from this state-of-the-art discussion of sexism. Mr. T doesn’t think it’s fair that women can drool over laser strippers in the streets of Paris while men are branded piggy chauvinists for eyeing a little anime.

Flopcat98 answered him back with this comment: "it’s a commercial," Ms. Flop said. "girls in commercials get wet over a new stain remover. But you have to admit its a lot better than those american commercials with the mid west bible banging censers."

Bible banging censers? I thought it was Bible thumping censors, but I’m not arguing with a freedom-loving sister. I admire her devil-may-care spelling and punctuation. I know Ms. Flop is a female. She appreciates the playful artistry of this virtual stripper.

Personally, I pity the poor TV commercial drudges who get excited over stain removers. Stain removers don’t make the earth move for me – they don’t even cause a teeny shudder in my lint trap.

But Mr. T is correct: There is a double standard for the sexes. Life isn’t fair. Deal with it, dude. You don’t see me picketing Hooters or the Blue Martini. I think those places are Oink Central. Hooters is a stare-cation for the beer-and-boobs boys. The Blue Martini is aimed at suits who like their martinis dirty and their bartenders busty.

The results are the same, no matter how you look at it. The patrons are prime porkers. But as a true post-feminist, if women want to make their living that way, that's their business.

Mr. T, if there was any justice, the bottled water company would put up a virtual stripper babe for the boys, and we’d get to see Parisian men working their exercise cycles to watch a woman take it off.

I’m in favor of equal exploitation of the sexes. But that’s not what the company is peddling. Or is it pedaling?

Sigh. There’s never a copy editor around when you need one.

 

Comments

[Karen in Ohio]

The funny thing about Ms. Flop's flop is that a censer is the metal canister of smoking incense that a priest--generally in close proximity to a Bible--swings during certain religious ceremonies.

Thor's hammer is ridiculous. It looks like it's made out of plastic. But Thor? Hot, hot, hot.

Those 200 guys? Wish women would scream and clap for them to doff their duds.

[Reine]

Haha, I think Laser Pink Man is cute. Maybe the 200 are upset about the ment in the square who are cheering him on. Funny.

[William]

As a guy, I thought the whole thing was funny as hell. Not that I subscribe to objectifying women as sexual objects, but just curious Elaine, where is this Blue Martini place? I mean, it would only be fair to check it out...:)

[William]

On second thought, I'm gonna pass on researching the Blue Martini. A quick look at their website revealed this:

SPECIALTY MARTINIS:

007
Bacardi "0", Orange Juice, 7-up

Yikes! Not even close. Bacardi "0" is RUM, fer crissakes. Rum, OJ, 7-Up? That's not even a Martini. And they *dare* call it "007"??

[Joshilyn Jackson]

OH he is charming!

ANd the women ---and men---watchign are PLAYING. No one is making actual faces and motions like LAZER LIGHT SEX DESPERATES, because ew. That would NOT be charming. That woudl be...weird. The people are being silly and naughty. It's hilarious and very well done.

[Elaine Viets]

Oh, William, you do not want to go to the Blue Martini. Some of the drinks they call "martinis" should have little paper umbrellas. Bond would weep.
Agreed, Karen, Thor's hammer is silly. It's a sign that Chris is a good actor that he can take is seriously.
Joss and Reine, I knew you'd be charmed by Laser Man.

[Alan P.]

There most certainly is a double standard. I don't really care. It is a fun ad. It would never last five viewings in the US. As a guy, I live with the double standard. It goes with being made to look a fool in dozens of ads and every sitcom since the Cosby Show. The really insulting ads don't get to see my money.

The sexism double standard is created completely by "women's leaders." The ones that say Hooter's is outrageous and Guess jean ads are porn, find nothing wrong with the Diet Coke guy or this pink stripper dude.

It is sacrilege that anything poured into a triangular stem glass is a Martini.

Yo William, did you notice there seem to be a lot of hot women (real not neon) hopping on bikes in Paris? Oh-la-la!

[Elaine Viets]

Alan, Don has never recovered from seeing a chocolate-tini. Can't say I blame him.
And I'm tired of the ads and sitcoms that stereotype men as beer-loving louts. Hardly describes the men of the blog, does it?

[Juanita Olson]

I loved this ad. It was funny and entertaining. There are commercials on tv that make me laugh out loud. We all need some fun in our life and pink neon man was fun.

[Elaine Viets]

I agree, Juanita. But don't you think there should be a pink neon woman, done in the same playful style? It's only fair. And we could watch the cute Parisian guys peddling their exercise bikes. A win-win situation.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Okay, digression, but Elaine, the martini thing. I agree! It's only a martini if its gin and a whiff of vermouth. MAYBE vodka and a whiff of vermouth. Olive, twist.

Other than that, though, NOT a martini.

Anything that has a color? No. Sugar, no, chocolate, no, cranberries, no. I could go on, but I won't.

[Storyteller Mary]

. . . so no pumpkin pie martinis for you guys, eh?
I think this laser guy is cute, and what an incentive to exercise! He is also quite tame compared to the much more prevalent display of female bodies in so many aspects of our culture. I remember fondly the conversation my then-husband had with a telephone survey person about Black Velvet -- "no, I would never buy that. Why? Well, your ads are so demeaning to women that I doubt my wife could stand having it in the house." I guess the 200 angry guys won't buy that brand of water.

[Karen in Ohio]

Well now. A chocolatini may not actually be a martini, but as an alcoholic dessert it is mighty fine, especially when shared with a bunch of girlfriends.

[Amy]

The novelty is fun. France is a good place for that ad. I wish the U.S. could get over its sexual hangups.

I have never had a martini. My dad used to order them a lot. I probably had a sip of his while I was still in single digits but I don't really remember.

May I ask some advice totally unrelated to this post? Here I go asking. Sorry about the hijack. I just feel like the people on here have good heads and I need some good heads right now.

My daughter is 12, just started at the middle school, and is completely miserable. She isn't having much luck making friends because she's gotten so shy recently. She used to be so outgoing and pretty much everyone wanted to be her friend. Now she cries every day. She is involved in out-of-school activities she enjoys, but her school doesn't offer any activities besides volleyball, basketball and track – yuck, to her mind – so she doesn't have any opportunity to get to know kids other than in class. The kids can't even sit with their friends at lunch. They have to sit with their homerooms. What do I do for her? What should she do?

[Elaine Viets]

Amy, email me at [email protected] and I'll devote my upcoming Sunday blog to your question.

[Elaine Viets]

ANSWERING AMY'S QUESTION: TLCers -- let's work on that issue this Sunday. It's important and deserves a great deal more thought.
I think our back bloggers could be a real help to Amy.

[Elaine Viets]

About those martinis -- chocolate and alcohol is a wonderful combination. But I'm a purist on martinis. Call me old-fashioned . . .no, that's another drink.

[Marie]

This is ad is funny and cute.
As a sixties housewife I confess MR CLEAN was a turn on for me.
I mean, who could resist an apparition where a sunshine yellow beam produced a guy who could swoop down and clean your counter tops, fridge, stove and floor. When hubby came home he became suspicious when I still had a smile on my face while holding a liquid cleaner..those were the days, my friends.
I have to admit I am an insipid prude but I am still here and by god I know I will never change. But give me a cleaning hunk and I'll take him.

[Elaine Viets]

Marie, you've heard about the woman who wants two men at once: one to cook and one to clean?
That's me.

[Cyranetta]

I loved the add and the tag line about maybe getting thinner if it were fun, and I'd be all for an equal opportunity for "les gars".

The comparison with anime I found a little off-target, because my impression of a lot of anime is not just that the women are portrayed in an overtly sexual manner, but that they are also portrayed (at least facially) in a juvenile fashion, which raises some issues.

[Elaine Viets]

It is off-target, Cyranetta. In fact,the whole argument -- laser guy vs. comic book girl -- is weird. But fun to talk about.

[lil Gluckstern]

Oh piffle, I refuse to exercised over something that was fun and clever...

[Marie]

The annoying ad that a TV announcer shouted that "Nineteen million viewers tuned in to watch "Last Man Standing" proved that fathers on sitcoms have definitely done a 360 degree turn in family reactions.
Ward Cleaver took time to guide his sons and did not disparage them or humiliate them.
Tim Allen in "Last Man Standing" alludes to his daughter who is a single mom that she indeed needed a man once.
I find the family dynamics on today's shows a little appalling. Okay..we are not going back to "Father Knows Best" when he calls his daughter "Kitten" and "Princess" but there has to be a more intelligent way to deal with offspring IMHO.

[Alan P.]

Karen

http://www.adultchocolatemilk.com/

Amy, Princess One is ten. See you on Sunday.

[Harley]

Just last week I bought a THOR t-shirt for my best friend. Love that guy.

Amy, I'm all ears and i have a new middle-school-aged daughter, so this topic is dear to my heart, and let's meet up on Sunday.

[Karen in Ohio]

Alan, oh, yum. Mary Storyteller would love that stuff.

In February I went to Phoenix with two girlfriends, to visit another friend. We had "girls' camp" for several days, and one of our many fun activities was to go to a fabulous chocolate store and have chocolate "martinis" together. These had vodka, Bailey's, and Godiva liqueur, with a rim dipped in dark chocolate. And each one was close to $20! I nearly fainted.

They were really too much. One would have been plenty for the four of us.

Amy, you're a good mom for wanting to help your daughter get over this rough patch. And she will. I promise.

[Elaine Viets]

Adult Chocolate Milk -- now that's an honest drink.
Karen and Alan, I'm counting on you to help Amy on Sunday.

[Storyteller Mary]

Oh, I think I would love that drink -- I love the chocolate wine Karen brought! and I like putting a "thimbleful of spirits" in warm milk to encourage sleep.
I also liked that ad -- very danceable.
The Apple store geniuses have restored the iBook (heretofore known as Lazarus) and they are teaching me to do cool things with the MacAir . . . I still have much to learn
(and then there's the Kindle from Rod for working on _The Gathering Darkness_).
Learning all this stuff is good for the brain, I'm told, but I am beginning to want to curl up and nap instead.

[Storyteller Mary]

Amy, I'll do my best to be here Sunday, but I have to ask -- no activities except sports???? no drama, journalism, art club? I don't see how that can be, and it's something I would work to change immediately . . .

[Elaine Viets]

See you all on Sunday -- and enjoy your chocolate in any form, back bloggers.

[Amy]

Thanks, everyone. Looking forward to Sunday!

[Reine]

I look forward to Sunday, too. Hold on, Amy. Most of us have probably been there with our kids, if not our selves.

[Laraine]

I took about ten years getting to my first 'real' martini . . . with beer and rum and old-fashioneds and various other minor drinks on the way. But, after a 'real' martini, you are all right about the fact that chocolate, cherries, cranberries, color, sugar, etc. has no place in a 'tini glass. Seriously, people.

But, back to the topic: I just saw this video for the first time, and thought it was a hoot. I'd love to see the men pedaling away for the female laser chic doing a similar routine . . . playful and fun and silly.

Brava, Elaine, for Sunday's topic. Bet there's gonna be a lot of insight and compassion served up then.