Jimmy Johnson as a spokesperson for Extenze is a little creepy and a little funny. But as a female reporter, I found this commercial offensive and I'm airing my views here.
At least they didn't dress her up as a tramp.
Update: Here was my response when VOTC asked me why on Facebook:
I know I am more sensitive to this type of thing than other people because I work in the industry. The second half is worse. I don't care for the mock interview or her being interested in his penis. There are so many speed bumps and road blocks as a woman in this industry that even something that may seem benign could have repercussions.
When I am working, I conduct myself in a professional manner and that doesn't include me ever asking someone about enhancing their penis.
Why did they not get a male counterpart asking if it really works? Why did it have to be a female reporter? Is she looking to get some for her own partner? If so, why is she discussing her personal life at the workplace. ... See More
Perhaps I'm different. I don't talk about my personal life at work. I'm also more sensitive to this subject because she is representing who I am, a female reporter in the sports industry.
I have to agree with you... It does come off as a bit insulting to professional women. If in the workplace, and the roles were reversed they'd call it chauvinistic behavior at best, sexual harassment at worst.
ReplyDeleteAt least the product has an application for the sex appeal angle; those GoDaddy commercials are just as sexist, and stopped being interesting, much less lamely "daring", forever ago.
ReplyDeleteWhat seems most sexist about the ad is not the relatively subtle insinuation that Jimmy may be angling for action from a much-too-young colleague.
It's the weak, ding-dong, and cartoonish way the model/actress portrays "being a reporter". To me, that implies that the quality of the job she does is vapid and shallow. Even if Jimmy wasn't there, that fact does more to undermine an inherent sense of professionalism and seriousness that the job commands in reality.
I also wish that Jimmy would stop waving his hands around when he talks. He looks like a Toastmasters amateur. I don't need all that shimmying to understand his emphasis.
I'd ask him either to make some lit candles pop out of his hands, or stop already.
When it comes to commercials, or television in general for that matter, I kind of expect things to be "lowest common denominator" most of the time. I expect so little out of it that things like this tend to go unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteFor all of the leaps forward we have made as a species in other areas it is VERY sad to see that we have not really come that far at all in the one that matters the most.
It is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek as 'ha, ha,' but yes it is SEXIST and does stereotype women in the media [whether you are a sideline reporter or a reporter covering the sports beat for your local paper]
ReplyDeleteas angling for something more than just the scoop.
Laurens - I think the point we are making here is we know it is supposed to be "tongue-in-cheek, ha-ha", unfortunately, its not funny.
ReplyDelete