Viva Viagra

If you've not seen the commercial, check it out here...

Ah... You're back. What did you think?

Apparently, others have noted this commercial and hate it - I would guess that most of those would be the ones who don't really watch TV, but have it on as background noise; and those who think Elvis was a god; and those who think that songs cannot be parodied or certain songs or those by certain people should not be used in ANY commercials. I was looking around on the net to figure out 1) who sang the song; and 2) who were the actors in the commercial (and did THEY sing it?) Although there are about 50,000 Google-searched links out there that mention "Viva Viagra", only one place mentioned that it MIGHT be "the Swinging Johnsons/Johnson Brothers" singing it. (And THAT might very well be a tongue-in-cheek reply!) But in leafing through the pages of the Google results and spot-checking a few, I found a lot of people don't like the commercial!

• Some think it's creepy... There are a buncha guys in an old garage or shop, singing about Viagra, and there's not a chick in sight! But they say nothing about all the other garage bands out there, who practice without their girlfriends, wives, kids, etc. And many of them still do sing love songs. Why isn't THAT creepy? LOL
• Some think it's irresponsible of Pfizer to promote Viagra this way - You know... a fun, well-done parody of a popular song, with no mention that Viagra doesn't stop STDs. Well, I like this approach MUCH better than the creepy 50s father with the adoring wife and stupid open-mouth grin on his face because he's FOUND Viagra! GEEZE! Talk about creepy!
• Still others think it promotes the use of Viagra as a "recreational" drug, for those who don't have ED, especially using the Viva Las Vegas song... That except for one or two of the guys in the commercial, most are in the late 40s and early 50s and shouldn't NEED it. (After all... Didn't Bob Dole and a couple of other octagenarians advertise it?) Well, think about this... There are other diseases and treatments that otherwise healthy men of ANY age can "get" and have, that can cause ED - diabetes and high blood-pressure to name two. There are also medical treatments that can cause ED. If Viagra or one of the other ED drugs can be used and help, if YOU had the problem, wouldn't YOU want to use them?
• And there are those that think Viagra is too well-known to advertise. Are you shitting me? What about Aspirin? Doesn't EVERYBODY know that aspirin can help when you're having a stroke or heart attack? Doesn't EVERYBODY know that it helps aches and pains? So why are THEY still advertising? Doesn't EVERYBODY know know that BEEF... is for dinner? That milk does a body good? That Wonder Bread helps build strong bones? That Pork is the "other white meat"? That... So why are we still seeing advertisements for them?

Personally, I like it. I know... I know... I've just blasphemed about the god Elvis and his works, but forget THAT for a moment... and forget for a moment that it's a Viagra commercial - The song is really well-done... The edits in the commercial are well-done... The actors in the commercial (I swear I've seen at least 3-4 of them in SOMETHING (separately, of course)), "fit the part", look like they're really singing the song (if they aren't), and are obviously having a blast being in a band. (All you guys and girls my age who used to play an instrument, or still do, and aren't IN a band... Doesn't it make you want to try to start a band like that? And NO... We would NOT be singing "Viva Viagra"!) And you and those who are CURRENTLY in bands - Don't you wish you had a place out in the boonies where you could practice without the neighbors limiting when you could, and possi-proba-bly calling the cops on you for being loud?

Give it a break and get over it. It's a freaking commercial. If you can't sit through 30-60 seconds of something you don't like... It's almost as bad as those people who change channels on the radio when a song they don't like plays... It's only going to be on for 3-5 minutes. Turn it down enough to just hear when it's over! GEEZE! If you don't like a commercial, when it starts, pick your butt up off the couch and go to the bathroom... Let or take the dog out... Go to the kitchen and get a drink or something to munch on... Read a story in the paper... SOMETHING... And QUICHERBICHIN!

Oh, yeah... Anyone know who sings the song and who the actors in the commercial are? I'd really like to know.

Speaking of drug commercials - Has anyone else noticed the prolifieration of drug dealers on the street? Sure... They're over-the-counter drugs, but they are still drug dealers giving out "free samples", right? The Zantac (FAST) guy? All those people who notice a family member/friend/collegue in distress and say "try this" medicine? Anyone remember the Phillips Milk of Magnesia lady? Why isn't anyone going after them. And no... Those advertising a drug by describing it are not the same. Think about it.

Ok... 'nuff for now.

-wds