Emily J. sent us a link to a segment of “That’s Gay” from the TV show Infomania. In this piece, Bryan Safi takes a look at a number of recent commercials that ridicule men for being insufficiently hetero-masculine:
For other examples, see homophobia as gender policing, Brut lets you slap the Old Spice guy, mocking a hockey player with femininity, lite beer makes you girly, McCoys crisps give lessons on being a real man, Cosmo warns against turning your guy into a girlie man, Dockers issues guys a man-ifesto, are you manly enough to wear BVDs?, and a whole bunch of stereotypes about masculinity in advertising.
Comments 13
Danny — February 2, 2011
Getting ahead of the transcription bubble.
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It only takes thirty seconds to piss of Bryan Safi… Thirty seconds of commercial time, that is. He is mad as hell and he is not going to take anymore! Here he is, with this weeks edition of “That’s Gay.
[Music Intro] Narrator: That’s Gay.
Commercial: Hello, Ladies. Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me—
Safi: Hello advertisers. Look at your brand, now back to me, now back at your brand, now back to me. I’m gay. And even though gays are more likely to have more disposable income for things like your brand, people like me are of no interest to you. Like the ones in this race car ad.
Ad voice over: Yep, he’s one of ours. They’re… not.
Safi: [spits out drink] I never swallow. Just a couple of years ago the metro sexual was king. Or… Queen. But now American advertisers have a clear new message. “Masculinity is in crisis!” So bring back the real men and smear those queers!
Budlight ad: Exchange one metrosexual for one Budlight man.
Woman: Yes.
Metrosexual: Oh, wait wait, what? Ahh!
Ad voiceover: manicures, pedicures, matching belts; shoes; and watches? Please. Just give me my Brut. Brut. The essence of man.
Safi: Brut. For guy’s who think showering is gay. Now, advertisers don’t want to be blatantly anti-gay in their ads. So commercials employ subtle humor. Like [laughing] have you heard the one about the sissy who walks into a bar?
Commercial man: Can I get a light beer?
Commercial woman: Sure! Do you care how it tastes?
Man: No, I don’t really care.
Woman: Well when you start caring just take off your skirt and I’ll give you a Miller Light.
Male voiceover: Man-up. Because if you’re drinking a light beer without great pilsner taste, you’re missing the point of drinking light beer.
Safi: We’re here, we’re queer, and we don’t drink beer. Judging by these next ads, being a real man is all about clogging your arteries.
Tough guy: You eat that wussy sandwich and we all take a hit.
Other tough guy: That ain’t man food.
Third tough guy: This is man food!
Tough guy: It’s Arby’s steak house toasted sub. Thinly sliced roast beef topped with swiss, crispy onions, and a zesty cracked peppercorn sauce.
Safi: Nothing says, “I am totally heterosexual” like zesty cracker peppercorn sauce! You can choose to ignore these man rules, but I wouldn’t advise it. Being a sissy has violent consequences.
Mr. T: Speed walking!? I pity you fool! You’re a disgrace to the man race! It’s time to run like a real man! Take that speed walker. You do it again [walker] and that’s gonna be trouble with a capital Mr. T!
Voice over: Snickers! Get some nuts!
Safi: Is it me or is Mr. T totally trying to get his nuts in that guys ass? Hey! Don’t snicker, that’s social commentary. I can’t figure out if this next ad condemns sissy’s or animal lovers.
Man on commercial: [garbled car talk]
Guy in green shirt: Hey, look at that little dog. Well you’re just a fluffy little doggy. Come here I’ll rub your little belly. Yeah. [gets crushed by beer can]
Voice over: Men should act like men.
Safi: He should have kept his attention on the crank shaft. So girly men, watch your backs. And straight dudes, enjoy your ads.
Old spice man: Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady. I’m on a horse.
Safi: Oh, for the record? That contoured Adonis mounting that muscular stallion? Super gay.
Thank you Bryan. Although there’s nothing gay about a shirtless guy going horseback riding. I do that every sunset. Watch info mania’s half hour show every Thursday night at 10:00 p.m. on Current tv.
Syd — February 2, 2011
Real men don't pet adorable dogs, they drink terrible beer with zero redeeming qualities! :D
ultradawn — February 2, 2011
some points are being missed here... many of these ads are blatantly sexist, not to mention the homophobic. to put down a man is a skirt is a putdown on women- it says women are not as good as men. And it says that women must expose skin (their legs, not to mention cleavage) and present as sex objects, while men simply need to be strong (and handsome, but that's
SamR — February 2, 2011
Did Mr. T call that runner a cracker?
jenna — February 3, 2011
I'm actually unsure about the placement of the Old Spice ads with these. For quite some time, Old Spice has been placing itself as the official anti-Axe, mocking the ideology that men must be sex-obsessed, self-focused asshats.
mordicai — February 3, 2011
I miss being able to watch Current.TV on Hulu or on their website. Sigh. infoMania & Rotten Tomatoes (back in the day) were both so so great.
links for 2011-02-19 « Embololalia — February 19, 2011
[...] Bryan Safi on Homophobia and Masculinity in Marketing » Sociological Images Safi: Hello advertisers. Look at your brand, now back to me, now back at your brand, now back to me. I’m gay. And even though gays are more likely to have more disposable income for things like your brand, people like me are of no interest to you. Like the ones in this race car ad. (tags: advertising lgbt men) LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]
Remember, men can’t handle seeing tampons « facilegestures — April 5, 2011
[...] from the emasculating activity of shopping for products for their appearance and presentation. As Gwen Sharp at Sociological Images has pointed out, this sort of discourse that “ridicule[s] men for being insufficiently [...]