TresSugar

Sarah Haskins on Birth Control Pill Ads

GiggleSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:00:23 -0700

I never noticed until Sarah Haskins (my new comedic hero) points it out here, but, ads for birth control pills never talk about their main selling point: you can have sex without getting pregnant! It's always about controlling or eliminating your period. She snarks, "Well, now we don't have to leave the tribe and go sit in that hut for a week. That was a bummer!" And as for the "small comfortable once monthly vaginal ring"? Umm, I'll pass.

Say What? Sarah Haskins Rages Against the Machine

TresSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

“As the Internet and TV and movies all become one scary machine in your living room, it’s important that we all have some level of media literacy."

- Sarah Haskins, who sends up ads directed at women in her amazing Target Women clips on Current TV. She thinks advertisers show how clueless they are about women by doing two incompatible things at once: "trying to still use some of the traditional gender roles, while also trying to match the changes . . . in the past 40 to 50 years."

The Harsh Truth About Craigslist Missed Connections

TresSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Have you ever spied your dream lover in the frozen food section of Trader Joe's but were too shy to start a conversation or flirt? Maybe you were moved to post a prose poem on Craigslist's oddball "Missed Connections" section, writing to that person in the hopes that they would read your true feelings, remember who the hell you were, and contact you.

Still don't understand what Missed Connections is? Here's what the superharsh Craigslist genie has to say about it: "If you’re too much of a mush-butt to approach a person in the real world, you post an ad on Craigslist hoping that person is a pathetic loser who goes on to Craigslist and searches for losers who are searching for him.” Ouch!

There’s much to recommend this video, but just when you think the hilarity is done with, the real comedy comes in. This poor, shy soul's cat starts dissing her, calling her a “cat lady” and asking why she wears such long skirts. Sigh. Maybe this is what cats are all really thinking when they sit there and stare at us!

Jon Stewart: So You Think You Can Douche?

TresSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:00:00 -0700

First acknowledging that he made a living bashing George W. Bush, Jon Stewart explored how cable news personalities are currently attacking President Obama. On last night's Daily Show Jon premiered a new segment - called "So You Think You Can Douche" - featuring highlights from Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Lou Dobbs. Enjoy this recap of the douchiness taking over TV from America's most trusted man in news.

Book Bag: The Big Rewind, a Pop Culture Memoir

TresSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:00:36 -0700

On more than one occasion, I've imagined what song would make the perfect soundtrack for a moment I'm currently living. One of my friends' favorite party topics is who would play us in our hypothetical biopics. We are a pop-culture obsessed culture, comparing our realities to that of reality TV stars and voraciously devouring VH1 specials and The Soup.

Naturally, I love the idea of The Big Rewind: A Memoir Brought to You by Pop Culture by The Onion arts and entertainment writer Nathan Rabin. The book tells Rabin's autobiography through the context of the songs, books, movies, and other diversions that defined his youth.

If you're still looking for something to read this month, Rabin's memoir sounds pretty rich. Each episode is tied to a specific song, book, or show, whether it's a story about tripping on mushrooms at the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam or a stay in a mental hospital that's compared to Girl, Interrupted. To read some of what Rabin has to say about the power of pop culture, read more.

Like an ideal family, our personal pantheon will never let us down. Ella Fitzgerald's version of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" will never abandon you. Belle and Sebastian's If You're Feeling Sinister will never run off with your best friend. John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces will never tell you that it finds the prospect of having sex with you less appealing than watching back-to-back reruns of The Golden Girls.

It sounds as if many of Rabin's cultural references are also my own. But what would be the movies, books, TV shows, and more that would shape the story of your life?

Briefing Book! Carls Jr. Specializes in Sexist TV Ads?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:30:37 -0700

Carl's Jr. has the sexist TV ads thing down. - Current
The Hills has always been a long drama about the disintegration of female friendships. - The XX Factor
Eminem's new video features the rapper's Sarah Palin fantasy. - PopSugar
Iraq's women find empowerment in baseball! - Lemondrop
Obama's Turkish town hall has MTV feeling. - Politico
President Bush emerges to throw pitch during Texas Rangers game. – Huffington Post

Group Therapy: I Don't Want a "Real" Job Anymore

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:00:00 -0800

I've been out of college for four years. I have a bachelor's degree in marketing, and have been employed at a well-known advertising firm ever since I graduated. I have an amazing salary, great benefits, and a prestigious job title, but the problem is I'm not happy with what I'm doing. I feel this job is sucking the life out of me. I work approximately 50 hours a week, and I have no time to enjoy life itself. I very rarely have a chance to experience sunlight, and I spend the majority of my waking hours staring at a computer screen. I feel that I have landed in a career that is entirely unsuitable for me.

I am an extremely creative-minded person, and I'm happiest when I'm writing and singing. I play the guitar and spent the majority of my free time in college doing open mic nights and jamming with friends, and I've become increasingly nostalgic for those days. I spend my entire day in the office dreaming about playing music, but by the time I get home, I'm too exhausted to do it! Every night I end up laying on the couch watching bad television. I don't have a boyfriend, and I very rarely have the energy to go out with my friends. I feel like I've become a ball of depression. I've spent a lot of time thinking about what I'm going to do to climb out of this fog I'm in, and the only thing I can seem to come up with is leaving my job. The problem is, I don't want another office job. My parents paid for me to go to college for four years, so I don't think they're going to be supportive of me quitting to "find myself." Also, with the economy the way it is right now, I feel kind of guilty for wanting to leave my well-paying job. I also feel like I'll be looked upon negatively by my college friends who all have high-powered jobs and are currently working their way up the corporate ladder. Is my head in the clouds, or should I try to fulfill my dreams?

[EDITOR'S NOTE: To read more GROUP THERAPY, click here or submit your own question here.]

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Station Censors Mistake in Debate & Fact-Checking Last Night

CitizenSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:00:02 -0700

This is an odd case of censoring that if applied at the debate last night, could have made things look very different. In a congressional debate in Pennsylvania, a TV station has censored remarks made by one of the candidates because they were erroneous. Bleeping out a mistake? Yep, because the statement was about the economy. She said that two major banks had failed - when actually they hadn't - a mistake uncorrected at the time by either her opponent or the moderator was zapped from the debate before it was broadcast.

The general manager of the station who made the decision (after consulting with the FCC and the NAB) said, ''In the end, we did not feel that broadcasting the names of the banks served the public in any way. Because of the economic times we're in . . .a statement on television can cause an immediate effect.'' The debate aired with a disclaimer approved by both candidates.

To see what could have happened if this fact-checking censoring were to have happened at the debate last night, read more.

McCain described Colombia as the "largest agricultural importer of our products." Actually? It's Canada.
Obama said all of McCain's ads have been negative. While that applied for one week recently, at times Obama has run a higher percentage of negatives.
McCain pegged Obama's health care proposal as "single-payer" based on a five-year-old quote. Obama's current proposal is not.
Obama said he's willing to break ranks with Democrats when he's voted with them 97 percent of the time since becoming a senator.

If you want more, the whole debate has been fact-checked so you can separate truth from . . . the bleepable. Is the notion of censoring mistakes a dangerous precedent? Was it OK in the example of the economy? If so, where's the line?

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Where the [First] Ladies At? Michelle and Cindy On the Trail

CitizenSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:00:40 -0700

Michelle Obama, with a fresh ink feature in the NYT, dropped by the Tonight Show last night in advance of Obama's 30-minute TV spot airing tomorrow night. She also joined the sisterhood of the traveling pants as it were, being understanding about Palin's current wardrobe conundrum. Michelle said, "A VP pick, it's like being shot out of a cannon. All of a sudden you're at the center of attention, and you want to look good. You're living in your home, minding your business, and all of a sudden you're on the national stage and everyone's watching."

She said her kids were less than thrilled about their Dad's impending TV appearance. Malia said, "'You're going to be on all the TV? Are you going to interrupt my TV?'" Obama assured her he hadn't bought time on Disney or Nickelodeon.

Cindy McCain is blazing up the trail too, recently in Florida with Rudy Giuliani touting her husband's credentials. Cindy said, "We need someone who understands what it means to send young men into combat and bring them home." Hitting hot local breakfast spots, the race car driver and pilot Cindy is shaking hands with the best of them.

To see Michelle with Jay Leno, read more.

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Front Page: Pakistan Earthquake Kills 150, Flash Floods Hit India, Obama On Most TV Stations Tonight

CitizenSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:59:46 -0700

Pakistan Earthquake Kills 150:
A 6.5 earthquake hit southwestern Pakistan today causing heavy damage and resulting in the deaths of at least 150 people. A local expert says, “It was a shallow earthquake, which is very destructive. The aftershocks will be felt for a week with more or less the same intensity.” Hundreds more are injured following the quake.

Flash Floods Hit India:
Floods swept through northeastern India today displacing 70,000 people from more than 70 villages. Incessant rains caused the Putimari river to breach its banks and rescue forces have been sent in. Two relief camps have been set up to try to accommodate the tens of thousands. People are currently camping on highways under plastic bags.

Obama On Most TV Stations Tonight:
Barack Obama's 30-minute ad will air on most major TV networks at 8 p.m. ET. The taped infomercial will feature a live segment with Obama at a rally in Florida. He will also be on The Daily Show tonight. The 30-minute appearance will delay the start of game five of the World Series. John McCain will be appearing on Larry King Live tonight.

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