Our Dying Imagination: DirecTV owes Anchorman a Thank You

Here at the Ad Agency Confessional, we have several on-going series. And this is one I'm probably most passionate about--originality and blatantly ripping off good creative. Because as time goes on, from the page to the screen, it feels like the are less and less original ideas. And what passes for "creative" are bad parodies, rehashed bits, and routines so tired clowns with seltzer bottles think they're lame. I was actually brainstorming the inaugural piece for this segment when I saw this DirecTV commercial. Now I think John Michael Higgins (the funny guy in the spot) is a hysterical actor, as are several of the other Christopher Guest players that have appeared in these DirecTV commercials. But this 2008 ad rips a joke straight out of Anchorman (2004). Of course, if you're going to rip off comedy, Anchorman isn't a bad place to start.

At about 0:51 seconds is Paul Rudd's statistical explanation of "Sex Panther's" effectiveness.



Click here if the player doesn't work.

And at about 0:13 seconds, DirecTV owes Anchorman a thank you.



DirecTV, for shame.

--Captain Awesome