The recent comedy flop The Internship took a lot of flack, and deservedly so, for being a feature-length ad for Google masquerading as a movie. But compared to some product-placement-packed reality TV shows, that film looks like a fiercely independent labor of love. [More]
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Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi On Product Placement: “It’s Hard To Make That Sh!t Sound Natural”
McDonald's Sued By Devo Over Happy Meal Toy
The band Devo is suing McDonald’s over a toy which bears a striking resemblance to the band’s signature look made popular in the 80’s. The “American Idol” series of happy-meal toys features plastic characters that play their own little tune when activated. “New Wave Nigel” depicts a character wearing the band’s famous “energy dome” and even plays a song that sounds Devo-esque. Unfortunately for McDonald’s, that little hat is copyrighted and trademarked, according to Rolling Stone. Details, inside…
Comcast DVR Cuts Off American Idol Results, Sopranos Finale Style
Reader Bill, who sends in this video of what his DVR recorded during last night’s American Idol finale, says:
The Unattainable Coca Cola Couch
When I was in school, mysterious state-endorsed hucksters would burst through my classroom door from time to time with arms full of candy bars. These guys would then proceed to gang press us all as unpaid door-to-door candy salesmen. The candy bars (which were usually more peanut and Chinese newspaper than chocolate) were uniformly terrible; moreover, they cost like 5 bucks each. But these guys were smart: they kept us hustling with the promise of prizes for reaching impossible goals. Ten candy bars sold got you a pencil, but a million? A robot dinosaur that transformed into a monster truck. Needless to say, the best prizes were logistically unattainable.