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Dvorak: Microsoft’s new Gates+Seinfled ad is either meaningless or kinky-sex endorsement
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - 12:37 PM EST

"Is Microsoft's new series of advertisements really about kinky sex? Yes, you have to consider that after you've seen the new Microsoft/Bill Gates/Jerry Seinfeld ads, which in any event seem just plain bad to me," John C. Dvorak writes for PC Magazine.

The way I see it, the ad falls into one of the following categories:

1. Meaningless ads that suck and that we should forget
2. Great metaphorical masterpieces
3. Ads about nothing (hence Jerry Seinfeld)
4. Unsubtle promotions of kinky sex


Going straight to his 4th item, Dvorak writes, "Two guys meet in a shoe store. The one guys offers a churro to the other—an obvious phallic symbol, possibly a code word. The guy refuses. So the guy with the churro starts to massage the other guy's foot, and asks about what he's feeling. The guy who relented at first says a definite code word: 'leather.' The two look furtively at each other for an uncomfortably long time. They scene is just short of a wink taking place. One mentions 'showering' with clothes on. The next thing you know the twosome, now each holding rigid churros, walk off together. One asks the other to adjust his underwear as a 'sign.'"

MacDailyNews Take: What about the "moist and chewy like cake so we can eat 'em" stuff? "Rigid churros." Okay, John, we admit it, we chuckled.

Microsoft's Bill Gates + Jerry Seinfeld commercial, "Shoe Circus."

Direct link via YouTube here.

Dvorak asks, "Now if this isn't some sadomasochistic, kinky pickup scene then what's the point?"

Full article - gulp, recommended*, gulp - here.

MacDailyNews Take: Regardless of the theme, the ad did get a lot of people talking. Too bad they're just talking about how bad the ads are and not why they should be installing Windows Vista instead of switching in droves to Macs.

*Even a bloated, hit-whoring gasbag can be somewhat interesting once in a blue moon.

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Reader feedback page 1 of 2 pages:  1 2 >
Sep 10, 08 - 11:39 am Comment from: jjjj

wow. Dvorak may be on to something. A first!

Sep 10, 08 - 11:40 am Comment from: Uncle Al

Ew.

Sep 10, 08 - 11:42 am Comment from: silverwarloc

Please, curb your derogatory remark to a more polite and proper etiquette. Per chance, I might be willing to listen.

Sep 10, 08 - 11:43 am Comment from: Nick Fury

Not that there's anything wrong with that? Wait, no. It's just wrong.

Sep 10, 08 - 11:43 am Comment from: Buster

I am agreeing with Dork-face? Cripes the lion is lying down with the lamb....the end of the world is nigh.

Sep 10, 08 - 11:44 am Comment from: Step

Switch tunes awful quick on Dvorak there, just because it's bashing your least-favorite company? Sick.

So's the writeup, and after I saw it was by Dvorak it all made sense that it was so twisted. The only one reading kinky sex out of that ad is someone with their own sexual problems.

Sep 10, 08 - 11:45 am Comment from: Wish I Was Here

Yeah, I've got to say that nothing that comes out of Dvorak's brain should be taken very seriously. He has no credibility, he just HAPPENS to be close to the truth on this one.

Sep 10, 08 - 11:48 am Comment from: tz

Bill gates wiggling his middle aged man butt?? eeewwwwwoooo.

Sep 10, 08 - 11:48 am Comment from: Anonymous©

Apparently Dvohack knows something about this topic.

Sep 10, 08 - 11:48 am Comment from: bon

I still think Dvorak is a hit troll

Sep 10, 08 - 11:56 am Comment from: mugwump

It's very fitting that a hit whore sees a sexual theme there.

Sep 10, 08 - 12:05 pm Comment from: bizlaw

Notice that no one's mentioning Windows, Office, or really even Microsoft (except to note that it's Microsoft which is footing the bill for these wasted clips).

All they're talking about is how Seinfeld and Gates are in this really bad ad together.

Yeah, that will sell a bunch of copies of Vista!

Sep 10, 08 - 12:12 pm Comment from: Altos

I guess Dvorak proves that even a broken watch still has the right time twice a day.

Sep 10, 08 - 12:14 pm Comment from: amyhre

After viewing this ad, I'm starting to believe they might actually have something with the Mojave Experiment.

Sep 10, 08 - 12:15 pm Comment from: Cubert

Once again, he's off his meds.

Sep 10, 08 - 12:16 pm Comment from: derek in Milan

Gates is a tasteless fool and Seinfeld is an ego looking for praise and applause.

The ad is crap and Dvorak is correct - the ad could be about anything, so he has chosen his interpretation.

Lets move on......

Sep 10, 08 - 12:16 pm Comment from: Rich

If this is Microsoft's attempt to counter the successful Apple ads then we have nothing to worry about!

Sep 10, 08 - 12:30 pm Comment from: Roberto

After seeing the frightening a$$ wiggle the first time - I can't ever bear to see it again, I always look away or change the channel. Gross.

Sep 10, 08 - 12:32 pm Comment from: Nick Fury

The next commercial features Bill and Jerry tapping out code to each other in an airport men's room.

Sep 10, 08 - 12:35 pm Comment from: Nick Fury

Is one of them supposed to be moist and the other chewy?

Sep 10, 08 - 12:48 pm Comment from: Past

Bill Gates. Jerry Seinfeld. Both past their prime, just like the company they're promoting.

Sep 10, 08 - 01:03 pm Comment from: Missy Pants

"rigid churros" ?!!
Hmm, maybe I should put down my Beaver Tail and try one (or two) of those!
hmmm

Sep 10, 08 - 01:08 pm Comment from: yoink!

Steve Ballmer watching new Microsoft commercial:

Fap, Fap, Fap

Sep 10, 08 - 01:12 pm Comment from: tc60045

MDN, please only refer to this commercial as "Rigid Churros" from here forward.

Sep 10, 08 - 01:17 pm Comment from: Nick Fury

They look more turgid than rigid.

Sep 10, 08 - 01:22 pm Comment from: Chuck U Farley

This seems like just the kind of ad DvORK would love.

Sep 10, 08 - 01:24 pm Comment from: iamdj

"I just threw-up a little in my mouth!"

(after seeing Bill Gates shake his butt)

Sep 10, 08 - 01:27 pm Comment from: HMCIV

I think the real danger as of late is that John Dvorak is starting to become cool.

Sep 10, 08 - 01:47 pm Comment from: db

Dvorak actually got something right? Oh yeah... it all makes sense now. He's actually proving the old adage...

A thousand monkeys on a thousand typewriters for a thousand years....

Guess it was his turn to accidentally turn up a jewel amidst the brown muck.

Hey, maybe in another thousand years he'll write something Shakespearean. <g>

db

Sep 10, 08 - 02:09 pm Comment from: larryennis18466

John C. your on to something. Your right. But, kinky sex pickup lines? Your letting your imagination run away from you. Please Microsoft no more commercials.

Sep 10, 08 - 02:14 pm Comment from: mac user 47

I vote #4. Dead on accurate.

Sep 10, 08 - 02:38 pm Comment from: Nick Fury

"Steve Ballmer watching new Microsoft commercial"

Actually, Ballmer was in the commercial. Why do you think Gates had to adjust his shorts? Very subtle.

Sep 10, 08 - 02:43 pm Comment from: no laughing matter

Jerry S - a Mac user - is laughing all the way to the bank. no matter how bad or totally off the mark the commercial is.

Sep 10, 08 - 02:43 pm Comment from: First time right?

I have to admit: I think Dvorak hit the nail on the head.

Unfortunately, it also implies something about Dvorak: his TRUE area of expertise MAY be in kinky, sadomasochistic sex.

Uh-oh, John. Don't look now, but your thong and whip just might be showing.

KY anyone?

Sep 10, 08 - 02:47 pm Comment from: Mark S.

This ad really sucks no matter how you look at it.
Just like Microsoft.

Sep 10, 08 - 02:47 pm Comment from: @Missy Pants

Your "entry" killed me.

I'm still laughing!

Sep 10, 08 - 02:49 pm Comment from: HMCIV

BTW was that Senator Larry Craig peering in the window behind all the Mexicans?

Sep 10, 08 - 03:21 pm Comment from: Chris

@MDN,

I believe the word was 'pleather', as in a cheap, crappy knock off of the real thing. You know, like Windows!

Sep 10, 08 - 04:23 pm Comment from: joe mama

Dvorak sure knows alot about gay kinky sex and code words

Sep 10, 08 - 04:28 pm Comment from: mugwump

Hmm, interesting. Gates does get his churro in the end.

But I didn't notice him sitting there in the traditional Larry Craig "wide stance".

Sep 10, 08 - 04:35 pm Comment from: eeewwww

Uh-oh, John. Don't look now, but your thong and whip just might be showing.

Nah, this just proves Ballmer monkey humps Dvorak too.

Something we've long suspected anyway.

Sep 10, 08 - 04:39 pm Comment from: hosed

The next commercial features Bill and Jerry tapping out code to each other in an airport men's room.

Followed by Bill & Jerry squirting each-other with their, um, Zunes.

Sep 10, 08 - 04:44 pm Comment from: hosed again

Hasn't anyone noticed "Bill and Jerry" being suspiciously close to "Ben and Jerry"?

MS can't even knock-off homosexuality right.

Sep 10, 08 - 05:51 pm Comment from: Nick Fury

"Gates does get his churro in the end."

I hope he washes it off after.

Sep 10, 08 - 07:32 pm Comment from: John C. Randolph

Dvorak is projecting, big time.

-jcr

Sep 10, 08 - 10:19 pm Comment from: shen

Dvorak is a hit whore. end of story. he just now figured out the tide is turning and he can get more hits over bashing this ad than attacking Apple. it isn't that difficult to figure out.....

Sep 10, 08 - 10:46 pm Comment from: onionhead

pfft...reminds me of waylon smithers toadying to mr. burns?

Sep 11, 08 - 12:28 am Comment from: montex

Hello, Mr. Gates. Please put on these light blue swim trunks and leather jacket. Now see, the idea is to water ski over that jump in the water over there. But the kicker is - get this! - you're going to be making the jump over a shark! Its brilliant! People are going to love it. Trust me. wink

Sep 11, 08 - 06:17 am Comment from: Road Warrior (NLI)

I told ya it had homosexual overtones. Even Dvorak picked up on that.

Sep 11, 08 - 09:41 am Comment from: John B

I thought he said "pleather."

Sep 11, 08 - 11:28 am Comment from: DLMeyer

I think we, and Apple, should forgive Seinfeld for being a "traitor to the cause". All he's actually done, so far, is taken MS money and openly linked the MS brand with "confusion". So ... now more people are aware that MS is "confused", or (at least) "confusing". Now, in this highly political year (one out of four), Americans are familiar with speakers becoming confused and with speakers becoming confusing, and with them just going "off-message". Sometimes they even VOTE for the silly sods. Usually, though, it is seen as a sign of weakness, something to be backed away from. Except, perhaps, when a pretty face is added to the mix.

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