Will Timothy Hutton (and Groupon) regret this Superbowl ad?
I’d say it’s not very sensitive to make light of the plight of many Tibetans. I know, their living standard has improved and there are schools and hospitals (believe me, I know), but to make light of their culture being in danger, and using the “joke” to promote Groupon….well, I just felt it was kind of hokey and maybe even borderline creepy. Even if there’s room to debate whether Tibetan culture is at risk or not. It’s just not a funny topic.
Reaction on Twitter has already gone wild, of course, so maybe it will end up being a net plus for Groupon, which must have known this would create a firestorm. But it smacks of insensitivity and poor taste.
1
By HK_Sojourner
As tacky as hell.
But look the bright side. Groupon may have achieved a miracle. Finally, Tibetan nationalists and Han Chinese nationalists will be able to agree on something.
February 7, 2011 @ 12:59 pm | Comment
2
By Richard
Good point – the ad manages to offend everybody.
February 7, 2011 @ 1:03 pm | Comment
3
By Jenny Chu
Wow. I knew I had something vaguely against Groupon – now I know why.
February 7, 2011 @ 1:35 pm | Comment
4
By PB
It is hugely offensive, but it is also the most honest ad I’ve seen in a long time.
Does it not perfectly capture the zeitgeist of our times?
“Who gives a sh*t about world problems, just give me my discount”.
February 8, 2011 @ 3:06 am | Comment
5
By Formerly_Not_a_Sinophile
PB, you are right on the money.
February 8, 2011 @ 5:33 am | Comment
6
By Serve the People
This ad actually got it half right. Needless to say that the part about Tibetan culture in danger is nonsense. But it came out just right to mock all this Tibet bullshit. The Dalai Lama sells books, the free Tibet activists sell T-shirts, so what is wrong with Groupon using Tibet to promote its website? It offends the pro-Dalai Westerners precise because it reveals their hypocrisy. If they really want to ‘free’ Tibet, why don’t they pick up a rifle and go fight the People’s Liberation Army? Going to a Free Tibet concert or protesting against the Olympic torch in London is hardly different from chasing 50% discount on ‘Tibetan fish curry’.
February 8, 2011 @ 11:49 am | Comment
7
By HongXing
What can you expect from these American sh*ts? Fish? Tibetans eat fish? Is there even fish in Tibet? Hahahahaha, too humorous, these sh*ts. What restaurant is this? Curry fish in Tibet, hahahahaha.
American Chinese food, is always basically a lot of sugar and salt, no Chinese ever has eaten American Chinese food before came to America.
February 9, 2011 @ 10:39 am | Comment
8
By Jason
This isn’t the first time Chinese and Tibetan nationalists agree on something. Remember the Sharon Stone “Karma” fiasco?
February 9, 2011 @ 3:53 pm | Comment
9
By uk visa
@Jenny Chu
Yes, spot on.
@Groupon
This ad redefines crass.
February 9, 2011 @ 6:18 pm | Comment
10
By Twisted_Colour
@Red Star: Yes, there are fish in Tibet. They live in rivers, lakes and other watery environments that you may have heard of.
I get you on the curry, though… ha ha ha. Curry in Tibet would be like Mexican food in Texas – Unpossible!
February 10, 2011 @ 7:57 pm | Comment
11
By slim
There is a set of these Groupon ads running now in the states and, to me, the concept is not bad, but the execution is weak. Not enough zing in the punch line and not really funny enough to avoid confusion.
If I were writing them, I’d stick to tweaking liberalish causes that involved animals and other causes where feelings are not so easily hurt.
February 11, 2011 @ 4:47 am | Comment
12
By Joe
Hurriya is Arabic for Freedom.
February 11, 2011 @ 1:02 pm | Comment
13
By Michael Turton
Off topic for Richard
http://www.brookings.edu/articles/2011/0118_china_savings_prasad.aspx
February 11, 2011 @ 5:21 pm | Comment
14
By Juan
Hahaha! I thought the ad was hilarious. 😀 I think most people take life waaaay to seriously. Good stuff.
February 12, 2011 @ 4:56 pm | Comment
15
By Jing
There is no fish curry in Tibetan cuisine. All of the “Tibetan” restaurants in the US serve northern Indian fare masquerading as Tibetan. They are also uniformly crap and overpriced. Genuine Tibetan food is bland and unapetizing. Sichuanese migrants have improved upon this.
February 13, 2011 @ 9:35 am | Comment
16
By yourfriend
Tibet does have some good staples like the herbs and cheese though
February 13, 2011 @ 9:51 am | Comment
17
By HongXing
If biased Americans ask us Chinese any of the following questions, just answer them as such:
Q: Do Chinese eat dogs?
A: Yes.We eat a lot of dogs. And cats,too. Especially on your “Thanks giving” day. Besides, turkeys are our favorite pets. We regard turkeys as human’s best friends. In China only the most uneducated eat turkeys.
Q: China is becoming strong. Does your government want to take over the world?
A: Yes. As soon as we became powerful, we will invade Iraq and Afghanistan.
Q: Why doesn’t your government give Tibet back to its monks?
A: Because the monks want to help the Seminoles take back Florida.
Seminoles: (印第安人的)塞米诺尔族
Q: Are the products made in China very cheap?
A: Yes. If we were using black slaves, the price would be even cheaper.
Q: You have 1.4 billion people. Now what do you want to do with it?
A: Find a new planet. Kill the native people there, and move in.
Q: Why you are the only kid in your family?
A: Because our parents don’t fuck around.
February 14, 2011 @ 3:19 am | Comment
18
By MAC
Hahahaha, HongXing, I always felt like your type was pretty much reading off a master checklist, but you kind of gave the game away. Your heart really isn’t in this fenqing thing anymore, this is just lazy.
February 14, 2011 @ 6:11 am | Comment
19
By HongXing
Dalai Lama’s nephew reincarnates in Florida:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/nephew-of-da
Did he eat curry fish for dinner?
February 16, 2011 @ 3:45 am | Comment
20
By Richard
Red Star, I am so not surprised to see you mock the accidental death of an innocent person, whether we agree with their political beliefs or not.
February 16, 2011 @ 5:27 am | Comment
21
By King Tubby
@MAC. Certainly agree with your # 18. Usually Red Star eats a few volumes of Thomas Hobbs and a fair portion of bear meat before he hits the keyboards.
Poor fellow. A shadow of his former self.
He used to show real form on CS and CD with his wild theories on the nature of civilisation, eugenics and real politics.
February 16, 2011 @ 5:49 am | Comment
22
By yourfriend
@Richard
Red Star, I am so not surprised to see you mock the accidental death of an innocent person, whether we agree with their political beliefs or not.
If this had happened to say, Hu Jintao’s son, I’m sure we’d see comments flying all over youtube and twitter about “karma” or some other nonsense.
February 16, 2011 @ 6:00 am | Comment
23
By Richard
Never, ever on this blog, and I’d either delete the comment or call the commenter out for being an ass.
Just as I’m now calling out Hong Xing for being an ass. Not that we didn’t all know.
February 16, 2011 @ 6:15 am | Comment
24
By yourfriend
HongXing seems to be well-liked and popular, despite the good-natured ribbings
February 16, 2011 @ 6:23 am | Comment
25
By Richard
You should see his comment history going back several years. Racist, ideological, crude and cruel. One of my favorites was from a couple months ago, “The true masters of America are the Jewish ruling elites.” But he’s popular.
February 16, 2011 @ 6:30 am | Comment
26
By HongXing
I did not mock him at all. I said he re-incarnated in florida, which part of this is mocking? Is reincarnation not in their belief system?
I asked if he ate fish curry? Which part of this is mocking? According to this restaurant in this advertisement, fish curry is a popular Tibetan dish.
February 16, 2011 @ 6:37 am | Comment
27
By Richard
HX: Dalai Lama’s nephew reincarnates in Florida:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/nephew-of-da
Did he eat curry fish for dinner?
Then you say, “I didn’t mock him at all.”
Right.
February 16, 2011 @ 6:40 am | Comment
28
By HongXing
One of my favorites was from a couple months ago, “The true masters of America are the Jewish ruling elites.”
Is it not a compliment to say they are the true master? Then I’m anti-CCP too? Because I also said they are the true master of China.
I think there’s a lot in common between jewish and Chinese: both value education, both are good businessmen, both don’t care too much about sports, etc. Many American friends I make have jewish roots. There’s a very beautiful girl in my work place that is jewish (not totally traditional jewish, more Americanized), and she is the only one who is nice to me and talks to me and respects me, not like those WASP females.
February 16, 2011 @ 6:46 am | Comment
29
By slim
I’d say HX is expressing his values quite well.
February 16, 2011 @ 6:50 am | Comment
30
By Richard
Here’s the bottom line, Red Star. When you say, “The true masters of America are the Jewish ruling elites” you may think you’re paying them a “compliment.” In reality, you are repeating the core philosophy of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Never heard of it? Use google to learn more.
February 16, 2011 @ 9:46 am | Comment