MUSTANG TALLY

One of my Iddiot companeros, "Herby from Derby", had an interesting complaint about Toobworld last week:



"My other week-old gripe is the ending of last week's 'American Dreams', a show my daughter greatly enjoys that I kinda find a guilty pleasure.



Last week's Christmas edition, with the Vietnam M-I-A son coming home and being given a '66 Mustang by his dad to great emotional impact was immediately followed by a sensitive, but in my eyes, offensive three minute film depicting a contemporary Iraq veteran getting the same treatment upon his return.



The episode was sponsored by Ford, who presented it commercial free, but still....



I have nothing against veterans being rewarded. What I found noxious is the sponsor taking the legitimate emotion that the show has generated, and then turning it into a blatant attempt to sell product; and to equate said product somehow with patriotic pride.



'AD' also earlier scripted in a Campbell's Soup essay contest for its protagonists that was mirrored in spots on the show (the prizes ITRW were of course now much higher in value.)



This is in line with our ongoing debate over the use of songs in commercials--now the content of programming seems to be fair game as well.



Like the show; don't at all like the precedent they are setting."



It wasn't enough for Ford to resurrect Steve McQueen from the dead to help sell the 2005 Mustang in a new blipvert. It looks as though they are pulling off a Detroit Hustle to get the car into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame!



The 2005 Mustang will be featured in:

1] ABC's 'Alias';

2] as pointed out by Herby, a commercial-free, Ford-sponsored episode of NBC's 'American Dreams', in which Ford vehicles saturate the episode;

3] and 'The O.C.', in which the character Marissa wins a 2005 Mustang as a gift and drives it all season. [But will they take it away if her shoe prints end up on the ceiling?]



The "Reality TV" market isn't being overlooked either.... The car will also be given away during 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' on ABC.



I can't vouch for the flashbacks, but I'm fairly certain we won't be seeing a 2005 Mustang wash up on the shore during an episode of 'Lost'!



As to whether it would ever qualify for the Hall of Fame? No. It would have to be one specific car. Like "The Solid Gold Cadillac", it would have to zoom-zoom from one show to the other.



Who might qualify then? Buzz and Todd's wheels in 'Route 66' maybe? Perhaps Herbie (No, not Herby from Derby!) the Love Bug might have a shot. KITT, the Munstermobile, definitely the Batmobile.....



But the 2005 Mustang, like Steve McQueen, will end up banished to the corn-field.



Not that "they" would care. Just by getting me to write about the topic here at Inner Toob, the Ford prefects have, in a small way, achieved their goal......



BCnU!

Tele-Toby