Back in 2009, we knew Reggie Watts was headed for stardom. A year and a half later, dude done blown up. He toured with Conan O’Brien, made a music video in which he manages to rap about gerunds and expletives in the same breath, and now he’s coming to the Independent in San Francisco on August 17. We’re not sure whether to call him a musician, comedian, actor, or circus entertainer. Whatever he is, he’s one of those Things You Must Know About. Just watch.

 

 

Believe it or not, he’s improvising. The man is a truckload of talent wrapped up in a giant teddy bear suit. If you’re local, don’t miss the chance to experience this 10-pound-fro-banging mythical creature in action.

MORTARBLOG: "The U.S. power grid is so dumb…"

YOU: "How dumb is it?"

MORTARBLOG: "It's so dumb it thinks soy milk is Spanish for "I am milk.""

But seriously, folks, the grid is really dumb. You would not believe how much power goes to waste every day, and how much grossness gets spewed into the atmosphere every day to make all that power that's going to waste. Fortunately there's a simple, free way to start doing something about it. Which is where Mortar client Genability comes in. We could explain what they're up to using boring old words, but we'd rather share our new animated short, "Giving People Power Over Their Power." It's narrated by our pal Ed Begley, Jr., and it has mole people and birds that drop money and even a pony!

Please take two minutes and fifty-seven seconds of your day to check it out.

Pretty cool, right? Did you laugh? Did you cry? Did you want to punch the PG&E guy? (Don't.) OK, then tell all your friends about WhatsMyPower.com, and let's all help make the grid a little smarter.

Lord knows this world could use a little less dumbassery.

"You're with the government? Don't worry…they only eat people with brains."

So the CDC just posted a new Preparedness Guide...In Case Of Zombie Apocalypse.

Forgetting for a moment that we totally called this, we find it notable that the post not only didn't get anyone at the CDC in trouble, it was the possibly most popular thing they've ever posted – and a good way to get Americans to think about overall disaster preparedness.

"The blog post went up on Monday. “A typical post gets 1,000 hits,” (CDC spokesman David) Daigle said. “We got 10,000, then 30,000 on Tuesday, and then it crashed the server.” The server then reportedly came back to life and ate the IT guy's brain."

OK, we made part of that up. But it wasn't the "30,000 hits" part. Our point is, See how much traction a little well-placed, unexpected humor can get you? Particularly if you're known for being boring?

Think about it. While you still can.

 

Via The New York Times (And Zombie Flanders.)

 

 

 

 

Oh, Superbowl ads. You try so hard. But this year, like just about every other year, you either try to save a bad idea with a huge budget, screw up a good idea with a huge budget, or get us not to notice you have no idea…by hiding behind a huge budget.

 

Volkswagen "Darth Vader"

We feel a disturbance in the Force. Or maybe we ate too much chili yesterday. Yeah, yeah, we know, adorable kid, cool music, blah, blah frickin' blah. But what the hell are we selling here? That the new Passat has remote start? Um, yay? Does it have those newfangled "seat-belts," too?

 

Chrysler "Detroit"

Beautiful work…possibly even an idea about "Chrysler-equals-luxury" hiding in here…but at some point, you have to show the car. And the car is a rolling dungheap of generic blah-ness.

But hey, thanks for spending millions of our tax dollars on it.

 

Bridgestone "Reply All"

Heh. OK. "You Can Drive Fast On Your Bridgestones." We like.

 

Snickers "Whiny"

Aretha Franklin/Liza Minelli was better, but…pretty good. We like the idea: "You're Not You When You're Hungry/Snickers Fills You Up." Solid.

 

BMW "Clean Diesel"

All this spot needed was the wagon chugging up the hill, and the BMW passing it. Done. Instead they spend gazillions on CGI and licensing David Bowie. It went from informing us about something cool to making us want to punch the guy in the Beemer.

We will never understand why BMW sucks so hard at advertising. It's just baffling.

Carmax "Kid In A Candy Store"

Nice. Great casting really helps, since the idea needs about two seconds to explain.

 

Chevy, you did ok, but that tagline is just a sea anchor. We advise you jettison it immediately.

Audi, tons of style trying to obscure the fact that you're counterpunching against Mercedes, but…fun.

The rest of you go hit yourself in the nuts with a pug/can of Pepsi/snack food or whatever.

And congratulations to the Green Bay Packers.