thats exactly why Everybody Loves Raymond wins Emmies. Normal people find it really funny. And thats a problem

“Killer Bee” DreamPie Blizzard Treats television-ad (Dairy Queen) http://www.dairyqueen.com/en-US/DQ+Ads/default.htm

It’s a new ad that’s been running since the end of June, it features two Indian scientists examining bees with exaggerated [Indian] accents. At some point in the ad, Scientist #1 exclaims “I can speak bee!” (or something like that) and then instructs one of the bees to kill Scientist #2 so he can steal his Blizzard Treat.

The ad is not really that funny, but it is interesting in terms of the subtle statement regarding the faux eccentricity of accents and the people who have them, use them, understand them (translation: people with accents are weird). It’s also somewhat surprising and reminiscent of a Dairy Queen ad about thyroid-problems that got pulled a couple years ago. And, it’s entirely compelling because this type of commercial inevitably causes some people to raise Cain and then, an equal number to say “Who cares?”…

Keeping all this in mind, I thought to look around, poke my nose into some holes and see if anyone had anything to say about the commercial or rather, if anyone does care. And lo and behold, I found this guy:

“On an entirely unrelated note, I have a new favourite commercial. It’s a Dairy Queen ad, and features two Indian-origin scientists. The first one is making buzzing noises and exclaims to the other (in a wonderfully Indian accent), “It’s incredible, I have learned to speak bee!” I don’t know why, but that line alone profoundly tickles my funny bone. The rest of the ad is suitably humourous as well. Now my wife is having to put up with me saying, “It’s incredible, I have learned to speak bee!” over and over in my best Indian accent. It’s a darned good thing she loves me.”

• excerpt from the Friday, July 1st 2005-entry of Not From Toronto blog (http://www.warpfish.com/nft/)

I’m not certain if anyone else really hates or loves the commercial, but I’ll bet all the dollars in my bottom that a couple of ABCDs will one day be sitting around drinking Bourgeoisie Gimlets, thinking deeply on the veracity of Mira Nair’s The Namesake as an interpreter of all true maladies, when someone will suddenly spout that line to break the silence (ala Henny Youngman’s “Take my wife, please!”), causing all to laugh attractively. Or, perhaps even worse, I can see the day when I’ll be at a party and someone will suddenly say that line (after someone else randomly asks “Whatever happened to that Bee-Girl from the Blind Melon video?”), and then all eyes will turn on me in liberal silence.

In any case, it’s one of those things that you look at and can immediately see all the poor taste and broken creativity; if you don’t agree then consider that the ad actually works the same without Indian-accents. Thus, it’s something like a minstrel show where all the jokes are funnier because the guys are in blackface, baggy pants, etc.. That said, what’s really funny is that as I was running around trying to find information on the commercial, I found this note on a travel-site:

“It took us 4 hours to cover the 30 mile to Jackson. I began to feel better as we rolled down a steep hill, into town. We were drawn into a Dairy Queen and would have had a Blizzard…

“… A cool drink and good local info at the first Fairmont Mini Mart we came to led us to the closest and least expensive motel advertised. The lady who checked us in was from India. I take pride in my ability to understand people who speak English with an Indian accent. She was a difficult study. The harder I tried the more I misunderstood and the more frustrated she became. She quoted $47.00, Cat asked about the billboard we saw that had $28.99 in big red letters? “That is for lesser rooms and singles,” she said, again in such a thick accent that I could barely understand her. When we asked about AAA or ARP discounts she almost looked angry then said, “Yes, $45.00.” None if it made sense to me then she said something, I thought she was telling me the room number but the map didnÂ’t have anything close to the map on her desk top. She repeated it 3 times before Cat translated for us. She was quoting the price including tax.”

-excerpt from Section I of the World2Riders site (http://www.worldriders2.com/Journal_3_1.asp)

The guy takes pride in being able to understand Indian accents, what a skill, he actually refers to it as though… “Can you speak any other languages? Oh, yes, Indian-accented English, which is coincidentally, the most widely spoken language in India. I picked it up from motels, mini-marts and Dairy Queen commercials.”

Anyhow, when Aunt Jemima sold pancakes, people bought it and black people still eat Cream of Wheat. A Blizzard is actually a fairly tasty treat and so, you decide.

insert your favorite accent here you must be the change that you want to see “quote by M. Gandi”

Well, that’s good to know! Hey, I’m white and I find nothing offensive about Step’n Fetchit.