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May 5, 2008
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It didn't take long after the rise of TV commercials in the mid-twentieth century for comedians to take note of just how ridiculous most of those commercials were. Doctors selling cigarettes, housewives defending their laundry detergent as if any other detergent (the menacing "Brand X") were a threat to the American way of life — boob-tube marketing was a bottomless pit of material, and was bound to be soaked up by the sketch-comedy boom that followed shortly thereafter. Parodies of such ads began popping up in the early '70s on shows like Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. But it was Saturday Night Live's 1975 debut that ripped the genre wide open. Madison Avenue's glib, cheeseball patter became fodder for regulars like Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner, and some of their successors — most notably straight-man kingpin Phil Hartman — built an entire career on it. As advertising grew more sophisticated, so did the satires that chased it. In today's irony-saturated comedy landscape, it's difficult to find a sketch show that doesn't do fake ads in one form or another. In this feature, we've assembled fifty of the best. Unfortunately, many of SNL's most infamous are no longer available online, due to NBC's copyright-enforcing blitz a while back. But we did manage to unearth a surprising number of classics still lurking in the corners of the internet, along with plenty of timeless bits from Chappelle's Show, MADtv, In Living Color and SCTV. This list is an assemblage of our own personal favorites, and we encourage you to take us to task in the feedback section over what we missed. And now, without further ado, a word from our sponsors.
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50. "Annuale," SNL, 2008  Most women we know find the idea of a once-a-season menstrual cycle creepier than Joe Francis coming at them with a camera. Unlike boob jobs, waxing and diet pills, that shit just doesn't seem natural, and the Annuale sketch shows that even a big-pharma, pink-tinged ad campaign can't dispel that. Plus: Kristen Wiig moves one step closer to goddess-hood by making out with a dog. Take that, Vanity Fair. — NA
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49. "Levitol," MADtv, 2006 The "ask your doctor if *blank* is right for you" genre has been sent up a thousand times, but a few stand out, this one for its initial realism and subsequent devolution into madness. The weird doctor-patient power dynamic hasn't been made any more comfortable by the raft of TV ads encouraging us to ask about particular medicines, a fact that this parody nails perfectly. And there's just something about those gardening gloves — are we wrong in thinking this wouldn't work without them? — WD
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48. "Fashion Tampons," In Living Color, 1991 In Living Color was never known for its commercial parodies, but they had a few classics, one of them being "Fashion Tampons." "Stylish, comfortable and fun," they go with any outfit. The idea of tampon companies claiming their own tampon is far, far superior to all the others is the joke here — as is an entire dress contructed of small tubes of cotton, with earrings to match. — WD
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| 47. "Woomba," SNL, 2004
One pleasing development over the last decade has been the increasing pop-culture visibility of vaginas. (It's hard to imagine Victoria Jackson endorsing "the little pink robot that cleans your noony.") For our money, the sketch starts to lose focus once it plays up the "vagina-cleaning robot runs amuck" premise — it would be more satirically on-point to have Fey and company acting incongruously unfazed. Still, the concept is gold. — PS
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46. "Xerox Assjet," SNL, 1997 This list might feel supersaturated with SNL nostalgia, but the truth is that their commercial parodies have often been their strongest work, showing restraint without losing their topical appeal. Yes, people using copy machines to make pictures of their asses is funny. But what makes "Xerox Assjet" funnier than an actual photocopied ass is the authenticity of Will Ferrell's smooth businessman and a non-plussed Tim Meadows expressing his disapproval of subpar ass copies. — JC
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45. "Coin Slot Cream," SNL, 2006
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44. "Tylenol BM," SNL, 2005
Alec Baldwin, comedic genius, can do no wrong. (We bet he could even make screaming obscenities into his daughter's voicemail simply hilarious.) Watching Baldwin's businessman sell Tylenol BM — with his cheerful morning-after grin, despite his wife screaming, "Did you shit the bed?" — almost makes me want to buy the fake product. If any pharmaceutical companies get their advertising claws in Baldwin, we're screwed. — NA
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43. "Colonel Belmont's Old-Fashioned Horse Glue," SNL, 2000
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| 42. "HiberNol," SNL, 1993
Over-the-counter medicines like NyQuil basically promise to induce a coma so you can remain unconscious while your cold runs its course — it's a popular product in our culture of discomfort avoidance. If we could just expand that remedy so it covers the entire flu season, half of America would probably opt to slumber from November to April, living off our ample body fat. It's no riddle why they cast Chris Farley for this one. — WD |
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This whole bit is basically one long buildup to the final line, which we will not give away here. Queen Latifa is grand as the frustrated office worker whose coworkers call her Denise, "which is stressful, because my name is Linda." Few comedians handle racial jokes with deft, and Latifa employs just the right mix of discomfort and sass in this sketch. — WD
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Commentarium (77 Comments)
How could you have forgotten one of the best commercial parodies of all time which beats out at least half of the ones on your list?! Check out THE CLUCKIN CHICKEN which aired on Saturday Night Live....
http://www.all4humor.com/videos/funny-commercials/cluckin-chicken.html
you forgot SNL's Adobe, the car made of clay bit. The funniest ever.
Missed the SNL parody about the bank that had to settle for www.Clownpenis.fart because they thought the Internet wouldn't be big.
Spatula City! Spatula City! http://youtube.com/watch?v=2XbCWmY0eqY
A.M. Ale
No Mr. Show?
Bag Hutch
"Promise 1, I am not a lawyer"
"Cockrings, cockrings, cockrings"
Wu-Tang FINANCIAL???
That cookie dough sport is definitely not the SNL original...
One SCTV spot, and about 40 SNL? Boo, your article sucks. What about the Judds "Smoky Oaky Barbecue"-scented douche? Boo, your research sucks.
How amazing that no other nation on Earth has managed to produce one ad parody worthy of inclusion in the top fifty of all time. You Americans are truly magnificent! Congratulations!
Big thumbs down for completely leaving out the "Prescott Pharmaceuticals" segments from "The Colbert Report".
Great List with only one missing.
'Log' from Ren & Stimpy.
Good list! But one I would've added is the "MeHarmony Dating Service" on SNL a few years ago -- a parody of that stupid eHarmony with the '29 scientific categories of compatibility' or whatever. The SNL version had all the clients' "true loves" being just opposite-gender clones of themselves.
I'm sure this list would be great if more than 1/2 the clips could be watched outside of the US.
Um - No Bathroom Monkey? But it keeps your bathroom monkey-clean AND monkey-fresh?
What about the Mr.Show Mayosturd and Mustardayonaise commercials? They went back and forth the whole episode.
Three words, from South Park: Cherokee Hair Tampons [http://youtube.com/watch?v=1jfuPang3RM]
You forgot the SNL parody where they have scary looking mannequins holding a knife or chainsaw in the air, posed like it's about to attack someone. The idea is you put it next to your bed at night so when a REAL robber comes in, or looks in the window and sees it, they run away because someone is already there.
AM Ale? Would be number 1.
MADtv had some MUCH better than at least 10 of those SNL ones. "Thanks Spishak!" The Wonder Rake 5000. Antonia Perfume. And many others, even just from the first season!! And LOG is a good one too!!
I guess you were only including live-action parodies; I'd definitely have to submit Ren & Stimpy's "Log", and Jib Jab's "Progenitorivox".
"Brown" from MadTV. I can't even look at a UPS ad anymore.
Hey there.
I'm a huge, long-time fan of Nerve and your recent video lists are really fun.
But as a Canadian it is incredibly irritating to be barred from viewing so many of the videos because you've linked to crappy video services like hulu or else to sites like NBC who will not stream outside of the U.S. Please seek out better sources to link to so I don't have to go searching on my own.
#51 - Rocks - A spot for rocks supposedly for Palestinian children, showing excited kids interspersed with stock news footage of Palestinians throwing rocks at Israeli police. The ad aired during Robert Smigel's brilliant "Saddam and Osama" action cartoon spoof.
I remember thinking that "AM Ale" was really funny, so I was bummed when I didn't see it on here. I Haven't seen it in a while though.
What? No Stevie Wonder? Everytime I see Stevie Wonder playing tennis and taking pictures of everything but the tennis player, I laugh. "It's so simple, even Stevie Wonder can use it." I know, I know, laughing at a blind man is not very politically correct. (But it was funny.)
No "Action Cats"? This list sucks without "Action Cats."
Good, but missing my all time favorite, QUARRY
Jay Mohr as Christopher Walken for Skittles?? Or the Quaddafi Look??
So what I'm getting from this is that you guys watch a lot of SNL.
Please - it's a good show, but 40 of the 50 best ad parodies of ALL TIME?
No Mr.Show? Kids in the Hall? Monty Python????
I thought your "50 best sketches" list was pretty SNL heavy, but this is just ridiculous. Just call it the "top 50 SNL ad parodies" next time, okay?
i saw something on a SNL special that showed why Belushi broke down in the H & L Brock ad...Chevy Chase is crawling on the floor towards him messing with his feet.
What about Jamitin the ED remedy from the Simpsons.
The best line "Sorry Jimmy. Your Grandma and I are going to have old people sex."
Where is BIG RED?
That's certainly one of the top 50.
Re #21, "Tracy Morgan re-appropriating racial stereotypes while cross-dressing and swatting at cartoon Disney-esque songbirds": Tracy doesn't cross-dress in this bit--that's castmate Tim Meadows as Aunt Jemima.
This countdown has clearly never heard of Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job, an alternative sketch show that excels at parodying quirky television cliches. In just two seasons, the show has developed several fake commercials deserving of a top 20 spot on this countdown. With sketches like "Candy Tails" (pony tails dipped in candy sauce), it is impossible for Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job to be left off future countdowns of this sort.
Where's the Cluckin' Chicken?
Not a bad list, but a little too much SNL, and you missed a couple lesser-known ones ... the short-lived Ben Stiller show had some particularly brilliant commercial parodies such as What Is Sexy?, Tony Bobbins, and the sublimely ridiculous Tito Gallegos: The Pig-Latin Lover, and South Park's Wild Wacky Action Bike is the perfect spoof of idiotic kids' toys.
You also completely missed out on some of the on-point parodies created by Mr. Show, including the McHutchence-Greely bit (a great send-up of US political advertising campaigns), Coupon: The Movie, Mustardayonnaise, Van Hammersly, The Cock-Ring Warehouse, The House of the Future, and the Underground Tape Railroad..
Thank you so much for putting this together!
I will send to all my friends (which, admittedly, aren't many)
How could you have missed the SNL ad for "Homocil", where Will Ferrell and Tracey Morgan are conflicted Dads dealing with less than manly male children?
Excellent list, but where are Quarry ("Better tasting, cause it's mined") and Shimmer ("It's a floor wax! It's a dessert topping!")??? Those are still two of the best ever IMHO.
I am impressed at how well you guys did your homework. There's a lot great stuff covering 40 years. Well done!
Peace!
GB!
Criminal ommission: the SNL spoof of courier services..."When it absolutely, positively, had to be there two weeks ago". One of my all time faves.
I'd propose SNL's Sleepy Boy Auto Alarm Eradicator, as well as The Web--stops criminals before they leave their own house!
you forgot the mad tv NInja home security systems its one of the best ones
You're missing a sleeper... The Cool Essence Spring Mist Shampoo commercial from "Mad TV" is not only hilarious but utterly brilliant if not a little weird. Alex Borstein uses the shampoo at work and has an orgasmic experience. But Debra Wilson and other coworkers are not impressed. They're scared for her. Alex starts feeling guilty for using the shampoo. Then the shampoo becomes abusive towards her and the whole commercial turns into a bad abused wife TV movie from Lifetime or something. Please check it out.
The "Homocil" ad should have been on here for sure, but the big on eyou missed was SNL's "Bathroom Monkey." No matter how often I see it, the monkey writing "Monkey Hate Clean" with the lipstick gets to me. The all time best, e3ven better than "Oops I Crapped My Pants."
Loved it, but I really hoped to see "Litter Critters," the SNL sketch where kids make toy figures out of used clumping cat litter. I also thought SNL's "Huggies Thong" diapers (so babies could lose that bulky diaper look) was really satirical.
I have no idea why you stacked this with SNL and almost completely ignored the brilliant commercial parodies from SCTV. How could you have ignored "Poochare all meat dog food"? Shame.
Thanks for this compilation, but you missed a really notable one out (I kept going forward, thinking it'd be in the Top 10): the Cracklin' Oat Flakes one starring Will Ferrell:
http://video.aol.com/partner/hulu/saturday-night-live-cracklin-oat-flake...
Well-edited, doesn't drag on, and packs such a wallow with extra meaning if you ever did raving. :)
SNL's spoof of the credit card commercial where Rosanne played the "helpful" phone rep.
SNL's series of ads with the head of the investment banking firm giving advice on everything including secret santas.
Ren and Stimpy's Log. My 8 year old watches it until I make him stop.
No Spishak (MADTV) commercials? For shame.
what happened to nigga please cereal?
No John Madden's Popcorn Popper?!?
the real cookie dough commercial (#34) can be found at http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1240510647&channel=1214627974
You forgot the SNL skit about the thong diapers--a great send-up of MILFs--the same type of character Amy Poehler plays so well in Mean Girls.
I can't believe you left out the budwiser parody with Robin Williams and Joe Piscapo. I still laugh when I think of it.
No mention of Wilson Countersink Flanges and Dorry Flanges = autofail.
How could you leave out the South Park spoof commercials for Alabama Man, Wild Wacky Action Bike, and Cherokee Hair Tampons?!?
How could you guys miss this one?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WqSESiUqUa8
(the "Viagro" ad from This Hour Has 22 Minutes)
What happened to "Pussy Whip" from SNL? Is it cat food or a dessert topping? It's both!
@TM. LOL, You got two of the SNL commercials mixed together. The pussy whip one goes, "This news broadcast was brought to you by... "Pussy Whip" ...the adult cat food dessert topping" The dessert topping one was about, don't quote me, but I believe it was "Ready Wax" is a floor wax, or is it a dessert topping....it's both.
Although the parodies you mention are funny. You're title should've read, "The 50 Greatest Commercial Parodies of All Time, from Saturday Night Live, and a few from some other TV shows". SCTV did so many brilliant commercial parodies, that you probably didn't know existed... especially the earlier years. Maybe my perspective is that of someone older and more rh['h9rhnrs etb55jy4a3qty05jji09setgdpyisgqwwOTUWFGU'PG
very good - a real find of treasure - am recommending to friends
Hey! Why weren't the Mike Myers' send ups of the Jonathan Pryce Infiniti Ads not included!!!!!!!
The concept of a commercial parody list is commendable, but to do so without ONE Spishak commercial from MadTV is either blatantly biased or simply lazy.
From the "nuclear Christmas lights" to the "Excuses-Excuses-Excuses-Excuses call out from work generator" to the Easy Bake oven for kids using real gas, these are instant classics.
I'm sorry, but I can't see this list as complete or acceptable.
Regarding #34 "Cookie Dough Sport," SNL, 1997:
That's not an SNL sketch. It's a fan-made remake of an SNL sketch, as you can see from the shoddy audio narration and the visible lack of any SNL actors in it.
I can't believe you left out one of the best ever: Gilda's Harvey's Bristol Cream parody on SNL, "Harley's Bristol Cream"!
This is a great idea but it seems someone from SNL or NBC thought so too, most of the clips have been removed from youtude and the others you can only watch in the USA, what a freakin bummer!!
my all time fave is missing -- the commercial for the car with the smooth ride -- SNL -- such a smooth ride they can do a circumcision in it... and do.
You guys should do a profile on what happened to the cast members of "In Living Color," a "Where Are They Now?" kind of piece. I'd be very curious...
Alex
"Pest control can be sadistic. What goes on inside those diabolical little black roach traps? Probably something similar to what happens in this commercial. Mixing the extreme violence of children's cartoons with people's total disregard for insects as a legitimate life form, "Bug-Off" shows us just how cruel we can be when Disney-grade imagination meets chemical science.
You forgot the many commercial parodies from "Kentucky Fried Movie". Inexcusable.
Shirt in a Can dammit! Classic Tim Meadows!
"you have a job interview and are enjoying a hearty blueberry cobbler when... DAMMIT!"
"It burns! That's how you know it's a shirt."
The YouTube video for #46, Xerox AssJet, is no longer available.
Could anyone tell me the name of the actor in the SNL ads with the head of the investment banking firm who gave such weird advice?
Panty Smile, from the British news satire show, The Day Toda, from 1994. Beats most of 'em on this list!
The Day Today*
I really liked the article, and the very cool blog
Now you say something