Making stars take a back seat.

A friend asked me today what I think of this commercial. The answer is I don't like. Why? For the following reasons. I know it's profitable for the heirs of these great talents to make money, but it's still prostituting the art. One could argue that at least it keeps once-famous performers in the spotlight. But at what price? Pushing Jetta automobiles? I also detest this strident song. With all the great music these two guys were associated with the agency might have found something more in keeping with their style ("Moses Supposes"). 60 Minutes just had a feature on the ghoulish companies that make a fortune on dead celebrities. Sometimes deceased stars are used elegantly (costly perfume) most other times in a shabby, degrading manner: e.g. as wastebasket art. If you could have asked Gene and Donald while they were alive, "How would you feel about being used to demonstrate the roominess of a car's back seat after you're dead?" do you think they would have answered, "Great!"? I don't. But then I don't think Marilyn Monroe would have wanted to be featured on coffee mugs or salt and pepper shakers.