Stay alert, stay safe!

My friends of the internet, how do you do today?

I was poking around YouTube recently, and I stumbled upon something that really, really excited me. There is a user on YouTube called Retrontario, who has uploaded about 1700 videos and commercials from Southern Ontario/Western New York, which is where I was born and raised. You can just imagine my excitement as I carefully combed over pages upon pages of old videos!

This PSA is from Retrontario. Gert and Bert helped shape me into the careful, courteous person I am today.



Little Daniel is home alone, when an attractive woman comes to the door asking to use the phone. Oh no! What is he to do? Thankfully Gert and Bert are there to remind him that he must stay alert, even when he's home alone.

I remember being told to use the line, "My parents can't come to the door right now," all the time when I was growing up. I didn't second guess it ever, until just this very moment. Let's say your parents are home. If there's someone outside who's in need of help, wouldn't you get your parents? What would they be doing where they can't come to the door? To me, saying your parents can't come to the door seems like code for, "I'm not opening the door because I'm home alone!"

I'm not sure that this series of PSA ever played outside of Canada. I've tried to find information about Gert and Bert, but it's really hard to come by. A quick read of the YouTube comments suggests that maybe these two rabbits were exclusive to Canada. Also, it seems that they still play pretty regularly too! That makes me happy, because dispite the cheese factor of these PSA's, they certainly get their points across. Even as an adult, Gert and Bert play a huge part in my life. I find that when I'm in need of advice, the best place to turn is a couple of teenaged, hoverboard-riding rabbits.

PARTY IN THE PSA, PART FOUR: I learned it by watching you!

I'm sorry it took so long to get this one up, but I've been busy with a lot of stuff. I know, it was irresponsible of me, but I promise I'll make it up to you!

Today, we're going to look at the grandaddy of all public service announcements. This is one we all know and love.




One thing that always bothered me about this PSA is that the father kept interrupting his son. I am, by no means, an expert on this subject. However, if I was writing this PSA, I would have done so in such a way that would encourage an open dialog.

They say that parents who use drugs have children who use drugs. I didn't think of it when I was younger, but seeing this PSA through my adult eyes, I really have to wonder if that fact is. Just because a parent does drugs, does that automatically predispose the children into using drugs as well? I wonder where I could find some statistics about this.

As I think I said in previous entry, I really wonder how effective these old PSAs really were. A brief look through the YouTube comments would suggest that they didn't quite get the job done. Here are some gems for your viewing pleasure:

"my dad bought me a pie when my mom caught me smoking and told me congradulations"

"why don't they just pool their money and smoke together. good father/son time right there. "

"haha it probly ended like when my dad first caught me with the reefer "alright son we got 20 minutes before your mother gets home, lets see how good this weed is" LOL "

The ideas behind these PSAs were well-intentioned, I'm sure. I just don't think they were all that effective. Of course, I'm saying that without having any statistics or concrete facts. I'm using my own experiences as my gauge. It's my blog, I can say what I want!

All that being said, though, this spot is still widely quoted and spoofed regularly. (Some examples that come to mind off the top of my head are Clone High and Scrubs.) It may not have won us the war against drugs, but it certainly gave us one of the most memorable lines ever spoken on television. And really, that's what's really important!

Tune in next week, when I get off my soapbox and go back to reviewing fun toy and cereal commercials! If you love Barbie, (and really, who doesn't?), then you're going to love our next entry!

PARTY IN THE PSA, PART THREE: This is your brain on drugs.

So how about these anti-drug PSAs? Are you enjoying them as much as I am?

Here's another classic from the 80's.



This PSA doesn't make a whole lot of sense, once you really think about it. If I'm understanding it correctly, drugs make my brain delicious and safe to eat. While I understand the message, I think that The Partnership for a Drug-Free America could have made their message a little clearer.

Evidently, I wasn't the only person who thought so. In 1998, they decided to re-tool their classic PSA.



Ha! Now we're getting somewhere! This time, they've done everything right. Smash the egg instead of cooking it. Destroy everything associated with the egg! It just makes so much more sense on a number of levels. Rachael Leigh Cook does a great job of driving her point home. Drugs are bad, and they'll destroy you.

I have one more PSA coming next week, and then we'll get back to some random commercials. I've got some real gems lined up, and maybe even a guest entry or two. Until then, stay off the pipe, and don't eat raw eggs!

PARTY IN THE PSA, PART TWO: I'm not a chicken! You're a turkey!

Continuing on our special PSA arc, today I bring you one of the finest anti-drug PSAs ever produced.



This one, starring the Ninja Turtles (from the hit television show Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), starts off just like any other PSA. There's little Joey, minding his business, when he is singled out by some random mullet-headed drug enthusiast. He tries to entice his little friend with something he's just gotta try. This guy has some balls, because he just pulls out a couple of joints out in the open! When Joey refuses, the mullet-headed kid calls him a chicken, and starts bock-bocking at him.

I'm now coining the phrase "bock-bocking". It's mine.

Joey's in quite the jam! Luckily, the Ninja Turtles are there to help, kinda. You see, Joey's dilemma seems to be nothing more than a show to teach children about drugs. One of the girls has the right idea, to get a teacher. Michelangelo suggests getting a pizza. Another child suggests that Joey get out of there. (I wanted to make a remark about how you're not supposed to get the pizza until after you smoke, but I'm a lot classier than that.)

When we cut back to Joey's little show, he speaks one of the most awesome lines to have ever graced the television airwaves: "I'm not a chicken! You're a turkey!"

Say that to yourself a couple of times. Remember when you were growing up, and people called you a chicken? I bet you wish you had that line. I know I do.

All in all, this was a great PSA. Much like Pee Wee's PSA about the dangers of crack, this one also uses well-known characters to help drive the message home. And that line! After all these years, I have yet to hear anything that could top that line! I'm not a chicken! You're a turkey!

In April 1990, Michelangelo came back to television to continue the war against drugs. A cartoon special called Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue aired simultaneously on ABC, NBC, CBS, Nickelodeon, and USA Network which starred all the big cartoon names from the time, including Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Muppet Babies, Slimer, Alf, and Bugs Bunny. If you ever wanted to hear Michelangelo, Huey, Dewey and Louie sing a song together about how to say no to drugs, then seek this video out!

PARTY IN THE PSA, PART ONE: Doing it with crack isn't just wrong, it could be dead wrong.

Hello again, my dear readers.

Growing up, we were taught that drugs were bad. It seems like back in the 80's and early 90's, you couldn't watch TV without seeing some sort of PSA about drugs. A lot of them weren't very convincing, and had no real effect on us. There are some, though, that just stick to your soul. This is one of them.



I grew up watching Pee Wee's Playhouse. It was a strange show, and Pee Wee Herman was a strange, strange man. He was loud, and his attention span on the show seemed almost non-existent. Let's play with toys! Let's find out the word of the day! Let's watch a cartoon! Oh boy, a talking chair!

The contrast between his Pee Wee's Playhouse persona and the tone of this PSA is what makes this PSA so powerful. He's no longer a man-child with ADD. He's speaking as an adult who genuinely cares about our well-being. It was pretty powerful stuff, back in the day.

I'm not sure, though, that this PSA holds up anymore. In fact, have you noticed you don't see drug PSA's on television these days? I should do some poking around to see some statistics on how effective they were.

In the next little while, I'm going to review some other PSA's from back in the day. There are some real gems out there, so keep your eyes peeled for more PSA entries!

I just wait for a child to grab my handle.

For those of us living in the good ol' US of A, the season of Thanksgiving is upon us! It's a time of year for family, friends, and of course, delicious food. Of course, this means that there will probably be a lot of activity in your kitchen. What better time to bust out this old gem of a PSA?


I'm not exactly sure when Warner Brothers released this PSA about kitchen safety, but I rememeber seeing it a lot. My favourite part is with the pot of boiling water. I don't know why, but he seems pretty intent on harming little children. The kettle and the cookie jar near the stove were clear dangers, but they at least knew enough to correct themselves. The pot, though, he's clearly out for blood.