Video: Honoring the fallen, brought to you by Home Depot
posted at 8:29 pm on April 28, 2008 by Allahpundit
How much blacker could this humor be? The answer is none. None more black.
Actually, I’m not sure what the target here is. The commercialization of news, right — except that television news has always been commercial and used to be a lot more heavy-handed about it. Mike Wallace inserting a cigarette pitch into a segment on Vietnam casualties? Not terribly far-fetched. Scarborough hawking aftershave during a recitation of the week’s Iraq dead on “Morning Joe”? I’m not seeing it.
Home Depot Honors Fallen Soldiers With Great Prices On Tools
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I saw this earlier today. Funny? I admit I chuckled on occasion.
Troy Rasmussen on April 28, 2008 at 8:35 PM
how many people are about to send hate mail to home depot?
lorien1973 on April 28, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Hmm, pull this please AP.
Not my call, of course. But…
SteveMG on April 28, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Not offended but I did not think it funny.
kahall on April 28, 2008 at 8:38 PM
I cant believe what I just saw. Is this a put on? The only
thing those two cared about was hawking tools. They ARE
the tools. I may never go into home depot again.
aceinstall on April 28, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Yes, it’s a comedy bit.
SteveMG on April 28, 2008 at 8:40 PM
Where the hell have you been? The Onion is rabid in their anti-military bias. They portray soldiers as morons or folks held hostage because they think the military is an employer of last resort. I’m with the idea of not encouraging this crap where satire crosses the line into demeaning our fallen troops. But hey, that’s coming from a “Jesus freak” and we all know that you have no problem with bashing those of us with passionate values. You were probably laughing your arse off that those who paid the ulitmate sacrifice were being spoofed.
highhopes on April 28, 2008 at 8:42 PM
It isnt funny. Period. It is morbid and insulting. Not really HA material is it AP?
labwrs on April 28, 2008 at 8:44 PM
Eh…for a real commercial, try the recent FORD COMMERCIAL supporting the troops…
Very well done.
JetBoy on April 28, 2008 at 8:46 PM
Not funny. Cringe humor, at best.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 28, 2008 at 8:48 PM
I did like the teaser at the end;
Later: How to be sexy at any age under 40
eeyore on April 28, 2008 at 8:50 PM
I know it’s parody, but still difficult to watch.
mikeyboss on April 28, 2008 at 8:50 PM
O.K. Everyone who thinks this is real, the Onion is a PARODY news organization. It’s all a joke. Often tasteless, but a joke none the less.
Troy Rasmussen on April 28, 2008 at 8:52 PM
I would be pretty pissed if I was Home Depot.
WisCon on April 28, 2008 at 8:53 PM
I’m sure Home Depot would love to hear your opinion.
You can contact Investor Relations here:
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 8:55 PM
Oops: http://ir.homedepot.com/comment.cfm
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 8:57 PM
I don’t think it’s supposed to be “ha ha” funny. Even though the Onion is a parody site, parody doesn’t neccessarily have to evoke laughter. This strikes me as a parody of sponsor-driven news. Or sponsor driven anything.
At least when Ford sponsored the TV debut of Shindler’s List, they didn’t use their break to hawk their newest models. They were very tasteful.
So, this piece: Not funny, very uncomfortable to watch. But I think that’s what they were going for.
Tuning Spork on April 28, 2008 at 8:59 PM
James OK on April 28,2008 at 8:55 PM
Don’t bother Home Depot. They had nothing to do with it.
Tuning Spork on April 28, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Actually, I have a real problem with any company attaching their product to the efforts of our nation’s troops.
The troops deserve better than to have some actor that looks like might be in the military (but never was) hawk cars, beer, or some other commodity in their name. Let the companies show their support through donations to the USO or other organizations that actually support the troops.
highhopes on April 28, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Pah…..local Home Depot has been TREMENDOUS helping us put together packages and offering materials for teams to help repair soldiers homes. Like any outfit in America you are going to find individuals for/against the war, but as a corporation supporting homebody-support groups they have been great.
A pox on The Onion.
Limerick on April 28, 2008 at 9:02 PM
OMG…some of you aren’t getting the bit!?!!? It’s making fun of the media being oblivious to what’s going on in a segment because of the sponsor. I.TOTALLY.GET.IT.
SouthernGent on April 28, 2008 at 9:04 PM
That was such a great stab at those shameless capitalists and their imperialist ad placements that I’m definetely going to see the movie “Scarlet”. I owe the Onion that much.
joewm315 on April 28, 2008 at 9:04 PM
You didn’t get the memo?
Vigilante on April 28, 2008 at 9:05 PM
Gotta go….Carrier is on.
Limerick on April 28, 2008 at 9:06 PM
based on all the comments, and the Onion’s recent history, I dont think i need to watch.
Mike D. on April 28, 2008 at 9:12 PM
Some of the tards commenting on here are the exact reason the Onion is so funny. Their parodies are so spot on that some people, albeit, mostly the ones missing a chromosome, can’t tell the difference between the parody and real news. This was hilarious because it is what local news is becoming. Every segment is sponsored by a company, even when the news is horrific. Hilarious parody.
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 9:13 PM
What memo? I think you’d be surprised how quickly a cease and desist letter can be drafted.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 9:15 PM
@ James OK on April 28, 2008 at 9:15 PM
I think we have found, “Doesn’t get the bit guy”
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Wow. Home Depot has some HUGE kahones to sponsor that. But it was pretty funny. The Onion is always pretty non-biased and “edgy”. God, I hate using that word.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:20 PM
I thought he was kidding. Apparently he’s not kidding.
SouthernGent on April 28, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Oh please! Photography is excellent and the sense of what it means to serve on a ship is great but why don’t they ever show the stories of sane people- you know the story of the guy who left the farm because he always wanted to serve on a carrier, got advanced first time up to becoming a First Class petty officer, and is going to make it a career.
Instead the whole program is focused on sailors who have “life experiences.” The Airman whose mom was a whore and dad a pimp, the Ordinanceman who knocked up his girlfriend, the AVBM who has a chip on his shoulder. I don’t think the whole program has any sort of balance. Probably edited by a barren liberal lesbian who hates the military. The “boring stuff” meaning the true story was left on the cutting room floor while this crap was featured.
highhopes on April 28, 2008 at 9:21 PM
@ malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:20 PM
I think we have found “Doesnt get the bit guy #2″
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 9:21 PM
It must be the Southern in our names, cuz I got it too.
SouthernDem on April 28, 2008 at 9:22 PM
There, fixed it.
I’m going to hell for that one, aren’t I?
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:23 PM
No, I had the same thought. Can a trademark be featured so prevalently without some corporate involvement?
SouthernDem on April 28, 2008 at 9:24 PM
I “got the bit”. I’m just saying that there are people who aren’t huge fans of the Onion’s brand of satire that will somehow see this as mocking the deaths of soldiers. You and I may get it, but not everyone else will. Hint: The people that will get pissed aren’t the people reading “Hot Air”, they’re the people that only get on the internet through their “WebTV” that their sweet grown boy set up so they could get on the Electronic-Mail.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:26 PM
It’s the Onion. Sometimes it’s funny sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes you “get it” and sometimes you don’t. I’m just curious how they get away with using Home Depots name or is that covered under freedom of speech as parody?
Guardian on April 28, 2008 at 9:26 PM
It’s very similar to the weatherman going on and on about, say, a hurricane then the anchors ask him questions about the very thing he was discussing as though they are oblivious to what he’s saying and just following the teleprompter. MUST STAY ON SCRIPT! That’s all this parody is about. The anchors staying on script.
SouthernGent on April 28, 2008 at 9:28 PM
I realize you’re trying to be clever, but do you honestly believe HD wants their name even remotely associated with – and likely inappropriately used – to denigrate a large segment of their customer base? Even if its for ‘satire’?
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 9:29 PM
I think they’ve used Home Depot’s logo in the other Today show parodies. I’m guessing that it was a standard product placement deal reached by both parties. I just don’t think that Home Depot knew what they were getting into. Only the Onion would use product placement…to mock product placement. That’s the real irony of the whole thing.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:29 PM
But that’s the thing. The Onion sees it as mocking product placement and the media, not soldiers. All I was saying is that a certain kind of people (like you) will actually be offended by this, even though you don’t understand that you shouldn’t be offended…unless you work for a cable news network that utilizes product placement.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:31 PM
I get your point. I just find it difficult to believe that HD will take the time to acquiesce the Onion’s ‘edgy’ humor when their trademark and marketing materials are used to make light of US casualties and their loved ones. Some things are, and should be, simply off-limits.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 9:39 PM
BUT THEY AREN’T MAKING FUN OF DEAD SOLDIERS, THEY’RE MAKING FUN OF THE MEDIA! AGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:45 PM
Dude, if you believe that then I agree to disagree.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Ummmm… are you being “obamalike” here? I mean, it IS honestly and truely offensive. It is also WRONG on many levels, using a hero’s death to make a “funny” statement is wrong AND involving a real company who has supported the troops all the way is WRONG! How “elitist” of you to look down on those of us who think AP posting this here and giving it a wider audience is UNSEEMLY.
Frankly, being from Atlanta and KNOWING the GREAT work HD does, I surely HOPE they get involved ASAP. To that end, I just sent them an email about this. This is disgusting. Not clever, not “dark humor”, not amusing, just DISGUSTING AND INAPPROPRIATE.
labwrs on April 28, 2008 at 9:48 PM
oops, I didn’t get the “bit”. It still sucks, but I guess
my sense of humor isn’t as sophisticated as muyoso. You
should come to MAINE, I bet U.M.F. would give you a
scholarship!
aceinstall on April 28, 2008 at 9:48 PM
Ummmm… are you being “obamalike” here?Yeah, that did sound a bit….arrugula like. Sry.
I agree, Home Depot is one of the few companies where soldiers/sailors/airmen know that their job will still be there when they come home. Believe it or not, this is a problem with some employers. But the point is that the bit isn’t making fun of dead soldiers. Watch it again. The media are the ONLY target. Hell, that’s the whole point of The Onion, to mock the media. Sometimes they hit, other times they miss. I personally think this was sorta funny. But that’s just me.
BTW, they’ve done this before w/ “memorial decks”.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Hookin’ ya up w/ major linkage, dude.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:56 PM
I meant to quote that, not strike it.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:56 PM
@ labwrs on April 28, 2008 at 9:48 PM
Thank “god” you dont get to decide what is allowed or not in humor.
@ aceinstall on April 28, 2008 at 9:48 PM
The “bit” is that this is not a real news show, and that its obviously a parody. If you didnt get that, then what can I say other than welcome to earth?
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 9:57 PM
My bad, that was the same one. I’m pretty sure they’ve done this before though.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:57 PM
ON
THE
SPECTRUM
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 9:58 PM
The ONION should have made up a home improvement firm (e.g.: “Dome Heapo“), because they have thrown mediocre comedy crap on an uninvolved company.
“Fair Use” doesn’t cover gratuitously and meaninglessly involving someone’s else legitimate business in your mediocre attempt at parody/satire/buffonery.
Cringe-worthy sleaze.
profitsbeard on April 28, 2008 at 9:59 PM
Also, from what I can find, there is no “Andrew Johnson” killed in Iraq, which is obvious, because that mother is not a real mother of a soldier, and the soldier is not a real soldier. Its a parody, so everyone stop with the “hero” angle and crap. They are all actors, and its a parody of the NEWS, not having ANYTHING to do with soldiers.
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 10:01 PM
muyoso, I was willing to cut you some slack bacause you’re probably young, have never served, and I found your previous use of bold, capitalized font to be somewhat impressive.
I just want you to know that I support, and served for, your right to be a clueless idiot.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Wow. I’m really surprised at this reaction. I thought HA readers “got” a lot of The Onion’s stuff. I agree that they shouldn’t use Home Depot’s logo IF they didn’t get it cleared (and I would think so with any other skit, not just this one). And I still think it was a prearranged sponsorship deal.
I’ve tried explaining this. Nobody listens.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Geez, NOBODY IS MOCKING THE TROOPS. The skit was mocking the media FOR NOT SHOWING RESPECT FOR FALLEN SOLDIERS. You don’t get it. It’s okay, nobody’s faulting you…I don’t get some of the Onion’s stuff myself. But you don’t need to go around flying insults just because people understand the message that the Onion is trying to give.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:08 PM
BTW…I can’t believe I’m defending muyoso…isn’t he/she a PaulNut?
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:10 PM
@ James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:04 PM
First of all, who are you to question what I find humorous? There is no part of this sketch that demeans the soldiers at all. The joke is on the media. Frankly, I would expect someone who boasts about himself on the internet so boldly to understand that. Especially coming from a person who has served in the armed forces. So to you, ANYTHING related to soldiers is off limits. MASH must have been horrendous for you to endure.
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 10:10 PM
@ malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:10 PM
He was and is a “Paulnut”, if you want to put it like that. By “Paulnut” of course, it means that I support many of his policies, including his stance on Iraq.
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Quite so. In fact, I suspect they only used a fallen soldier as the premise to make the commercialization that much more absurd and repulsive.
Allahpundit on April 28, 2008 at 10:11 PM
@ Allahpundit on April 28, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Exactly. They could have used one of the victims in the Challenger explosion interchangeably. It would still show the ridiculousness of the media.
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Guy, if you are foolish enough to believe that others don’t ‘get it’ then you need to step out of the happy-happy cocoon you’re living in. I get the intent. We all do. But the fact that the death of US troops is callously used to ‘make a funny’ is reprehensible, REGARDLESS if it makes idiots like you chuckle. Seriously, you aren’t as clever as you think you are.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:15 PM
When did anybody say they thought they were “clever”?
I’m done with you. AP has ruled and it is settled (see 10:11).
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:18 PM
A quasi-flamewar over an Onion skit…
Now that’s funny.
Slublog on April 28, 2008 at 10:18 PM
@ James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:15 PM
NO, some people seriously didn’t get that this was not a real television show.
See, there would be NO reason to contact invester relations unless this was a real television show, with Home Depot being the REAL sponser.
muyoso on April 28, 2008 at 10:19 PM
AP is as wrong as you are.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Who really has the last laugh here?
The Onion, of course, for getting millions of pissed off people to watch their ad for “Scarlet” over and over and over again.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Genius, we get it isn’t real; that’s hardly the point. Don’t you ‘get it’?
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:23 PM
BTW…..Grand Theft Auto IV COMES OUT TOMORROW!
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:23 PM
No, but there are actually people that think The Onion is real. I’m not saying you do, just see past threads attached to other Onion skit posts to see who does.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:24 PM
It is such a burden to often peg things so right. Carry on.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:26 PM
THIS is the POINT. Using a real company who has supported the troops AND this premise is WRONG.
Gee, I am so “unhip” I dont “get it”? I “get it” and the intent to defame and demean fallen soldiers AND a good company that has supported them. WHAT PART OF THAT DONT YOU “GET”?
labwrs on April 28, 2008 at 10:27 PM
I just want to clear this up. I agree with you in that the Onion shouldn’t be using Home Depot’s name/logo w/o permission (IF that is the case) in any sort skit/bit/satire. It just isn’t cool. I disagree with you in that dead soldiers/families were somehow made fun of or mocked. It simply isn’t the case.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:28 PM
I dont care if the onion does this…I DO care that HotAir gives it a wider audience that it merits. It is free speech …as reprehensible as it is..but did it REALLY deserve THIS forum? I think not.
labwrs on April 28, 2008 at 10:30 PM
I don’t follow. I was referencing Slublog’s mocking of us for getting worked up about an Onion routine and tried to bring up something else that is going on. And if you’re trying to say that you “pegged me” as a young person, you didn’t. You said muyoso was “young and never served”. Quite an observation to make blindly from behind a keyboard. Your other assumption that everybody who plays Grand Theft Auto is young tells quite a bit about you though. Don’t judge people. If you want to discuss something, you can do it without trying to “peg” people.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:32 PM
Ummm…well then I guess YOU are the one who just doesnt “GET IT”. sheeeeeeeeeeeeesh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
labwrs on April 28, 2008 at 10:32 PM
Do you actually read Hot Air? Dude, “this forum” is also home to the HumpBot! Don’t take it so seriously.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:34 PM
That, friend, is funny. Satire be damned.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:35 PM
Wow. You certainly are…..on the offense. I’m just making the point that from watching/reading The Onion videos/faux news articles that AP posts and are found all across the Internet, I don’t think that the troops are the targets here.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:36 PM
That’s the smartest thing you’ve said all night.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:36 PM
Judgmental.
Arrogant.
Look at me, I can “peg” people too.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:37 PM
It ain’t easy being me.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:38 PM
I still can’t figure out what you actually mean in some of your posts. Having a debate/convo on a thread is tough, because you can’t hear someone’s tone or intent. Sometimes, elaboration is needed to get your point across to the other side of the monitor.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Should I be offended or complimented? I can’t figure it out, and I know you must be laughing your ass off because of it. I’m starting to find the whole situation pretty funny too.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Ok, here goes in bullet-point form:
1. Onion attempts to make a funny of big news ad placement
2. Onion uses products from a well-known retail supplier to illustrate the funny.
3. Onion uses the death of US serviceman as a rider to its schtick.
4. Onion is not funny, and the fact that they would use such a sensitive subject only serves to illustrate their callous disregard for the sacrifices our men and women in uniform give on a daily basis.
5. Home Depot should disavow itself from the inappropriate, and misappropriated, use of its trademark and marketing materials that were intended to make idiots who think they are more clever than the rest of the population laugh.
James OK on April 28, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done.
Dead soldiers are not funny. Ever.
And that is the part that is unacceptable. Do not try to tell me that this parody script could not have been done without dead soldiers being used.
Stop defending the indefensible.
platypus on April 28, 2008 at 11:01 PM
You like to judge people, don’t you?
You probably win that point. They miss the mark on a lot of bits.
I’m with you there too. They shouldn’t be using Home Depot’s likeness in ANY skit w/o permission (but I haven’t seen that they DIDN’T have permission).
I’m still standing by the fact that this has nothing to do with mocking the troops. If it did, I’d be right there with you admonishing them (the Onion, that is). I again point you to AP’s post. The dead soldier was only used to show how far the media would go with product placement.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Just saw it. Really regret it is still up on HA.
JonRoss on April 28, 2008 at 11:01 PM
I’m not saying the Onion didn’t cross the line (dead servicemen aren’t funny), I’m just saying that they obviously didn’t mean to cross the line. Just by watching the video, you can tell that the dead soldier/family concept was just a prop to illustrate the overall skit of mocking the media.
Probably, but it wouldn’t have had the same affect (or is it “effect”, who cares?). They wanted to grossly exaggerate product placement in the news…and it worked.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 11:05 PM
This is absurd, which is the point.
About 15 years ago I was sickened to hear the announcer at a Braves Baseball game tell us to get on our feet for the “Toyota Seventh Inning Stretch.”
I wondered how far this sickening commercialization would go in the future and it looks like the Onion is laying out one possibility.
EJDolbow on April 28, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Possibility? Look at those idiots that put pictures of fallen soldiers on their “Impeach Bush” t-shirts. It’s already happening, and it’s disgusting.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 11:14 PM
It’s brilliant. Absolutely fantastic.
It says everything about the way I feel when I watch Ann Curry on the TODAY show with her phony, cloying “I really give a crap” interview style.
You know the multi-millionaire show hosts could give a rats ass about the subject of their story…..it’s just their gig; hyping meaningless BS and trivializing peoples lives and loved ones for a buck.
KUDOS TO THE ONION!!
mylegsareswollen on April 28, 2008 at 11:18 PM
I’m obligated to tell anyone who actually watches the Today Show to seek psychiatric help. I’ll occasionally watch for like 5 min, but that stuff rots your brain.
BTW, Viera is SOOOO much worse than Curry.
malan89 on April 28, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Exactly. And BTW, I am a woman.
To this point, it is STILL WRONG to use dead soldiers and a company that supports the troops in “parody”. PERIOD.
The very fact that AP thought it OK to post it HERE is amazing, dismaying and disgusting to me personally.
To those of you who think this is OK and cool and cutting edge…….I simply dont know what to say other than you have a warped sense of “humor”.
labwrs on April 29, 2008 at 12:07 AM
THIS IS THE POINT.
Honestly, giving a wider audience to something like this is horrible. Truely WRONG.
SHAME ALLAHPUNDIT…SHAME!!!!
labwrs on April 29, 2008 at 12:11 AM
I laughed my ass off while feeling bad about it
Baphomet on April 29, 2008 at 1:32 AM
Not funny.
Glynn on April 29, 2008 at 2:17 AM
That wasn’t funny not even for Onion standards.
Specially when they spoof the death of real soldiers and their families pain. They should know where to draw the line.
AP I’m dissapointed
gzelmiami on April 29, 2008 at 3:32 AM
What’s with the defense of the Onion for this? I’m willing to accept that the target was the ad-driven MSM, but they could’ve easily made the same point using a different story that didn’t a) demean soldier deaths and b) slander a company that seems relatively pro-troops.
Pick your battles, folks, because this one certainly isn’t worth being fought.
amkun on April 29, 2008 at 7:10 AM
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