Are the Geico cavemen black, Jewish and gay?

[HamdenRice]

My sister and I were discussing the Geico cavemen ad campaign yesterday. We find the commercials funny, but she also has a theory that each Geico caveman is a separate coded allusion to various kinds of Americans who are from time to time insulted by media stereotypes.

She says there are three distinct cavemen. One is a metaphor for an "angry black man." (NB: We're African Americans.) He's the one who appears in the Fox news type debates, who is in the airport when he sees the billboard, and is the one who didn't have an appetite. He is also the one who says, "you think my going with Geico makes me any less of a caveman?" which actually is a reference to inter-racial dating ("you think my going out with a white woman makes me any less black?")

The Jewish caveman is a "neurotic" "Woody Allen" type, and obviously he's the one in the psychiatrist's office, and is the one who is "getting back with Tina."

The gay one is the one who orders the duck with mango salsa.

[slj0101]

1. Excellent synopsis. Could be considered overreaching, but still good.

I was always bothered by those commercials. I don't believe in so-called "political correctness," but the caveman commercials sorta gave me the feeling that they were poking fun at some minorities as easily offended.

[krispos42]

5. I always thought it was kind of the opposite

People struggling against prejudice while the general public just kinds looks blankly at them and says "What prejudice? I don't see what the big deal is..."

[HamdenRice]

7. It goes both ways

For some reason I laugh at these commercials no matter how many times I see them. It seems very familiar, and sometimes I think they are perceptively skewering how insenstive and clueless dominant media and white people can be, and sometimes I think they are skewering political correctness.

I could swear that the copy writer was an African American metro-sexual some times.

[krispos42]

10. LOL good points all around n/t

[La Lioness Priyanka]

2. interesting idea.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. interesting idea.

[Aristus]

4. That's a pretty funny analysis.

I like it. B-)

[Radio_Lady]

6. I hate those commercials. I think all of the cavemen look like Val Kilmer with hair.

Their speech, altered with clip-on teeth, is deplorable.

But I must admit -- the commercials are memorable.

I never noticed these "differences" but you may be right. You could charge sex discrimination, because there are no "cave women"!

Here's some interesting background information:

http://advertising.about.com/b/a/256604.htm

[HamdenRice]

8. What about Tina?

Let's have a commercial with Tina -- unless that caveman is inter-racial dating.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. I think they represent man's inhumanity to man and the evanescence of life.

Though the one in the psychiatrist's office is clearly a phallic symbol attempting to destroy feminism through normalization of heirarchical patriarchy ala "the white man's burden" and Jim Crow law's, subjugated and reparadigmed through the lens of whitewashed hegemonic institutionalized rape or both women and land. The cell phone is clearly a vagina, sacrificed to the male ego once it is full of phone numbers, which "phone numbers" are but a poorly disguised representation of Jesus' sperm.

Read Mary Daly, and it'll all be clear to you.

[RetroLounge]

17. ...

:thumbsup:

RL

[Rabrrrrrr]

28. Thanks! I didn't spend five years studying with eco-feminist vegan lesbians for nothing.

:rofl:

[Javaman]

11. yes. nt

[supernova]

12. I do think the represent

minority groups and provide a way of talking about how the larger culture treats minorities, sometimes harmfully, sometimes stupidly and hilariously so. But I must admit, I hadn't thought about each of the cavemen representing a particular group.

Those wincing moments of recognition happen in satire that we have a hard time laughing at IRL.

For those reasons, the cavemen are a hit with me! :D

[cloudbase]

13. Gevalt!

Maaaaaaybe we're reading a bit too much into this. I did get a grin out of that analysis, though.

[HamdenRice]

14. I guess we'll find out for sure when the TV series starts

Yup, ABC has purchased a pilot and will produce a dozen or so episodes of a series, Cavemen, for the fall season about the lives of the Geico cavemen.

I imagine their personalities will be fleshed out then for sure.

[Tyler Durden]

15. Look and listen carefully.

If you listen and look carefully you will notice that the airport guy, the interview guy, the not hungry guy and the party sport coat guy are all the same one. The Neurotic guy, the orders the duck guy and the depressed guy at the party are the same one. They guy getting back together with tina is solo: I don't think he's in any other commercial.

[HamdenRice]

16. Sorry, but cavemen all look alike to me

Oh God, I can't believe I said that! Actually I think you are right.

[devilgrrl]

18. Are any of them female?

Just asking.

[Blue_Tires]

19. caveman power n/t

[begin_within]

20. What is your theory on the Mercury "alien" commercials?

[Alexander]

21. Beats me, but they don't deserve their own show.

The novelty is that the commercials are only 30 seconds long.

[terrya]

22. I bet it won't last one season.

I think it's a stupid idea for a series.

[Radio_Lady]

23. I completely agree with you. Stupid idea which will not succeed.

Thanks for posting.

Radio Lady (TV and radio career of more than 35 years...)

[JVS]

24. Ever since That 70's Show, everyone with a stupid idea for a series...

has been hoping that their stupid idea is the one which would make it big, Maybe, just maybe, this idiotic show will go 11 seasons.

[Dr. Strange]

26. Why?

I think it's a stupid idea for a series.

Because cavemen are stupid? I suppose you think a show about therapists would be funny?
Man, you're just as bigoted as Geico!

[bigwillq]

25. Now that's an idea.

I never thought about it like that.

[SacredCow]

27. Interesting analysis....

But where does the geko fit in?

Or maybe I don't want to know......