Apr 26, 2010

Punch what?

I don't know what's wrong with me.

Sometimes I get worked up about the dumbest things. Stuff that doesn't affect my life at all. I know it's unreasonable and, frankly, probably pretty unhealthy. But there are some things that are out of my control. They bother me, and there is nothing I can do about it.

Case in point - the latest Volkswagen advertising campaign.


It's a take on the old "punch buggy" game that we used to play on long family car trips. Whenever you would see a VW Bug (Beetle), you would punch your nearest sibling and yell "punch buggy"! Fun, right?

But now the VW advertising folks have changed it to "punch dubs" and expanded the population of punch targets to Jettas and Golfs and whatever else Volkswagen makes. They can't just do that! Change the game? It's our game, and it should only involve VW Bugs! I don't want to punch my little sister whenever I see a Jetta. I only want to punch her when I see a Beetle, fer crissakes!

Hmm...yeah, I guess I'm over-reacting. But dammit, I get pissed every time I see one of those "punch dubs" commercials!

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Note: Remember to play the Bug-Eyed Trivia Challenge every day. I need to get over this.

21 comments:

Dave said...

Totally with you on this one. I have some fond memories of punch buggy including one brutal but hilarious episode in college when a car load of us drove past a VW bug lot. I'll make an exception for a Thing but come on. Punch Buggy with a Taureg? I don't think so Heinrich.

Kaye Waller said...

I suggest you get punch drunk almost immediately.

Never heard of this game. We California kids never got to have any fun...

Candy's daily Dandy said...

Save yourself the aggravation....play this new game called "pididdle".
You call out "pididdle" every time you see a car with one headlight out.

I'm telling the kids that it's illegal to have one headlight out and that you really wont find many cars in that condition these days because there are too many new cars on the road, yada, yada, yada. Sure enough, I notice the pididdle's all the time now. And there out there.

Paticus said...

Absolutely with you on this one earl. I was saying the same thing to My Special Lady when one of these commercials came on this weekend. Those stupid VW jerks.

Verdant Earl said...

Dave - Wow, I haven't seen a Thing in a long, long time.

Steph - I'm not so sure it was regional, but having never been to CA (yeah, I'm the one person) I dunno.

Candy - I see more newish cars with one headlight out than older cars.

Paticus - I agree...jerks!

Slyde said...

I was GOING to say that i get very angry every time i read a shitty blog post, but then i decided to not leave a snide comment for once...

unfortunatly, that leaves me with nothing to write...

Verdant Earl said...

Slyde - We wouldn't like you when you get angry. Hulk smash!

sybil law said...

My daughter and her friends play the Punch Buggy game all the time (and make me crazy), so I hope they never see this stupid commercial (first time I've seen it)!
Pididdle is one I'll have to teach them, though - totally did that one as a kid, too. I forgot all about it!

Kevin McKeever said...

I, too, am appalled yet still laughing.

Verdant Earl said...

Sybil - That's two votes for pididdle. Never heard of it before.

Uncool - Punch buggy is no laughing matter! ;)

RW said...

We used to have our kids play "how long can you go without saying anything" or "bet you can't eat just one potato chip" and stuff like that. ha hahaha... we were cruel.

Water Logged Canine said...

I support any corporation that encourages violence. Kudos Volkswagen. I applaud you.

Dr Zibbs said...

With all the political correctness I bet there are parents complaining that kids are hitting each other because of this commercial.

white rabbit said...

I don't know what to say!

*shuffles off muttering*

First baseball players jumping over each other then this....

Plus an earthquake on boobquake day (good story if you've seen it)

Verdant Earl said...

RW - The silence game never worked in my family. 4 sisters, ya know.

Doggie - Volkswagen = fucking tough!

Zibbs - it'll happen. Just wait for it.

Wabbit - That durn Iranian cleric was right!

marty mankins said...

We used to call this slugbug, and when I grew up in the 60's and 70's, VM bugs were all over.

So were the bruises on all of our arms.

Mrs. Hall said...

Slug bug USE to be only for cars with one headlight (like Candy said)

BUT

i think modern life is hard. there is so much crap with cell phones and endless demands from people all around us, people telling us what to do all the time and we sit there and take it because we are grown ups and have to pay our mortgage and car insurance.

so yeah

sometimes it's just a matter of opportunity to go apeshit in a socially appropriate manner.

like getting all heated about stupid VW commercials.

(btw I OWN A JETTA AND IT IS FABOSH! heated leather seats ya'll!!)

Mrs. Hall said...

@RW sometimes I have the kids lay really still on the lawn. Then I say, first one to sit up or say something loses.

BECAUSE I HAVE TWO KIDS AND EVEN WHEN THEY OUTSIDE THEY ARE SUCH HOLLER MONKEES!!

it's matter of survival sometimes!

;)

Verdant Earl said...

Marty - we grew up in similar families.

Holly - wait a minute! Now you are combining punch buggy with pididdle. I don't think that's allowed. ;)

Bruce Johnson said...

I personally can't stand these commericals either. I never much cared for the original game, but now it is much worse. Basically giving people license to hit people when-ever they see a Volkswagen. I am not a left wing leaning liberal, but the idea of ligitimizing assault in the name of capitalism just sort of sits wrong with me. Now 'Knife-Dub'.....that I could get behind.

Raine said...

You are 100% right. Punching for ANY VW?? Now, that is plain silly. Big corporations really know how to suck fun outta shit, eh?