Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Tea Kettle Hitler?

A little break from the Yellowstone Experience for the real world to rear its ugly head.
Now this post proves two things.
That Western civilization in 2013 has waaaay too much time on its hands.
And I regrettably am falling for this one hook, line and sinker.
According to the London Daily Telegraph, there is a billboard in Culver City, California, near Los Angeles, for JC Penney department store. It billboard is pretty innocuous as it shows what appears to be a tea kettle.
But look closely. Look really close at this photo:

Why by golly, here it is.
Hitler Tea Kettle.
Well, I don't think that it is actually called that. But really, doesn't it look just like Shicklgruber himself?
Forgive me but I kind of sort of think that this is a big stretch. I mean really. Are we now comparing a billboard photo of a tea kettle to the most evil mass murder of the 20th century?
So the end of the tea kettle that steams and screams is. . .Der Fuerher giving the Sieg Heil salute? And what exactly is that black line down the middle of the kettle? Looking at the photo it does not even look like it is part of the kettle.
The handle, which looks pretty ergonomic to me, is really supposed to be the floppy hair of the Butcher of Berlin?
And, this is maybe the best part, the top of the kettle, the black ball, is really. . .the Hitler moustache?
Well, that is what all the freaks on Reddit want you to think so. For many went there to post their thoughts on this billboard.
So, an already struggling JC Penney really is going to trot out the Tea Kettle Hitler, put it on a billboard and expect sales to go through the roof? If that was the intent, hey why didn't they think of putting this up in West Los Angeles? The Fairfax district maybe? Oh, these are very Jewish areas of Los Angeles. I mean, didn't they aim this for them? To remind them of those good ol' days?
See, what worries me is that people driving on the San Diego Freeway (405) are taking the time to psychoanalyze a billboard. All I know is that when my wife is driving, she sure as hell does not pay attention to billboards just like that. If I am the passenger, maybe I will. But I sure would not have the time to look and gleam Tea Kettle Hitler.
What I do is look at it and think that it is one of those modern-look tea kettles. That is all.
Sure, when you look at the photo above, you could possibly think, hmm, maybe. But again, it is a TEA KETTLE!
This is the ultimate Seinfeld story.
Much ado about nothing. I mean, I am expecting the old gang from Seinfeld to pop up soon going on and on about it.
Folks, we have become a society with waaay too much time to look at a billboard and get what some got out of it.
Seriously, all it is supposed to be and is a billboard for a tea kettle. Nothing more, nothing less.
What this shows to me is how disturbed we have become in the United States. That an advertising billboard becomes a Rorschach test and people guess DING! DING! DING! It's Tea Kettle Hitler! What do I get for guessing it right?!
People, get a grip and don't worry. JC Penney is not trying to start a campaign to ornamentalize Adolf Hitler. It is just trying to get back in the financial black and sell some tea kettles. It sure does not need this to boost or decline sales.

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