commercial love

Um, so remember that pic of Tommy Lee Jones on a vending machine that I posted? Apparently, that was just scratching the surface - he really IS a spokesperson for that Boss coffee brand.

Okay, so Japanese commercials are way more interesting and amusing than American commercials. Why? Not sure, maybe it has to do with the fact that I have no idea what they're saying or that I have no idea what most of these products are so it's all new to me and I think it's great. Whatever it is, I like Japanese commercials, so I watch them when they come on.

So, Monday, SMAP just went off, and I'm trying to decide what to do next (lesson plans or ironing? there's a conundrum for you), and this commercial comes on. It's a bunch of maintenance guys doing something in a tunnel - they're all dirty and worn-out and looking like they're not enjoying this. And the foreman stands up and says something and points to what looks like a demolitions detonator - you know, the kind you see the Coyote always trying to blow up the Roadrunner with. And then he looks out at the men and says, quite clearly, "Jones."

The next thing you know, Tommy Lee Jones is walking out of the crowd - dressed just like all the other Japanese guys - and looking all noble, and he says something in Japanese that I don't know what it is yet. And he pushes the detonator and blows a whole in the top of the tunnel and everyone is happy and tears are streaming down TLJ's face in such a stereotypical melodramatic Japanese-emotional reaction that I just busted out laughing. It's a commercial for Boss coffee drinks, and the last shot is TLJ chugging one of their little super-espresso products.

This, I have decided, is awesome incarnate.

I also enjoy the car commercial with George Clooney. It's about 45 seconds of Clooney parking his car (Japanese, because the steering wheel is on the right!), putting money in a parking meter, putting the ticket on his dashboard, and walking down the street. I like its simplicity.


EDIT:
Okay, so I'm taking a break from writing and thinking, "gee, I wonder if I can find those commercials online." And I went searching. What did I find? TREASURE.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=4082864
Nicholas Cage as an overly-stereotyped (and insanely hilarious) cowboy.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=3866533
Governor Arnold also endorses power (?) drinks.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=4073112
For any "24" fans out there. Not the best quality, but it's mildly amusing.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=8696368
Hulk Hogan sings "The Days of the Week" song (which my kids hate) in a Japanese AC commercial.

And because I love Tommy Lee Jones in Japanese commercials, here's a WHOLE PAGE DEDICATED TO THEM. In commercial #9, he becomes my new personal hero.
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=2770

[p.s. The Pee Wee Herman commercials were too horrible to link here. Find them if you dare.]