Filed under: Humor, Video, Cult of Mac, Odds and ends, Apple
Yes Martha, he looks Bill Gates-ish
When Apple rolled out the new ad campaign, a number of you sent in the tips (thanks!). I hopped online and saw the "virus" ad, which is what Apple apparently wants you to see first. And like most of us, I saw a guy who reminded me of Bill Gates. It's not exact by any means, and there's some guilt by association to be had here (can you mutter Windows PC without thinking of the guy?).
Give him credit, Bill does a great job of being Nerd Prime. The actor in the commercial, aside from doing a terrible Bill G-money imitation, does a great job of being an understated Windows geek. OK, so the guy looks as much like Gates as the smiley on Apple's Get A Mac page looks like Microsoft's Bob icon... Now let's see those awesome parody videos/comebacks, Windows lovers!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Apple-cation said 9:44PM on 5-02-2006
Where can I get more information about that new Janpanese camera that Macs are hooking up with?
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Shane said 9:48PM on 5-02-2006
The Guy? That's resident expert, contributing writer, and professional writer in the areas of his own expertise of complete world knowledge: John Hodgman.
Seriously though, he's got a pretty funny book out and started a stint as a correspondent/expert on the Daily Show several months ago.
He's not your average nerd!
But then again, neither is billy g I guess.
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Samuel McConnell said 9:50PM on 5-02-2006
Nice jab at Pirates of Silicon Valley in the image. ;)
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Stridey said 9:50PM on 5-02-2006
Your Mac knows. Open Terminal.app and type "man spicyjap".
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Reg said 9:52PM on 5-02-2006
The easiest comeback has to do with playing games:
PC: So, I got together with a bunch of my buddies on the weekend to play some baseball.
Mac: What's that?
PC: You've never heard of baseball? How about football? Basketball? Not even Soccer?
Mac: No, no, and no.
PC: Poor you. Still, you've got that Chess program...
To which I have a comeback:
PC: So, I got together with a bunch of my buddies on the weekend to play some baseball. Oh, you can't do that can you.
Mac: Sure I can. I flicked a Boot Camp switch and pretended I was you for a few hours. Then when I got bored with your buddies, I flicked it back and played with the Japanese girl again.
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Eric said 10:26PM on 5-02-2006
That bit about Apple wanting us to see "Virus" first...I don't think so. When I went to the Apple homepage the video that popped up was "Network." Btw, I definitely think "Network" is the best of them all. How 'bout another poll for favorite new commercial?
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Peter Payne said 10:36PM on 5-02-2006
As a Japanese bilingual, I have to say it was slick to see the "Mac" guy speaking (pretty good) nihongo to that digital camera chick. Nice to tie Macs to Japan, since (among other things) they've always been the choice of users who must use Japanese (ever since the old Kanjitalk days, ah that brings me back). I'd estimate Macs have 25%+ marketshare among gaijin living in Japan, if not more.
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jason said 10:55PM on 5-02-2006
Peter Payne, do you know what exactly they are saying?
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Judd Volino said 11:14PM on 5-02-2006
Now that you mention it, the young "Mac" guy could be seen as alluding to a youthful Steve Jobs. See photos at http://www.coe.berkeley.edu/forefront/fall2005/images/woz2.jpg
and
http://www.tugurium.com/gti/images/W/WozniakS_Jobs_1976.jpg
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philip said 11:14PM on 5-02-2006
I think the Mac guy kinda resembles Steve Jobs from Apple's early years. Take a look at the picture on woz.org.
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Splashman said 11:19PM on 5-02-2006
Victor, the ads rotate. You got the virus one first by chance. I got the networking one first. If you reload the page, you'll get a different one.
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DidYouLoseASock said 11:51PM on 5-02-2006
John Hodgman is my Hero.
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DJ said 11:53PM on 5-02-2006
I believe the Mac guy is Justin Long who was in movies such as Galaxy Quest (as the nerd trekkie type kid) and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (as the young geeky player on the average joes team). He was also on the TV show "Ed". I could be wrong but I'm 99% sure it's him. Funny commercials by the way, I got a kick out of them. They kind of remind me of the old 'switch' ads though.
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Brett Berish said 12:12AM on 5-03-2006
For those looking for a translation, the Japanese girl basically exchanges formalities with with Mr. Mac, and then right at the end she says "ne, ne, ne, dare? Otaku boku nai?" which is pretty much "Hey, who's the dork?"
If someone wants to get picky about 'otaku' not quite meaning dork, I say it's close enough and the curious can hit up Wikipedia.
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twentysomething said 12:27AM on 5-03-2006
thanx #12... u've officially made "network" my favorite of the 6 commercials
bring on the fav commercial poll
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Tek said 2:25AM on 5-03-2006
@ #13: She says, "Ne, ne, ne, dare ano ossan? Otaku-ppoku nai?"
By the way, I didn't think any of the commercials would convince me to buy a Mac. The virus skit is funny, and it would sell me more than the networking one.
I found some irony in the fact that his digital camera was from Japan, though. Plenty of people might use Macs in Japan, but I feel like almost 99% of the social/blogging websites and cellphone companies in Japan refuse to support Macs (in future, Boot Camp will be a savior I imagine). Not to mention some of the interesting issues I run into with Japanese fonts and legibility on Macs sometimes...
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Steve Dale said 7:21AM on 5-03-2006
Firstly, let me declare my 'interests' as we say in the UK. I love Macs. I love what Steve Jobs had done with Apple. I do not love the PC (aka Windows) nor do I love what Bill Gates has done with the PC. However, I use both PC's and Macs and when I can afford a new Mac Pro laptop I will probably install Windows XP on it (along with Ubuntu). So, now that's out of the way, may I make a suggestion - well I will anyway.
Lets get away from personal attacks (on Bill Gates and everyone else). I admire Bill Gates because he is a philanthropist (I know, he can afford it). he doesn't need to give a penny away away (nor a dime/cent/dollar whatever). That he does and doesn't do it on a token scale but goves billions away via his foundation is something to be lauded and he should be praised for it. Also, for you Mac lovers out there please rememer that he is by all accounts a fan of the Mac, he owns some and his MS labs have lots of them. He virtually saved Apple when he agreed to but shares and continue to make Office for the Mac. So, give the guy a break will you.
Finally, I think the future is bright, the future's Apple. Whether MS has a future, who knows. All I know is that we should concentrate on the hardware/software stuff and not the personalities. If Steve Jobs left Apple tomorrow would Apple die, I think not. Thank you Steve for everything (and Ives and the rest of the folk) and thank you Bill for sharing your good fortune with so many needy folk around the world. May others recognise your altruism and join you. Maybe then we can see an end to poverty.
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mars said 7:54AM on 5-03-2006
Het Tek, have you ever tried to view a Japanese website on a PeeCee? let me tell you ...NOT FUN! You are 10 times more likely to be able to view it on a Mac than a PeeCee. I know this from personal experience.
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random said 10:17AM on 5-03-2006
Huh? He's intended to look like Bill Gates?
When I saw the commercial, I immediately thought that he was supposed to look like a boring, middle-aged businessman. He pulls it off admirably, which isn't really hard to do all things considered.
He has no passing resemblance to Bill Gates unless you automatically think that all middle-aged white men with glasses, a bad haircut, and a business suit resemble Bill Gates.
Don't put down our man, John Hodgman. He's a very talented and funny guy.
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DeGroot said 11:47AM on 5-03-2006
Wow, these Mr. Bob Dobalina's pop-up everywhere!
Please note that the prime minister of the Netherlands will fit nicely between them, see:
http://www.regering.nl/bewindslieden/kabinet/ministers/mpbalkenendecv.jsp
Keep up the good work TUAW !
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