That’s right, it is that time of year again. This time last year I had a hankering for some golden
fried turkey. Now, for Thanksgiving I think I’ll get me one of those big juicy turkey drumsticks – the ones you see people wielding at the theme parks, Fred Flinstone style.
The drumstick represents the cudgel of ineffective PR and image crafting, and as such is an apt symbol for this year’s PR Golden Turkey Awards.
Read on, and as always please feel free to volunteer additional choices.
A Great Step for Mankind, a Fall for Irony
Yea, I voted for him, and it was wonderful that we will have a Black president. But there is nothing, I mean nothing funny about Barack. Add to this sad state of global economic affairs and you have some once again predicting the death of Irony (see NY Times piece Irony is Dead. Again.)
The Death of Stasis
Part and parcel with Obama’s victory was the end of Stasis. Now, Change rules.
I once heard someone say in a speech “the only one who likes change is a baby.”
I am not a baby. I am a middle-aged white guy. I like my couch. I like my remote. I like my TV. Too much change or other tomfoolery makes me crusty (crustier than my usual crusty self, anyway).
Negative Campaigning and Fear Tactics
The beautiful, truly wonderful thing about Obama’s victory is that it showed that leadership and inspiration trump fear and negative campaign tactics: the ones embraced by the right (first Lee Atwater, as I described in my post The Dark Prince of PR (inactive), and later his protege Karl Rove) and co opted by the left (Hillary used fear in her “3 am call” campaign ad).
Right Wing Talk Show Hosts
McCain was not their darling – the Hannitys, Limbaughs and Mark Levins of this world. Sure, the talk radio and cable TV talking heads can be entertaining and draw large ratings. But what conclusion can we draw from this year’s election other than that the Greek Chorus of the right are out of step with mainstream America?
The State of California and Arnold
They have had a pretty bad run, first almost running out of money, than the requisite natural and man made disasters, and finally Prop 8.
The Sate of Nebraska and Parenthood
It sounded like a great idea – let new parents who can’t handle the stresses of attending to baby’s needs and would otherwise do something horrific give up their infants to the state of Nebraska. One small problem, they did not specify an age cutoff, and people promptly (and in droves) dropped off their surly teens.
The State of Alaska and Sarah Palin
So who knew that we had such ambivalent feelings about the 49th state to join our union? I don’t know if Alaska tarnished Sarah Palin’s image, or vice versa, but all we heard during the campaign were jokes about crystal meth capitols, moose hunting and shooting wolves from helicopters.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, all!
oh so funny!