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Shut the front door.............
by kevinbarry at 4/24/2011 3:49:25 PM
I like watching various game shows on the Game Channel and there is a commercial for Oreo fudge cream cookies that is shown quite a few times a day.
In this commercial, there is a family of four - dad, mom, and two kids - older sister and younger brother:
The dad, after sampling an Oreo Fudge cream cookie says “whoa”.
Then the daughter says “right?”,
Then dad says “Get out”
Then the son says “exactly”,
Then daughter says “really”.
Then mom walks in and says “what?” and after
sampling a cookie says “Shut the front door”.
Then dad says “right!”.
and the son says “Woop Woop” and raises his two arms
and the grandfather watching tv in front room,
tries one and says “Franklin Delanoe”.
It all happens within about 12 seconds and every time I see it I crack up.
The mom’s line, “Shut the front door”, piqued my curiosity, because even though she said it cute and innocent, it reminded me of another expression that is not so nice that begins with “Shut the…..”. I did not feel that is what she was expressing in an alternative way but it still made me curious, so I went to my trusty internet and keyed in “Shut the front door”.
The Urban Dictionary, which holds no punches, has multiple references to this saying and the first eight have to do with the more vulgar interpretation in varying degrees – from quite vulgar down to mildly vulgar, but the ninth version says that it is not an alternative to the vulgar term but it is used to describe someone being shut down as in one sports team shutting down the other.
What I do not understand is that if Urban Dictionary has 9 meanings and 8 say, in no uncertain terms that it is an alternative to a very vulgar term without saying the vulgar words themselves, why would Oreo risk raising eyebrows in a commercial?
Maybe the simple answer is that Oreo is just trying to be cool with the younger crowd. Maybe some kids would say "wow, Oreo is hip - they are trying to reach out to kids". Who knows, right?
The mom is quite pretty and she says “Shut the front door!” in a very cute and charming way, but still…..
Long lead in, I know, but now its your turn.
Two questions –
1. how do you feel about the saying itself – either in the commercial or if or when you might have heard it or said it yourself to someone?
2. Do you use any sayings that might be local in nature or have you heard any interesting little sayings that you needed to have clarified by a friend or relative? Like, what did he/she mean when she said……..
My turn. When I moved to Mount Joy, several of my neighbors said this on occasion:
“That is the bomb”.
I never heard that before in my life. When I first heard it here, I was not sure what it meant, but based on the tone of who said it, I knew that it was something positive – maybe even a compliment.
I was invited for dinner and I made a cheesecake and when the couple tasted it, the wife said “This is the bomb”, so I knew she really liked it.
Comments?
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