the buzz log

Sarah Palin

Remember those quizzes you had on the state capitals back in junior high? Oh, the pressure! The temptation to write "Pierre, Olympia, Dover, Albany" on the inside of your hand was overwhelming, wasn't it? But you resisted. Maybe Sarah Palin should have done the same.

The former vice presidential candidate seems to have been caught using curious crib notes during an interview this past weekend at the high-profile Tea Party Convention in Nashville. While speaking about her top political priorities, Ms. Palin gazed at her hand in a rather suspicious manner.

Later, Web researchers zoomed in on her left palm and found the following words scrawled in black ink: "Energy, Budget cuts (with "budget" crossed out), Tax, Lift American Spirits." In an ironic twist during the speech, Ms. Palin worked in a jab against President Obama's often-mocked use of TelePrompTers. You can watch the clip below or check out a close-up here.

Following the flap, the Web went wild. Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC mocked Ms. Palin by relying on her own crib notes to recap highlights from Palin's appearance. Her keynote speech, it should be noted, had the crowd on its feet. "Run, Sarah, run," the crowd chanted (as in "please run for president in 2012").

But palm-gate wasn't the only bit of news sparked by Palin. Her defense of Rush Limbaugh's use of the word "retards" raised eyebrows, as well. On Fox News Sunday, the anti "r-word" crusader contended that Limbaugh had used the word in the context of political humor and satire. Earlier in the week, the difference between her angry reaction to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's use of the "slur" and a more restrained response to Limbaugh's made from some awkward fallout. Web searches on "sarah palin on fox news" and "palin limbaugh" have both surged as the controversy swirled.

Sarah's husband, Todd Palin, has also been back in the news. The self-proclaimed former "first dude" of Alaska was revealed to be quite active in state business. According to recently uncovered emails, Todd Palin was "involved in a judicial appointment, monitored contract negotiations with public employee unions, received background checks on a corporate CEO, added his approval or disapproval to state board appointments and passed financial information marked 'confidential' from his oil company employer to a state attorney."

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Betty White

Watching the Super Bowl ads is as much a tradition as the game itself. During this year's contest, a few interesting trends emerged. There were commercials focusing on what it means to "be a man" as well as a couple of ads with too many tighty-whiteys (don't worry, we'll explain). A slew of big names like Coca-Cola, Budweiser, and Doritos all brought their A-game, but some of the lesser-known brands were buzzier...

Old Celebs Bring the Thunder
Move over, Budweiser. Snickers may have had the buzziest commercial of the day. Betty White, the former "Golden Girl," plays a game of football and gets slammed to the ground for comedic effect. "Dude," a player moans, "you're playing like Betty White!" The lesson: If you don't want to play like a geriatric Golden Girl, have a Snickers. Check out the clip below...

Doritos lays the smack down
Doritos aired a slew of ads during the big game. The one that stood out starred a little boy who didn't like the idea of a new suitor hitting on his mom. "These are the rules," the kid says. "Keep your hands off my mama, and keep your hands off my Doritos."

CareerBuilder and Dockers
Pants?! We don't need no stinkin' pants! Back-to-back commercials pushed the anti-pants agenda. The first, for CareerBuilder.com, featured a new employee surrounded by co-workers who take "casual Fridays" a bit too literally. The second, for Dockers, had a group of underwear-clad men singing about their missing slacks. For those who didn't think anybody wore tighty-whiteys any more, we present two commercials that offer disturbing proof to the contrary...

Dove, Dodge, and FloTV
So you think you're a man? Well, think again, buddy, because the folks at Dove, Dodge, and FloTv might disagree. The three companies each aired ads with an "attack on manliness." Dodge's ad, for its macho Charger car, featured a voice-over of a man agreeing to all the indignities that come with long-term relationships. But, the ad contends, men draw the line when it comes to their cars.

You're a guy and you've been using "regular" Dove? For shame, sir! Fortunately, you're not a lost cause. Now you can be a stud and use "Dove for Men." The ad had a catchy tune about going from boyhood to manhood, and how "Dove for Men" can help you along the way. Clip below...

FloTV, which lets you stream shows (and manly sports like football), took aim at "spineless" guys who hold their girlfriends' purses and get dragged around in the mall, when they could be watching football. Jim Nantz narrates the ad, the third (by our count) that aims to inspire the dudes to be more dude-ish.

Super Bowl Shuffle 2.0
Longtime NFL fans remember the Super Bowl Shuffle from 1985. The '85 Chicago Bears, including Jim McMahon, rapped and danced to an original tune. It was painful to watch, but darn if it wasn't catchy. Now, 25 years later, some ex-Bears returned to the stage to perform a new version of their inexplicable hit for Boost Mobile. In the ad, McMahon raps about his cheetah print thong, rides in a wheelchair, and gets a spray-on tan. Somebody get this guy a Dodge, some Dove for Men, and new Flo, stat.

Tim Tebow's Focus on the Family
Much ado about nothing. That's the best way to sum up the Focus on the Family ad starring Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. The ad had been the subject of much controversy in the weeks leading up to big game. Would it have a strong antiabortion angle? Well, not really. The ad featured Mr. Tebow and his mom discussing how he was a difficult birth and a "miracle baby," but, of course, the mom is just thrilled with the way things turned out. At the end of the ad, a message appears suggesting people check out Focus on the Family's official site for more information. You can check out the clip below...

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